Late Night Eats in Ridley Park

 Stargate Diner and Restaurant

240 W. Chester Pike

Ridley Park, PA 19078

My favorite part about being on vacation is the freedom to do what you want. Back home, it's rare that we eat dinner past 7pm, but while we're on vacation and can sleep in, anything goes. We had just attended a soccer match, and not wanting to eat at the stadium, we were all famished when the game was over close to 10pm. I quickly searched for restaurants that were still open, and that brought us to Stargate Diner in Ridley Park. 

Ever since the pandemic hit a few years ago, it's been hard to find diners that are open 24 hours. From what I've gleaned, Stargate Diner reduced their hours for a time, but now they are back to serving their community every hour of the day. This used to be a Burger King many years ago, but it's been Stargate Diner for at least 13 or more years. There's another Stargate Diner in Delaware, but I need clarification on the connection between the two.  

Our eight-person group arrived at just past 10pm and were met with a nearly empty restaurant, but some charming staff set us up in the back of the dining area. In true diner fashion, the menu at Stargate is enormous. They serve breakfast all day, and there are plenty of choices. Sandwiches are also plentiful here. Deli classics, paninis, clubs, cheesesteaks, burgers, open-faced sandwiches, and pulled pork sandwiches, which they call porkers, are all available. Then, if you still need more selections, they also offer more significant dinners featuring steak, seafood, and Italian offerings. It was quite a lot to take in. We quickly made our selections and waited for our food to come out. 

Usually, when I'm eating after 10pm in a diner, I always veer towards the breakfast side of the menu. I deviated from that course of action, but others we were with did not. Hot Cakes with Bacon ($9.99) and Two Eggs with Bacon ($9.99) both got passing marks. The bacon was crisp, and the pancakes were golden brown with plenty of butter provided. One drawback was the packaged syrup, which didn't taste as good as pouring it from a syrup dispenser. The eggs were cooked to a perfect over easy, but the home fries could have been more seasoned and crisped up.  

Philadelphia is known for cheesesteaks and Italian pork sandwiches, but Scrapple should also be mentioned. It might surprise some people living in the Mid-Atlantic region. Still, scrapple is only on a few menus around the rest of the country and is almost nonexistent in California. For those who do not know what scrapple is, it's an ethnic food of the Pennsylvania Dutch. It's made by mincing ground pork, adding spices and a coarse binding agent like buckwheat or cornmeal, and then frying it. It was actually terrific. It has a good crunch on the outside and a sage/pork taste, like a firmer sausage aura to it. I'd order it if it was available on more menus back home. 

Another thing we see very little in California is Creamed Chipped Beef ($5.49). Erven gave it a whirl at Stargate Diner and really found it enjoyable. The dried beef is submerged in a thick white sauce that drowns out the dried steak. It was okay but very filling. I'd only be able to have a couple spoonfuls of this at the most. Erven did an admirable job of almost finishing it. 

The rest of us got sandwiches and other assorted things. The Bacon Burger ($11.99) looked good from across the table. It came with lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, and two strips of bacon. There were also plenty of fries included on each plate. Rocio tried to be extra fancy when ordering the Tuscan Panini ($11.99).  This pressed sandwich came with chargrilled chicken breast, roasted red peppers, provolone, and basil pesto sauce. Rocio ate half of this and let Erven take the rest back to the hotel for breakfast in the morning. The only fried fish I could find on the Stargate menu was the Fried Fish Flounder, and I'm pretty sure the one pictured above was not that. I don't know who ordered this, but it looked basic from where I was seated. 

My standard meal when eating in a diner is a Patty Melt ($11.99). The menu called for rye bread to be used here, but I believe they used just regular white bread, which was fine. Plenty of grilled onions and Swiss cheese joined the eight-ounce patty between the bread. It was a good patty melt and made even better when I asked for a side of Russian dressing for it. The fries were your basic frozen fries, which were fried crispy and hot. Last But not least was Katie's selection, the Turkey Bacon Panini ($11.99). This was a better version of the Super Bird I've had many times at Denny's. They were generous with the sliced turkey and bacon and the melty provolone bound nicely to both meats. Katie had wished that there was a bit more mayo on here to moisten it up a bit. 

As I was writing this review, I knew just how I would sum up our visit to Stargate Diner. Stargate is a solid choice if you need food after 10pm and want something other than fast food. This is not fine dining by any means, as the food is pretty average, but they have an enormous menu, making it impossible for anyone eating here not to find something they want to eat. The prices were fair, our food came out promptly, and the service was efficient and pleasant. It's not always something that happens when eating this late at night. 

Out of five cherry trees (because George Washington led his troops through this area in 1777 on his way to Willmington, and he was famous for chopping down a cherry tree), five being best to zero being worst, Stargate Diner and Restaurant gets 2.5 cherry trees. 

For more information about Stargate Diner and Restaurant, head to their website by clicking here: https://stargatedinerpa.com/

This Little Piggy Went to John’s Roast Pork

 John's Roast Pork

14 East Snyder Ave. 

Philadelphia, PA 19148

I know it seems that my trip to Philadelphia was all about sandwiches. Before I left on this trip, I thought people were overexaggerating when they told me that the cheesesteaks we had in California were nothing compared to what we'd find in Philly. How different could they be?  As I learned from my first cheesesteak experience at the Phillies game, these people were not just blowing smoke. They were telling the truth, and I expected our visit to John's Roast Pork to be the pinnacle of my cheesesteak journey. 

John's has been in business at this spot in South Philadelphia since 1930. At first, they served mainly the neighborhood's local dock and warehouse workers. Cheesesteaks were not even on their menu for the first 30 or so years; instead, they focused on roast pork brought here by Italian immigrants at the turn of the century. The cheesesteaks were elevated when the current owner, John Bucci Jr., took over the business from his dad in the 70s. He decided to make these sandwiches to order and upped the quality of the ingredients to make the most fantastic cheesesteak in a city full of great cheesesteaks.   

Far from the tourist-infested area of downtown, it took a little time for people to notice the sandwiches at John's, but once the accolades came pouring in, so did the crowds. John's has been featured on many TV shows that declare their cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches are the best Philadelphia offers. Celebrity chefs and food personalities sing their praises. They may need to create a new part of the internet just to list all of the "best of" lists they have been mentioned. As if all that was not enough, they also have won a James Beard Award for Excellence. 

We were heading to a soccer match later in the evening, so we were hanging out at our hotel all day, a bit lazy. My good friend Erven and I decided to pick up an early lunch from John's for the gang. We left our place at half past 10 and drove bout fifteen minutes to John's. We hit it at a good time, as we could walk right up to the order window. I had known what I would be having, so it took me no time to get my order in. We waited ten minutes for our sandwiches to be made and were back in the car with what we hoped would be a memorable lunch. 

It's in their name, so I had to start with John's Roast Pork Sandwich ($11.25). Up until that point, I had only had one roast pork sandwich in my life, and that was at Phillie's game a few days earlier. This one was a whole other level than the one at the ballpark. The seeded bun held plenty of roasted pork, spinach, and sharp provolone tightly layered inside. The pork was moist and tender and went perfectly with the spinach and the sharpness of the cheese. I would have liked more au jus added to the sandwich, but I'm very partial to wetter sandwiches. I'm not a roast pork sandwich expert, but I can see why this one is considered the benchmark that others are held up to. It was really that good. 

Even though roast pork was first on their menu, John's is most known these days for their cheesesteaks. I selected their Sweet Pepper Steak ($16.75) to try. The first thing I noticed when I unwrapped this sandwich was its beauty. The seeded roll is from Carangi Bakery and was stuffed masterfully with steak, peppers, and cheese. The sandwich was so well made that there was no spillage of its contents while I ate it. Out of the handful of cheesesteaks I had on this trip, this one from John's had the most cheese. The provolone did not overshadow the meat, which was less chopped than others I have had. It's more in ribbons, which allowed the cheese to cling to the beef better. One heck of a sandwich. 

This would be my last cheesesteak during our short four-day trip to Philadelphia. I'd put this one up with my cheesesteak at Leo's Steaks. Both cheesesteaks are tremendous but different. If you are a big cheese person and like a well-crafted sandwich, John's is the place for you. If you enjoy a massive cheesesteak and where the meat is front and center, then Leo's should be your pick. I really could not pick which one I liked better. They are both incredible, and you'd be lucky to have either of these fine cheesesteaks. The roast pork at John's is fantastic as well and worth trying. Now, if we could just get one of these legends of cheesesteaks to open an outpost in California. 

Out of five tongue depressors (because the first hospital in the US was, of course, situated in Philadelphia in 1751, and I'm sure they used plenty of tongue depressors in all that time), five being best to zero being worst, John's Roast Pork gets 4.5 tongue depressors. 

For more information about John's Roast Pork, head to their website by clicking here: https://johnsroastpork.com/

Reading Terminal Market, a Foodies Wonderland

 City Food Tours and Reading Terminal Market

1136 Arch Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

A great way to get to know a city you have never visited is to take a tour. An even better understanding of a city is to eat where the locals eat, along with a local tour guide. That's what we did on our third day of being in Philadelphia. Before leaving home, our good friend Rocio was kind enough to book the eight of us on the Flavors of Philly Food Tour run by City Food Tours. 

This is one of five tours that City Food Tours operates in the city, and it's the most popular, as they offer it every day of the week. This two-and-a-half-hour tour spans six city blocks and includes five stops at locally-owned restaurants where they claim that locals eat. We met at a coffee shop, and after a quick introduction and some general housekeeping by our tour guide, Kaitlyn, we were quickly on to stop number one. 

At Joe's Pizza, I learned something I had never known. Tomato Pie is a big thing in Philadelphia. Italian immigrants brought it here at the turn of the last century. Joe's Pizza has been in business for 35-plus years, and they cook their pizzas in a brick oven. The tomato pie is simple, with just the San Marzano tomato sauce on the crust. The simplicity of this pizza is meant to highlight the very well-done tomato sauce. There's no cheese or other toppings included. I liked my first slice, but it's not like I would eat a whole pie by myself like I could do with a typical pizza. Everyone enjoyed this, though. 

On our next stop, I learned another fact I did not know. Philadelphia is the pretzel capital of the US. Their population eats more pretzels than anywhere else in the country. Most Americans eat two pounds of pretzels yearly, while Philadelphians eat six times that amount. A staggering 12 pounds of pretzels per person. Wow. A quick Yelp check yielded plenty of pretzel options in the city. 

The most popular pretzel spot is Philly Pretzel Factory. They have 165 locations throughout the US, and a whopping 29 of those are located in Philadelphia. These are soft pretzels, lightly salted. I'm not the world's biggest fan of pretzels, but I liked this one well enough. It tasted freshly made, had just enough salt, and the chewiness of it was on point. These are something that I could only see myself eating sometimes, but every once in a while, it would be more my jam.  

Stop number three was Zio's Brick Oven Pizza. We weren't here for pizza. We tried a sampling of their Cheese Whiz Fries and their Cheesesteak. Again, cheese whiz is not my favorite thing, but these were good for what they were. The fries were crispy, and I picked the fires with the least whiz. 

We didn't need it, but Katie wanted to try their Rice Ball Parmigiana ($7.74). This rice ball was filled with ground meat, peas, carrots, and meat sauce, then topped with more sauce and a good amount of mozzarella cheese. A little different spin on the usual arancini that we've had in other places. This was a good version. I enjoyed how the cheese and sauce elevated the rice ball and its contents. I could see us eating this often if we lived in the area. 

The last two places on our tour were at the famous Reading Terminal Market. If you are a food person, this is where you need to head when you are in Philadelphia. It was overwhelming figuring out where to eat, and so many people were everywhere. Luckily, our tour guide, Kaitlyn, could answer all of our questions and give us some good tips about one of the country's largest and oldest public markets. 

Our last two stops on our food tour were of the sweeter variety. First up was a Chocolate Chip Cookie from The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company. This 40-year-old company made some seriously great cookies. They were chewy, with a good amount of decadent chocolate chips included in every bite.  This cookie was served warm and tasted more homemade than most cookies I've bought. I still regret not returning to their booth and trying one of their peanut butter cookies. 

On Saturdays, the line for Beiler's Doughnuts can stretch as far as the eye can see. We hit them at a good time, even though they were out of the apple fritter I had wanted to try. We were given an Original Glazed as our last offering on our tour. Beiler's is a Pennsylvania Dutch bakery with other locations in Lancaster and Germantown, Maryland. They offer salads, pickles, and traditional Amish puddings, but the donuts draw the most praise. 

The glazed donut was different in texture from any I had before. This is partly due to how the dough is kneaded during baking. It was not an overly sweet doughnut, but it did feel like it could have melted in my mouth. There was also an excellent buttery taste on the back end of each bite. It reminded me of an Entenmann's glazed but made with fresher ingredients and way higher in quality. 

Our tour was now wrapped up, and we could walk around the market. I had my eye on a roast pork sandwich from DiNic's, but unfortunately, they had closed for the day because they had sold out. Mental note to self: get here early for their legendary pork sandwich. Hershel's East Side Deli did a more than admirable job of stepping in. Locals call this place "the best Jewish deli outside of New York."  Hershel was originally the head chef at Katz's Deli for over 40 years, so I knew I would be in for a treat when I ordered my Pastrami Reuben ($15.05). 

The pastrami was thick-cut and piled between two grilled slices of rye bread with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. I really enjoyed this sandwich, with the tanginess from the sauerkraut, the savory and tender pastrami, and the creamy Swiss. I'd get the Rachel version the next time I was here, as the touch of sweetness that the coleslaw would bring would make this sandwich unbelievable.  

Any TV program I've ever seen about Reading Terminal Market has always mentioned Bassett's Ice Cream. In business for 163 years, yes, you read that right, they occupy the space closest to the front of the market and are the last original remaining tenant at the market. The day we were here, they offered 37 different flavors to choose from. I had a scoop of their Chocolate Fudge Brownie ($7), which had some good-sized hunks of brownie mixed into its very creamy chocolate ice cream. I figure I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I hadn't just eaten so much on our tour and at the market. Still, it was an excellent end to a day that anybody who likes food as much as myself will think back fondly on.  

For more information about City Food Tours, head to their website by clicking here: https://www.phillysfoodtour.com/

Cheesesteak Paradise at Leo’s Steak Shop

 Leo's Steak Shop

1403 Chester Pike

Folcroft, PA 19032

We decided that we were going to lounge around our hotel for the night. After two busy days of sightseeing, going to a Phillies game, and enduring a red-eye flight to get to Philadelphia, we felt we owed ourselves a quiet night to relax before our last full day in Philly. We still needed to eat dinner, so I scoured Yelp for a nearby restaurant to grab some takeout. Little did I know that we were about to hit the cheesesteak lottery. 

Less than fifteen minutes away from our airport area hotel was Leo's Steak Shop. Leo's has been open for business since 1974 and is run by the Mullan brothers. Originally opened less than a block away, they moved to their present location in 1986 because they needed a bigger space due to their popularity. One of the reasons for their acclaim was that they have won numerous awards for their cheesesteaks, appearing on plenty of best-of lists, multiple mentions in print media, and a healthy four-and-a-half-star rating on Yelp. 

With all these accolades, I felt ashamed that I had not had Leo's on the original restaurant list I had crafted before leaving California. I was too focused on Philadelphia instead of thinking we might have wanted to find a spot closer to our hotel in Delaware County. Since we were a group of eight, we called in our order to give them time to put it together. We arrived at their storefront just after half past eight, and they were just finishing our rather large order. 

Leo's serves burgers, but the cheesesteaks and hoagies are the main draw. They offer nine different versions of cheesesteaks and 13 varieties of hoagies. The small sandwiches cost $12 or less, while the giant 18-inch sandwiches hover around the $22 price point. There's seating outside at a few picnic benches, but we opted to take our food and eat in our hotel lobby. Let's see what Leo's had in store for us. 

I promised cheesesteaks but wanted to start with the Corned Beef Special ($11.45). This sandwich came on Jewish rye, piled with more corned beef than you could get your mouth around, thickly sliced Swiss, coleslaw, and plenty of Russian dressing. This sandwich was good, but it would have been better if the rye bread had been toasted and the coleslaw had been slightly more pronounced. I enjoyed that they used a lot of Russian dressing on this, and the corned beef was sliced thin, and there was more than plenty of it included here. A delightful surprise in a steak shop. 

Now, what you come to Philadelphia for, or in this case, what you come to Folcroft for, cheesesteaks. Special thanks to Erven for doing the obligatory forearm picture showing how big his Large 18-inch Mushroom Cheesesteak ($22.65) was. He finally finished it for breakfast the next day. I did not finish mine either, as I got two sandwiches and some cheesesteak fries, but I added the inside meat of my cheesesteak to my omelet at the hotel buffet the following day. A genius move, if I do say so myself. 

What we have featured in these pictures is the following: a Regular Cheesesteak ($11.45) and a Pepper Cheesesteak ($11.85) that I got. These sandwiches were heavenly to eat. The chopped meat had just the right amount of American cheese mixed in, which was noticeable but did not overwhelm the beef. A perfect balance. The semi-soft roll held the massive amount of beef and cheese admirably, with little to no spillage. The meat was incredibly tender and seasoned well, and the peppers added a touch of sweetness that went well with the savory sandwich. Easily the best cheesesteak I've experienced up until now in my over 50-plus years of life. I was not alone in this sentiment. 

Katie had a cheesesteak at the Phillies game we were at earlier in the day, so she wanted something different, opting for the Turkey and Cheese Hoagie ($11,85) instead of Philadelphia's most famous sandwich. This hoagie featured as much shaved turkey shoved into the roll as possible, plenty of provolone cheese, a touch of mayo, and some lettuce. Katie called this a simple yet classic turkey hoagie that was a real treat to eat. 

The Ham and Cheese Hoagie ($11.85) was Addison's pick. Her family says she's an aficionado of ham sandwiches, as she has one almost every chance she gets. Like the turkey hoagie, this one had meat spilling out of it. This hoagie came like the turkey one, with some lettuce, provolone cheese, and a little lettuce. I am still waiting to get a review of how Addison liked this sandwich. She's quiet unless it's about some of her passions, like soccer, pop music, or her love of license plates.  

Not that we needed them, but we finished things off with these Cheesesteak Fries ($11.95). This was straightforward: fries with cheesesteak placed on top of them. Even though the fries were frozen and not fresh, they were fried well and held their crunchiness even after our ride back to our hotel and under the weight of the meat and cheese on top of them. The beef was seasoned, and the cheese bound well to it. I ignored this a bit because I got a cheesesteak already, probably due to cheesesteak overload. This would have been better if they added extra cheese on top. 

Leo's Steak Shop was more than a pleasant surprise. This was the best cheesesteak I have had, and it made me realize that the cheesesteaks we have back home in California do not even come close to what we experienced this evening. The meat was way better, the cheese-to-beef ratio was on point, and the amount of meat they used on each sandwich was awe-inspiring. Their prices were incredible, and if I lived here, Leo's would definitely be in my restaurant rotation at least every two weeks. The lady taking our order over the phone was a little overwhelmed with our large order, but she got everything squared away, and it was just about ready at our quoted time. If you find yourself near the Philadelphia Airport, do yourself a favor and go to Leo's for one of the best cheesesteaks you will ever have. 

Out of five buckets of popcorn (because the first 3D movie premiered in 1922, the same year Folcroft was incorporated into a borough), five being best to zero being worst, Leo's Steak Shop gets 4.5 buckets of popcorn. 

For more information about Leo's Steak Shop, head to their website by clicking here: https://leossteakshop.com/

Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Buy Me Some Cheesesteaks and Roast Pork

 Tony Luke's 

Citizens Bank Park

1 Citizen Bank Way 

Philadelphia, PA 19148

I'm always amazed when we visit other ballparks and arenas away from home. Not only are the fan bases way more passionate and into the game, but the food is so much better than anything we have at Anaheim Stadium or Honda Center. I could never fathom writing about either of these venue's food scenes. Honda Centre only has one outside vendor, California Pizza Kitchen, while the rest of their food is made in-house, is average at best, and is priced exorbitantly high. C'mon, $9 for a hot dog. Go to Costco before the games for their higher quality hot dog for $1.50, and you also get a drink. 

Anaheim Stadium's outside food vendors will not make you want to get out of your seat to grab some grub, even though the team is so bad they are hard to watch. This past season included Oggi's Pizza, Yogurtland, Juice It Up, Wetzel's Pretzels, and Chronic Tacos. A weak lineup when you consider most of these you can just get at your local mall food court, assuming you still visit the mall instead of shopping online. 

We were on vacation in Philadelphia and went to a Phillies day game on a Thursday. The first thing I noticed when we got to Citizens Bank Park was how many people wore Phillies gear here. Back home, nearly half of the attendees would be wearing the opposing team's colors. These Phillies fans were also passionate about the game. Most were off their phones, watching the game, and cheering at appropriate times. The next time you're at an Angel game, just notice how many people are on their phones the whole time, and only look up when the rest of the crowd cheers. 

Citizens Park has plenty of food options that got me excited. They have a Shake Shack behind home plate. They also have food stalls that are backed by former Phillie's players and managers, like Ryan Howard's southern-style chicken sandwiches, and Charlie Manuel, manager of the 2008 world championship team, runs Uncle Charlie's Steaks, a spot serving cheesesteaks to hungry baseball enthusiasts. Other notable vendors are Federal Donuts, Jersey Shore favorite Manco and Manco Pizza, and the iconic Campo's Philly Cheesesteaks, which has been in business since 1947. I had circled another cheesesteak place on my list at the ballpark to try: the legendary Tony Luke's. 

Tony Luke's started in South Philadelphia in 1992 as a family-run business. Times were tough the first few years, but customers came in droves as the years rolled by, and the awards started piling up for their cheesesteaks and roast pork sandwiches. There are now 17 Tony Luke's locations in the Mid-Atlantic region, most at sports arenas, entertainment venues, casinos, and airport locations. 

We got up during the fourth inning of the game and walked to the food concourse in centerfield known as Ashburn Alley, which is also home to other purveyors of food and drinks. The line was one of the longest we saw, so we felt good about this spot. We waited in line for about 25 minutes or so. The menu is a paired-down version of other menus I've seen for their other locations. They offer only two sandwiches, the cheesesteak, and the roast pork. The only other item on their menu is curly fries. We grabbed our sandwiches and returned to our seats to experience the first cheesesteak of our visit to Philly.     

So, when only two sandwiches are on the menu, I must get them both. Let's start with the Roast Pork with Cheese ($9.50). Roast pork sandwiches are a big part of Philadelphia culture. You'll find these all over the city and surrounding areas. They all have the same ingredients: roast pork, sharp provolone, and broccoli rabe or spinach in an Italian roll. I liked this sandwich more than I thought I would. Not to ruin anything, but it was not as filled with meat as others I would have on this trip, but at less than $10 at a ballgame, this was a great value. The sharp provolone worked nicely with the garlicky broccoli rabe and the savory pork. Some of the pork was on the dry side, but that was remedied by adding extra broccoli rabe. The bread made by Liscio's Bakery was fresh and had a good chew to it. 

The Cheesesteak ($9.50) was not as stuffed as the others you'll see in upcoming reviews, but this was a pleasurable sandwich. Tony Luke's only uses ribeye for their meat; you can taste the difference. It was not oily like others tend to be, and the American cheese was of good quality. I added a Pepper Cup ($1.50) to the sandwich. The peppers added a bit of moisture, which I liked. The roll again was good, keeping everything together until our last bite. 

If you are from Philadelphia, most of you feel that these are sandwiches for tourists, like the ones from Pat's and Geno's downtown. Yelp reviews for these sandwiches are not kind, only giving this place 2.5 to 3 stars, which could be better. You'd be more forgiving if you had to suffer through the food we have to eat at Anaheim Stadium or Honda Center. Not very good. These sandwiches are better than anything I've eaten at either of those sporting venues at about half the price. I would have liked to have tried Campos Cheesesteaks, but the game flew by, and I needed more time. Maybe if the game was a doubleheader. 

Out of five zookeepers (because the first zoo in all of the US was opened in 1874 in Philadelphia, and before that, zookeepers were not even needed), five being best to zero being worst, Tony Luke's gets 3 zookeepers. 

For more information about Tony Luke's, head to their website by clicking here: https://tonylukes.com/