AlwaysInvestigating: Burger Square-Off (Philly vs. New York)
The Gluttoness — October 06, 2009
SquareBurger’s Classic Hamburger.
Restaurant: SquareBurger
Address: 200 N 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (map)
Hours: Through October 31st, Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm; Sat-Sun 11am-7pm.
AlwaysHungry Grade: A
AlwaysHungry Recommends: SquareBurger, The Cake Shake, Classic French Fries
The proliferation of Philadelphia’s restaurant scene can be partly attributed to Stephen Starr. After tackling New York City and Atlantic City, he seems to have found himself back in the City of Brotherly Love. As his empire grows to encompass everything from soul food to steakhouses, he unabashedly draws inspiration from his most revered peers. His recent venture, Parc, a French bistro on Rittenhouse Square, is an obvious interpretation of Keith McNally’s Pastis or Balthazar. Starr openly toured the top pizzerias in New York and New Haven for his own Neapolitan pizza joint, Stella. This summer, in an obvious replication of Danny Meyer’s celebrated Shake Shack, he opened SquareBurger (view), a burger stand in Philadelphia’s Franklin Square just off I-95.
The small SquareBurger shack is nearby the Franklin Square Fountain.
SquareBurger is next to a beautiful fountain, but it’s in an area devoid of local foot traffic, which may explain why there were only five people there on a sunny Saturday. While there are differences between Shake Shack and SquareBurger, both pay their due to burgers and frozen sweets. Ultimately, it comes down to a direct comparison between Starr’s Classic Cheeseburger and Meyer’s ShackBurger, between a SquareBurger’s Classic Shake and Shake Shack’s Hand-Spun Shakes and Concretes. The question is, can Starr top Meyer?
AlwaysTraveling: White House Sub Shop
The Gluttoness — August 03, 2009
The White House Special (Extra Salami, Provolone, Ham and Cappicola).
When it comes to submarine sandwiches, the White House Sub Shop in Atlantic City, NJ is boss. Sure, you can go to Sack O’Subs in Ventnor City or Dino’s Subs and Pizza Shop in Margate City, NJ, but when you’re craving a Chicken CheeseSteak, nothing beats the White House. In fact, no trip to Atlantic City is really complete without pre- or postgaming it at this institution. The small corner shop is on Arctic Ave., within walking distance of the Tropicana, and is marked by the giant neon sign with a 6-foot long sub between the words, “White House,” and “Home of Submarines.”
Restaurant: White House Sub Shop
Address: 2301 Arctic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: A-
AlwaysHungry Recommends: “White House Special,” Capicola & Provolone Sub, Chicken Cheese Steak, Tuna Sub
By your turn, know what you want. Guys behind the counter, though friendly, don’t suffer fools lightly.
As everyone knows, bread is the foundation of any good sandwich. The folks at the White House have been doing this since 1946— they know good bread. Their high quality rolls are made by the Formica Brothers Italian Bakery— it’s no small reason for the shop’s success. The owners have proudly displayed “Bread Facts” around the restaurant (all natural, no fat, no sugar).
<< 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
