Life's Greatest Question: Is There an Answer?

Pat's King of Steaks: one of Philadelphia's best, and most famous cheese steak restaurants.
Genos Steaks: A somewhat newer, yet equally famous and delicious cheese steak joint.
So, which is better? Which cheese steak deserves the title of Best Cheese Steak? This has been the question on millions of minds since Genos Steaks opened. Today, I, like many before me, will attempt to provide an answer to the great mystery.

When I was in Philadelphia last week I had two cheese steaks: one from The Greek Lady, and another from Genos. Obviously, Geno's was better. This is in no means an insult to the Greek Lady's steaks, Genos is merely better. I had Geno's the day after the Greek Lady, and it was a completely different environment. Upon my seeing it, I immediately thought of the quaint Pat's. Genos was nothing like it. It was a large building covered in neon lights. The only similarity was the massive line waiting to place an order. There were people from all over the city waiting there for a sub.

After waiting quite some time, I placed my order. Like Pat's it was given to me in minimal time. Wrapped in foil, I took the hot meal, with chips and a coke like always, and found a seat. I opened up the wrapper and the sweet aroma of a great meal wafted up to me. Just looking at it, I could tell that I was in for a good meal. I put my ketchup on it and bit in. It was amazing. The bread, cheese, and steak were all delicious. Only one thing bothered me. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was something about the onions. The onions were not bad, but they did not enhance the sub either. Overall, however, it was excellent.

Now comes the hardest part: the decision. Pat's had a small, local feel to it with delicious, but small subs. Genos had a large, almost a Time Square type of look to it, again with a delicious sub. Each had very small wait time after ordering, but a large wait just to order. Both give you a feeling of Philadelphia culture coming together, actually portraying it as the City of Brotherly Love. Weighing the pros and and the very rare cons of each restaurant, making a decision was very had.

In the end, I finally arrive to a decision. It was, however, a very disappointing decision. I came to the conclusion that Genos deserved a respectable 9.5 out of 10. Yes, Pat's and Genos both receive the same grade. After having both, I consider them to be equally great in reputation and taste. On top of that, although some may be surprised by it, I even consider Hemo's to be just as good as these two cheese steak giants.

The Greek Steaks Part

This week I will do a special story on the very rare Greek Cheese Steak. Only twice have I ever seen a Greek style restaurant that serves Cheese Steaks. One, is The Greek Lady on the University of Pennsylvania's campus. The other, is Romilos in Severna Park, Maryland. I know I promised that I would provide an answer to the Geno's Pat's controversy, and I will....next week.

Romilos, despite serving Cheese Steaks, is better known for their pizza. Most people who have had Romilos have probably not even had their cheese steaks. Now, I agree that their pizza is pretty good, but there are better pizza places in the immediate area and I believe that their cheese steaks are better than their pizzas.

Their cheese steaks, like most that are not in the Philadelphia area, do not have the best bread in the world. It can be toasted or not and is often soggy either way. Their steak, however, is quite delicious as there is good seasoning on it with a good mix of onions, cheese, and ketchup. The cheese is usually good, but the onions are sometimes sub-par. Overall, the sub is above mediocrity.

The second Greek restaurant, the Greek Lady, is very good, but with a lot of competition. Located on the University campus, it is a lively environment. Since it is in Philadelphia, however, it is not considered one of the top cheese steak places. It is extremely close to the Hemo's Cart, but is open when Hemo's is not, drawing in good business. Of course, their good subs help as well.

The Greek Lady subs are a bit small length wise, but there is a large amount of meat in them. The cheese is also very good, with a wide variety of choices. There are many different toppings offered with a variety of condiments, all of which help more than hurt. Of course, a major concern of mine is always the bread. It is delicious. Fresh, crisp, and always good.

When one thinks of cheese steaks, they do not think of Greek restaurants. I, however, have learned that Greek restaurants can have good subs. Overall, I award Romilos with a 6.5 out of 10 and I give the superior Greek Restaurant, the Greek Lady, a 8 out of 10.

The Legend

This past weekend my journeys once again brought me to the home of the cheese steak. This time, however, I did not intend to roam around Philadelphia in search of a sub joint. This time, I was on a mission. I knew exactly what I wanted and where I was going. No, not the original Geno's restaurant, but one that I consider to be just as renown, Pat's King of Steaks.

Pat's King of Steaks, like most places you can get a cheese steak from in Philadelphia, has some of the best cheese steaks in the world. What is it that makes these subs so delicious? One obvious answer is the roll, another is the recipe. Both of these help Pat's become a step ahead of the others. Started in 1930, Pat's has been providing high quality subs from a quaint little restaurant in Southern Philadelphia. Even now, 77 years later, their lines are still huge.

After waiting in the long line I got my sub, and of course, a coke. Looking at the sub, it looked a little different from most because a different ingredient that Pat's uses. Tasting the sub, it tasted very different from most subs. It was clearly superior to most, if not all that I have ever had. The bread was fresh, and you could pick to have it toasted. The meat, also fresh, was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and chopped into small bits. Finally, the special ingredient: the cheese. Not just any kind of cheese, but Cheese Wiz. Yes, Pat's King of Steaks puts Cheese Wiz in their subs, and it is delicious. I did not get anything else on the cheese steak, but it was amazing the way that it was.

There is one minor issue that some may have with Pat's King of Steaks. Their cheese steaks are a bit on the small side. This does not affect the taste at all, just merely how much is needed to satisfy one's hunger. If one sub is not enough, it is clearly worth it to buy a second. It is due to the fact that Pat's has such minor flaws that a great controversy surrounds the restaurant. It is the long standing question of which is better, Pat's or Geno's? Many people have many, many different opinions, but there may never truly be an answer to this question. Therefore, I will put it upon myself to visit Geno's again in the future, provide a review, and do my best to answer solve that great mystery.

Previously, the best sub that I have tasted and reviewed was from Hemo's subs. Thinking about it, I am not sure whether or not Pat's was better. During the time that I spent eating it, my mind was constantly changing. The Cheese Wiz was a great addition, but the meat seemed to be better at Hemo's. The location of Pat's was clearly historic and somewhat a monument, but the service is simply much better at Hemo's. (Pat's is extremely quick, but they will not converse with you like Hemo himself does.) Therefore, like with Hemo's, I will not give a perfect rating because it did not truly stand out as the perfect sub, although it was quite delicious. For those who have tasted both, this may seem like an odd choice, but I award Pat's a 9.5 out of 10, just like Hemo's received.

Subway, Eat Fresh

Almost every one has either heard or knows of the slogan, "Subway, Eat Fresh", or know who Jared is. Subway takes pride in having 28441 restaurants in 85 countries. This fast food chain is considered to be one of the best sub/sandwich chains in America, with most of its competition coming from the also popular Quizno's Subs. Despite having such a large number of restaurants, Subway is just now beginning to sell the greatest type of sub: The Big Philly Cheese Steak.

Subway's new cheese steak of course has some of the natural qualities of a cheese steak, but is lacking others. The sub comes with the basics: bread, steak, and cheese. Next, when ordering, you can request onions, peppers, ketchup, mayonnaise, or even lettuce or tomatoes, even though they are not on the typical cheese steak. You can also pick what type of bread you want: White, Wheat, or Italian. Finally, there is one major thing that makes it different from a regular cheese steak: the meat. The meat is more like slices of steak instead of diced up steak. Although it may not seem like a big deal, that is important.

I had previously only seen this sub on the frequently aired Subway commercials, and did not consider it much. Soon enough, however, I began hearing good things about the sub from many people and decided to give it a try. I went into the restaurant and placed my order. Of course, I had to answer the typical questions of what type of bread, cheese, toppings, and sauce. Having to answer what type of sauce I wanted on the sub caught me off guard a little bit, how many different sauces do people put on cheese steaks? I have always thought that it was ketchup, occasionally mayonnaise, and if you're extremely lucky, Hemo Sauce. Finally, I was also offered if I wanted it toasted or not. Then, after going through all the typical steps, I got my chips, Coke, sub, and was ready to go.

Looking at it, it looked delicious. Biting into it, it was pretty good. Subway has always had a steak and cheese sandwich, but that is nothing special. This, however, is better. The meat, although a little big, and a little chewy, was very good. The toasted roll was a very nice touch, not something that one would normally expect from a fast food restaurant, but then again, Subway does not consider itself a normal fast food joint. Overall, it was a typical, satisfying Subway sub.

Although I was a bit confused about the whole sauce thing and ordering it (I didn't know how many different things could be put on a cheese steak), I was satisfied. It was not extraordinary, but it was not bad. It was good. In fact, it was better than the average sub. I award the Big Philly Cheese Steak from Subway a 6.5 out of 10. This of course brings up the question, where is the better cheese steak from, Subway or Quizno's? At that, which is better in general? That is something no one can answer.

Hemo's...Perfection?

My many, many cheese steak travels have brought me upon possibly the best sub that I have ever had. It started out as an average day. Nothing out of the average was happening, I was merely walking down the streets of Philadelphia. I knew that somewhere in the city I would find a great meal, but that was not my main concern for the day. As if guided by fate, I wandered onto the University of Pennsylvania campus. I was amazed to find that the sidewalks contained small food trucks scattered everywhere. Seeing this, I got a little hungry and asked a student where I could get a good cheese steak. The young man pointed towards a truck and merely stated, "Hemo's".

I waited in line and studied the menu. I decided on the obvious decision: a cheese steak with extra meat. Something else caught my eye, however. There was a topping known as the famous Hemo Sauce. Intrigued, I decided that I would get some on the side. When I got to the front of the line I found a kindly man from Alexandria waiting to take my order. I told him what I wanted and, with a smile, he immediately started cooking. As I waited I noticed that on the side of his truck he had multiple newspaper clippings taped up. Some talked about how he started his small business, others how he is kind and loved, and another on how he won a Food Truck competition. As it turns out, he started his truck service, and has a friend of his operate a second one a few streets down. I stared at the articles until he handed me a sub wrapped in foil. I thanked him and walked away with my cheese steak and coke. (Hemo's BLT.)

The sub was small, deceptively small. Good thing I got it with extra meat. I opened it up and a magical aroma filled my nose. I took my first bite into it and was astonished. It was DELICIOUS. Never would I suspect a street truck of selling such high quality subs. My next bite I put the Hemo Sauce on. I was a little skeptical using a sauce named after the owner that had unknown ingredients. Once again, I was shocked. It was an amazing addition to the sub. To put it plainly, it was magnificent.

Now, I almost always have an issue with the rolls on cheese steaks. This instance, however, is different. Hemo's Cheese Steaks are made on the Philly famous Amoroso's roll. It was cooked to a crisp, fresh, and delicious. It melted in my mouth along with the cheese, steak, and Hemo Sauce. Looking back on it, there really is no way to describe it except delicious and truly satisfying.

This discovery of the truly amazing sub made me wonder, what else does Hemo's serve that is delicious. The small truck serves a variety of subs, sandwiches, even breakfast foods, all of which I have heard good things about. One sandwich in particular that stands out is his sausage (or steak if you ask), egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich, which is truly superb, but is not a cheese steak, so I cannot go into it.

Overall, this average day in Philadelphia turned out to be one of great accomplishment. I tasted possibly the best cheese steak that I have ever had. Since it was so good, although it did not truly strike me as perfect, I give the Hemo's Cheese Steak a near perfect 9.5 out of 10.

Cheese Steak Imposter

Throughout history people have tried to perfect the cheese steak. They've changed the recipe, how it was cooked, and now the essentials of the sub have been changed. Domino's Pizza created a pizza that was to imitate the deliciousness of cheese steaks. It is the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza. When one hears about this pizza, some would wonder why Domino's has the right to create such a dish, whereas others are excited by just the name. Of course, the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza is not a cheese steak. The fact that it does take its name from the world famous Philly cheese steaks, however, does make it earn a review.

The Philly Cheese Steak Pizza, like a sub, contains the key ingredients. Its crust takes the place of the roll, it has cheese, meat, peppers, mushrooms, and has tomato sauce instead of ketchup. These differences, however, greatly change the taste from a sub to a pizza. When biting into this pizza, you can almost immediately tell that, although it was a good attempt, it was a failed attempt. The flavor just does not match that of a true Philly Cheese Steak. On the other hand, it does have some of the traits of a good pizza.

Like most Domino's pizzas, it tastes pretty good. The cheese, crust, and sauce are all delicious. The peppers and mushrooms are even good. The steak, however, is out of place. A pizza is a place for pepperoni, sausage, and occasionally ham. Having steak on a pizza just does not seem right. Some people don't even like pepperoni or sausage, but most people are used to those toppings, which makes them seem right. Again, it may be that the steak is new, or just does not taste right, but in my opinion it does not belong on a pizza.

The fact that the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza did not turn out tasting as good as hoped, brings up a very important question that Domino's itself has asked people. Philly Cheese Steak Pizza or the Brooklyn Style Pizza? A regular pizza with steak, peppers, and mushrooms? Or a thin pizza covered with pepperoni? In my own professional opinion, I would take a pepperoni pizza over one covered with multiple toppings any day, but that's just me.
Overall, Domino's Philly Cheese Steak Pizza was a disappointment for me. The regular old pizza part tasted good, but the cheese steak toppings did not. Therefore, I give the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza a 4 out of 10. And I will not rate the Brooklyn Style Pizza, but again, for the record, I actually favor something from New York over Philadelphia for once.

Manliness for Men

MAN. What does the word man mean? More importantly, what is manliness? Manliness can be many, many things. The fine restaurant of Jenos in Severna Park has taken it upon itself to define manliness. They have their own image of manliness that they share with many, for a measly price of about $9.

Jenos has put together, in their opinion, the ultimate sub, THE MAN SUB. To them, most men enjoy meat, most enjoy cheese steaks, and most enjoy onions and cheese. So it is only logical that men would love a cheese steak overflowing with meat, cheese, and onions. Now, how is this any different from most other cheese steaks?

The answer is simple: the meat. This miraculous cheese steak contains steak, bacon, and chicken. It is not a sub for the weak of stomach, or weak of heart. Along with the large combination of meat, the amount of meat is immense. It is literally overflowing out of the roll. Now, some may not think that this combination would taste good, but those people are wrong. The bacon adds a delicious, and needed, kick to the sub.

Next up, the delectible cheese and onions. When ordering the sub, you are given a chance to pick from multiple cheeses, all of which are delicious. The cheese is melted throughout the sub and, like the meat, also flows over onto the sides of the roll. Now, I am normally not a fine of onions, however, I made an exception for the Man Sub. The onions were cooked to a crisp and, surprisingly enough for me, added a nice flavor and crunch to the sub.

Unfortunately, like the regular subs at Jenos, the roll was lacking in quality. The meat and cheese flowing over the sides made it seem a little different from normal to the eye, but it was no different. The roll, once again, was not hot, and was not crisp. This is something that I am very picky about. The somewhat low quality of the roll again took away from a possibly great sub from Jenos.

As is evident, the roll takes away from some of the value of the Man Sub. However, the great quality of the meat, cheese, and onions saves it quite a bit. Thus, I award Jenos' Man Sub a 8 out of 10.