In early April, Citizens Bank Park challenged local fans to pick a signature hot dog from three gourmet choices (all of which are far too good to be placed into an air powered hot dog launcher). The winner, the South Philly Dog, consists of broccoli rabe, spicy roasted peppers, sharp provolone and a grilled, juicy Nathan’s dog in an Italian roll.

Bridget Foy’s hosted its own in-house hot dog contest using the same choices and the South Philly Dog was again a clear frontrunner. Originally offered as a special during home games only, due to popular demand you can now get the South Philly dog, fries and a Kenzinger draft for $8 during all Phils games this season. All of the flavors are balanced wonderfully – the rabe is not at all bitter and the spicy roasted peppers add just enough kick. Most enjoyably, the entire thing is slightly toasted allowing the cheese to melt and cover the rest of the ingredients.

What’s also delicious are each and every one of the new burgers offerings on the menu. All of the burgers are made from a generous half-pound Angus beef patty. Traditionalists can enjoy the Standard Burger with Wisconsin cheese, shaved romaine, tomato and red onion. For veggie lovers, the house-made veg burger is a solid choice with black beans, mushrooms and spinach, topped with gruyere and pesto aioli.

We specifically sought out the Head House Market Burger, which has herb mayo, gruyere and sauteed mushrooms, indulgently topped with a fried egg. Truth be told, gruyere simply isn’t one of my favorite cheeses and I honestly do not even like mushrooms. However, this burger had flavor unlike many.

Unfortunately waiting for a repeat visit, the New Mexico Burger (roasted green chilies, pepperjack, chipotle aioli) and Turkey Burger (cranberry relish, avocado aioli, gruyere, alfalfa sprouts) each sound like winning decisions. All of the burgers can come with a side of greens and of course fries. The hand-cut fries can be paired with two of several house-made dipping sauces: house mayo, chipotle aioli, jalapeno ketchup, bourbon dijon and my personal favorite, garlic cumin ranch. One of those repeat visits might just have to happen on a Wednesday night for Bridget Foy’s Beer & A Burger $10 special, available on their 2nd floor Copper Bar from 7-10pm. Watching a Wednesday night Phillies game with friends and prefacing the burger special with a South Philly Hot Dog as an appetizer might just be the recipe for a fantastic evening.

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Bridget Foy’s
200 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19147 (Google Map)

• Last week was the official start of baseball season, and our friends over at The 700 Level taste tested the three specialty hot dogs featured at Citizens Bank Park. Head over to find out who they crowned the winner for the Phillies’ signature hot dog. [The 700 Level]

• The Burger Lab takes a highly scientific approach to recreating one of our favorite sandwiches, the blue cheese bomb at April Bloomfield’s Spotted Pig. [A Hamburger Today]

• This poor man suffered from a dislocated jaw after ordering double the meat and cheese on a sandwich that already features five different kinds of meat and three cheeses. Punishment for gluttony? We smell a PR stunt. [Aol. News]

• Tim Hayward introduces us to the “Shooter Sandwich” a mouth watering combination of steak, mushrooms, horseradish and Dijon, all stuffed into a bread bowl. You must check out the photo slideshow. [The Guardian submitted by Marisa McClellan]

• Meal Ticket video maven (and Unbreaded foodie crush) Felicia D. visits Supper to take a look at Mitch Prensky’s DIY bacon wrapped hot dog kit, the perfect Super Bowl snack. [Meal Ticket]

• Favorite under $10 food blog Midtown Lunch has opened up shop in Philadelphia and bites into the po’ boys at Beck’s Cajun Cafe in the Reading Terminal Market. [Midtown Lunch - Philadelphia]

• We took a sneak peak at Noah Bernamoff’s Montreal-style Mile End deli in Brooklyn a few months ago, now GutterGourmet takes a look at the recently opened shop. A sandwich dubbed the “Ruth Wilensky” has been added to the menu, which features pastrami pressed on an onion roll. [Always Hungry]

• Bread Gloves, ’nuff said. If any of our readers are bakers, we expect you to hook us up with a pair of these! [Daily Fork]

• In a review of a D.C. area shop that serves Philly style sandwiches, the roast pork gets a shout out, and the props it deserves. [Washington Post via The Illadelph]

• A delicious combination of sweet and savory, how could you go wrong with smoked ham, turkey, and Swiss on French toast with berry jam for dipping? [Coconut & Lime]

• David Snyder finds Daniel Stern’s MidAtlantic lacking some focus and execution but the housemade beef neck, short rib, and brisket hot dogs boast “brilliant flavor and texture.” [Philadelphia Citypaper]

• Rick Nichols paid a visit to Michael Schulson’s Sampan, and can’t stop talking about the 24-hour marinated pork belly banh mi. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

University City’s White Dog Café has long been known as a leader in sustainable food practices, and new Executive Chef Mark Andelbradt continues that tradition of serving quality organic, local and natural foods.  Having worked at some of the nation’s finest restaurants including Morimoto (Philadelphia and New York,) Daniel, Tru and most recently, Tao in Las Vegas, Chef Andelbradt was attracted to the sustainability concept at White Dog, and has added “responsibility” as a core tenet of the restaurant’s ideology.  Working together with Chef de Cuisine Eric Yost, he has introduced a selection of gourmet hot dogs that represent a variety of culinary influences and styles.

The 4oz all-beef dogs are made of hormone-free, nitrate-free and antibiotic-free beef that was raised on strictly vegetarian feed.  Served on a toasted Amoroso small hoagie roll, the dogs are grilled so that the juices inside come to a boil, expanding to the point of cracking and blistering the natural casing.  Piled high with toppings, the dogs are a substantial portion of food, offsetting the sticker shock of a $7.25 price.

Chef Andelbradt’s personal favorite is the Chihuahua, a Mexican style dog reminiscent of nachos on a bun: salsa, cheese sauce, pickled jalapenos, guacamole, tortilla strips and sour cream.  The Mastiff, a modified Texas Tommy, offers bits of rendered bacon, cheddar cheese, jalapeno and corn relish.  The Bloodhound features natural beef chili, cheddar, lime sour cream and scallions.  The Pit Bull, a Chicago-style dog that has been “dragged through the garden” offers onions, tomatoes, pickles and relish.  The Italian-inspired Pomeranian dog serves up tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, red onions, basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  And for traditionalists, the Schnauzer offers classic hot dog fixings: homemade sauerkraut, spicy mustard and sweet pickle relish.

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White Dog Cafe
3420 Sansom St Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Google Map)

Nothing says baseball like a hot dog.  So to celebrate the Phillies competing in the World Series, Paesano’s chef/owner Peter McAndrews has created an original hot dog inspired by the traditional ballpark fare, but with a “Philly Style” upgrade.  Starting with a beef hot dog with kraut and brown mustard, the dog is paired with scrapple, sharp provolone, long hots, onions, tomatoes and a fried egg.  Chef McAndrews is still playing around with the recipe, trying out little improvements to get it just right.

Known for now as “The Phanatic”, Paesano’s is soliciting name ideas from all of their customers.  Just stop in, try one, and suggest a name for the permanent menu.  A name will be selected at the conclusion of the World Series and the winner will earn a free sandwich at Paesano’s once a week for a year. Once you’ve submitted your name, leave it for us in the comments!

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Paesano’s
152 W Girard Ave – Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

On a sunny corner of South Street that straddles Washington West and Bella Vista, seemingly miles removed from the blaring car stereos a few blocks to the east, Supper’s new lunch menu boldly re-imagines classic sandwiches with a welcoming, come as you are attitude.

Acclaimed Chef Mitch Prensky strives to create “the ultimate version” of iconic sandwiches, adding his own stamp to a Reuben, a French Dip, a Hot Dog and a Banh Mi.  Having once worked as Sous Chef for the lunch service at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill (in addition to his classic French training and New York fine dining experience,) Chef Prensky truly loves the action at lunch and needed to get his ideas for sandwiches out onto plates.  Now available Monday through Saturday, Supper’s lunch menu has some serious sandwich action.

Supper’s version of the Reuben is served on Famous 4th Street rye bread, sliced thick and brushed with bacon fat and a mustard aoili.  Fried carnitas-style pork belly is tossed with thousand island dressing, and toasted with cooked sauerkraut under a layer of gruyere.  Chef tops the open-faced sandwich with apple chutney because pork, apple and gruyere work so well together, even when served as a reuben with a side of pastrami chips.

The Banh Mi features crispy fried Malaysian-inspired squid with bits of spicy Sichuan sausage, heaps of cilantro, lettuce and pickled peppers on a baguette that was baked fresh a few blocks away at Ba Le Bakery, paired with five spice chips.

The Supper Dog is made in house from 100% pork shoulder – “all killer, no filler” – on a house baked, buttered bun.  Wrapped in bacon and deep fried, it is served with grain mustard, BBQ onions, kraut and buttermilk fried pickles.  The Lamb French Dip, served with Herbs de Provence chips, is made from house-prepared lamb pastrami and lamb jus, is served with feta and olives on a baguette cut on a bias to help with the dipping.

The menu also features a burger borrowed from the dinner menu with horseradish cream, roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, gruyere and a side of duck fat fingerlings. The lobster roll is served as a tried and true classic and paired with Old Bay chips.  Traditional fresh steamed lobster is mixed with lemon aioli, chopped celery, salt and pepper on a top-loaded buttered bun.

Chef Prensky is openly enthusiastic about sandwiches because in his opinion, the layers of ingredients combine to make each bite the perfect bite.  Among his local favorites are John’s Roast Pork, Sarcone’s, Jim’s Steaks, Ba Le Bakery, even a late night panini at Old Nelson.  He stresses that people should not overlook the bread when making sandwiches – you want the right type, the right thickness, and sometimes, like with their house made charcuterie, older bread can better than fresh.

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Supper
926 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (Google Map)

Paesano’s is not just Girard Avenue’s favorite neighborhood spot anymore.  It is now openly celebrated as one of Philadelphia’s very best sandwich destinations, a draw for food tourists from around the region and beyond.  An extension of Chef Peter McAndrews’ classic Italian BYOB Modo Mio (itself a Best Of Philly winner for Prix Fixe), Paesano’s was named Best Of Philly Sandwich Shop and was named Glen Macnow’s overall winner of the Great Italian Hoagie Hunt.  We caught up with Chef McAndrews to find out where he goes from here.

Paesano’s opened with a simple mission: Chef McAndrews wanted a decent lunch place for himself and the Modo Mio staff.  When the space across the street from Modo Mio became available, Chef and his partner, Nathan Baynes, jumped in and started making food that is affordable with integrity, cooked in the Italian theme and style.  Chef McAndrews believed that sandwiches could be made with more taste and love than most other places; he explained that there are a thousand cheesesteaks, but probably only 30 that are good, that achieve harmony of meat, cheese, onions and bread. (for the record, Chef McAndrews likes his steak chopped.)  The results speak for themselves: “the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted,” and “my favorite sandwich place” are common refrains among customers, who line up down the street to get a bite at lunchtime.

An Italian cooked sandwich shop, not a traditional hoagie shop, Paesano’s uses Liscio’s hoagie rolls because they hold up to wet sandwiches better than other rolls.  And they cut off the ends of the bread because in Chef McAndrews’ view, no one wants to feel like they got shortchanged on ingredients because of that end.  But don’t worry – you’ll find the ends reemerge as bread crumbs across the street.  The sandwich names are largely based in the Italian language: Gustaio (lamb sausage) means “good taste”; Arista (roast pork) means “the best part of the pig”; Diavlo (spicy chicken) means “the devil”.  But Daddy Wad (the award winning Italian hoagie) has a decidedly different etymology: it was Chef McAndrews’ childhood nickname, befitting a self-described “big kid.”

The Daddy Wad’s coronation as Best Italian Hoagie has catapulted it to the top selling item at Paesano’s, displacing the Arista, a porchetta sandwich with broccoli rabe, Italian long hots, sharp provolone and natural jus.  The broth is the key to the flavor, according to the Chef, who sources locally-raised Lancaster suckling pigs (under 21 lbs).  The roast pork is topped with broccoli rabe that is cut properly for a sandwich (bite-sized) and enough sharp provolone to add that creamy, tangy burst of flavor.   The Gustaio, Paesano’s lamb sausage sandwich, is a harmonious balance of flavors: intense gorgonzola, sweet heat from the sundried cherry moustarda, hearty lamb, and sweet fennel on flatbread.  And the Tuscan Tony, Paesano’s decadent take on the Texas Tommy, serves up a fried hot dog wrapped in soppresata then smothered in Bolognese sauce.  With options for vegetarians and meat lovers alike, Paesano’s satisfies all comers.

The formula is working.  Customer service is personal, gracious and natural in its diverse, dynamic, integrated Northern Liberties neighborhood.  So it is clear why Chef McAndrews wants to keep things the same.  But with the surge in popularity, Paesano’s is struggling to keep up with the volume.  They need more space, and see a broader opportunity (including Center City) but are not in a hurry and want to make sure that any change is fully thought-through.  No matter what the future holds, it is clear that today, Paesano’s has found their niche and has earned their spot at the table among Philadelphia’s best sandwiches.

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Paesano’s
152 W Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

Ask Tommy Up for the real meaning behind the initials in P.Y.T., his new burger joint at The Piazza, and you won’t get a straight answer. Most will immediately make a connection to the song by the late King of Pop, but Up won’t admit where it’s from, sarcastically offering suggestions like: Pad Your Tummy and Pick Your Toppings. Still, after one look of the sleek space and its pale wood bar, retro green vinyl stools. and crowd of tenants from the apartments that surround, you’ll realize that it all feels pretty and young. Since becoming Philadelphia’s most well known party promoter in recent years through his company PaperStreet, opening a lounge was a logical next step for Up. It was his love for California style burgers that led him to develop the space as not just a bar and dance floor, but a full fledged restaurant.

During his most recent tenure throwing parties at the upstairs lounge of Time Restaurant, Up became friendly with Chef Josh McCullough. After casually pitching the idea of P.Y.T., they started working on a menu of a variety of sandwiches and desserts. The pair did research by eating some of the best burgers in America, citing New York, Miami, and Los Angeles as especially inspiring. Eventually Up and McCullough settled on a menu composed of a variety of sandwiches, hand cut fries, beer battered onion rings, lobster fishsticks, and milkshakes – both virgin and alcoholic.

The namesake P.Y.T. Burger is a five ounce proprietary Ashley Foods patty topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, kettle chips and a house made garlic mayo on a Martin’s potato roll. Even with the overwhelming crowd, McCullough’s kitchen staff was sending out expertly cooked burgers; ours, ordered medium, was the perfect combination of a crispy exterior and juicy, pink middle. Chef McCullough attributes this killer grill job to a very hot griddle and a well-trained staff that’s been instructed to treat the burgers as they would a steak – by probing each one for exact temperature.

Burgers are also offered with more patties: the Royale With Cheese topped with two is for the Jules Winnfield in you and for those with an even large appetite, The Big Mic offers a towering three. One can also customize their burger to taste, with a variety of cheeses including goat, blue and Boursin toppings like a fried egg, jalapeños, avocado and more. The TLC Burger, does indeed taste like chicken, because it is: lean chicken breasts are ground and formed into a patty. The consistency gives that perfect burger bite, with a peppery seasoning and unmistakably grilled chicken taste.

Vegetarian offerings are aptly named “Bogus Burgers” but are delicious none the less. The Calibunga Burger is a patty formed from white beans, basil, tomatoes and garlic held together by garlic bread crumbs. The refreshing departure from the typical black bean burger and fresh flavors impressed us. For those shy to meat and not necessarily focused on health concerns will love the Shroom Burger. Shredded cheddar cheese is sandwiched between two Portobello mushrooms which are beer battered then fried and topped with special sauce. Never before have we encountered a mushroom burger that was such an artery clogger, but damn was it good.

For the kid in you, the menu offers the P.Y.T. Dog, a Hebrew National jumbo beef frank topped with homemade chili, diced onions and blanketed in cheddar cheese. There’s also no fooling around with the Pretty Serious Grilled Cheese, a smathering of Boursin, mushrooms and tomatoes that can be ordered with or without bacon. We can’t say we tried the Peanut Butter Jelly Time but there’s no going wrong with a grilled PB&J with bananas. An ice cream sandwich is still being toyed around with, but we did get to sample the current incarnation of vanilla ice cream dotted with chocolate chips, sandwiched between chocolate peanut butter cookies from Brown Betty Desserts and sprinkled with ground coffee beans.

This past weekend, P.Y.T. launched to much fanfare, with hordes of people coming out to taste free burgers offered by Tommy Up on Twitter. It’s a realization of what he does best, bring the people to the party. Now that he can feed, intoxicate and entertain his guests, Up is going to find himself with a new problem: getting them to leave when it’s closing time.

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P.Y.T.
1050 N Hancock Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 (Google Map)

In May, we took a first look at the Franklin Square burger operation under development by Starr Restaurants Catering. What we had then dubbed the “Starr Shack” (for obvious reasons) has now ditched the tent and moved into a solid structure, officially named SquareBurger. The menu has slightly evolved from what we saw at the tent, but the overall offerings and demographic are what we had originally assumed: casual, affordable, and family oriented.

Yesterday, Unbreaded sat down with Shane Cash, former Executive Chef of Butcher & Singer and consulting chef for SquareBurger to learn more. The snack bar in the park was originally conceptualized by Stephen Starr himself along with Simon Prowles, who runs the recently created catering arm as well as once Tangerine Executive Chef turned Culinary Director, Chris Painter. The idea was simple: accessible and delicious comfort food for the young families, other locals and tourists that visit the park.

Although the team toyed with the idea of forming their burgers into square patties as a play on the name, they ultimately decided on a four ounce hand-formed patty made of a special blend from Indian Ridge Provisions. The 80% lean, 20% fat burger is seasoned with garlic, onion and other secret ingredients and seared to order. Served on a toasted Martin’s potato roll, it fits perfectly in the hands and is topped with a slice of American cheese, chopped kosher pickles, onions, yellow mustard and ketchup. All burgers are cooked to a medium doneness, but the beef retains its juiciness delivering a flavorful bite. The french fries are indeed frozen, but nevertheless a delicious skin on, private reserve made especially for Starr restaurants.

Despite its namesake, there is a particular menu item that we enjoyed slightly more than the burger. The Philly Dog is the brainchild of Chris Painter, a jumbo Hebrew National beef frank wrapped in Hebrew National beef salami and is poached, not grilled. Tucked into a Martin’s hot dog roll it is topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, homemade pickled cucumbers, cherry peppers and tomatoes. Even though this “original” creation is strikingly similar to a Chicago dog, the combination of beef hot dog and salami with hot peppers and pickles is undeniably delicious.

A park snack spot wouldn’t be complete without some treats, and SquareBurger serves up many of them, including a coal region favorite, the CMP (chocolate, marshmallow, peanut) sundae and the Cake Shake which is essentially vanilla ice cream blended with TastyKake Butterscotch Krimpets. Check out Meal Ticket for the menu in its entirety.

As always, we grilled Shane Cash on his favorite sandwiches and were pleasantly surprised by his love for them. His favorite sandwich to make for himself starts with roasted tomato focaccia, a zesty dressing, shaved lettuce, juicy local beefsteak tomatoes, rosemary ham, mortadella, capicola, aged provolone and cherry peppers. He also whips up a mean tuna fish with cheddar, apples and arugala on a petite hoagie roll. When he’s away from home, Cash prefers the pastrami at Hershel’s in the Reading Terminal Market, a chicken cutlet supreme at Tony Luke’s and a cheesesteak from Dino’s in Margate, NJ.

Like any Stephen Starr project, SquareBurger is surrounded by over-the-top media hype, making it almost a caricature of itself, something its creators never meant for. In all reality, it exceeds expectations for exactly what it is, a well thought out and executed food stand at a once forgotten, but beautiful city park. For this purpose, we see SquareBurger becoming a hit summer spot for the locals who frequent Franklin Square. Right now, plans are to keep SquareBurger open 11am – 8pm daily until Halloween, but Cash professed his secret desire to stay open year round and serve hot cocoa and breakfast sandwiches in the colder months. To that we say: Stephen Starr, listen up!

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SquareBurger
200 N 6th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 (Google Map)