#dalessandros

The first I  visited Philadelphia was during my freshman year of college when I went for a conference at the University of Pennsylvania. I remember the cobblestone streets and visiting the historical landmarks. It was also the first time I had flown on a plane and I got a certificate and little wings to commemorate the experience. After leaving Philadelphia, I remember making the decision to not try a Philly cheesesteak. I was far from anything resembling a foodie so I didn’t think it was worth standing in line to get one. Fast forward to over 10 years later and I knew that my second trip to Philadelphia would definitely include a Philly cheesesteak. So my research began…where should I go?

I decided on Dalessandro’s, which is located in a residential area of Philadelphia. I was solo on this food adventure and wasn’t too keen about being out and about in downtown Philly. It was good thing I had cash on me as they do not accept any credit cards. There is an ATM machine in the store just in case. I ordered my sandwich with onions and bell peppers. Since it was a small restaurant where most orders are to go I took my back to my hotel.

The first thing that surprised me was the size of the sandwich. I knew that I wouldn’t be finishing it because it was literally the size of my forearm. It smelled absolutely divine and I was looking forward to finally having an authentic Philly cheesesteak sandwich. I took a big bite and got my second surprise…there was no cheese. Apparently I failed at ordering cheese on my Philly cheesesteak sandwich. I thought that was a given, but apparently I did not ask for it so I did not get it. It was still good with the onions and mushrooms, however, I know it would have been even better with the actual cheese.