America's Best Restaurant Cities: Esquire Magazine - Page 7

Chef · #**121** Posted **Jan 30, 2011, 9:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD_Phil

This and the AAA thread have completely changed my thoughts on the food scene in Chicago. I honestly had no idea.

Chicago is a world class restaurant city.

wanderer34 · #**122** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 8:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase Unperson

OK..

well then what cusine(s) is Philadelphia famous for innovating. For instance Chicago is associated with New American, San Francisco and LA are famous for fusion cuisines and Californian. I have never heard once about a Philadelphian innovation.

AHEM!!!!! You might have heard about the little innovation that was made in the 1930's called the Philly cheesesteak !!!!!!

DBR96A · #**123** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColDayMan

I'm quite surprised they put Seattle above Philadelphia or Atlanta, two culinary rich cities. One farmer's market alone shouldn't make a town.

I'm not surprised. Philadelphia is "flyover country" that happens to be on the coast anyway.

ametz · #**124** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 5:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderer34

[/B] AHEM!!!!! You might have heard about the little innovation that was made in the 1930's called the Philly cheesesteak !!!!!!

True story....a few years ago, shortly after being introduced to a 'real' Philly cheesesteak (sublime), I was surfing the web late one night when decided, on a whim, to buy plane tix and a hotel room for Philly for a long weekend toward the end of the summer (Luckily, my wife had a favorable opinion of Philadelphia. I'd not been). Sort of as a joke, I went to 5 different cheesesteak places in 3 days, took pics and wrote a full blown report that I posted on...I think it was Facebook, but I may have sent it as an email link to Snapfish or something. Anyhoo, years later I'm still the go-to guy for cheesesteak advice in Chicago for all sorts of random people who read my post. I also ate at the Striped Bass (great, great meal, though service was a little shaky), and a place called Mr. Martino's in South Philly. I thought it was a wonderful restuarant town, and Philly immediately jumped into my top 5 American cities overall. Loved it.

Tom In Chicago · #**125** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 6:13 PM**

^Have you eaten at Philly's Best here in Chicago? I've never been to the city of Philadelphia - shameful as that may be - but I love the hoagies and grinders they have at Philly's Best. . . they claim to import their meat and Tast-e Cakes (or whatever they're called) from Philadelphia. . . thoughts?

. . .

10023 · #**126** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 6:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrab

Chicago has the USA's second-largest Mexican-American population and some darn good Mexican food, too.

This is true.

It's really hard to find good Mexican food in New York, but it's all over Chicago.

Steely Dan · #**127** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Have you eaten at Philly's Best here in Chicago? I've never been to the city of Philadelphia - shameful as that may be - but I love the hoagies and grinders they have at Philly's Best. . . they claim to import their meat and Tast-e Cakes (or whatever they're called) from Philadelphia. . . thoughts?

. . .

mmmmmmmmmmmmm....................... i LOVE philly's best.

i have no idea how they stack up to an authentic cheese steak from philly, but they absolutely destroy any of the other half-ass attempts that go by the moniker "cheese steak" here in chicago*.

(*) i'm not including Ricobene's steak sandwich in this statement which, while containing both steak and cheese, is an entirely different food product and one of the most delicious concoctions of the chicago junk food scene.

BG918 · #**128** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 6:39 PM**

Have any of the Chicago forumers been to Alinea? I know it's super expensive and hard to get in but I really want to try it. I'll be in Chicago in May and probably need to get on the waiting list now...

CyberEric · #**129** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

Have any of the Chicago forumers been to Alinea? I know it's super expensive and hard to get in but I really want to try it. I'll be in Chicago in May and probably need to get on the waiting list now...

A friend of mine here in SF flew to Chicago just for Alinea and said it was the most incredible food experience of his life. He gushed and gushed about it. He said it was more like theater with food rather than a what we think of as a traditional meal and that is important to keep in mind. He said the best meal he has ever eaten was at French Laundry.

Attrill · #**130** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BG918

Have any of the Chicago forumers been to Alinea? I know it's super expensive and hard to get in but I really want to try it. I'll be in Chicago in May and probably need to get on the waiting list now...

You should be fine getting a reservation in May. If the price doesn't bother you it is an incredible place, well worth going to. I've gone twice (not on my own dime) and was blown away. That said, I haven't felt the need to spend my own money to return. This thread on another board has a lot of good information about it. The LTH board is a good place to post if you need any help getting any specific info to plan the food part of your trip.

Grant Achatz is also opening another place, Next, in late March that looks really interesting.

ametz · #**131** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Have you eaten at Philly's Best here in Chicago? I've never been to the city of Philadelphia - shameful as that may be - but I love the hoagies and grinders they have at Philly's Best. . . they claim to import their meat and Tast-e Cakes (or whatever they're called) from Philadelphia. . . thoughts?

. . .

Philly's Best ignited my cheesesteak quest! It's a terrific sandwich, and the best Philly in Chicago, bar none. Regarding it's authenticity, it's a little bit off what you'll find in Philadelphia- the roll seems a little bigger, but it has that 'snap' and texture of the Philadelphia places, and the cheese isn't Whiz, it's...provalone, maybe? Whiz is the traditional, although you can get it a few different ways in philadelphia. And of the 5 I ranked in Philly, Philly's Best in Chicago would've tied for the 3rd spot (the specific config I used for my rankings was "wiz with", aka "cheese whiz w/onions". Incidentally, my Philadelphia rankings, with 1 being the best (all were very good)

1. Tony Luke's
2. Gino's
3. Campo
4. Pat's
5. Jim's

Steely Dan · #**132** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 9:06 PM**

^ that's interesting that you thought philly's best could hang with those philadelphia establishments. they really are light years beyond the other things that pass for cheese steaks in chicago.

as for the cheese at philly's best, their standard cheese steak is made with american cheese, though cheese whiz or provolone can be substituted on request. personally i like the american cheese, but i'll have to try it with cheese whiz next time if that's really the official philadelphia style.

LosAngelesSportsFan · #**133** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 11:13 PM**

i have a Phillys best 40 feet from my office. needless to say, im there often and its damn good. Another good Cheese-steak place in LA is Southside in Burbank.

Steely Dan · #**134** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 11:24 PM**

^ i believe that the chicago and LA "Philly's Best" chains are completely unrelated to each other. and not ever having visited the california version, i would have no ability to comment on how similar they are to each other or to the real deal on the east coast.

ChiTownCity · #**135** Posted **Feb 22, 2011, 11:50 PM**

^Are talking about the Philly's Best in Greektown or the one up on Belmont? I was about to go to the one on halsted yesterday but decided to stop at the gyro place instead since it was raining. I don't know if they taste the same no matter what location, but I' would like to go back to the one on halsted soon...

Tom In Chicago · #**136** Posted **Feb 23, 2011, 12:21 AM**

The one in Greektown is just as good as the one on Belmont. . . I too am torn between a gyro and a Philly's Best when I'm over there. . .

I usually get the Monterrey Chicken grinder and a Philly Cheesesteak on garlic bread with cheese Wiz. . . a buddy of mine professes that their cheesesteaks actually taste better when re-heated after being put in the fridge overnight. . .

. . .

ametz · #**137** Posted **Feb 23, 2011, 2:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ that's interesting that you thought philly's best could hang with those philadelphia establishments. they really are light years beyond the other things that pass for cheese steaks in chicago.

as for the cheese at philly's best, their standard cheese steak is made with american cheese, though cheese whiz or provolone can be substituted on request. personally i like the american cheese, but i'll have to try it with cheese whiz next time if that's really the official philadelphia style.

Yeah, I stand by Philly's best as being a solid cheesesteak, even by Philadelphia standards, and I have some Philly friends who grudgingly agree. But if you ever get to Philly...gotta go to Tony Luke's. Aside from that, I thought Philly had an excellent overall restaurant selection- good variety at all price points. Not quite top rung, but not far off. Service quality was about 2 ticks off, but still good. There just aren't as many career servers there, and the dropoff is noticeable.

pico44 · #**138** Posted **Feb 23, 2011, 10:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 10023

This is true.

It's really hard to find good Mexican food in New York, but it's all over Chicago.

Define "really hard".

Does "really hard" simply mean not within 5 blocks of Charles and 4th? I might agree with you if thats the case.

emathias · #**139** Posted **Feb 23, 2011, 2:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pico44

Define "really hard".

Does "really hard" simply mean not within 5 blocks of Charles and 4th? I might agree with you if thats the case.

Mexican food is nowhere near as prevalent in New York as it is in Chicago. It's New York, so it has good Mexican food along with just about any other ethnicity. But I don't think you can dispute that it's easier to find multiple good Mexican restaurants in a random given area of Chicago than it is in a random area of New York.

emathias · #**140** Posted **Feb 23, 2011, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ that's interesting that you thought philly's best could hang with those philadelphia establishments. they really are light years beyond the other things that pass for cheese steaks in chicago.

as for the cheese at philly's best, their standard cheese steak is made with american cheese, though cheese whiz or provolone can be substituted on request. personally i like the american cheese, but i'll have to try it with cheese whiz next time if that's really the official philadelphia style.

I'm no expert, but as a non-expert I've always thought that calling cheese whiz on a Philly cheese steak "authentic" was a little like saying Chinese food needs MSG to be authentic ... in a way it may be true, but it doesn't mean it's overall the best idea.