Besides the Liberty Bell, Rocky and the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles, the next City of Brotherly Love thing you most likely think about is food. Cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and Italian water ice are the Philly fan favorites that make the mouth water.
As a native Philadelphian, I can tell you I miss eating a good cheesesteak and I certainly know how to rank them. Enter Philly Grub, a three-location restaurant, who opened their latest place in Pinecrest a few months ago.
Nestled in the Pinecrest Shops (SW 124 Street and S. Dixie Hwy.) right next to Chill-N, Philly Grub has an unassuming storefront, which is why I, and others, missed seeing it for a while.
Jennifer McCool, one of the managing partners, happily oversees the grub served up.
“I can call myself an expert since I lived in Philly and as a kid my dad used to bring home cheesesteaks every Friday,” says McCool. “My first job was in a cheesesteak shop. It’s in my blood!”
Dean Claro is the main sub artist behind the traditional cheesesteak grill who will quickly whip up your culinary requests.
No matter what people tell you, I know the real secret to a perfect cheesesteak starts with the roll. Philly Grub imports their rolls direct from Philadelphia’s Amoroso Bakery. Since 1904, this family-owned bakery has defined how steaks and hoagies are made. The fresh shaved sirloin-blend steak made every morning rounds out the quality ingredients. The fresh cheeses, onions, peppers and other ingredients are all authentically Philly.
Dennis Mello is a local who loves visiting Philly Grub.
“The cheesesteaks are outstanding,” says Mello. “I’m a regular here and the onions and when everything is mixed together, it just makes a great sandwich.”
The general enthusiasm of the staff makes this sandwich shop feel special when you walk in. From the warm greeting to the hot steaks off the grill, it’s just like being in a Philly shop. Both my kids, Andrew and Emma Feldman did some taste testing.
“There’s no better steak outside of Philadelphia,” says Andrew. Emma gave her nod too, “I love that they have steaks and soft pretzels here.”
The ongoing cheesesteak debate is whiz or no whiz. This refers to the cheddar cheese sauce that many put on the steak. Alternatively, you can choose provolone or American cheese. I like the provolone best. So, try all three and let me know.
Even the food prices, which end in either 95 or 76, are a nod to Philly. They are the Interstates which run through the heart of the city. In addition to cheese and chicken steaks, Philly Grub loads up a several types of Italian-style hoagies as well. All sandwiches are under $9.
The sides include the standard fries and tots (both quite good), but don’t forget to try a soft pretzel as the icing to your Philly experience. Finish with Italian water ice to claim your total Philadelphia meal.
Philly Grub is located at 8269 SW 124th Street. You can order food at <orderphillygrub.com> or by calling 786-250-5390. They are open Monday to Saturday 11:30 a .m. – 8:00 p.m. and Sundays 12 noon -5 p.m. Bring in this article and receive 10 percent off your bill.
Feeding Florida’s needy families
On February 17, Florida Senator Jose Rodriguez pitched in with Farm Share at St. Richard’s Holy Rosary Church in Palmetto Bay to feed 500 hungry families. Established in 1991, Farm Share is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, dedicated to recovering, sorting, packing and distributing nutritious food for people in need, free of charge.
For most of the morning, around 20 people stood in line to register and received food.
“Farm Share is a fantastic organization that receives State funding and we are happy to support a group that makes sure food does not go to waste,” explained Senator Jose Rodriguez. “We’re here in South Dade today to distribute food with them. I think it’s important that my office gets involved and helps coordinate partnerships and distribution locations.”
The Senator really tipped his hat in support of the volunteers that get up so early all year long to make food giveaways like this so successful.
In the last year, Farm Share has helped feed 10.5 million families by handing out 52-million tons of food. If you’d like to help the organization you can head over to farmshare.org/ to learn more.
Miami Palmetto Student Activism
A week after the Parkland school shootings, students at Miami Palmetto High School participated in a walkout.
The official phone calls and emails that went out during the action said: “In the interest of student safety, a safe area has been identified to allow them to express themselves. After 17 minutes students will be directed back to class. Your child’s safety and education are our primary concern.”
The reality was somewhat different. An unidentified student reported, “The students (in the protest) were marching around the block (the empty block that used to be the teacher lot). The kids were being escorted by a security guard and the cops (one cop car). Some went to US-1, some marched to Coral Reef. The teacher in one room shut the blinds (so we could not see the protest) and said ‘As kids, we have no rights in her classroom’.”
Many of the students were suspended as a result of their actions.
Real Estate Update
As of February 23, the Pinecrest market remains soft. Homes listed over $1M are at 15 months of inventory, indicating a strong Buyers’ market. A healthy market has 3-6 months of supply. No matter where you live, let me assist you with local expertise, realistic expectations and guidance to get you to wherever ‘next’ is. It’s easy to get started at miamihal.com/myvalue.
Hal Feldman (MiamiHal) is a Realtor with RE/MAX Advance Realty. You can contact him with your story ideas or real estate questions at www.MiamiHal.com, Hal@MiamiHal.com or www.facebook.com/MiamiHal.
