# Regional Food....Philly Cheesesteak, disappointing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265 "2005-12-26T18:38:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/21 "2005-12-27T00:01:18Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Any chance you remember the name of the place, or about where it was? I’m very curious. Also how long ago it might have been? I was there in 1999. Sorry, I can’t remember the name, though. I can tell you kind of where it was. It was in a strip mall across the street from the Frontier Mall (Del Range Ave.) Good Luck. Hope it’s still there. It was great! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/22 "2005-12-27T01:01:28Z")
> [@](#): > > I was there in 1999. Sorry, I can’t remember the name, though. I can tell you kind of where it was. It was in a strip mall across the street from the Frontier Mall (Del Range Ave.) Good Luck. Hope it’s still there. It was great! Cool, shouldn’t be too hard to find if it’s still there. I’m curious to try one though I don’t make it down to Cheyenne very often. It surprises me you like the bread. One of the major problems of living at altitude(thinnner air, lower boiling point) is bread doesn’t rise quite right, And really good bread up here takes special care and treatment. It was only about 10-15 years ago we got bagels that didn’t suck. So I really want to try their’s. > [@](#): > > The sourdough is not particularly sour, and nothing is crusty enough. I’m really not sure how I lived life without dutch crunch, but it’s non-existant out there. After a spell in SF in the '60’s, my mother has been on a lifelong quest to find good sourdough in Jersey. She’s given up and just eats it by the loaf when she visits me. Yeah, I have given up trying to find good sourdough here in Denver, it just doesn’t exist. Finally, I just got a connection in San Fran who flash freezes it and mails it to me. It’s not as good as fresh there, but still tons better than anything I can get here. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/23 "2005-12-27T01:08:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I was there in 1999. Sorry, I can’t remember the name, though. I can tell you kind of where it was. It was in a strip mall across the street from the Frontier Mall (Del Range Ave.) Good Luck. Hope it’s still there. It was great! Cool, shouldn’t be too hard to find if it’s still there. I’m curious to try one though I don’t make it down to Cheyenne very often. It surprises me you like the bread. One of the major problems of living at altitude(thinnner air, lower boiling point) is bread doesn’t rise quite right, And really good bread up here takes special care and treatment. It was only about 10-15 years ago we got bagels that didn’t suck. So I really want to try their’s. > [@](#): > > The sourdough is not particularly sour, and nothing is crusty enough. I’m really not sure how I lived life without dutch crunch, but it’s non-existant out there. After a spell in SF in the '60’s, my mother has been on a lifelong quest to find good sourdough in Jersey. She’s given up and just eats it by the loaf when she visits me. Yeah, I have given up trying to find good sourdough here in Denver, it just doesn’t exist. Finally, I just got a connection in San Fran who flash freezes it and mails it to me. It’s not as good as fresh there, but still tons better than anything I can get here. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/24 "2005-12-27T01:27:31Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Yeah, I have given up trying to find good sourdough here in Denver, it just doesn’t exist. Finally, I just got a connection in San Fran who flash freezes it and mails it to me. It’s not as good as fresh there, but still tons better than anything I can get here. I don’t know if they sell it in Denver but, for sourdough, I prefer the bread produced by the [Coeur d’ Alene French Bread Co./Salt Lake Sourdough Co.](http://www.saltlakesourdough.com/home.html) The company’s headquarter’s and main bakery is in Salt Lake City which is a lot closer than San Francisco if you want to get fresh sourdough. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/25 "2005-12-27T01:51:48Z")
Philly cheesesteaks are, quite possibly, the most overrated food ever. I’ve hat Pat’s and Geno’s. They’re just big sacks of grease with cheap, crappy meat and cheap, crappy cheese melted on it. A good hoagie is different though. Those are good. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/26 "2005-12-27T02:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > If there is an acceptable Philly Cheesesteak on the West Coast, I haven’t found it. There was a place in NW Portland that had a fantastic Philly Cheesesteak. The grease soaked right through the wax paper…yum. My roommate and I, whenever we drove up there from Ashland to see friends of ours, used to always get two steaks each when we were getting ready to leave – one for right then, and one for the drive back. Mmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/27 "2005-12-27T05:39:23Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Philly cheesesteaks are, quite possibly, the most overrated food ever. I’ve hat Pat’s and Geno’s. They’re just big sacks of grease with cheap, crappy meat and cheap, crappy cheese melted on it. A good hoagie is different though. Those are good. Yo, Vinnie. Do me a fava, woodya? Take care a dis guy, OK? It’s OK? Tanks. And then get me a Frank’s. Whaddaya mean wat flava? Black cherry, ya fanoke! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/28 "2005-12-27T05:42:30Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > I had no idea good sourdough bread was that much of a west coast thing. What do they do to it on the east coast? Is it too bland or or too sour? > > So I don’t make the same mistake when I’m in your part of the country, what is a good bread to eat with pastrami? > > Also, mayo on a hoagie may be bad but it’s nothing compared to mayo on a BBQ sandwich (as I related in a thread awhile back). Yeah, the best sourdough seems to be around here. I have _no_ idea why, but then again, I tried 3 separate times to make my own sourdough and it failed every time. Pastrami is with rye, and brown mustard. Really outrageous rye bread is difficult to find out here. The Oroweat “Jewish” rye is kinda bland. Hey, what can you expect from a place that doesn’t know from pumpernickel? I’ve tried Amato’s. Eh. ---
**Author:** ![633squadron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/ee59a6/32.png) [@633squadron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/633squadron)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/29 "2005-12-28T04:25:53Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > My brother sends me a box of TastyKakes for my birthday every year. For some reason, I can get by without them _until he sends me some_. I think he’s trying to drive me crazy, in hopes he can get me out of the will, the little fink. The little fink sent some some for Chanukah! I was right! :smack: They just arrived via UPS. Well, I’m gonna get even with him… But first, a nosh 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2005, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/30 "2005-12-28T04:50:24Z")
There was a very acceptable and authentic Philly Cheesesteak place in Pasadena when I first moved there. It re-located to Monrovia but eventually closed down. ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/31 "2005-12-29T03:51:39Z")
I have an odd compulsion: when I’m traveling and see a place advertising “Philly” cheesesteaks, if my schedule allows, I have to try one. I was once struck speechless in Manhattan when the counter guy asked if I wanted mayo on my steak. Luckily I got control of my tongue back in time to say no. This was a particularly severe misconception, but there are others: The bread, as others have already said, is never authentic. Not bad necessarily, just not right. Lettuce and tomato seem to be standard cheesesteak fixings outside Philadelphia. They are certainly not standard inside Philadelphia. Here, if you want lettuce and tomato you ask for a “cheesesteak hoagie” and pay extra. Contrary to what some people seem to think, CheezWiz is NOT mandatory. I have eaten one CheezWiz steak in my entire life and have no intention of eating another. Provolone or American for me thanks, and no onions. That said, I am not a purist. There’s some chain that offers, in addition to supposedly “authentic” Philly steaks, a steak made with ham, Swiss and pineapple. That might cause a riot at Pat’s, but I thought it was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![spiralscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@spiralscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiralscratch)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/32 "2005-12-29T06:47:03Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Amato’s (in San Jose) is pretty damn good. The folks who run it are from Philly-- they yell at you if you take more than 5 seconds to order, or if you ask any questions about the menu. If you ever make it down this way, check it out. It’s a real hole-in-the wall place on Saratoga Ave in West San Jose. Seconded. That place is great. While I’ve never had a ‘true’ philly-cheesesteak, it’s the closest to the descriptions/photos/etc. I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/33 "2005-12-29T06:50:05Z")
> [@ryobserver](#): > > I have an odd compulsion: when I’m traveling and see a place advertising “Philly” cheesesteaks, if my schedule allows, I have to try one. I was once struck speechless in Manhattan when the counter guy asked if I wanted mayo on my steak. Luckily I got control of my tongue back in time to say no. This was a particularly severe misconception, but there are others: > > The bread, as others have already said, is never authentic. Not bad necessarily, just not right. > > Lettuce and tomato seem to be standard cheesesteak fixings outside Philadelphia. They are certainly not standard inside Philadelphia. Here, if you want lettuce and tomato you ask for a “cheesesteak hoagie” and pay extra. > > Contrary to what some people seem to think, CheezWiz is NOT mandatory. I have eaten one CheezWiz steak in my entire life and have no intention of eating another. Provolone or American for me thanks, and no onions. > > That said, I am not a purist. There’s some chain that offers, in addition to supposedly “authentic” Philly steaks, a steak made with ham, Swiss and pineapple. That might cause a riot at Pat’s, but I thought it was pretty good. A lot of sandwich makers seem to assume, for whatever reason, that every sandwich needs lettuce and tomato. It’s always bothered me when I’ve gotten it “by default” on a cheesesteak in some places. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/34 "2005-12-29T07:37:44Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Oh, I was going to say: if we had a “specialty”, I would say it should be Tritip sandwiches. It is my understanding that other places don’t have tritip, which is, really, a crime against humanity. Imagine my surprise at discovering tri-tip upon my move to the west coast. It’s not even a blip on the radar east of the Sierras, as far as I can tell. You bastards. It was the same betrayed sense of shock I got when I discovered that Gallo was actually a respected name in wine. We only got their junk on the East Coast. As to the OP: There was a pizza shop called Jeanna’s in Waltham, MA (don’t bother looking for it, the place has changed hands a million times since then). They served a cheesesteak (not advertized as “Philly-style”) that I once drove 15 miles out of my way for. (Why, yes, my doctor says I DO have elevated serum cholesterol, however did you guess?) They tossed the cheese right on the grill with the meet, and melted it entirely while tossing the whole mess, frying to a nce greasy, chewy, but somehow still crunchy mess. I’ve never seen it prepared quite the way they did it since. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/35 "2005-12-29T14:46:50Z")
As another Jersey transplant, Philly Cheesesteaks are on my list of things I miss (along with true NY/NJ style pizza and bagels) down in the South. Then again, they don’t do barbeque up there as they do down here, so you take the bad with the good. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/36 "2005-12-29T16:05:00Z")
> [@Obsidian](#): > > Regional food never transfers well. And I think I know why: the food depends on the ingredients coming _from_ there, and your love for that food depends on your being from there as well, growing up with it. I could make you an extra-yummy Dougie Steak with tender Iowa sirloin and bubbly-gooey Vermont cheddar on the most hardass hard roll NYC ever baked, but if you’re from Phila., you’d likely spit it right back at me in a flood of expletives because _it’s not what you grew up with._ Never mind whether an objective taster might actually prefer it to a grease-and-“cheez” roll-up: _it’s not **about** objective taste._ It’s about culture, and belonging, and pride, and home. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/37 "2005-12-29T16:05:17Z")
As Neurotik said, “Authentic” Philly Cheesesteaks generally suck. There’s a place here in B-more that makes cheesesteak subs that are divine, but they are definitely not “Philly style”. They do things that would make any Philly resident scream and run for cover, like using high quality actual steak and real cheese in their subs. If you’re ever going to be in Baltimore, drop me a line and I’ll tell you how to get there. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/38 "2005-12-29T19:47:35Z")
San Franciscan in the Midwest here. I usually get my sourdough at Trader Joe’s, which is fairly decent, although not quite as sour as I would prefer. I’ve also gotten some pretty good - although pricier - sourdough (from Wisconsin, of all places; the guy in the store seemed to be a little nervous when I explained that I was an ex-pat San Franciscan on a quest for sourdough) at a fancy schmancy yuppie food shop here in Chicago. Either way, better than when I lived in Michigan and couldn’t find sourdough to save my life. That sucked. There used to be a Boudin Bakery on Michigan Avenue. I practically cried when I discovered it, and I practically again when it disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/39 "2005-12-29T21:55:39Z")
I’ve never had the real thing, but the cheesesteaks at Philly-West in West Los Angeles are pretty good (on Westwood Boulevard, just south of Santa Monica). I get mine with cheese onions and sauce. Hmm. Now I’m hungry. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265/40 "2005-12-29T22:43:15Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Imagine my surprise at discovering tri-tip upon my move to the west coast. It’s not even a blip on the radar east of the Sierras, as far as I can tell. You bastards. Ain’t it glorious? Around here on the weekends, all over town people set up those big grills that you tow behind a car. For $2 you can get a big, fat tri-tip sandwich. I mean, they are huge- you could easily gorge yourself for one mean or make it into two. Yummy. Oh and any function for a local politician, sports group, or highschool fundraiser tri-tip is mandatory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regional-food-philly-cheesesteak-disappointing/337265.md?page=3)