A Taste of Philly more than cheese steaks

By Kay Pruden
Published: Friday, December 10, 2004
Bradenton Herald

A Taste of Philly is so much more than just a place to grab a Philly cheese steak.

This is a family run restaurant. Bruce Piepiora created all the recipes. The menu is dedicated to his memory and his wife and daughter carry on the family tradition.

My friend and I dropped in for lunch. The starters included Mack's Combo ($5.95) so we had the opportunity to taste several. Two chicken tenders were tender indeed. They were covered lightly with Italian spiced breading. Three large battered onion rings added their distinct flavor to the plate. Two Italian breaded cheese sticks were filled with mozzarella cheese, lightly dipped in Italian breadcrumbs. Broadway bullies turned out to be made-to-order deep-fried crispy and soft-centered mini calzones stuffed with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. The homemade sauces that accompanied this feast were a delight. The marinara was rich with chunks of tomato all the way through it and the ranch dressing was the best I'd ever tasted. It's actually made from a mix but the original directions are not followed. Mayonnaise and buttermilk have a lot to do with the rich, creamy flavor.

We shared a bowl of lemon chicken soup, also homemade. Rich and lemony, orzo and chicken floated in the soup, well spiced with white pepper.

We chose the Southwest Chicken Salad ($5.50) and a Philly Cheese Steak (6-inch $4.75) for our main course. The chicken salad arrived in a huge, clear glass bowl with ranchero dressing and mild salsa on the side. You're given a choice but we requested both. The presentation was beautiful. Fresh mixed greens filled the lower portion of the bowl. Tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced hardboiled egg and cheddar jack cheese followed. The top was crisscrossed with black and red tortilla strips and bite-sized pieces of the same tender chicken we'd eaten in our appetizer. The salsa was mild and gently flavored. The ranchero dressing was a combination including sour cream, a spicier salsa and ranch dressing. You just can't beat the homemade sauces they make here!

My Philly steak sandwich was served on hearth bread with a lightly browned crust. It couldn't have been fresher or softer. Sautéed onions and red and green hot cherry peppers added more flavor and some heat to the slim, tender bits of rib-eye steak that filled the bread. Creamy Swiss-American cheese was melted throughout. The sandwich is served with a bag of potato chips.

We didn't think we'd find anything better than the great sauces we had so enjoyed dipping in. That was before we saw the desserts listed on the blackboard. Who could pass up a dessert called Chocolate Toffee Kahlua Mousse ($2.95)? My friend ordered another wonderful dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake ($2.95). The mousse was unlike anything I'd ever eaten. There was a layer of dark, fudgy chocolate on top covering rich and thick mousse with a round center of toffee and caramel and then rich, dark crust, all kissed with Kahlua. Dabs of whipped cream surrounded and topped it. I knew I'd died and gone to chocolate heaven.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake was also thick and rich. You could taste cinnamon and nutmeg in it adding a little sass to the creamy pumpkin. We finished our meal with good, hot coffee ($1.25).

Many varieties of calzones and pizza are served as well. There's a long list of salads and hot and cold sandwiches. The big surprise is the dinners listed on the back of the menu. The Friday and Saturday special is prime rib ($9.95). Eggplant Parmesan, lasagna and the Wharf Medley of lobster claws, scallops and shrimp sautéed in a lemon herb cream sauce over pasta are just a few that are always on the menu.

We found the service excellent, informative and very friendly.