1 Verona Pizza vs 8 Curly’s Comfort Food
Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure judging 1 Verona Pizza vs 8 Curly’s Comfort Food. Verona Pizza, last year’s judge’s champion. They really enjoyed hosting the Judge’s cup. They may be getting it back for another year. They brought a very good cheesesteak to the tournament. It starts with a very good roll (maybe scoop next time?). Good amount of meat, good amount and melt of cheese. Very well made. I think Curly’s has suffered some shrinkflation. And it looks great on them. I thought Curly’s past cheesesteaks were cumbersome to eat. Curly still makes a big boy cheesesteak. Now it is better balanced and easier to eat. Curly’s moves on to the Sweet 16.
2 Johnny’s Pizza Bryn Mawr vs 7 Tony G’s Pub and Eatery
Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure judging 2 Johnny’s Pizza Bryn Mawr vs 7 Tony G’s Pub and Eatery. Johnny’s is a fun spot. You can sit in the back, eat your cheesesteak and write on the walls. Johnny’s uses a local’ish bakery for his roll. His meat and cheese are well balanced and taste very good together. I learned this year that Tony G’s is a 2nd generation family run place. Tony uses a local roll. He makes a solid traditional cheesesteak. I don’t like Johnny’s roll for a cheesesteak. I think it is whole wheatish. Tony G’s moves on to the sweet 16.
4 Mama’s Pizzeria vs 5 The Trappe Tavern
Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure judging 4 Mama’s Pizzeria vs 5 The Trappe Tavern. George Washington loved Trappe Tavern. I love Trappe Tavern. Most of the people in that area love Trappe Tavern. Always a great crowd and energy. The staff appears to work very well together. Plenty of very good specials. I always feel like I put the cheesesteak in March Cheesesteak Madness because I love everything else. Then I eat the cheesesteak and I am reminded it deserves to be in MCM. One small problem. Mama’s Pizzeria. I always say cheesesteaks are a three legged stool, roll, meat and cheese. Mama has 3 great legs. She uses a 3 cheese blend that puts her cheese in a different category. Mama goes in to the sweet 16 on 3 great legs.
6 Gazzo’s steaks vs 14 Steaks West Chester
Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure judging 6 Gazzo’s steaks vs 14 Steaks West Chester. The first time I went to Gazzo’s they were a food truck and all I could taste was smoked cooper sharp cheese. Now they are in a very nice building in Pottstown. I really like their lay out and decor. They dialed back the smoked cooper and it works much better with the rest of the cheesesteak. Steaks West Chester has been making the same very good cheesesteak since they opened in West Chester. It is a well balanced, well made cheesesteak. You can taste everything and everything contributes to the flavor of the cheesesteak. I think the smoked cooper at Gazzo’s needs the role players to contribute more. Team effort gets Steaks West Chester into the Sweet 16.