I was in Philadelphia PA this week so I did what any NiftyFoodFinder would do while there… check out the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.  Locals Pat and Harry Olivieri are credited with inventing the Philly Steak Sandwich in the early 1930s (actually cheese was added later explaining some of the name confusion). Pat and Harry first began selling steak sandwiches in their south Philadelphia hot dog stand located near the city’s Italian Market.  Today the restaurant is known as ”Pat’s King of Steaks” which is located on the corner of 9th Street & Passyunk Ave.

I arrived at Pat’s about 5:15PM on a Saturday evening.  Despite the 28 degree brisk February wind there was a constant line of 8 to 12 people ordering food the whole time I was there.  When it was my turn in line, I had done my homework (by listening to the people in front of me) and ordered a “Steak Whiz Wit” just like the seasoned local in front of me.  It took all of 30 seconds to get served and pay out if that long.  Sandwiches run about $7.50.  Do the math.  That’s a lot of cheesesteaks being served plus a nice living.

 “Steak Whiz Wit” is the proper way to order a Philly Cheesesteak topped with Cheese Whiz and grilled onions[wit(h)].  The sandwich itself is pretty basic fare.  Pat’s Philly Steak is made with top round steak sliced(when frozen) very thin, to about 1/16″ thick.  The meat is griddle fried and tossed and scrambled with a flat spatula much like Mongolian Barbeque cooking.  When almost cooked the steak is placed on top of coarse chopped pre-grilled onions and the cooking is finished.  Care is taken not to over cook the meat so as to keep it tender and juicy (this is pure skill).

Finally the whole steak and onion mixture was scooped onto a foot long hoagie roll and Cheese Whiz was slathered across the top.  A quick wrap of paper and I had a sandwich in hand almost before I could find my money and pay (locals had their money out when they ordered I later observed).  Note: one of the essential components of the cheesesteak is the “hoagie” roll.   At Pat’s this is 1/2 of a two foot long Italian Bread loaf sliced open to a ”V”.   After sampling several different cheesesteaks around the city I can tell you that the bread makes a big difference. 

I should also clarify about the cheese used in cheesesteak.  The original Pat Oliveri sandwich in 1930 had no cheese and it was known as a Philly Steak Sandwich.  It is rumored that a few years later cheese was added by a competitor, Joe Vento originator of Geno’s Steaks (located directly across the street from Pat’s), and so the cheese version became known as the Philly Cheesesteak.  Shortly after 1952, Pat’s Steaks began serving Philly steaks with Cheese Whiz as their version of the Philly Cheesesteak (Cheese Whiz was not invented until 1952.  Pat’s may have served cheese many years earlier however the new soft cheese spread allowed sandwiches to be made much faster than waiting for sliced cheese to melt, giving Pat a competative advantage). 

Taste: First off I want to say that if you are a virgin Philly Cheesesteak eater, then if all possible make your first time special by having a Pat’s or Geno’s cheesesteak.  It will be sheer taste perfection.  No matter what variation of Philly Cheesesteak you end up preferring, having that first bite be a fresh hot properly prepared original style cheesesteak will give you a deeper appreciation of the sandwich.  Video: Philly Cheesesteaks 

My Pat’s Philly Steak was tender, juicy, and cooked just to medium rare as you can see in the photo.  The bread was hot and fresh.  The grilled onions texture with its umami flavoring and the creamy saltiness of the Cheeze Whiz are exactly the correct compliments to the meat and bread.  The sandwich works very well despite its seeming simplicity. 

I say “seeming simplicity” because this sandwich really does have a whole lot going on flavorwise.  I cannot really put my finger on what makes it a great sandwich because there was not a lot of spice, no real dominate flavors unless it is that of the meat and cheese melted together.  I beleive all that flavor comes straight from the top quality ingredients used in the sandwich.  Quality steak, grilled fresh onions, and savory cheese all served hot on fresh bread.  Done right and the taste will stick in your memory for a long time. 

Actually, I discovered after trying cheesesteaks in different parts of the city that the the cheesesteak can be prepared in several different ways.  One way is the near cooked steak is shaped on the grill like it would lay on the roll and the cheese is laid on top and melted, then the open roll is placed over the steak and the mixture is scooped into the roll with the spatula.  Another way is to place the cheese along the inner sides of the opened roll where it can be melted by a warmer before the meat is placed or  a third way, the cheese is melted by the heat of the freshly cooked steak.  These methods are for when Cheese Whiz is not used.

Today many variations of the Philly Cheesesteak exist and many use different types of cheese.  However, locals insist that a true Philly Cheesesteak is never made with Swiss cheese.  That makes sense since cheesesteak has it roots in an Italian working class south Philly neighborhood.  Sandwich variations include grilled onions, sautéed green peppers, and mushrooms. Some vendors may include hot sauce, ketchup, or pizza sauce (called a Pizza Steak with provlone or mozzarella as the cheese).

Pat’s King of Steaks is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, closed some major holidays.  Check out this link to the recipe for Pat’s Philly Cheesesteak http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_11081,00.html