Friday, April 24, 2009

No More Philly Cheesesteaks

From time to time, I crave a hot beef sandwich with grilled onions, peppers and cheese. When I hear the words Philly Cheesesteak, my ears perk up. I envision a beautiful sandwich full of thinly sliced juicy beef with lots of melted cheese on top inside of a fresh bun. I would be drooling like Homer Simpson over a masterpiece.


Alameda has two places that make Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, Philly's Cheesesteak and More at Fernside Shopping Mall and McGee's Bar and Grill on Park Street. After consuming cheesesteak sandwiches at both establishments, I will not order them again. This town doesn't serve a proper cheesesteak sandwich.


Philly's Cheesesteak and More specialize in making cheesesteak sandwiches, it's in the title of their business name. Unfortunately, the end result lacks flavor and quantity of meat. When I ordered my meal deal of a cheesesteak sandwich with grilled onions, sweet peppers and grilled bell peppers, with curly fries and a soda, I was looking forward to eating it. When the plate came to my table, the bun glistened with grease and took away from the presentation of the melted cheese and grilled peppers. Of course at this moment, I thought to myself that consuming this sandwich was unhealthy, but my hunger was stronger than my common sense. The meal deal was a disappointment, both the sandwich and the curly fries lacked flavor. I had more flavor from the root beer soda I was drinking. The reason why the sandwich lacked flavor because there wasn't enough meat in the sandwich. The cook put more grilled vegetables in the sandwich and drowned out the meat flavor. The fries also did not have enough spices on them to add any dimension to the meal. The fries were boring and the ketchup didn't help. I chose the curly fries because the cashier told me the curly fries tasted better than the steak fries. I will make it easier on myself and my heart, to not eat at this establishment anymore.



At McGee's Bar and Grill, when I tried the Philly Cheese steak sandwich, the meat was supposed to be thinly sliced beef, it turned out to be loose ground beef. The meat combined with the cheese, grilled onions and green bell peppers tasted good, but the meat should have been sliced beef. I should have returned the sandwich, but I didn't. When it's game day at McGee's, the atmosphere at the bar is contagious where you want to cheer with the crowd and be a part of the camaraderie. Food sometimes takes second fiddle while you hang out with the buddies, eat deep fried foods and drink beers. I would recommend eating the hamburgers and stay away from the Philly Cheesesteak. McGee's knows how to do hamburgers.


I will have to travel to Philly to eat a decent cheesesteak sandwich because it won't be coming from Alameda.

7 comments:

Caroline - Philadelphia Tourism said...

Yes! Please come. You can't get a real Philly cheesesteak outside of the 215.

Kelly said...

Whoa, whoa, whoa! How could you overlook the amazing Cheese Steak Shop on Blanding Ave?! (In the Nob Hill shopping plaza.)

No need to travel to Philadelphia -- have yourself a delicious Philly Cheesesteak right here in the 94501.

Get over there now -- you won't regret it!

Anonymous said...

There's also Dynamite Cheesesteak on Park St.

David Sayen said...

I am a native Philadelphia and I share your view on cheesesteaks. Authentic cheesesteaks are not available in Alameda or in California for that matter. Nor are proper pork sandwiches. I don't think proper bread is available here.

Poppawinst said...

just an fyi...dynamite cheesesteak no longer exists. It is now a "japanese" restaurant.

anyway...i had a sandwich there when it was a cheesesteak shop and it sucked. =P the only place i go to in the bay area is Buster's in the City on Columbus.

Anonymous said...

yeah, the cheesesteak shop chain that's near Nob Hill is part of an outfit that imports almost everything from PA, though I think the actual cheesesteak is closer to south jersey style (which I prefer).

Anonymous said...

A new place opened on Park St. by the gym. It's great! ( And they deliver also )