Philly Weekly comes up with a guide to one of our favorite bargain foods, the Banh Mi. Make your choice by what’s important to you:

• Under $4
• Baguette
• Hoagie Roll
• Serves Pho too
• Alcohol
• Corner Store

PW’s Guide to Banh Mi [Philadelphia Weekly]

OK, maybe not as shocking as dogs and cats living in harmony but it sure is nice to see Philly.com leveraging its content and creating both a cheesesteaks and  hoagies landing pages.

Relive Michael Klein’s recent fun video interview with Georges Perrier and John Kerry’s famous cheesesteak faux pas. Over on the hoagies page there’s research on the origin of the hoagie name, rankings of the best and even a Georges Perrier hoagie recipe.

Steaks & Cheesesteaks [Philly.com]
Hoagies, Hoagies, Hoagies [Philly.com]

WIP’s Great Hoagie Hunt concluded Saturday with celebrity judges agreeing with host Glen Macnow and annointing Paesano’s hoagie the best in the area.

The People’s Choice award went to Primo’s Hoagies.

Great Hoagie Hunt judges declare winner [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Paesano’s [Official Site]

Every year 610 WIP’s Glen Macnow goes on a great journey to find the best of a popular food in the Delaware Valley. This year he tried 60 hoagies enroute to picking his favorite, Paesano’s.

New “six-stool, mostly takeout eatery” that just opened after Thanksgiving. “Delectable mix of mortadella, prosciutto and ham … perfect amount of sharp provolone … a dark green lettuce … on a crispy seeded roll,” Macnow writes. “Folks, we have ourselves a winner.”

The complete top ten:

1. Peasano’s
2. Sarcone’s Deli
3. Salumeria
4. Pastificio
5. Shank’s & Evelyn’s
6. Carlino’s Market
7. Pallante’s
8. Primo Hoagies
9. Carmen’s Deli
10. Abbruzzi and Giuntas

Macnow will let the public have their say on Saturday, June 13th at the King of Prussia Fox & Hound. Eight or so of the hoagies will be available for free from 11am to 1pm.

After trying 60 hoagies, the best one was… [Philly.com]
Glen & Anthony’s Italian Hoagie Hunt [610 WIP]
Paesano’s [Official Site]

Personally, I like to blame the cheesesteak for most of Philadelphia’s image problems (long live the roast pork!), but could a chicken cheesesteak be responsible for the Eagles’ crushing loss on Sunday? On Friday, Dan Gross reported that Donovan McNabb ate his ‘lucky sandwich’ before heading west:

Donovan McNabb showed up at Talk of the Town (3020 S. Broad) to pick up his lucky chicken cheesesteak hoagie with American cheese, mayo, ketchup, lettuce and tomato. While D-Mac insists on picking up his own sandwich, the shop delivered a few more steaks to the Nova Care Complex for kicker David Akers and a few other Iggles, who have since departed for Arizona.

I don’t know much about football, but perhaps a new sandwich is in order? Anyone have any recommendations for what might be a luckier lucky meal for the Eagles quarterback?

Donovan didn’t leave town without his lucky sandwich. [PhillyGossip]

Sarcone’s Deli has live video streaming on their web site and that just tickles us for some reason.

Looks like just a couple people are waiting so hurry over for the Junkyard Special. By the way Sarcone’s is looking to move into their new digs next door sometime in early 2009.

Sarcone’s Deli [Official Site]

In today’s Metro, The Bite focuses on some tiny new spots that are providing big bites.

The one that has Fries with that Shake most obsessed is Modo Mio’s new sandwich shop, Paesano’s who have graciously scanned the menu.

A little obsessed? [Fries with that Shake?]

Read the rest of this entry »

Frank’s Old Philly-Style Sandwiches has opened a stand in the Comcast Center’s subterranean food court. The sandwich spot from the same people who are behind the LaScala’s pizza location will feaure Philadelphia classics from hoagies to roast pork.

Menu after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

As you probably know it’s Rocky week. And as much as we may cringe at Philadelphians being portrayed as cheesesteak chomping, kite flying, pretzel biting, Art Museum steps running, wooder drinking, hoagie breath stinking, snowball tossing, krimpet stuffing, long suffering, underdogs all the time, we do like cheesesteaks, hoagies and pretzels. So as long as you’re going to be doing these stereotypical Philly food things, do it up right.

Cheesesteak

Get:It may say pork in the name but the steaks have turned John’s Roast Pork from a sleepy little spot to a star on Philadelphia’s culinary map. It’s worth fighting through the ongoing construction on Snyder Ave, but bring a friend, it’s a lot of steak for one person.
Avoid: Rick’s Steaks in the Reading Terminal. It’s kind of unbelievable that in the Mecca of food that is the Reading Terminal you can’t find a good cheesesteak.

Hoagie

Get: There are a lot of great hoagie spots in Philadelphia but for our money the best is Sarcone’s. It of course comes on Sarcone’s bread and the Italian hoagie with the slices of fresh mozzarella, well call us in love.
Avoid: Subway. When the original Subway closed on South Street many years ago, we looked at it as a personal triumph.

Pretzel

Get: Fisher’s Pretzels in the Reading Terminal are second to none. And don’t think about skipping the butter.
Avoid: Any street vendor who just licked hot sauce off his hand before grabbing a pretzel.

Photo via Philly.com