Is Tony Luke’s Returning to New York City?
Tony Luke’s, the famous Philly based cheesesteak/pork sandwich purveyor, used to have a “location” on 9th Ave. btw. 40+41st- before the franchisee got sick of paying the fees and changed the name to Shorty’s (they still serve practically the same menu.) Well, according to the official Tony Luke’s website there is another location “to be announced” in NYC. It’s not clear whether it will be another “franchise” situation, or if it will the real deal- but either way, may I humbly suggest they return to the Midtown area? Even a half decent Tony Luke’s is probably better than most of the Philly cheesesteak (and roast pork with broccoli rabe!) options we’ve got. [via Serious Eats Comments]
Photo courtesy of Josh Bousel
Posted: 9:00 am, March 4th, 2009 under Cheese Steak, Steak.
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29 Comments
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I PRAY this comes true!!!! Nothing like improving my own skills, and taking a crack at some broccoli Rabe, after studying TL’s methods!!!!! I will camp out there for a week to perfect my skills!!!!!
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I’ve never been to Shorty’s or the Tony Luke’s incarnation before it, but I have been to Tony Luke’s in Philly many times. The sandwiches are fantastic. I want to know if they will truck the rolls up from Philly to make them though, because the awful quality of the rolls at the cheesesteak places here in New York is the main reason why NYC cheesesteaks suck. If they don’t get the rolls from Philly then it doesn’t matter where they open a new shop, because I won’t be going.
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I’d take DiNic’s over Tony Luke’s, but they’re both great. This one better be on the east side.
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They seriously couldn’t find decent bread here? There’s a bakery 2 blocks away! The logic of trucking bread all the way up from Killadelphia is lost on me.
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Philly’s a dump, though I do like the sandwiches.
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Been to Tony Luke’s in Philly many times. Nothing like a fresh cheesesteak (or chicken cheesesteak) after spending the evening at the Bingo Hall. (E-C-Dub! *sigh*) Shorty’s isn’t quite the same.
BTW, what is the difference between a franchise and the ‘real deal’? Just ownership? I imagine the ingredients would come from the same source or be ‘approved’ in either case.
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Well, for a big chain next to nothing- but sometimes places like Tony Luke’s sell their name and/or recipes, and then turn their back. Im pretty sure that’s what happened with the one on 9th Ave. I’m hoping they actually have something to do with place so that we get as close to the real thing as possible
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@ DubbinBklyn
It’s not about “decent bread”, it’s about the RIGHT bread. Anyone who’s lived in Philly will tell you that rolls in NYC suck for steaks. Maybe they’re great for calamari subs and Murray’s Midtown Lunch specials, but for cheesesteaks no. People make similar arguments about pizza dough being better in NYC because of the water, etc.
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Cheesesteak Bread: the last thing left that Philly thinks it can brag about.
Find it hysterical that it’s the bread and not the whole cheesesteak
Philly: “We’re Just Slightly Better Than Camden”
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@Wayne
Your ignorance and arrogance earns you the right to eat all the shitty cheesesteaks your gullet may like.
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I say Ben and Wayne mud-wrestle to prove who’s right.
… I get free admission.
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hahaha – this argument about cheesesteak bread and “authenticity” is the domain of low-brow mental midgets (sorry Jenn). I mean, think about it – we’re talking about greasy steak, fried onions, cheeze whiz for chrissakes. It’s like arguing whether your dirty water dog came on a Wonder bun or a Pepperidge Farm bun. Just shovel down your cheap greasy slop already. Trucking rolls to NY, “Authentic”, jeez.
I’ll wrestle ben in cheesesteak grease just to make it interesting
THEY’LL BE ENOUGH OF IT -
humm…. greasy cheese wiz wrestling … interesting concept….
I think Blondie needs to chime in on this idea.
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Low brow mental midget chiming in here about cheesesteak rolls. After years of spending time in PHilly, I have been brainwashed in their propaganda so my apologies if I sound like a whining Philly homer.
A proper standard steak “wit” Wiz has so many liquid and greasy components that anything other than an Amoroso’s or equal quality roll would turn into a soggy, fried onion-studded, yellow liquid cheese trail running down your hands and arms and onto your favorite shirt. And that’s even before you add the ketchup!
Some places using flimsy rolls will compensate by draining the grease off the onions and steak and substituting real cheese for liquid Cheese Wiz to reduce the amount of liquid and potential stress on their inferior roll. Again this is just wrong, you need that grease/liquid cheese congealing liquid to properly flavor the sandwich.
A good roll is from Amoroso’s. It has a slightly crisp yet still chewy crust when combined with the absorbent (but not Wonder bread spongy) doughy interior bread carries enough heft to stand up to the grease and wiz tidal wave that accompanies a properly made cheesesteak. Factor in ketchup, sautéed mushrooms or even a few dashes of that fiery hot sauce from Pat’s Steaks condiment table and a good roll can save you the embarrassment of staring at a pound of meat, cheese, onions and ketchup lying on the sidewalk.
Respectfully submitted,
Dubya El
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eeeeww ketchup??? Only mustard, man!!
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Damn, Dubya, they even got you … reciting brand names no less … back to your pod, philly alien
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eeeww mustard. only onions and wiz, wo-man!
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What about pickled jalapenos? Is that blasphemy?
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The only good condiments on a cheese steak are ketchup and hot sauce. Wayne can put mayo and Crisco on his though to help it slide down his slop hole.
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Mustard????????!!!!! On a cheesesteak? Must report this transgression back to the Borg leader at Citizens Bank Park. . . . . errrr, I mean, hmmm, very interesting, mustard on a cheesesteak, I have to give it a try.
BTW, I hope this NYC branch is better than the one in Atlantic City, sandwich was dry and almost no cheese wiz on it (roll was good though).
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Dubya do you put ketchup on you NYC hot dogs? :-P
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All ya need is Buttah..laaa dde dadadada all ya need is buttah ladedeedahdeddah.
I love the Buttles errr Beatles.
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Nope, NYC dog, strictly kraut and mustard only.
But all kidding aside, I will have to try a steak, Wiz and mustard combo sometime so long as it’s outside of Philly to avoid a beat down by the locals.
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They don’t even stock mustard at Pat’s & Geno’s so you couldn’t get it if you asked. And you would get a brow beating if you did at some places. Places in South Jersey will let you put anything you want on it though…because they’re whores.
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Actually, I still think Eulogy is the best food in Philly, but to each their own.
I happen to live near the Hamilton, NJ Tony Luke’s location. I don’t know what the deal is, but they’re wildly inconsistent. Either the bread is awesome, or rock hard. The meat (pork or cheesesteak) is sometimes awesome, but just as often super dry, or disgustingly greasy (beyond the acceptable standards of Midtown lunch, I mean). Hopefully whoever runs this one gets their stuff sorted out.
Hopefully this one will work a little har
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Personally, I like Shorty’s. Do people really hate it that much?
I tend to agree that getting shirty about the authenticity of a cheesesteak is a bit much. Taste is all I go by.
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Went to school with one of the Amorosos. All I can say is I’m sure they didn’t hand the reigns over to that stupid spoiled brat or you’d be blogging about how good their bread USED to be.
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Yeah, I like Shorty’s too. I went to school in philly and coming from new york, i thought it was sad how much they trumped to their two favorite trivial things: Rocky and Cheesesteaks. I think there is a point at which you’re overanalyzing things. it’s not haute cuisine, it has freaking cheese from a can on it. Shorty’s is great if you want to grab a cheesesteak and beer in an area that’s really deprived of local joints. and i agree somewhat about the point about the bread, but i think the steaks at shorty’s are meatier than the ones they serve at pat’s late nights (and yes i’ve noticed a difference from the daytime steaks).
also the bread they serve at tony luke’s in philly is baked there. it’s not delivered from amoroso. so that may explain that inconsistent bread issue
There is NOTHING better in Philly, expcet maybe Monks’, then a tasty pork, brocolli rabe, and sharp provelone from Tony Luke’s.