Ilhan T.
Google
No Harmony: The Suffocatingly Arid $20+ Steak
It is disheartening to write this, but the $20+ steak and cheese sandwich I received was a significant letdown. Despite the premium price tag—surpassing even DiNic’s or the excellent pastrami at East Side—the quality simply did not justify the cost.
The Bread
Visually, the loaf mimics the famous Angelo's bread, but the resemblance ends there. The sesame seeds were so pungent they dominated the palate, clashing with the beef rather than complementing it. I personally prefer a more neutral base that allows the steak to shine; here, the bread felt intrusive.
Texture and Dryness
The most frustrating aspect was the texture of the meat. It was suffocatingly arid and surprisingly lumpy, lacking any of the succulence or "melt" one expects from a high-end Philly steak. While the portion was generous, the beef felt desiccated and unrefined, making it physically difficult to swallow without a beverage. I usually avoid drinking mid-meal to focus on the flavor profile, but this was a struggle to get down.
Lack of Harmony
Despite the abundance of meat, onions, and hot peppers, the components felt disjointed rather than unified. Unlike the juicy, well-balanced sandwiches at Geno’s, this felt like a collection of separate, dry ingredients that failed to harmonize.
Final Verdict: Perhaps arriving at 5:30 PM just before closing meant I missed the peak window, but this was the only sandwich of my three-day trip that truly disappointed. If I received such a let down sandwich because of the timing, was it my fault? If they cannot serve an ideal sandwich after a certain hour, perhaps they should close their store at that 'certain' hour not to fail customers.
For a $20+ investment, the result was a fragmented, parched, and ultimately lackluster experience that was hard to swallow. Ugh.
Adding insult to injury, this was the only sandwich in my three-day stay that caused all-night stomach reflux. Between the lumpy texture and the digestive aftermath, it’s clear that something was fundamentally off with this meal.