Philadelphia.
What immediately comes to mind?
Rocky. The Declaration of Independence. Rowdy sports fans. Cheesesteak.
Cheesesteak is as synonymous with Philadlephia as Benjamin Franklin is. This gooey heart attack of a sandwich was invented in Philadelphia in the early 1930s & remains popular in the City of Brotherly Love to this day.
Most people know about the famous riveralry between Pat’s (where cheesesteaks were invented) & Geno’s. During our recent visit to Philly, our plans to visit these two famed cheesesteak places were derailed & instead we found ourselves seeking other cheesesteaking opportunities.
Enter: Jim’s Steaks. Serving cheesesteak since 1939, this South Street favorite had a line to the door when we arrived, so we knew it had to be good. We ordered our steaks with provolone (wussed out on the Wiz) & onions & found a seat, eager with anticipation of our first authentic Philadelphia cheesesteaking experience.
The first bite was heavenly: steak juices dripped down our fingers, as the melted cheese mixed perfectly with the sweet onions. Some people add ketchup to their steak, but ours was perfect without it. A few dozen bites later & our first cheesesteak was history. We agreed that it was satisfying & that one cheesesteak was almost too much for one person to handle.
Pat’s vs Geno’s? I’ll take Jim’s any day of the week!
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