Steel City, Baby! (Part 1)
Greetings, Readers!
If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, you are aware of the fact that Philadelphia is my hometown. Whether through my love of cheesesteaks, terrible performing sports teams, or the fact that I’ve said it on numerous occasions, my point of origin hasn’t been that much of a mystery.
That being said, one part of my home state I’ve never spent any time in, before two weeks ago, was Pittsburgh.
Because the Pens can suck it.
But also because I hadn’t had a reason to visit before, even though it is home to one of the most famous sandwiches in the state. While visiting family in the area, we stopped to have lunch at a seafood restaurant in the area (that’s next week’s post!), but that wouldn’t stop me from having a second lunch sandwich at a local hotspot.
So we all decided to stop into Primanti Brothers anyway.
Steel City Superstar
Stepping into this storied original location with Pittsburgh greats painted on the walls, you can feel the history. I’ve always talked about the atmosphere of a restaurant really adding to the sandwiching experience, and this place felt like home.
As I stood by the bar, taking in the history, I was introduced to the Toni, the manager. She’s definitely worth taking the time to talk to as she’s hilarious and adds to the experience of dining at Primanti’s. You just want to watch her and see what she’ll do next.
Toni has been a staple at Primanti’s for years, and is such a popular fixture that after I had taken a few photos with her for this post, other customers were asking if they could also take photos with this restaurant’s shining star.
Worthy of a Legend?
For those that don’t know, Primanti’s is known for their pastrami sandwich topped with cheese and fries on thickly sliced white bread. It’s a monster to tackle even on its own, let alone after having eaten a full lunch already (Seriously, it’s next week’s post!).
But if I took the easy route, could we really keep calling this The Danger Sandwich?
Toni brought me out the sandwich, along with a Yuengling and I dove in mouth first. The pastrami was delicious. Thinly sliced, warm, perfectly spiced and piled high, this is how pastrami should be presented in a sandwich. Each half will test the limits of your hands as the sandwich is that large.
There’s a healthy dose of slaw on there too, contrasting the savory meat flavors and adding a bit of crunch. The fries are a great touch too, adding some heft to the sandwich with fried flavor that isn’t overpowering.
The white bread is thick and fluffy, holding together until the end even with all of the greatness contained within. It’s a monster of a sandwich that is powerfully delicious.
Too Stuffed To Care
Having lunch prior to this or not, the Pastrami sandwich at Primanti’s is a shining example of food from Pittsburgh, and definitely shows why this place has become known outside of Steel City.
I was stuffed again, the bottle of beer didn’t help that either, but it was a great feeling. Not only had I tackled this culinary legend, but it lived up to the legendary standard that I had been told it deserved.
And so goes Sandwich One from Pittsburgh. An enjoyable pastrami and french fries sandwich, how could you go wrong? Next week I’ll tackle another sandwich from a location nearby the original Primanti Bros.
Until next week, Readers…
Pastrami Sandwich
**** 1/2 Stars
Primanti Bros.
46 18th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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