Location: 281 Broadway, Orangeville
Website: https://philadelphiakitchen.ca/
I continue to be thoroughly puzzled about why Philly cheesesteaks are so difficult to find in the GTA. There’s Illstyl3 Sammies, which is delicious, if not entirely authentic, and… that’s about it.
Well okay, there’s also a chain called Philthy Philly’s, but the less said about that place, the better. And I’m sure there are a whole bunch of restaurants with a cheesesteak on the menu, but if you want a place that specializes in the stuff, it’s Illstyl3 Sammies or bust.
But hey, if you don’t mind driving to Orangeville (which is technically part of the GTA, though just barely), there’s also Philadelphia Kitchen.
They serve a classic Philly cheesesteak (just steak, onions, and cheese on a roll) that you can either get with mozzarella or Cheez Whiz. I tried both.
It’s a tasty sandwich, though it’s probably a bit too heavy on the onion. I think the ratio of onion to beef is something like 1:1. Griddled onions are definitely a big part of a cheesesteak’s flavour, but the proportion here is so high that it overwhelms the beef.
On the other end of the spectrum, the ratio of beef to cheese is probably like 10:1. Both sandwiches were very, very light on cheese, which is a shame.
I quite enjoyed both, however. The proportions of beef, cheese, and onions makes this feel like something other than a classic cheesesteak, but whatever it is, it’s thoroughly tasty, with a whole bunch of perfectly-cooked beef that’s really satisfying. It’s not what I was expecting, but also not lacking in deliciousness. The search for a real-deal Philly cheesesteak in the GTA continues, however.
Michael Eats 