Sunday, July 11, 2010

Chickie's Deli

1014 Federal St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 462-8040
Website

Chickie's is a South Philly institution. They have won tons of awards for their veggie hoagie, which I am sure is great - but when I go out of my way for a sandwich, I am not heading there for the vegetarian option. The Chickie Special is prosciutto, sopressata, dry cured cappicola, sharp provolone, roasted peppers, lettuce, tomato and onion, all slapped into a Sarcone's roll. I got it with oil and mayo. When I got home, I couldn't wait to tear into it. I did wait, however, because the fried tomato special had piqued my interest first. I am glad I waited, because after tasting it originally, the flavors hadn't had a chance to mingle. The bread is so solid that it needs time to let the oil and mayo soften it up. Sarcone's bread is so good that it does not get soggy, not for quite a while, at least. A nice spell on the counter (about 3 hours) really made this Italian sing.


The meat is nothing but quality at Chickie's. All of the cured meats are fantastic. They slice them to order, and the sharp provolone is amazing. It's served in chunks, and has the aged bite that is sometimes lacking in the sliced sharp prov. Chickie's is similar to Sarcone's deli, except they use more meat. I am glad they use Sarcone's rolls however, as they are the best around - for hoagies that is. For cheesesteaks, I prefer something with a bit less chew.


On to the fried tomato sandwich, which, incidentally, I ate first. This one comes with fried tomatoes, bacon, roasted peppers and lettuce, I opted for American cheese, added turkey, and mayo. The tomato is thick, breaded and fried, the bacon is also thick & crispy and the cheese lends a moist creaminess to the sandwich. It is sort of like a BLT hoagie. I loved this sandwich, though it is a bit difficult to eat. The breading falls off of the tomato a bit, and the mayo makes the whole lot tend to slid out of the back of the roll. Nothing a sloppy hand can't take off with a quick push. These two sandwiches give a good contrast to the intricacies of Philadelphia hoagies. I highly recommend both.


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