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.