Macnow's cheesesteak challenge

[Rome]

it's fried potatoes & cheese wiz.  settle down, girls.

[SD_Eagle5]

link

Philly celeb judges name best cheesesteak
By Peter Mucha

Inquirer Staff Writer

Georges Perrier gave low mark after low mark. One place got only 16 out of 50 points from Le Bec-Fin's famed chef.
No doubt, out of the 10 celebrities judging Philly cheesesteaks live Saturday afternoon on WIP (610-AM), Perrier was "the toughest critic on the panel," as host Glen Macnow said.

Then Perrier tried Chink's.

"This eez zee best sandwich I have today!" he proclaimed in his unmistakable accent. His score? A 48!

"Wow! Unbelievable!" exclaimed Macnow.

And yet Chink's of the Northeast didn't win.

When the greasy smoke cleared, the victor - by a slim margin - was John's Roast Pork of South Philadelphia.

John's Roast Pork was also voted No. 1 by those watching the judging at Paddy Whack's Irish Pub on South Street.

The results confirmed Macnow's own opinion, arrived at after trying 45 cheesesteaks in 45 days.

Macnow, however, ranked Steve's Prince of Steaks second, with Chink's third. (To see his list, click this link: http://www.610wip.com/pages/351421.php.)

The makers of Macnow's top six - including Talk of the Town, Grey Lodge Pub, and Slack's Hoagie Shack - were invited to bring enough steaks for everybody in the pub to judge.

Pub patrons also got to try some cheesesteaks Macnow never did - and three made the "Listeners' Choice" list. Fresh Works and Not Just Pizza finished third and fourth (behind John's and Chink's), with Steak Em Up just behind Slack's.

Among the celebrity judges, the vote was very close.

Chink's was also favored by chef Matthew Levin of Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, WIP's Rhea Hughes, CBS3 meteorologist Kathy Orr, and former Eagle Vince Papale.

But John's won big with ex-Phils slugger Greg Luzinski ("Wow. To me that was outstanding! ... I gave them a 50!"), ex-Eagle Ike Reese ("Fantastic sandwich!"), and NFL Films' Ray Didinger ("Best sandwich of the day"), while edging Chink's by a single point with Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan.

Perrier gave John's a 44, saying he liked the roasted pepper, but "the other was better."

Anthony Gargano, who cohosts WIP's midday show with Macnow, loved them both, awarding perfect 50s.

The final score: Out of 50, Chink's averaged 43, John's 45.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

PG was right again

[QB Eagles]

I grew up a Delco kid so I'm partial to Leo's. I actually prefer the hoagies there to the steaks though. He missed out on Walt's in Clifton Heights which is another recommended spot in Delaware County. It's no Leo's but it's a good steak for outside the city.

Jim's is my favorite of the multiple location places. West Philly > South Street > the other Jim's locations, in my opinion.

Pat's and Geno's are places you have to go for the atmosphere more than the food. I do think Pat's makes a good steak but it's nothing special. They are touristy but I don't think they deserve to be punished for that.

Everyone's got their own taste so I don't see any reason to trash any of the places on the list that I have tried and not felt great about. I agree that Slack's is conspicuously high on the list though.

I like this list just because it's a good list of places to try out. Next time I'm back in the city, I'll have to hit a couple of the spots.

[mussa]

yea im ashamed i haven't even heard of these other places til now. ill be in the snorkeling saturday so ima have to try a macnows

[rjs246]

Does this mean we can go back to talking about how gross Cheez Whiz is?

[Cerevant]

Cheesesteak rule of thumb: never buy a cheesesteak somewhere that calls it a "Philly Cheesesteak".  You never know what you are going to get.  Actually, it is entertaining to order a cheesesteak in one of these places for a good laugh, but not if you want a cheesesteak.  Best non-cheesesteak cheesesteak I ever had was in Japan.  I think they put filet mignon on a bun or something...

I grew up in the burbs, and most places don't do whiz out there, so I'm a provalone guy.  Nothing wrong with whiz, and if you are drunk/drinking the extra salt is a bonus.

Hoagies?  The Cheltenham at Lee's in Abington.  The put so much meat in the farger that they have to rip some of the bread out of the roll to make it all fit.

  I miss cheesesteaks.

[Geowhizzer]

In college, the place we went was Joe' Place in Wayne.  Good stuff.


Had a scrapple sammich to die for, too. 

[mussa]

the only way i would eat whiz is if it was on a cheese steak in philly

[methdeez]

Cheesesteak rule of thumb: never buy a cheesesteak somewhere that calls it a "Philly Cheesesteak"

This is totally true.
If they need to claim it, then it sucks.

[Susquehanna Birder]

Just like if a place has a sign that says "EAT"...you'd better not.

[ice grillin you]

statement heard more often in the history of cheesteaks


1. never buy a cheesesteak somewhere that calls it a "Philly Cheesesteak"


2. pats and genos are for tourists

[Susquehanna Birder]

That doesn't make them untrue, however.

[hunt]

being a tourist myself, i've had geno's cheesesteaks a couple times & they're awful.  the cheesesteaks at my local pizza joint are better.

[ice grillin you]

That doesn't make them untrue, however.

but they are...pats makes a damn good steak....and you shouldnt get a cheesesteak outside of philly period no matter what its called...which actually i guess makes statement 1 true sort of