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 :-)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Shirley Guzman - This is an excellent post.