Straight from Philly is located at 1126 Commerce Street #1
The Fastest Way to Philly
I’ve never been to Philadelphia. I also wouldn’t know an authentic Philly Cheese Steak from a limited time special at Arby’s. I do know that the new self-described “King of Cheesesteaks” has moved to Tacoma, and if it’s the real thing as they say it is, I might not be booking a flight anytime soon.
Straight from Philly is located in the old Vostok Russian Dumpling space on Commerce Street. I was a little skeptical about the chances of Vostok’s success in that location, and their brief tenure reinforced my worst fears that nothing could survive there. I think I might be wrong about that space. Based on the huge lunch crowds on a Friday at noon, I’m thinking Straight from Philly might just be the right place in the right place.
The space remains untouched from before, with only six tables for seating and a stand-up counter near the front door. Crowds get long for a weekday lunch, and I timed my wait to be about 45 minutes from first standing in line to place an order, until the time my food arrived. It appeared that many people order take out, and I was able to find a space at a shared table. Service at the front counter provided by the son and daughter of the owners is very friendly and helpful.
The menu boasts a variety of 25 Philly sandwiches with additional options for burgers, gyros, fries, and hoagie sandwiches. Being a Philly virgin, if you will, I asked the staff at the front counter what they might recommend as one of the most popular choices. They quickly suggested that I try the South Philly ($11.50), a cheesesteak with mushrooms, bell pepper & whiz. I thought it was fine but not outstanding. It seemed a bit under salted to me and I didn’t really get a taste of the cheese whiz as promised. My friend ordered the regular cheesesteak ($9.50) with the optional grilled onions, and it was delicious! The provolone cheese was melted and gooey in all the right places and really enhanced the steak flavor. We both tried the hot sauce provided on tables and I was thrilled to find out that they use Trappey’s Hot Sauce, a company originally from my home town in Louisiana. Its vinegary tang gave just the right flavor kick without too much heat.
The big sensation of both sandwiches was the bread. OMG is that good! It’s a little crunchy on the outside but oh so tender with just enough chew in each bite. I understand that the owners order this bread to be flown in from Philly daily, and it is worth every penny it takes to do that. Excellent!
I tried a second visit on a Saturday and even though every table became filled, the line was short and moved quickly. This time I tried The Big Pin ($11.50), a cheesesteak with horseradish, chives, white cheddar cheese, gravy and fries. And no, that does not mean fries on the side. We’re talking fries right in the sandwich, laid under a generous stack of steak drenched in a rich brown gravy. It’s pretty good but not for the faint of heart, literally or figuratively. This time John joined me and ordered a Cheesesteak Hoagie ($10.50) which is your regular cheesesteak but with lettuce and tomato. I think the counter person may not have heard him correctly because he received the regular cheesesteak sans lettuce and tomatoes. He didn’t seem to mind the substitution and thought the sandwich was overall pretty good. He also ordered Greek Fries ($6.90) on the side. The fries were basic with feta sprinkles and several slices of gyro meat on top. Good but not remarkable. Vegetarians might be out of luck unless you’re interested in fries, onion rings, “Mac n Chz Bites” or fried pickles. Nothing on the menu indicated anything being gluten free. Cans of soda and bottled water are offered for purchase, and still water is available at the counter for free.
Straight from Philly looks poised to be a popular lunch spot for the weekday downtown work crowd. It’s also a good option for a Saturday lunch if you don’t want to stand in line. The sandwiches are very good, notwithstanding my two cents about being a tad under salted, and the bread is excellent. The staff is welcoming and friendly, and it may be that the King of Cheesesteaks has found its rightful throne in Tacoma. If all that’s not enough reason to try it, it’s also cheaper than flying to Philly.
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