by L. A. Kell

Created on: March 23, 2010

Are cheesesteaks as good as it's said they are? A resounding yes can be the battle cry of any self-respecting Philadelphian as far as the eye can see. A hot, gooey, "hear your arteries clogging as you eat" goodness.

In all fairness, let it be said that any pizza shop, restaurant, or eating establishment that refers to the product as a "Philadelphia Cheesesteak" isn't giving you the real deal. Again, no self-respecting Philadelphian would refer to it in that manner. It's just simply, a cheesesteak.

For those of you out there that say a cheesesteak isn't all it's cracked up to be, you've seriously been tainted by mere imitations. You simply cannot get a cheesesteak at Subway or any other mass-market franchise, nor any place that refers to as a Philly "Steak & Cheese". A real cheesesteak comes from your local neighborhood pizza joint.

A basic cheesesteak is made with finely sliced and chopped sirloin and topped with cheese. But, this is where it gets tricky. Everyone likes their cheesesteaks a certain way and there's no "proper" way to have it. The only guideline is that a true cheesesteak would only be made with American, Provolone, or Cheez-Wiz. If any place even mentions the word Cheddar-run, don't walk, out of there! The cheese rule doesn't apply in the case of a pizzasteak, when mozzarella is used.

Next, there's the question of adding onions, peppers, or mushrooms, mayo, and ketchup. It's all a matter of personal preference and many of us Philadelphians have had years to learn what we like and what we don't. For you nay-sayers, you might not have had the right combination that your tastebuds would agree to.

You also need an Amoroso roll (yeah, Philly-you know what I'm talkin' about!). Maybe it's something in the water, maybe in the way they bake it, but it's a soft "melt in your mouth' kind of roll. Of course, it can be made with a non-Amoroso but, it's a HOAGIE roll, not a belly-buster, po-boy, a sub, or any other variation that the rest of the world calls it.

As to the arguement of who makes the best cheesesteaks, that's another issue. There is the eternal debate on the two most famous cheesesteak joints, Geno's or Pat's. But, it leaves out the many other joints that serve even better cheesesteaks; those little known places on small street corners that have their own loyal following.

For me? I'll take a pizzasteak from Ernie's on Cottman Avenue any day of the week.

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