There’s something a teensy bit odd going on here. Here I am, just 5 inches from Mexico & so far I’ve eaten Californian, Italian & Thai. So you, like me, might be wondering 1. When the heck I am going to get around to eating some Mexican food & 2. What on earth I am doing at East Coast Super Subs, home of the best Philly Cheese Steaks outside of Philadelphia – which is not that far off of being as remote from Tucson as you can get while still being in the same country.
This was all Mike Harris’ idea. I blame him entirely. I was completely oblivious to the existence of East Coast Super Subs in Tucson until Mike popped up on my Facebook with a little note:
“If you make it to Tucson, stop in East Coast Super Subs for a legitimate Philly food experience before you leave. Tell Keith (owner) or Mark, that Mike Harris from NJ sent you :-) “
Given that I am very good with instructions (oh that’ll make my HR department laugh), lunch on my first day in Tucson just had to be a Philly Cheese Steak at East Coast Super Subs. Despite not being Mexican or anything even vaguely like it. This is probably a good time to mention that I had never eaten a Philly Cheese Steak before, so I was going into this a bit blind…but really, how could thinly sliced steak, melted cheese & grilled onions on a freshly baked hoagie roll possibly be bad? I’d always wanted to try one, but had never quite managed to be hungry at the same time that one was available & on offer. Today was a big day.
My Dear Foodie Footnotes Readers will know that I find driving in Seattle without getting lost or having to turn around a tad challenging. And I live there. So will someone please explain to me how I drove straight from the condo to 187 N. Park Avenue without doing either? I have never been to Tucson before. Not even close to Tucson before. Oh, and I didn’t have a map. I tell you, if I am anywhere other than Seattle you’d think I must have been a homing pigeon in a former life.
I have to say I am not sure that there are many Sub Shops that look like quite like this one. Especially in Philadelphia :-)
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If you’re ever in Tucson, swing by…it’s worth a trip just to visit the store, with it’s riotously decorated interior which is amazingly larger than you might imagine from the outside. You could sit in there for weeks & not get bored of looking at all the paraphernalia hanging from every surface.
I found a table & not long afterwards an adorable young lady bounced over to get me a drink. The menu is a sight to behold & if you’ve never eaten a Cheese Steak before it might be a complete mystery. It was to me. Luckily my drink arrived along with some tips to navigate the enormous list of options. In the end I simply went with the East Coast Super Subs #1 seller: The Broad Street Bully. Turns out this is a Cheese Steak sub with extra steak & extra cheese. Cheese Steak on steroids – sounded great to me. Especially with a half order of french fries. Yeah, just wait until you see how big a half order is.
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The Broad Street Bully Sub
A half order of french fries. FANTASTIC french fries I might add.
While I was munching on my french fries (which incidentally were some of the best french fries I have ever eaten…awesome down to the very last fry) owner Keith came out to say “Hi”, having heard that Mike Harris had sent some strange camera-toting chick over. Shortly after chatting with Keith, Mark came out. Great guys. Down-to-earth, sub-lovin’, laid-back, fun-thinkin’, wide-smilin’ guys. Fantastic hospitality.
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Mark (right) & some of the East Coast Super Subs Crew
Owner Mark doing what he does best: Cheese Steak King
ECSS has quite the philosophy on running their business:
- We will treat each customer like family
- We buy and serve the highest quality food
- The founder and owners make every sandwich with care
‘Nuff said. So here’s just one more look at that Cheese Steak on steroids.
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Beloved by Philly Cheese Steak connoisseurs all over Tucson, I suggest that you hustle right on over next time you’re in the University area.
Tell Keith & Mark that cb from Foodie Footnotes sent you.
Shirley GuzmanThis is an excellent post.