Through the grapevine, I knew I had to give Mix Brick Oven Pizza a chance and try both their pizzas and their cheese steak. So on a recent weeknight, the GF and I ordered from there via GrubHub.
18'' pizza, mozzarella, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic.
Pizzas come in both a small (12'') or large (18'') size. We went with a fresh option, which starts with the basic components of a white slice, with the heft of cheese, olive oil, and garlic. Atop that rested a slew of veggies including juicy tomatoes, broccoli and spinach.
This was a fresh take and a well-constructed pizza, though the dough could be a bit crisper. The crust was slightly chewy and had hints of garlic as well.
Philly Cheese Steak ($7.95) Fried onions, American cheese
I was really surprised by the cheese steak - in a good way! This was not the least bit greasy, but honestly - this may be one of the best cheese steaks I've had in Philly. In fact, the GF is someone who does not enjoy any cheese steak (I know, I know - sometimes I wonder ...). Yet, she declared that it was the only cheese steak she has ever enjoyed in Philly.
The soft roll threw me off a bit, but the quality of the steak was on
point, the onions were hefty, and the American cheese was completely
creamy and well interspersed throughout the steak. Each bite seemed to
melt in my mouth. Clearly, the Geno's/Pat's/Jim's (yes, I said Jim's) of
Philly
need to take notes. The accompanying fries were well-seasoned, if not a bit limp.
Eggplant Parmesan Hero ($8.95)
The eggplant parm was housed within a crusty roll, and while the cheese was clearly prevalent, the eggplant wasn't abundant. Not my favorite eggplant parm ever.
Spaghetti Carbonara ($11.95)
Spaghetti, smoked bacon, peas, garlic, parsley, parmesan cheese sauce.
The pasta was perfectly al dente, the peas were abundant, and the thick-cut bacon (not pancetta) was hefty, though not crispy. However, the sauce could have been seasoned a bit more - either the prototypically salty parmesan was not abundant within the sauce or there was simply a lack of S&P. Still, it was a decent iteration of carbonara.
Onion Rings ($5)
The onion rings here are coated with a subtly sweet, crispy batter that was delicious. They retained their crunch despite delivery and were accompanied by a marinara that was begging to be mopped up.
Well, I can certainly attest to the fact that Mix Brick Oven Pizza offers up one of the better non-artisanal pizzas in Philly and their cheese steak is not to be missed! You would definitely benefit from getting an order of onion rings as well.
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog!! I just discovered it while I was doing some research for great local places to eat in Philadelphia.
My name is James Phillips, and I write my own food blog in my hometown of Columbus, OH (www.thebreakfastgrubguy.com). My wife's family lies just outside of Philly, thus my research for our upcoming trip. I'm hoping to catch a few great, local meals to blog about myself. Maybe you could make a few suggestions? Thanks, and keep up the good work!!
James
@James: Thanks for the kind words! I'll be sure to check out your blog! I'll offer both low and high-brow options for your upcoming trip.
ReplyDeleteThis may be the simplest choice, but definitely check out some Stephen Starr restos (El Vez is great for Mexican or Barclay Prime or Butcher&Singer for Steaks).
If you're looking for a nice BYO, try A. Kitchen or Maytson - I would highly recommend them. If you're looking for a quick bite, $15 lobster rolls are available at the newly opened Luke's Lobsters (originally a NY institution).
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/05/lukes-lobster-review-soft-opening.html
If you're looking for other highly acclaimed NY transplants, check out Shake Shack. Great burgers and custards.
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/05/shake-shack-philadelphia-review.html
Federal Donuts (fried chicken, fancy donuts, and great coffee) has opened up an outpost along Sansom Street as well. It's run by Michael Solomonov who is currently getting a lot of fame thanks to Anthony Bourdain. Solmonov also runs the critically acclaimed Zahav restaurant (Israeli) and Percy St. BBQ here in Philly.
Sbraga offers a great 4-course prix fixe along Broad Street if you're looking to get your Top Chef fandom on.
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/05/sbraga-review.html
If you're looking for something along the lines of Jean-Georges V.'s style of 'Asian-fusion' plates - I would venture a little further south on Broad to check out Tashan.
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/06/tashan-review.html
If you're looking for a grand brunch at the Rittenhouse Hotel's Lacroix, they've got you covered there as well.
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/04/lacroix-easter-brunch-review.html
But if you're looking for a better-priced (cheaper) option, I would highly recommend Sabrina's or Green Eggs Cafe.
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/06/sabrinas-cafe-spencers-too-review.html
http://bellyofthepig.blogspot.com/2013/04/green-eggs-cafe-review.html
Enjoy your trip out! Feel free to ask for specific cuisine recommendations as well.