Mark T.
Yelp
After half a year of working in the area, it was finally time to try Pennypacker's @ HSP. I wish it were a better experience. I wanted to be lenient, but if you ask me if I'd order the Brisket Sandwich again, I'd have to say no. While nothing was glaringly wrong, several more minor issues added to a disappointing experience.
Before I throw the book at these poor folks, here are a couple positives:
First, the sandwich contained a generous amount of protein! Second, the service was friendly and amply quick. Thirdly, I did immensely enjoy the lime-marinated onions.
Now, the 'book':
First, the bread did not work for this sandwich. The crust had substantial give, which caused this poor thing to get crushed under a bite. As a result, the fillings would start to get squeezed out after the first chomp, after the fourth, good luck.
Then there is the question of veggies & cheese. As much as I enjoyed the onions, I would have liked more of them. These were already applied rather lighthandedly, and the crushing issue above didn't help things either. As for the cheese, while I am a cheese lover, I don't know what the crumbled queso fresco added here. The cheese lover in me wishes the cheese element were more impactful.
Then, we come to the crux of the matter: the protein. I learned from the food-based YouTubers that salt brings out the flavor, and fat carries it; this brisket was lacking in both. The pulled meat was 95% lean, with a couple of small pieces containing any noticeable fattiness that makes brisket so heavenly. I wouldn't go as far as to call it dry, but the lack of moisture was evident. As I ate, I felt some sauce was definitely called for. It would free three birds with one key: add moistness, flavor, and salt.
Finally, I was surprised that the sandwich was cold, though I don't know if that's by design.
While these minor issues compounded on top of one another led to a less-than-stellar review, all are easily fixed. A different bread, an extra scoop of onion, a sprinkle of salt, a squeeze of sauce, and hopefully some fattier bits of brisket, and we are in four-star territory. Make the sandwich hot, and we might be flirting with five!