A few weeks ago I was in Philly and was determined to enjoy a real Philly cheese steak.
I called my friend Nick, a Philly native and asked...without hesitation he said "gotta go to Jim's Steak on South and 4th"
Now THAT'S an endorsement! I asked a cabbie the same thing and he said either Jim's or Geno's. That was enough for me Jim's it is. My buddy and I go over there and it's right across from the Fillmore music venue, ok this was meant to be cool location with plenty of thumbs up! We walk in, study the menu but were advised that we have to get it "wit" onion and whiz. Yes, cheese whiz. We get our sammy's and sit down. After studying our prizes we take our first bite....ok, let me try a second bite to be sure. What does it say about a sandwich when you are wishing for more cheese whiz for flavor... It was a Steak-Um with whiz
We just didn't get it. We were so bummed that it wasn't better.
Give me an Italian beef combo any day of the week...Sorry Nick.
He also told us of a martini bar that serves a concoction called a "Dean Martin"
A gin martini, a Lucky Strike and a match. We didn't go there but that did sound cool
5 comments:
Yeah, the whole cheeze "WHIZ" thing escaped me. I've been told that across from Gino's is a place called "Pat's" and supposedly Philly people are either Gino(?) Gina(?) people or Pat's people!
I'm with you -- I'll take an italian beef any day!
And to echo you both, true 'dat! When I was in Philly I went through the same thing, only to be disappointed. I'll gladly take a combo, juicy with both peppers any day (along with an order of Bleu Cheese French Fries from Al's). Ah, so much for fantasy...back to my blueberries and shredded wheat.
After the whole "hey this sucks" thing I asked every Philly person there about the sandwich. It was Jim's then Geno's then Pat's. rotating according to every person I talked to so I can only assume they are all close and it would have to be AMAZING to make a difference.
Maybe it's an acquired taste.
In Chicago last summer, Bettie and I went to Giordano's (in Rosemont or just north of there). The reviews I read either loved Giordano's (out-of-town reviewers) or called it a scandal, because there's no such thing as Chicago deep-dish pizza (locals). We, being from out of town, loved it.
Sorry that it's the other way in Philly.
I wanted to like it I really did!
Giordano's is a good pie
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