Ask any Philadelphian.
If you haven't had a cheese steak in Philly, you haven't had one at all.
We'd had the knockoffs before, but now that we'd come to the source, we
wanted the genuine article. We asked locals Don & Betty Graff where
to go, and the answer was, "You can get them anywhere, but let's go to
South Street.
Jim's
Steaks had a huge line, which turned out to be a good thing. By the
time we got to the front, we'd learned how to order. You aren't supposed
to waste the chef's time by saying "steak" or "sandwich," and you better
know beforehand which extras you want. When it's your turn, if you want
a quintessentially Philadelphia experience, you yell, "Whiz!" Yes, Cheese
Whiz is the topping of choice for serious steak connoisseurs. We, however,
opted for provolone, onions and peppers.
The locals
are right. Genuine cheese steaks bear no resemblance to the imitations
found elsewhere. "There are a couple of secrets," said Don. "You have
to use real chipped steak, which is steak that hs been frozen and sliced
really thin. Then you have to use the right rolls. All the steak rolls
in Philadelphia are made by the Amaroso bakery."
As far as
we're concerned, there are two other ingredients vital to a memorable
cheese steak experience. First, you should watch it being made by a professional
steak maker like Angel Ortiz, pictured above. Second, you should
consume it on the spot. Jim's on South Street is the perfect location.
10/96
Jim's Steaks
400 South Street
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 928-1911
Just say, "Heavy on the whiz!"
|