South Street Steaks
Apr 26, 2006
Hallelujah! Finally, there's a real Philly cheesesteak in the DC area. I can't believe this day has finally come!
Once I read the article in the Washington Post a few weeks ago, I knew I had to go. I've never been so glad that I work out in Largo, just a mere 15 minutes from South Street Steaks in College Park. I was anxious during my drive over. Would it be like the real thing, or would I be disappointed like I've been oh so many times before? I couldn't wait to find out.
When I walked into the joint, I could tell from the smell of the air that they had something good going there. The air reeked of grease, onions, and peppers -- exactly what you would expect from a cheesesteak joint. (I call it a joint and not a restaurant because I consider a restaurant to be a place where it's possible to eat the contents of your meal without dripping the grease on you pants.)
"I'll have a steak wit whiz and onions please," I said with a smile. It's been a long time since I've said that.
I watched carefully as they prepared the cheesesteak. On the left of the grill, there was the mound of sliced sirloin and on the right, the mounds of onions and peppers. When they cooked a steak, they would cut off a mound of steak from the pile and put it on the hot section of the grill, spraying some water as well to get that steamed-yet-fried effect.
The griller then chops at the meat with two metal spatulas, and once it's coarsely chopped, they add the onions and let them sizzle in the meat a little longer. After that, he grabs an Amoroso roll (the true roll of the Philly cheesesteak which South Street Steaks has shipped in special from Philly), scoops a ladle of cheese whiz out of the big metal canister, spreads it on the roll, and covers the meat on the grill with the roll.
Finally, the griller takes one spatula and slides it under the meat and quickly flips it over to put it on a plate.
"Ok. Sounds good so far Jason, but how did it TASTE??"
Like the real thing...or at least pretty damn close. I reminded me of the cheesesteak I had in my last trip to Philly at Jim's Steaks. It's been a while since I've been back to Philly for a cheesesteak though, so my memory might be a bit fuzzy. This was a true cheesesteak -- the meat tender, thinly sliced, and well flavored with the creamy cheese whiz on a fresh roll all juicy, drippy and completely unhealthy.
The junk food for the truly discerning foodie.
My only complaint was that I thought the onions could have onions cooked a little longer and lightly browned. They were translucent and but not browned or caramelized at all.
If you eat two cheesesteaks in one sitting, you get your picture on the wall -- kind of like a wall of fame. There's one person who's eaten ten. My hero.
South Street Steaks
7313 Baltimore Avenue
College Park, MD 20740
(301) 209-7007
Map
Hours:
Mon - Wed: 11am - 10pm
Thu: 11am - 2am
Fri : 11am - 3am
Sat: 12pm - 3am
Sun: 12pm - 10pm
Do they serve them with sauce (marinara)?
Posted by: monavano | Apr 26, 2006 at 12:50 PM
If you eat 10 cheesesteaks, do they throw in a trip to the hospital to get your arteries cleaned out? ;)
I have never had a real Philly cheesesteak, isn't that sad? I live in Pittsburgh, where everybody is busy slapping coleslaw on their sandwiches. But now I want a cheesesteak.
Posted by: Jenn | Apr 26, 2006 at 04:59 PM
Hah, Jenn, that reminds me... now that we've got real Philly cheesesteaks here in DC, I've got to start my campaign for a real Primanti's sammich. Dammit, it's vinegar coleslaw, and it's sour, not sweet.
Posted by: Tiff | Apr 26, 2006 at 06:23 PM
How's the cheesesteak place in Georgetown near the Key Bridge (I think that's where it is)?
Posted by: Laura | Apr 26, 2006 at 09:20 PM
"I'll have a steak wit whiz and onions please." Party foul! The "wit" already means that you want onions, so you're being redundent. Should just be "I'll have a whiz wit."
Nevertheless, I'm very excited to see if this place passes muster, and will undoubtedly hit it up before the week's end.
Posted by: Paco | Apr 26, 2006 at 09:44 PM
Sorry, out of practice I am.
Posted by: Jason | Apr 26, 2006 at 10:24 PM
the one in Georgetown (Cheesesteak Factory) is not very good, at least as far as I'm concerned (mushy roll). I'll try to make it out to College Park. I've only been to Philly a few times, but have never made it to one of the cheesesteak places. I have been to the Tony Luke's outpost in Manhattan. That's good stuff.
Posted by: Alan | Apr 27, 2006 at 11:47 AM
I would tend to agree with Alan. While I can't say how it's been there recently, the last couple times I was there (it was literally a couple years ago) I was not impressed.
Posted by: Jason | Apr 27, 2006 at 12:30 PM
Take it from a Philly gal, that only the lemmings and really, really drunk people go to Pat's and Geno's.
Like Jason said, Jim's is good!
Nary a Philadelphian could not give a PhD dissertation on the subject!
I'm going to try Al's on Mt. Vernon Ave in Del Ray and let y'all know how it is.
Posted by: monavano | Apr 27, 2006 at 01:41 PM
Thanks for the tip. On a semi-related note, I'd like to recommend a local place for healthier sandwiches (no cheesesteaks)...wheatberry on conn. ave in cleveland park. The owner-chef couldn't be a nicer person--he makes wonderful healthy salads from scratch every day and bakes all his own ciabatta rolls for great sandwiches...also free wireless internet for any fellow nerds out there.
Posted by: Laura | Apr 27, 2006 at 05:09 PM
I just went to South Street Steaks today and it was super greasy and super salty. Also, the pinup of McNabb was cheesier than the whiz.
Posted by: Jennie | May 04, 2006 at 07:36 PM
Sounds like a perfect cheesesteak to me. :)
Posted by: Jason | May 04, 2006 at 08:46 PM
I can't wait to check this place out, I lived in Philly almost my whole life. (and Jims, and Pats and Genos don't even hold a candle to Delasandros).
Posted by: Amanda | May 06, 2006 at 05:01 PM
i make it a point to go to delasandros every time i go back!
Posted by: sachi | May 11, 2006 at 03:43 PM
I love cheese steaks in Philly. My wife and I cannot figure out why one can go to someplace that claims they make cheese steaks and you ask for cheese whiz and they don't have it!! How is this a Philly cheese steak? The bread is also important, a little chewy, but not too soft. This is one of the foods that proves that every ingrediant is necessary for the authentic, perfect flavor.
Posted by: jrh | May 11, 2006 at 09:14 PM
I would like to try this place out...being the consumate foodie that I am, I will travel to test it out. However...my loyalties are still with Mario's Pizza House in Arlington, off of Wilson Boulevard. I have talked to people who have visited Mario's from Philly, and they have said that Mario's is as close to a real Philly steak and cheese as you can get. Also you can get some good pizza at Mario's too...I mean where else can you get a pizza slice with a whole sausage patty on it?
Posted by: Marc | May 12, 2006 at 03:09 PM
Al's King of Steaks in Del Ray. No reason to go anywhere else for a cheesesteak.
Posted by: monkeyrotica | May 17, 2006 at 12:53 PM
I've been going to this place ever since it opened. I'm from Philly and it doesn't get any closer than this. If I closed my eyes I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Posted by: Kenny | May 18, 2006 at 11:31 PM
Yeah, I took a look at Al's King of Steaks website. After seeing the picture of their cheesesteak I would automatically never go there. The lettuce and tomato right away tells me its fake and probably horrible. I went to South Street Steaks after seeing their picture and they do it right. Just meat, cheese and onions.
Posted by: Greg | May 23, 2006 at 09:35 AM
Yo, just tried this place out last weekend....been there 4 times since. Grew up in North East Philly.
The bread makes the steak and they got it.
Posted by: Victor | Jun 03, 2006 at 08:37 PM
Definitely the best cheesesteak I've had outside of Philly
Posted by: Cara | Jun 03, 2006 at 11:24 PM
Um, you know you don't HAVE to get lettuce and tomato. But hey, whatevah.
Posted by: monkeyrotica | Jun 13, 2006 at 12:31 PM
Yeah, but the fact that their website picture has lettuce and tomato means that they probably normally put it on.
Posted by: Greg | Jun 19, 2006 at 09:34 AM
I know many people that get cheese steaks without lettuce and tomato. That isn't a requirement.
Posted by: Jason | Jun 19, 2006 at 09:36 AM
Very true....however, and I've never been to Als so I don't know, if they put L&T on as a standard, unless you ask for a steak without it, than it probably means they're not from Philly.
Posted by: Greg | Jun 19, 2006 at 06:36 PM
The cooks at South Street Steaks were trained by the folks from Jim's in Philly. They'll tell you that the secrets all in the roll.
Posted by: Sandy | Jul 18, 2006 at 07:55 AM
I live in DC and it was well worth the trip!!Only complaint was they use hot pepper rings instead of the hot pepper relish..but hey I can live w/that!! I just wish there was one closer to DC without having to hike to College Park...
Posted by: Grace | Jul 31, 2006 at 07:26 PM
There are two rules to a true (cheese)steak.
1) If the word "Philly" is in the description, it isn't one. Sorry Al, King of Steaks.
2) If it has lettuce, tomato, or mayo, it isn't one. Sorry again, Al.
Posted by: MM | Oct 18, 2006 at 04:17 PM
Just went to Al's last week. Al was there and when I asked for lettuce tomato and onion he looked at me funny. They come standard with only meat cheese and onions. I don't know what "philly" means but I do know a good sandwich. It was great.
Posted by: cb | Nov 30, 2006 at 05:55 PM
OH my god. This may be one of the happiest moments of my life. I've been trying to find a REAL cheesteak place in DC/DC metro area for EVER. This place actually sounds like the real deal. I'm definitely going to check it out. And I agree...anything that actually says "philly" in the name...not so much.
Posted by: Sharon - Philly native | Jun 14, 2007 at 12:44 PM
I don't think you'll be disappointed Sharon. It's a lot like Jim's if you've had their cheesesteaks before.
Posted by: Jason | Jun 14, 2007 at 06:30 PM
I've lived in D.C. for over 15 years, and I have yet to find a place that can do a half decent cheesesteak and hoagie. I grew up on the stuff having been born and raised in Camden and having lived in Philly (South, Kensington, Frankfurt) etc.
Jim's is one of my absolute favorites but there was a place in Camden along Westfield Avenue that was very good too ... leaving aside all the lunch trucks that would line the streets of Temple University and U of Penn.
But, my question is, how are the hoagies? I don't know when the mayonnaise bit came into it because I was raised to put an oil/vinegar mix with oregano directly on the inside of the roll, letting it seep in. Then, you place the italian lunchmeats, cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, (hot peppers) and another squirt of the oil/vinegar/oregano mix. That's it. No mayonnaise, mushrooms, bean sprouts, pickles, etc.
Finally, I'm a purist. When did chicken cheesesteaks make their appearance? It doesn't even make sense. The only "new" thing I've tried that I'll endorse is hoagie dip. They should think about stocking that.
Anyway, I'll have to give this place a try if it's close enough to metro.
Posted by: Sandy | Aug 18, 2007 at 02:45 PM
In reality South St. Steaks almost gets it right. I lived in Philadelphia for 5 years and spent many a meal sucking down one of those mythical sandwiches that no one outside the 215 area code can ever seem to replicate. There are two schools of thought on the steak in a cheesesteak. The meat comes either chopped or in thin strips. South Street tends to the former, which isn't my preference but all the same still delicious. The flavor and texture are just right and as good as any Philadelphia has to offer. The problem with the sandwich doen't lie on the inside but rather the outside. Contrary to popular belief, Amorosos is not the choice of Philly steak "joints". You find it at corner pizza places and in the supermarket. Think of it as the "Sunbeam" of sandwich rolls. Soft, flavorless, and easily turned to mush when faced with a hot greasy filling. Better bread makes a better cheesesteak. This is their one shortcoming but a big one. Nonetheless South Street Steaks has taken DC one step closer to the seemingly impossible, a proper cheesesteak and for that they deserve kudos. Just a footnote for those passing through the city of brotherly love, stay away from the foodie tourist traps such as Pat's, Geno's, and yes Jim's. These establishments ceased making quality sandwiches a long time ago. Head off the beaten path to true local spots that will change your perception of what a sandwich is supposed to be. In South Philly and Center City Tony Lukes makes a a hell of a cheesesteak as well as other italian sandwiches. In East Falls try Delassandros for a great version the chopped steak cheesesteak. Finally the true king or rather prince of the cheesesteak, Steve's Prince of Steaks near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philly. True perfection. Happy eating.
Posted by: A.R. | Feb 04, 2008 at 01:58 PM
A number of people have mentioned Delassandro's to me recently, and I'll be checking them out on my next trip to Philly to see my family.
Posted by: Jason | Feb 04, 2008 at 03:07 PM
I ate at pats and genos it used to be good back in the day but it has gone down hill since when i moved to south Florida theirs this place in delray called Zio's they have the BEST steaks going!! and they shure do crank them out their.. They even have the bread down.. Zio's is the place to get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Posted by: Mike Galoway | Mar 10, 2008 at 11:42 PM
i agree, zio's in south florida is the best thing around!
Posted by: andrew | Mar 29, 2008 at 01:14 AM
ZIO'S IN DELRAY BEACH FL, THE BEST STEAK'S!!! JUST LIKE PAT'S AND Genos used to be back in the day! it is truley the best steaks around
Posted by: Ashley | Nov 12, 2008 at 09:02 PM
The place in Georgetown (near Key Bridge) is not very good unless your really drunk. The owner is a Mets Fan? Agree with everyone else Pat and Gino's, unimpressive.
Posted by: joe | Jan 02, 2009 at 12:16 PM