We're not afraid to be the ultimate tourists when we travel. Sure, it's great to go off the beaten path, but, when you're in a place for a really short time, sometimes it's fun to do the expected.
When you're in Philadelphia, you're expected to visit
Geno's Steaks and
Pat's King of Steaks. Most people will agree that they are not the best cheesesteaks in the city, but nobody can deny that they are absolute Philly institutions.
And, lo and behold! They are right across the street from each other! My friends Laptop and Mrs. Beagle joined us for the challenge. First stop:
Geno's.
Luckily, I spoke perfect English when ordering.
Whiz wit ($9.00).
That's abbreviated-speak for a cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz with onions. The sliced steak was quite bland.
Cheese fries ($5.00).
Much better than the cheesesteak but still nothing special at all.
Would
Pat's disappoint, too?
Our first impression of
Pat's was instantly better. Instead of being bombarded with scary Speak English signs and stickers, we were greeted with friendly, hearty hellos from several employees, not to mention the instructions clearly posted were pretty helpful.
Whiz wit ($9.50).
When you're conducting a cheesesteak challenge, you have to order exactly the same thing! While
Pat's doesn't compare at all to the magnificent
John's Roast Pork, this sandwich completely kicked the
Geno's sandwich's ass. It wasn't even a contest. The chopped steak made all the difference -- more char, more flavor, more everything.
Cheese fries ($5.50).
Again, better than
Geno's. More crisp!
Bonus sandwich pic.
Mr. Beagle got Provolone. Mmm. Provolone.
It was an easy choice between these two historic cheesesteak competitors. Team
Pat's!
But, really, the Monkeys are Team
John's Roast Pork. That is, until we return and sample some more cheesesteaks the next time we're in Philadelphia.
Tony Lukes!
ReplyDeleteNext time! ;)
DeleteI agree. Tony Lukes is legit.
DeleteI am very glad to hear the non-xenophobic cheesesteaks were better!
ReplyDeleteLOL. I would like to take this moment to inform all readers that the English-only propaganda did not influence our decision! ;)
DeleteYou guys look so cute!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks!
DeleteI.M. Pei aint got nuthin on I.M. Hungry. Did Rocky Balboa eat a steak sandwich and was it wit or witout? Adrien!!
ReplyDeleteLOL. Oh, yut. Nobody comments like you comment!
Deleteyikes to those signs at geno's.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that the debate has been settled once and for all. And according to twitter--oops I just realized that since your twitter is private, you probably don't want people coming on your blog telling your twitter business! Maybe I'll tweet you instead :p
ReplyDeleteI want to describe these pictures as orgasmic because (1) I really want to try Philly cheesesteaks and (2) nacho cheese sauce makes me swoon! Jealous of your outing.
ReplyDeleteOhhh, you are SO right! We go Pat's ALL the way! When we lived in Utah, my husband would get sent to Philly on business. He would, on the day he flew home, take a cab to Pat's, buy SIX sandwiches (whiz-wits and provi-wits), stuff them in his little cooler, and carry them home on the plane. Yeah, there was the risk that they'd go over on us, but at least we'd go out happy! Now that we're on the east coast, we drive up to Philly a couple times a year just to grab sandwiches. As you absolutely know, it's not just the meat (I can duplicate that at home with shabu shabu meat/fine sliced rib eye), it's that bread. A good ciabatta does okay, but it's not the same.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED reading!
Kris