Philly's Finest

On our day off the dynamic duo went to Philly for a little road trip. We set out not really knowing what to do, but knowing of 3 stops we HAD to make. I've been to Philadelphia as a kid, but that was just class trips to all the history sites such as The Liberty Bell or The Franklin Institute. I think at one time in my life I loved history, but now I'm concentrated on the future.


Our first stop to Pat's and Geno's was the main reason we took the hour and a half trip to the City of Brotherly Love. Talk about rivalries, these cheese steak joints are across the street from one another. We went to Geno's first as we recognized the name right off the bat. I don't know if it's because its more famous or its just a more unique name than Pat (sorry Pat).

To my surprise Geno's and Pat's are both geared for pick-up. If only I knew I had to eat outside on the metal picnic tables, I probably would have delayed my trip till summer. I guess one good thing about going in the winter was that we got our food real fast. I also thought the small menu was interesting. Both places offer fries and a few additional items but cheese steaks definitely fuel both Geno's and Pat's popularity. Cheese steaks are offered with provolone, American, or cheese whiz and with or without onions.

Geno's vs Pat's
I thought Geno's had the better cheese steak. My decision to go with Geno's was solely based on taste. Geno's steak and onions had better flavor than Pat's. Although Pat's cheese steak was bigger; I have to go with taste and award Geno's as victor. Then again maybe if we went to Pat's first the outcome would be different... probably not.


Reading Terminal Market
Our next stop was to the Reading Terminal Market, a historic farmers market in the heart of Philadelphia. As we entered the market, my senses were on overload. The smell of fresh chocolate chips and ice cream made my mouth water. The multitude of diverse vendors caught my eyes as the hustle and bustle of the market kept my head spinning. The market has a variety of vendors selling fresh meats, seafood, and poultry as well an extensive selection of baked goods and desserts. Ethnic food vendors line the rows of these huge marketplace.

DiNic's
Although we probably didn't need to eat anymore, Stef and I felt the need to get another sandwich. We stopped at the home of the famous roast pork sandwich, DiNic's. DiNic's also offers beef and veal, but we had to go with the roast pork and boy was that a good choice. The sandwich came with tender, succulent roast pork; green peppers; and provolone. Loaded with meat and cheese, this sandwich is then dunked in the juices to create sandwich euphoria. This sandwich was so good I forgot how much I hate Philadelphia sporting teams like the Eagles. I also forgot how full I was as I crushed my half of the sandwich. A nice, tall cup of Cherry Coke made our trip to Philly well worth it.


Maybe it's because I live in New York, but people are always hating on Philadelphia. Granted I'm not a fully-converted fan of Philly, but I might go back there for some more cheese steaks and definitely a roast pork sandwich.