Wendi and I have been very busy lately, with work, with the holidays, with our great-nephews and with helping to organize a marriage event. Because of our schedules, there has not been a lot of traveling done for this blog, just a whole lot of whatnot. But, Wendi remedied that Saturday when she let it be known she wanted to go do something for the blog. That something turned out to be a triple treat: Lunch at Original Steaks and Hoagies in Twinsburg, Ohio; a walk with Owney, our dog, through Bedford Reservation in Walton Hills; and dessert at Z’s Cream and Bean in Hinkley.
When Wendi suggested we go do something, I really was not up to it at all. Because life and work has been so hectic, I just wanted to relax. But, it really didn’t make sense to waste a Saturday on the couch doing nothing except watching television. We really didn’t have any firm plans, but pondered some things. We ended up trying to take a nap. I was more successful than Wendi. When I awoke from my nap, I did a search to find some of the best burgers in Ohio. We had gone to, and written about, most of them. (You can see our burger posts here.) Then, I decided to do a search for the best Philly cheesesteak. I found two places: One in Columbus, which was closed on Saturday, and the other in Twinsburg. Look at the reviews below, and you will see why I was more than eager to try the cheesesteak from Original Steaks and Hoagies.
While we are not opposed to driving an hour for a good restaurant, there was no way we would do so just to try a cheesesteak. We had to find something else to do either on the way or nearby. There was a park close to the restaurant, but its amenities did not seem too appealing. But, Bedford Reservation was close, and it featured waterfalls, who could ask for anything more. We decided to eat lunch first because we didn’t leave the house until around 1 o’clock.
When Wendi and I go out to eat for the blog, we like to order different dishes and share. I am sure she would have loved her cheesesteak to have mushrooms in it, but I don’t like mushrooms. There was no way I was going to order two cheesesteaks for lunch (Wendi was walking Owney while I went in to order. We ended up eating in the car so Owney would not be alone.) Because of the reviews, I decided on a cheesesteak and a chicken parmesan sub with a side of fries.
I have never been to Philadelphia to try out Pat’s or Geno’s cheesesteaks. I grew up in the Boston area, and I have had my share of really good steak and cheese subs. While I could not be a good judge of how authentic the cheesesteak from Original Steaks and Hoagies is, I do know a good sandwich when I eat one. And, the cheesesteak was good. The cook said they used ribeye, only my favorite cut of beef. When he brought out the cheesesteak, I could not believe how big a small was, and I asked him, “Is there any way you can get any more meat in that sandwich?” Of course, there was not.
Because this was a Philly cheesesteak, I did not choose American cheese, rather the Cheez Whiz. I probably should have gone with the familiar American cheese, but the sandwich was still pretty good. The steak had a great flavor, and it was oh, so tender. It also seemed to have a nice hint of butter. Wendi liked it, too, “But, it was different with the Cheez Whiz,” she said. Also, the steak was chopped up finely, and Wendi said she would have preferred larger pieces of steak. Still, a very good sandwich.
The small chicken parm was equally as big. It had a really good flavor. Not too much sauce. Plenty of Provolone cheese. Wendi said she liked the fact that this sub was not just a chicken cutlet, rather they cut up the chicken into chunks. We have been trying to eat better. So, we each had a quarter of cheesesteak and chicken parm subs and split a side of french fries.
Wendi commented later it was a good idea to not eat as much. We ended up taking the other half of the cheesesteak and chicken parm home, and it heated up really well at dinner time (which was also late). I did have to put up with a lot of Philly sports memorabilia in the restaurant, but it was a sight for sore eyes when I spotted this photo (yes, my New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl):
It was also a nice touch that part of the decor included a little history on the cheesesteak and hoagies.
If you are in the Twinsburg area, I would highly recommend this sandwich shop. You will not regret it. Everybody was so nice. And, here is a map for John Giltner:
