“Where can I find the best Cheesesteak in Philadelphia?”
When I moved to Philadelphia a number of years ago, there were some foods that were intrinsically Philadelphian…the soft pretzel, a Tastycake, a Frank’s Soda or an Ortlieb’s Beer …all of these treats were from Philly, and they defined the soul of a town whose tastes have since expanded into every ethnic cuisine – all with an individually Philly flair. Of all the items of the food variety that say Philadelphia, very few have risen to the echelon of The Philadelphia Cheesesteak Sandwich.
There are friends of mine who, when they come to town, can’t leave without getting a Philly Cheesesteak – often they take a handful for the road, allegedly for waiting mouths at home…but often we know better. When people in the know come to town, they ask a question that is Philly’s favorite trick question – “Where’s the best place to get a cheesesteak?” That’s a “trick question” because the “right” answer depends on who you ask.
Some people, when they get that question answered, will be sent to places where you can only order in English, using phrases like “wit” and “wit-out”. Others will be instructed that there’s no cheese like Cheez Whiz, or that any cheesesteak with stringy onions is definitely not the real thing. Wherever they end up going, they’re going to end up with very different renditions of the same thing….thinly sliced beef chopped on the grill, fried onions and cheese on a roll. Some people will add mushrooms, some people go the ‘lettuce and tomato’ route for a cheesesteak hoagie, others add pickles or peppers and tomato sauce, and still others do ketchup and/or mayo on the roll.
What people do with their sandwiches is no doubt what they’ve done for years, and maybe even what their mother and father did before them. That behavior, like so many others in Philadelphia, depends greatly on what neighborhood you’re in. Philadelphia is certainly a city of neighborhoods, most of which began with ethnic boundaries. Each neighborhood then has its own “locally local” twist on the old favorite, substituting provolone for the traditional American cheese for instance, or adding sauerkraut or pepperoni.
Whatever you put ON the cheesesteak, the thing that’s going to make the most difference is the meat. Places that use a lean ribeye cut are generally going to give you a more tender and flavorful sandwich that is not a greasy mess. Just like anything else, fresh is always better than frozen, so if the steak starts frozen, it’s just not going to be as good as meat that is freshly shaved onto the grill. The second thing is the onions – they have to be sweet, and they should be cut in squares. Now I’m not an onion connoisseur, but if you walk into the shop and the smell of raw onions greets you at the door, they’re the wrong kind and that’s going to be the wrong shop.
The third thing is the cheese. Beyond the cheez whiz concept (which was always troubling in light of my Boys Club overnight camp vernacular – where taking a whiz had nothing to do with cheese) there is the notion of what to use other than American cheese (which in my view provides the perfect gooey consistency called for in the best sandwich). Some places will let you choose swiss, but places that offer you gruyere are probably to ‘high on the hog’ to be authentically authentic…good…but not authentic.
Finally (and maybe most importantly) is the roll. The most authentic Philly Cheesesteak must be served on an Amoroso Roll that was delivered in a corrugated box the same morning of whatever day you’re getting your sandwich. Most people don’t know that it is actually the roll that keeps similar sandwiches in other places from measuring up to the Philly Cheesesteak. It is baked in special ovens that produce a soft and chewy bundle of baked goodness that can only be found in these parts.
So, my answer to the “Where’s the best cheesesteak in Philly?” question…is Dalessandro’s on Henry Avenue in Roxborough. They score ‘off-the-chart’ in all of the categories I have highly valued – but most of all, it’s the place where I learned what a cheesesteak is “supposed” to taste like. My wife’s answer is Larry’s on 54th Street in Overbrook, because she’s from West Philly and that’s where she learned what a cheesesteak is “supposed” to taste like. Your answer may vary, and you could make a cholesterol defying project out of doing a citywide comparison. The “best cheesesteak sandwich” might be across town, or simply the first one you can get to, but one thing’s for sure, wherever in Philly you get it from, you must be sure to get one – because a Cheesesteak in Philly is like no other sandwich on the Planet…bon appitite.