ME LIKE EAT In Philadelphia: Pat’s King Of Steaks Vs. Geno’s Steaks – Who Makes The Best Cheesesteak In Philly?
The two archrivals sit across the street from each other.
Well, it was bound to happen: eventually I was going to get a chance to weigh in on the eternal “best cheesesteak in Philadelphia” debate. For those of you not in the know, two of the main contenders in this debate are Pat’s King Of Steaks and it’s caddy-corner arch-rival, Geno’s Steaks. The two sit less than a football field apart.
The sign outside of Pats that convinced me to try it first.
At first I planned to go to Geno’s, which I recall hearing more about. But when I saw that it was established in 1966, and it appears as a much gaudier structure, I was a touch concerned. I also noticed some kind of historical-looking sign across the street in front of Pat’s. It was enough to sway me that I should try Pat’s to start.
Outside Pats King Of Steaks in Philadelphia.
Signage and lengthy arch-rivalry set aside, the two shops are distractingly similar in their service format. You step up to a small window, place your order, pay your $9 and get your cheesesteak. Pat’s seems truly obsessed with its rich history, with photos of the numerous celebs who’ve eaten there adorning the place. In addition, there’s a stone in the sidewalk marking a spot where Sylvester Stallone stood while filming a scene in “Rocky.”
Waiting at the window of Pats.
The key cheesesteak components you have to decide on are whether you want them “wit'”or not. If you get them “wit,” that means you’re getting them with onions. The cheese varieties are Cheez Whiz, American or provolone. Now I am not much of a fan of Cheez Whiz, as it makes everything taste like Cheez Whiz. Personally, I go for provolone. Getting a cheesesteak without onions is a shonda, in my opinion, so of course I opted for “wit.”
In this corner: Pats King Of Steaks.
Now I’d like to sit here and say that biting into this cheesesteak was a revelation. But it really and truly wasn’t. What it has going for it is the delicious onions. The Pat’s King of Steaks cheesesteak features chopped-up pieces of sliced beef resting atop a few slices of provolone. They sit in an unimpressive, fluffy bun. Atop them is a healthy ramble of onions.
Another view.
Look, visually it’s pretty sexy. But frankly I don’t think it was worth the $9 I dropped on it. They may have originated the cheesesteak, but it doesn’t seem to me they’ve perfected it. The beef was just OK. There was some grease, but it wasn’t too greasy. The whole thing had a bit more salt than you’d think. The steak wasn’t low quality – it wasn’t stringy or tough – but it also wasn’t anything very special. Seems to me I could get something similar just about anywhere. All in all it was a big “meh.” So, feeling disappointed and underwhelmed, we crossed the street to try Geno’s.
Second verse, same as the first?
If the format looks the same, it’s because it is. Another triangular structure with a window you approach. You fork over your $9 and they quickly give you a cheesesteak. Fries and sodas are the next window down. The gentleman in the window is very polite, but it’s $9, $9, $9, $9, $9… . These guys (and Pat’s) must be making money hand over fist. Also, you’ll notice the prominent display of the memorial to Officer Daniel Faulker. On the right side, the shield says “Murdered by Mumia Abu-Jamal.” I gather the owner feels strongly on the issue. In fact, Joey Vento seems to be quite a character and very passionate about numerous things, as you can see from the signs in the window (i.e. “I Want My Country Back,” “This Is America, When Ordering Speak English”).
But again, back to the steak.
The Genos Steaks cheesesteak with provolone and onions.
As you can see right away, the steak involved is different. It is served in long, unbroken strips. The strips sit on top of the provolone and the onions are buried within. It’s a better design, in fact, because when you pick up the sandwich you don’t risk all the onions toppling out and off, as you do when you bite into Pat’s.
Its a very big bun... .
This photo illustrates a difficulty with this sandwich. It’s just a few thin slices of beef wrapped in a substantial bun. It’s hard not to feel a little bit suckered. But: it is better than Pat’s. For one thing, at Geno’s you could taste the provolone, and it added a sharp zest that was wonderful. The steak seems to be fresher and of higher quality. There’s less of a salt and pepper flavor than Pat’s, so the beef comes across. The bread again though is nothing special.
At the end of the day I am not sure I will ever feel compelled to return to either again. Of the two, Geno’s is more flavorful and seems to be higher quality. But for $9, and considering their legendary status, I was really expecting to be wowed. You know: the way you are wowed at Joe’s Pizza, or at Sal & Carmine’s. Food doesn’t have to be fancy to be really good. These both struck me as very suitable cheesesteaks, but not much more. Geno’s gets the slight edge, but is it destination dining? Maybe there’s something more to their legendary status, but for now, I don’t see it.
Pat’s King of Steaks
1237 Passyunk Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19147 215.468.1546 www.patskingofsteaks.comGeno’s Steaks
1219 South 9th Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 215.389.0659 www.genosteaks.com
The Ditch Plains Sloppy Joe.
Recently a buddy of mine and I decided to check out Ditch Plains, which has a location not far from my office. I recall hearing some buzz about the place somewhere, so I thought we might give it a run.
Inside Ditch Plains
As you can see the interior is wood wood wood but not dark or dreary. Though the place was pretty empty when we arrived it was pretty filled up by the time we left. I hate to say it, but the place smacks a bit of some pretension (even though the servers were completely cool). What I mean is that the menus you’re given are secured to pieces of cardboard by paper binders. It all seems a touch precious.
I’m guessing Ditch Plains is pitching itself to a moneyed post-college crowd (if there is such a thing these days). Down in the Village I suppose there might be. Either way, the menu features items like a Po’ Boy ($12), Sloppy Joe ($12), Meatball Parm ($14) and so forth. That’s some seriously upmarket prices for some basic comfort food. On the hunch that it had to be that good to justify the price, I figured give it a run and ordered the Sloppy Joe.
The Joe.
As you can see the Joe was ground beef with a good helping of onions and a fair amount of fat runoff. The flavor was on the sweet and salty side, with some spice to it. To me, it tasted almost identical to “The Plate” at Daddy-O’s. Of course, it was also much smaller.
The remains of the Joe.
At the end of the day, it was a straightforward Sloppy Joe. I can’t think of much to recommend it above any other I’ve had. Might it be better quality? Maybe. But did it scream “I’m worth about as much as some of the best burgers in town?” Absolutely not. The spice did linger a bit, though. The side of cole slaw was not sweet, but rather on the tart side. I prefer the flavor of the slaw at Mel’s Burger Bar. Come to think of it, I prefer most everything at Mel’s.
I also want to point out that they wanted $5 for a side of fries. Now I was getting irked. We skipped ’em.
Taffies at the end of the meal.
Oddly, the free taffy they put on the table with our check were the best part of the meal. They were fresh and delicious, chewy without clinging mercilessly to the teeth. They were winning.
Seems to me that Ditch Plains is frankly a bit overpriced. I suppose it wants to be a place hip 20-somethings with some dough can go on a date. Perhaps it is a midmarket gastropub. I don’t know. But as contributor Hugh said “Money has an aftertaste.” Walking out of Ditch Plains, I felt a little bit suckered.
Ditch Plains
29 Bedford Street New York, NY 10014 212.633.0202www.ditch-plains.com
Macaroni Macaroni Offers Inexpensive, Decent Mac
The grand opening of a new mac 'n cheese place? I must explore.
I was bopping around the West Village looking for a quick bite to eat when I stumbled upon Macaroni Macaroni, which as you can see is a just-opened Mac and Cheese place on Macdougal Street. Mac and cheese is certainly among the least dietetic dishes one can have, but like everybody else I love the stuff, so I opted to stop in and check it out. The small storefront offers a number of varieties at a reasonable price – downright cheap compared to the rest of the spots in the neighborhood.
The menu.
As you can see the price point is at or under $10. The sizes, as it turns out, are directly related to the size of the tinfoil tray you get it served in (as opposed to portions of varying degrees doled out in the same container, like a one or two scoop ice cream). The small is a rectangular shape you’ve probably seen a million times, and the medium and large are both circular dishes. The large seems almost big enough to carry a whole apple pie in – just excessive. Frankly a small would probably cut it for most folks. I opted for a medium Classic. As you can see on the menu, it contains Cheddar, Velveeta, Muenster & Romano cheeses. Other varieties include some kind of protein (chicken, pepperoni, veggies, etc).
Their classic mac.
I could see them applying macaroni and shaved cheese into the plate before sliding it into pizza-style oven to cook up. As you can see it the result looked quite promising. I was especially enthusiastic about the presence of the crucial crust. It was a bread-crumb crust, and it wasn’t exactly fully crusty, but nonetheless, a nice touch. By the way, the dish you are looking at there cost $6, which is a good deal for that volume of food. So how was it?
Suitably gooey and crusty.
The answer is that it is a cut above many macs I’ve had in town. That is not too say this was especially good (for instance, it can not compete with the awesome mac at Delta Grill). But it does point to just how bad most macs are in town. Either they are simply a flavorless texture or they are an intensely artificially-flavored bulk or they are some BS nouveau take on mac that misses the mark and doesn’t scratch the itch that made you order it in the first place. This place was much closer to the target than all of those. It was rich and basically cheesy. The texture of the cheese was actually quite winning – it was both gooey and stringy, a good sign. The flavor, while sufficiently cheesy, was missing the strong butter note I love in a good mac. However, there was one significant disruptive influence: the whole thing smelled just a bit like popcorn, which threw me.
Overall the dish was tasty but unfocused, which I think is the result of mixing the four cheeses. I find myself wondering if I could go back and ask them to just use cheddar.
Macaroni Macaroni will definitely scratch your mac and cheese itch. They are playing in the comfort-food wheelhouse and they get a lot right – especially for just $6. They are not spectacular, but they offer a lot of food for the buck. Chances are good I will return, especially in colder weather.
Macaroni Macaroni
120 MacDougal Street New York, NY10012 212.260.2653 www.macmacaroni.comGet Thee To Barney Greengrass, The Sturgeon King
The Upper West Side stalwart.
Previously I’ve written about my lack of understanding of why people are willing to endure endless lines at Good Enough To Eat. The place is good, but not great. It’s cramped and bumpy. The food’s tasty but not astonishing. In other words, it’s Good Enough To Eat, not Great Enough To Stand In Line For An Hour For. This is particularly true considering there are numerous other places nearby that make fantastic brunches. The greatest of these, from a foodie’s POV, is Barney Greengrass.
Talk about a tight fit... .
Now let me be clear: Barney Greengrass is no paradise. It is even more cramped and tightly packed than Good Enough To Eat on a typical weekend day. The waiters can be nice if they’ve seen you around but generally tend to be a bit on the gruff side. I suspect it is because they are squeezing through impossibly tiny places all day and carrying plate after plate of fish delicacies to the bottomless maw of foodies.
A look at some of the decor.
The decor was probably nice in 1918 or something, and I guess you could say it has been “preserved.” The tables are too small for normal, early 21st-century humans to sit comfortably at, especially when the place is crowded. There is a very good chance someone will have brought a wailing baby or two.
The typically-crowded dining room.
Chances are excellent you will also have to wait on some kind of line. The secret to avoiding a lengthy wait at Barney Greengrass (or most brunch spots, actually) is to arrive before 11:00 a.m. That said, unlike GETE, though, the wait at Barney Greengrass is worth it, especially for fressers.
So now that we’ve established that you don’t come for the decor or to luxuriate in paradise, let us get on with what is really great about the place: the food.
The off-the-menu latke is excellent in every regard.
On the weekends, Barney Greengrass offers an off-the-menu latke. If you like potato pancakes, you will love their latke. So many places try to do latkes and wind up serving you a doughy, unrecognizable puck that someone who clearly has never had a potato pancake tried to fashion based on the words in the name alone. Yuck. Not so at Barney Greengrass. They understand what a latke should taste like (healthy onion flavoring, some grease), and how it should be served (apple sauce and sour cream). They give you three small, crispy, onion-y latkes, they are both crunchy and fluffy, and have a salt note to boot. They’re terrific and I strongly recommend starting your meal with them.
The pastrami salmon.
Next, I like to indulge in something that perhaps some purists would scoff at: pastrami salmon. I know, it’s a bit gimmicky, but who cares. If you like pastrami, and you like smoked salmon, you’re going to like it. Note the darkened rind on the edges of the Nova – that’s where the pastrami spicing has been applied. It’s delicious! Plus it leads you through a gateway to wrongville: who would ever consider putting pastrami on cream cheese? A shonda! But with the salmon, you can even spritz a little lemon, maybe add some onion… .
Some toasted bialen.
Barney Greengrass offers you your choice of bagel per dish you order. Naturally, I always get a bialy. If you don’t know what a bialy is, it is the sexier, leaner, more onion-flavored and attractive sister to the bagel. Shame on you for not knowing. But now you know, so no excuses.
The signature dish.
Barney Greengrass offers an extensive menu of seafood delicacies, but I think it is safe to say that their signature brunch dish is the salmon, eggs and onions. You won’t go wrong ordering whitefish salad or some such, but I find myself coming back again and again for the concoction you see above.
Fluffy eggs + salty salmon + onions = delicious.
Although the portion at first glance may not appear to be too big, believe me it is seriously hefty. The salmon adds a powerful salt to the fluffy eggs. The onions have wept a little in the pan, and the salmon itself is juicy, not dry. The result is an intensely rich and heavy breakfast dish full of flavor. The onions add a sweet and the eggs are rich. Salmon always tastes like salmon but also lends a salt. After the potato pancakes and pastrami salmon, woof, you’ll find you have had quite a meal.
Whitefish and Nova platter.
My companion on this meal went a bit berserk and ordered the whitefish, sturgeon and Nova platter. That’s a ton of food, but what was really jaw-dropping was the gob-smacking price: $44! Look, I love them all, and understand these are highly specialized items, but yowza, that’s one hefty price tag for a single dish. I am not saying it is not worth it, but it sure would’ve scared me off. For comparison: the pastrami salmon appetizer was $13, the salmon eggs and onions $14, and the latkes $12.25. That’s already plenty of dough – and food.
Once again we learn the hard way you’re not going to save money eating well in New York. That said, the food at Barney Greengrass is delicious. If you have the opportunity, I would strongly recommend going during the week. It is much less crowded and all the cramped conditions I wrote about earlier are much more likely to be eased quite a lot. The food is amazing and it’s a foothold to the New York of another era. Strongly recommended.
ME LIKE EAT 