do as the philadelphians do and eat a cheesesteak! this past week i spent a couple days up in the city of brotherly love for work and decided to, of course, make the most of it. although the weather wasn’t too welcoming upon my arrival, thankfully the friendly faces at geno’s steaks were. i’d been to the rival pat’s several years ago and decided it’d only be fair to give the competition a try as well. plus, a friend of a friend had recommended it, so i was happy to oblige.
i hopped out of the uber and tried not to look too much like a tourist. well, that approach didn’t work really at all in my favor because there aren’t any instructions anywhere on where to order or how. i didn’t want to rustle the feathers of any locals by taking an absurd amount of time, so i fessed up and told the employee i was from out-of-town. he smiled when i shared the news and was happy to make a recommendation that would be sure to please. he even gave me a pen as a souvenir! awww.
i plopped myself down at a nearby table and, upon unrolling the sandwich, realized i may have made a mistake by ordering the sandwich and cheese fries. that cheesesteak was huge and probably enough on its own! i would never myself eat a sandwich that big with that much filling, much less with a heap of cheese-smothered french fries, but i was sitting right next to the order counter and felt the employees’ eyes peering through the glass, eager to know if i liked their famous sandwich.
i could do nothing else but roll up my sleeves, grab a mountain of napkins, and get to work. the first thought i had as a bit into the cheesesteak was that the bread was insanely fresh; that i could not deny. i also couldn’t deny that the rib-eye was sliced perfectly thin. however, i have to confess that among the fresh bread, savory steak, onions, and cheese, i wasn’t getting the flavor punch i had hoped i would get. perhaps instead of the grilled onions i should have gone for fresh onions, if that is even an option? i don’t know, but i eventually powered through messy bites of cheesesteak and slathered french fries to the near end as best i could.
as i finally admitted defeat with a hunk of bread and a few fries remaining, i relaxed a moment to take in the atmosphere of this well-loved (and long-loved) philly establishment. it’s clear that locals and non-locals alike have a special place in their hearts for the beloved cheesesteak. open 24 hours a day, geno’s has earned its place as a traditional icon of the city, satisfying hungry wayfarers’ tastebuds no matter the time of day.
kelsey v 