Growing up in the Philadelphia area, I know to stay away from “Philly cheesesteaks” outside of Philly but nobody ever said anything about New York cheesesteaks.
With the temperature nearing triple digits, I needed an escape. My stomach growling, my back sweating, the clock ticking…it was already past 12 o’clock, lunchtime. I strolled into Soho Park, a restaurant with an open ambiance. Wide doors flung open, windows all around. The building built entirely of brick gives even the inside of the restaurant, an outdoor feel. Ivy flowing from pots on top of the rafters gave the room a garden like feel, the perfect setting to be carnivorous.
The two-cheese grilled cheese caught my eye on the menu but there was something more enticing…the “Sirloin Steak Sandwich.” A tender New York sirloin topped with caramelized onions on ciabatta, a sandwich straight from heaven itself.
The server brought over my basket, the very basket carrying my delicacy. As he placed it on the table I peered over his hand witnessing the unveiling of a piece of art. The ciabatta bread perfectly toasted to a golden crisp. The caramelized onions oozing out of the sides in a river of queso-like cheese.
I grabbed this creation like a neanderthal and went to town. The sirloin cut into strips is the only downfall. The strips making it hard to eat as they squirmed their way out of the sandwich like El Chapo escaping prison. If the sirloin were not cut into strips, the eating experience would have been easier.
Nonetheless, the steak was grilled to near perfection (more so on the medium side rather than medium rare). The caramelized onions gave the sandwich the needed flavor encased in a cheesy goodness that flowed out of the warmly toasted bread.
Overall, I give the sandwich a solid eight out of ten, it’s only fault being the steak itself. For only 15 bucks, I got a banging sandwich but they should not advertise the steak as “New York Sirloin” if it’s not grilled as carefully as one.
Jared Fisch
The sandwich accompanied by chips.