I have to preface this review with the fact that I’ve never been to Philadelphia, so I honestly could not tell you anything about what an authentic cheesesteak is. Growing up, there was a restaurant in my hometown that did cheesesteaks (and still does), but I’ve been told they are not at all what a real cheesesteak is supposed to be, but it was my first experience with them. I was told by someone who went to college in Philadelphia that if you want the true cheesesteak experience, it should be made with Cheese Whiz because that is what makes them truly authentic. I did see the sign at Liberty Cheesesteak claiming that it was the only place to get an authentic one in San Francisco, so I decided to give a try when I saw it at Foodeaze on 2nd Street.
They offer a rib-eye steak, chicken or vegetarian version in an eight inch or twelve inch size. They will add onions for free, but you can add peppers or mushrooms for an additional charge. They also do offer a choice of cheese, and of course the traditional Cheese Whiz is the first option along with American or provolone. The menu isn’t extensive, but you don’t need that when you’re focusing on cheesesteaks. I went for the eight inch steak sandwich with onion, peppers and mushrooms and provolone cheese. (I just couldn’t bring myself to having it with Cheese Whiz…) I also decided to go with the Philly fries, which are fries with old bay seasoning on top.
It wasn’t too busy when I arrived, so it didn’t take too long, but there was a good few minutes of a wait, so the food was definitely being made fresh. Sadly, Foodeaze is a very small area without any seating, so I had to take my cheesesteak across the street and sit in the open air space there to give it a try. It did look pretty good, and the flavors were really strong: Nice and beefy, and the veg really added to the flavor of the steak. The provolone was nice, but I probably should have gone for the Cheese Whiz. The fries were really good, and while they get them in frozen, they were cooked all the way through and the old bay seasoning was really great on them (and may be something I have to do at home). And while the cheesesteak was very different than the one I grew up with, it was pretty good, and I would definitely come back for a second one!
Score: 4/5
Recommendation: Cheesesteak (obviously) and Philly fries!
