AlwaysInvestigating: Philly’s Eternal Food Questions
GutterGourmet — August 04, 2010
A Philadelphia sandwich trio: a Cheesesteak from Pat’s Steaks, DiNic’s Roast Pork Sandwich, and an Italian Hoagie from Sarcone’s Bakery.
In ancient times travelers would seek answers to the eternal questions from the Oracle at Delphi. Recently, we sought food wisdom on an Odyssey in Phila-Delphi-a, but these questions were of far greater import than the Riddle of the Sphinx at Thebes:
1. Which cheesesteak is better— Pat’s or Geno’s?
2. What the hell is an Italian “hoagie” and is it better than a New York hero?
3. Is the Philly Roast Pork sandwich truly the greatest sandwich in the universe?
AlwaysTraveling: Steve’s Prince of Steaks (Langhorne, PA)
GutterGourmet — April 06, 2010
Double Meat Cheesesteak “wit” Onions, Cheese Whiz, White American, Cherry Peppers, and Red Pepperoncini at Steve’s Prince of Steaks.
Restaurant: Steve’s Prince of Steaks
Address: 1617 East Lincoln Highway, Langhorne, PA
Hours: Mon-Wed, 10am-11pm; Tues, Wed, Sun, 11:00am-12:00am; Thur-Fri, 11:00am-3:00am.
Contact: (215) 943-4640
Grade: A-
Recommended Dishes: Double Meat Cheesesteak “wit” Onions, Cheese Whiz, and White American.
If you find yourself driving in northeastern Philly, there’s an oasis in the desert of strip malls on East Lincoln Highway near Levittown, the 50’s suburban development dreamtown. It’s one of three locations of Steve’s Prince of Steaks, which was founded in 1980 by Steve Iliescu, who called himself a “Prince” in deference to Pat’s King of Steaks. It took just 12 short years for Steve’s to supplant Pat’s according to Philadelphia Magazine. They voted Steve’s #1 Cheesesteak in 1992, and as recently as 2007.
So how is this cheesesteak different from all others? Unlike Pat’s, and, for that matter, Carl’s (a go-to spot in Manhattan), the Prince slices the steak rather than chopping it. In that regard, Steve’s takes after Geno’s, Pat’s lifelong deadly rival in South Philly. But Steve’s slices the steak thicker than most any other cheesesteak you’ve seen.
AlwaysInformed: World Series of Food
Arthur Bovino — October 28, 2009
Garlic Fries at Yankee Stadium ($5/small).
Yankees vs. Phillies. Call it the Amtrak Series, the I-95 Series, the Liberty Series or Cheesecake versus Cheesesteak. As long as the Yanks are back in the Fall Classic, you can call it what you like.
Even haters must admit, it’s cool that Yankee Stadium is hosting the series in its inaugural season. While Shake Shack and the Acela Club have garnered CitiField more praise for its food (we mourn the loss of the pastrami dog), you could argue the Bronx has a better signature dish: Lobel’s Steak Sandwich.
AlwaysLearning: José Andrés
The Gluttoness — September 24, 2009
José Andrés at the StarChefs.com International Chefs Congress on Monday.
On back-to-back days, José Andrés showcased his ingenious culinary skills at food events in New York City, but it was his culinary knowledge, inquisitive nature and thirst for betterment that were truly inspiring. At StarChefs.com’s International Chefs Congress on Monday, the first thing he commented on during his presentation, “American Cuisine Through a Spanish Lens,” was that as a native Spaniard he wasn’t the obvious choice to address the event’s theme, “What is American cuisine?” When he first opened Mini Bar in Washington, D.C., his intention was to serve modern interpretations of Spanish dishes, but when his customers didn’t know what gazpacho was, he encountered a problem. How can you make a statement with a modern dish if your customer doesn’t understand its origins? The solution: Andrés began elevating American dishes, like New England Clam Chowder and Philly Cheesesteaks (left), with the techniques he honed at the famed El Bulli.
AlwaysPartying: NY Food Film Festival’s Mushroom Night
The Hungry Goat — June 16, 2009
Maitake Mushroom, Artichoke & Salsify Summer Roll with Truffle Raita
Sunday night at the Astor Center was “Mushroom Night” at the New York City Food Film Festival. The evening featured an exclusive screening of director Ron Mann’s 2008 film, Know Your Mushrooms. It was an informative and compelling mixed-media documentary exploring the vast world of mushrooms. Fungophiles in the audience were sated with a gourmet tasting of wild mushrooms provided by Chef Brad Farmerie of Public and Double Crown.
There were 10 mushroom varieties on the menu. Highlights included an Abalone Mushroom Ceviche in a tart Ginger Ponzu sauce, a juicy Venison and Wild Mushroom Burger with Shiitake Mushroom Relish and crispy Huitlacoche Fries (corn fungus), and salty Porcini and Parmesan-dusted Popcorn. In addition, Chef Harry Hawk, from Harry’s at Water Taxi Beach also impressed with his meaty Aged Ribeye Mushroom CheeseSteaks, served with soft-ripened Goat Cheese on fresh baguette.
In keeping with the theme, official festival mixologist Marshall Altier managed to work the star ingredient into the evening’s cocktail menu. There were candied wild mushrooms in the Sangria and a Margarita-like concoction with mushroom salt.
Click here to check out the dishes from the Mushroom Night menu >>
Big Apple BBQ Block Party FastPass Giveaway: Winners
June 10, 2009
AlwaysHungryNY.com had the honor of giving away three FastPasses to this weekend’s 7th Annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party (BABBP). We asked entrants to our FastPass Giveaway to answer 30 questions. If they responded correctly we judged their answers to the three Hot Seat Questions below and decided on three lucky winners.
1. If you could eat anywhere in the world tonight (free) where would it be?
2. What is the most impressive Barbecue you have ever eaten? Be specific.
3. Describe in detail the last time you truly unleashed your inner fat kid.
Each FastPass winner will be able to attend the Big Apple BBQ Block Party with a friend where they can share $100 of free BBQ using the express lines of the party’s food purveyors through the weekend. The three lucky contestants who answered all questions correctly and their responses to our Hot Seat Questions are after the jump.
Click here for the winning Hot Seat Answers and the lucky FastPass winners >>
AlwaysTraveling: Dalessandro’s (Philadelphia, PA)
The Gluttoness — March 24, 2009
.jpg)
Restaurant: Dalessandro’s Steaks
Location: Outskirts of Philadelphia, PA
AlwaysHungry Grade: A-
Signature Dishes: Cheesesteak (American with Onions)
AlwaysHungry Additions: Chicken Steak, Pepper Steak, Italian Hoagie
Everyone’s heard the debate between Pat’s and Geno’s, and those better versed in the Philly Cheesesteak probably know about Tony Luke’s and Jim’s. But, if you’re AlwaysHungry, there is a sleeper favorite on Henry Avenue that’s at the top for many locals: Dalessandro’s. A tiny cheesesteak-centric diner on the outskirts of Philadelphia, where the bar seating is constantly packed, and, if you’re lucky, there will be a short line of people out the door. Dalessandro’s hasn’t changed much since its inception—their slogan is “Simply the best since 1960”. There’s still a 12” TV complete with bunny ears that is always tuned into something Eagles’, and the atmosphere is consistently chaotic.
Like most Cheesesteak joints in Philly, if you are not aggressive when placing your order, you will quickly be surpassed by the unfazed regulars, but a few things set Dalessandro’s apart. First, the preference of melted American cheese (or even Provolone) over the customary coating of wiz. Second, while some establishments rough chop their steak (Pat’s), and other’s go for flat slices (Steve’s), Dalessandro’s aggressively minces their meat. Also, thick cut onions (or mushrooms) are sauteed and adorn the tops of the steaks rather than being dispersed throughout.
Dalessandro’s sandwiches are truly gargantuan, as they stuff mounds of meat into the ever standard Amoroso roll. Those who know best always keep a fork nearby for overflow, and some even opt for a shmear of mayonnaise to moisten the blow of the dry and densely packed meat. Hot peppers (whole and chopped) and banana peppers are always in high demand, and I was beyond surprised to see their newest option for heat lovers: a bottle of Sriracha. While they also serve Italian Hoagies and creamy White Tuna subs, nothing beats a hot, overflowing Dalessandro’s Cheesesteak—aka, “I’ll have an American Wit”.
Slashfood Round-Up: Primanti’s Takes the Cake
March 17, 2009
It’s not surprising that an AlwaysHungryNY correspondent has taken the trek to Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh simply to cross the famed eatery off their sandwich bucket list. What is surprising is that of all the sandwiches in this great nation, Primanti Brothers’ Cheesesteak has won Slashfood’s title of Best Sandwich in America. The country-wide poll was voted on by Slashfood readers, and 54 esteemed restaurants made the cut. New York City was first represented by Porchetta in the 10 spot. Momofuku Ssam Bar’s Pork Bun came in at No. 25, followed by Baoguette’s Baoguette at No. 26. Number 46 went to the Pastrami on Rye at Katz’s Deli, and the biggest shocker of them all is No. 49, The Natte at The Hungarian Deli. We promise a follow-up investigation on this one.
AlwaysTraveling: Barclay Prime
The Gluttoness — February 08, 2009
Considering his tremendous success reinventing Buddakan and Morimoto in the Big Apple, there’s been buzz that Steven Starr has plans to bring a steakhouse to Wall Street. If he continues the trend of duplicating his Philadelphia stalwarts, then the steak-centric Starr venture may be a carbon copy of Barclay Prime on Rittenhouse Square. What separates Barclay Prime is their extensive selection of steak knives from Shun to Wusthof, offered in a seductive library setting that’s both manly and modern—oh, and their famed $100 Cheesesteak composed of Kobe beef, sauteéd foie gras, melted Taleggio cheese and truffles (pictured). I hopped back to my hometown for a carnivorous feast and felt it was only fitting to share the acclaimed Starr-standard for steakhouses, as it may soon be coming to a neighborhood near you.
AlwaysPartying: Football Food
The Gluttoness — September 08, 2008
In honor of Donovan McNabb tearing it up on the football field, I felt it only fitting to make cheesesteaks for lunch (a very long, gluttonous lunch that eventually merged into an unnecessary dinner). While the boys were glued to their laptops for fantasy updates, I took a simple shortcut to getting the crew fed. Instead of making individual steaks, I cut off the top of a beautiful artisan loaf and hollowed out the insides. American cheese went in first, then came the caramelized onions, cooked low and slow for a good hour until nicely golden. I chose to use Sirloin steaks, which I sliced thinly and sauteed with garlic. Atop the steak went a dose of soft mushrooms, followed by another heavy coating of American cheese, and then the bread lid went back on top. I shoved that bad boy in a 400-degree oven until the cheese was nice and melted, and there you have it: a monster cheesesteak. Just slice and serve (with Sriracha if you’re at my house).
<< Back to Thought For Food
"Unleash Your Inner Fat Kid."
Whet your appetite with a daily dose of AlwaysHungry's Thought for Food. We provide content that will improve your knowledge of food, and that will enhance your experiences with food. We do not write industry gossip.
Always Hungry Newsletter
