Heyoooooo!
The Move is a bit late because I left my laptop at my brother’s fucking restaurant. I left my jacket there, too. Why was I in such a rush to leave? Because hard work blows. I’ve been running away from actual work my entire life! It’s why I have this newsletter, this career, etc.
Sia’s is doing great, and man I am so proud of my big brother. It’s been getting good write-ups, the food gets better each week, and all of the weird Pittsburgh vegans love the place. Pittsburgh vegans aren’t like L.A. vegans. Vegans in L.A. are chill as hell about their beliefs, whereas Pittsburgh vegans tend to wear black and gold shirts that say, “Eat Plants. Save Animals. Go Steelers.”
Brother is putting this tasty as heck lupini bean hummus on everything and it rocks. I’m a freak for lupini beans and always have been. He’s also sourcing this ultra smooth olive oil from Stamoolis Brothers, the subject of my article for the Gazette this week.
I have also formally handed over pasta duties to my brother, and he’s killing it. I’m still at the restaurant to help out, but I’m letting pasta fall into the background so that I can focus on writing. Selling food can sometimes ruin the meaningful connection to it. I’d rather cook for people without the transactions right now.
As my good friend, chef, and culinary producer Lo Hoang said recently on the phone, “I don’t want to sell muffins for $5 anymore. Here, just take it.”
Before we get to the hoags, subscribe please! Pay if you want!
Four Great Hoagies to Try in Philadelphia
I’m working on an article for The Takeout right now about the rules for a good hoagie, so I was in Philly this past weekend to eat as many as I could get my hoagie-lovin’ hands on. Turns out that four hoagies is my limit in a 24 hour window. It’s important in life to set boundaries: Mine are more than four hoagies, talking about stand-up comedy with strangers, and bears.
Anyway, if you’re ever in Philly, check out these four spots:
Fink’s Hoagies
Located in Northeast Philly, Fink’s is an old school hoagie joint that’s been around for quite a while. Dennis Fink runs the counter, and you can tell this man loves selling sandwiches and talking to people. Just a real nice, charming guy doing what he loves. It’s also hard to find a good hoagie in Northeast Philly, so if you’re in the area, check out Fink’s.
Their signature Italian comes coteghino (cured and sliced sausage), Genoa salami, capocollo, pepperoni, and chopped sharp provolone. Plus, freshly sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, olive spread, and Fink’s homemade long hot peppers. It’s a fucking lot.
Those hot peppers are really spicy, by the way. At most hoagie joints in Philly, you can expect to be asked whether you want a combination of hots (short for hot red cherry peppers), yellow hots, or sweets. In my time investigating hoagies in Philly, I have refreshingly found that most of the sandwich makers ask a ton of questions. Everything is customizable. Though, I usually prefer the works.
The French bread at Fink’s is soft, seedless, and chewy enough. This sandwich costs $7.41 and god damn is that incredible. “Best deal in the city,” Mr. Fink said. It’s great, but my only critique is that the cherry peppers are a little too spicy. I love hot peppers and sweat-inducing food, but I’m not so sure if I like hots on a sandwich. It takes away from the savory, sharp, tangy qualities of the meat, cheese, and veg. Not my favorite hoagie, but still a damn good one.
This place is old school as hell. I earnestly heard Dennis tell one of his customers, “stop breaking my balls.” 10/10
4633 Princeton Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19135
Dan’s Food Market
A convenience store located in Fishtown, the hoagie at Dan’s Food Market is juicy. It’s not wet, but if you don’t eat it immediately, it will get soggy.
The hoagie at Dan’s comes loaded with thinly sliced white onions, so beware. It’s the most pungent sandwich of the group. Dan (another old guy selling hoags) uses salami, capocollo, ham, and provolone. The seedless bread, which comes from Amorosso’s, is crispy and rugged, yet still squishy. Again, the sandwich has a ton of oil and vinegar so it’s moist. It’s not wet, but it comes loaded with condiments, including mayo. This sandwich has the most mayonnaise of the bunch by far. If you like a mayo heavy hoagie, go to Dan’s.
Again, hoagies are all about choices. At Dan’s, they ask if you want mayo, oil, vinegar, lettuce, tomato, onion, salt, pepper, or oregano. That’s like nine separate questions, dude. I said yes to all of them. Optionally, you can add hots, yellow hots, and sweets. I’m starting to think that dried oregano is very important to a good hoagie. It adds an earthy, mustiness that compliments the oil and vin. Almost like a quick Italian dressing. This hoagie cost $9.95, which honestly feels a bit steep for what it is.
The move regarding chips: Dan’s Food Market carries Wise potato chips. Pick up their Cheez Doodles, they’re very good.
2000 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
Primo Hoagies
A chain, yes, with 95 locations across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland, and Virginia. Primo is no slouch, though. I’d take this hoagie over Jersey Mike’s any day.
No mayo here on this hoagie; just oil and vin. It’s assembled with spicy capocollo, Genoa salami, prosciutto, provolone, onions, tomatoes, and very thinly shredded lettuce. The seeded roll is delicious, soft, and chewy. It’s basic, but that is indeed its strength. You can really inhale this whole thing. The Italian at Primo Hoagies is simple, tasty, and does everything right.
Personally, I do like a little spread of mayo on my hoag. Josh over at Delco Rose in Philadelphia expressed this same sentiment. Too much mayo, and the hoagie feels sloppy and eggy like a slathered up cold cut. But just enough, and the sandwich feels delicate yet rich. I’m pro mayo hoagies.
Ricci’s Hoagies
The Old World Italian hoagie at Ricci’s was my favorite hoagie of the four I tried. It’s loaded with sopressata, prosciutto, crumbled sharp provolone, roasted red peppers (sweets), a thin layer of mayo, salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, and oregano. It costs $13, but man, that is a god damn bargain considering how good it is.
This sandwich is funky and savory and sharp and just everything I’ve ever wanted in a good sandwich. The sweets are a much better choice than hots, too. At Fink’s, the hot peppers took away from the flavor of the meat and sharp provolone. Here, the sweet peppers only reinforce this hoagie’s strong umami flavor. Oh, and crumbled sharp provolone is the move. Forget slices of processed, low-moisture stuff. This provolone packs a wallop of sharp, cheesy flavor. Any place putting chopped sharp provolone on their hoagies is A+ in my book. Go to Ricci’s. Get the Old World Italian. That’s the damn move.
1165 S. 11th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Thanks for reading The Move! Hope you’re enjoying my travels. What’s next? Detroit this weekend, then L.A. for 10 days in early November! I might move back at the beginning of the year, we’ll see how things shake down.
I love you all. Please subscribe, tell your friends, etc. Pay if you want! It’s all free right now.
Didn’t Brendon Walsh grow up a few blocks away from Fink’s? Weird that you didn’t mention that.
Oh, yes, the chain thing. They can be variable. My brain was focused on those wonderful pictures! Thanks for a great mouth watering review!