by Carol Anne Massi

Created on: March 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 16, 2009

Yes, the Philly cheesesteak is as good as they say!

Of course I have to qualify this statement. There are some places to get a good Philly cheesesteak and other places that should not be allowed to even list Philly cheesesteak on their menus.

It is the latter of these places that give the Philly cheesesteak a bad name. People who don't like Philly cheesesteaks have obviously never had a good one. They have had erstaz Philly cheesesteaks, or Philly cheesesteak want-to-be's.

However, don't try to get a good Philly cheesesteak anywhere other than the Philadelphia/Trenton/New Jersey shore area. If you want to get a good cheesesteak, ask someone who is a cheesesteak afficianado.

In Arizona, for example, they have what they call a "Philly cheesesteak." What a crock! They try to make a "Phily cheesesteak" from sliced roast beef, topped with a bunch of "stuff" and further topped with marinara sauce...in some restaurants they don't even have catsup [kethcup] on the table or in the restaurant...blasphemy!

The roll, supposedly Italian, that comes with the cheesesteak is so hard and brittle that the shards can put a cut in the inside of your mouth if you're not careful about biting into it.

A good Philly cheesesteak should have a soft Italian roll, not one so crunchy that your teeth come out or get stressed to the breaking point when taking the first bite.

There are some toppings that work well. Fried peppers and onions, and even cubed, fried potatoes taste great. [Of course, my husband likes mushrooms on his, but I'm not a mushroom fan.]

It really doesn't matter who makes the best Philly cheesesteak in Philadelphia. People have been arguing for years about the two top contenders but it is a matter of personal taste, plus loyalty.

If you got your first cheesesteak at Geno's, for example, you will always maintain that those are the best. If not, you won't even try Geno's without prejudging as in your head and heart you know they won't be as good as those you are used to eating.

In Trenton one of the best places to get a good Philly cheesesteak is on Olden Avenue, in a "diner-like" setting. The steak is not stringy or chewy, just delicious; the roll is soft and warm; the peppers and onions are between crunchy and too soft.

Never try to get a good Philly cheesesteak at a place with the name "New York" in it. It's just not worth the money or aggrevation.

Another thing, completely off topic but at least in the Chambersburg area of Trenton they know how to make a good tomato pie, especially at DeLorenzo's. A tomato pie is kind of like pizza and while the crust is thin, the pie is put together in a different way. On top of the crust the cheese is placed first, then cooked sweetened and seasoned tomatoes [not marinara sauce], then olive oil. After being put into an oven and baked, it is delivered piping hot. Delicious!

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