The Cheese Steak ($7.50)

I’ve discovered that the key to a perfect cheese steak is balance.  Balance in construction results in a balance of flavor offering us a taste of every ingredient in each bite.  The “Whiz-Wit” policy (cheese whiz and onions on each sandwich) has been the equalizer through my cheese steak hunt but it was an overabundance of Whiz that hurt Wogie’s.  There’s Whiz below and above the steak and despite the fact that the sturdy, yet airy bread can withstand grease-bombage of this caliber, all you can taste amidst the bits of juicy steak, crisp onion and bits of green pepper is the Whiz.  If I still want to eat cheese steaks after finally crowning a winner, I’m switching to provolone or American cheese.

Adrian’s Atomic Avalanche ($7.75)

Steak, American Cheese, Pepperoni, Hot Peppers, Fried Mozzarella Balls, Topped with Marinara

Anything with fried mozzarella balls is automatically worthy of eating.  Unfortunately, they didn’t play much of a role in this sandwich.  There were faint hints of pepperoni and chopped jalapeno pepper throughout most bites, but the overwhelming flavor was the bright and garlicky Marinara sauce.  Everything else, including the steak, took a back seat resulting in a lackluster combination of ingredients.  If you’re still as turned on by this sandwich as I initially was, order the Marinara on the side and add some as necessary.

The Pookie ($7.25) – Our Favorite Sandwich

Buffalo Chicken Fingers, Melted Provolone, on a Hero with Choice of Dipping Sauce

This was the best sandwich of the day proving that simple food prepared well is always delicious.  A hearty serving of meaty, peppery and perfectly fried chicken fingers are chopped and covered in just the right amount of tangy Buffalo sauce before mildly sharp provolone is melted on top to balance the spice.  The bread deserves credit for striking a balance between a sturdy exterior and airy insides, the perfect ratio of give and take for sandwiches of this design.  We were never offered a choice of dipping sauce but I wouldn’t bother with the harmony of The Pookie.

Waffle Fries ($4.75)

or Regular $3.75. Add Cheese, Chili, or Gravy: 75¢ each

A key component of any grease-filled meal is good French fries.  Wogie’s offers some perfectly fried seasoned waffle fries.  Although they’re the standard frozen version, they were crispy on the outside while still offering potato on the inside.  I spied an order of regular fries on another table, they looked tasty and thin and there were a lot more in an order than the waffle fries.

Reasons to return

Wogie’s is the kind of place you wish every neighborhood had.  It’s a friendly, no frills restaurant with good music, a welcoming bar and food devoid of pretension.  Below is a list of some enticing menu items my heart begged me to hold off on until my next visit:

• Kate’s Krazy Buffalo Wings – I’ll admit, we tried a small order but I’m waiting until a return visit to review them on my quest to find NYC’s Best Buffalo Wings
• The Oscar – Eggs, Bacon, Steak, Choice of Cheese, Peppers, & Onions. This was recommended by one of the restaurant’s waiters. How can you really go wrong?
• Fat Jimmy – Steak, American Cheese, Hot Peppers, Regular French Fries, Topped with Chili. After seeing how the Marinara affected Adrian’s Atomic Avalanche, I worry about the chili.  But fries in the sandwich? I’m sold.
• Cheeseburger Hoagie – Steak, Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, with a Chopped Pickle Sauce. I’m told the chopped pickles sauce is delicious and this sandwich sounds pretty similar to my standard G3 hero at Lenny’s.  I’d be curious to see how they compare. Something tells me Wogie’s would win that challenge but I’m looking forward to finding out.

Wogie’s

Photo Courtesy: Mike Rogers at NYMag.com

Philly Cheese Steak, Whiz Wit ($6.50), Fries ($2.25) & Can of Soda ($1.50)

• The bread at 99 Miles to Philly is too flimsy and light for the greasy mass of disappointingly dry chopped steak held within.
• I ordered my sandwich “whiz wit”, which means cheese whiz and onions on top of my steak. The sauteed onions were ordinary and the dispersal of the liquidy cheese whiz was uneven, waiting at the back of the sandwich to overwhelm my final bites.  I may opt for American cheese next time out.
• The final verdict is a sandwich that lacks unified flavor and structural cohesiveness.  Cook the steak less, and find a new roll and this cheese steak will improve.
• The standard spicy waffle fries, piping hot and overflowing from a tiny paper bag, were best when stuffed in the cheese steak.
• The table is adorned with Frank’s Red Hot, an overly sweet barbecue sauce and a non-Heinz ketchup, none of which enhanced the meal.

I’m confident in that statement because I’ve never even eaten Shorty’s in-store, I’ve only had it delivered from their 9th Avenue and 42nd St. location to my office on 6th Avenue and 51st St.. With at least 30 separate orders to my office over the past few months, the three avenue, 9 block trek hasn’t yielded one unsatisfied eater. If that’s not a true barometer for success, what is?  Read on to find out why Shorty’s is so delicious.

I’ve only had two Shorty’s sandwiches: The Classic Cheese Steak ($7.99), “wiz wit” style, and the Roast Pork Special ($9.50). The cheese steak (below) was awesome. An abundance of moist, thinly sliced sirloin mixed with sweet, flavorful fried onion, swimming in a perfectly portioned schmear of cheese whiz. The bread was the only weak point, slightly crisp, but nowhere near the point of cracking.

Shorty’s used to be a franchise of the Philly legend Tony Luke’s, but franchise fees are fruitless once you have a following, and that’s how Shorty’s was born. Unfortunately, this may have led to the death of their heralded Roast Pork Special (thinly sliced, seasoned pork in a spicy au jus, Broccoli rabe, and sharp provolone) which was a flavorless grease bomb. I strongly recommend you avoid it.

My co-workers have had everything from the Pizza Steak ($8.50) with pepperoni (+$1.50) to the Buffalo Chicken Steak ($7.99) and the Chicken Steak Club ($8.99, below).

Everyone’s been overly pleased with their order and a debt of that gratitude goes to the fries. Somehow these fries ($3.00) continuously survive the delivery and reach us crisp and piping hot. I’ve honestly never encountered such consistently amazing delivery fries. Forget the Italian fries ($4.00, below), mixed with Italian seasoning and Romano cheese and the Mozzarella triangles ($4.99, below), the latter of which are the only thing that failed the delivery. Whether you’re a cheese steak lover or a novice, you can feel comfortable knowing that Shorty’s will provide you with the genuine article.