Sarcone's italian hoagie

I recently found myself in Philadelphia, and decided to take the opportunity to finally sample one of the hallowed delicacies I have fantasized about while perusing the Roadfood forums. So I left the Omni armed with some mapquest.com directions, and took a zig-zagging route to Sarcone's in search of lunch.

I stepped into the somewhat dark and crowded deli and placed my order...a medium Italian hoagie for myself, and a small Italian hoagie for my wife. After waiting around ten minutes for a few other orders to be taken care of (including a grilled red pepper and mozzarella hoagie that made me wish I'd skipped breakfast), I recieved the hoagies. They came wrapped tightly in both wax and white paper, and I sat down with my wife at one of the little tables on the sidewalk outside the deli to unwrap them.

When I unwrapped my hoagie, my senses were assaulted by both the visual beauty and the delectible smell. Perfect layers of prosciutto, hot sopressata, and hot coppa are perfectly complimented by provolone, ripe tomatoes, and thinly sliced onions. The masterpiece is finished off with a dusting of dried herbs and a drizzle of oil and vinegar, the whole work framed in one of Sarcone's fresh and perfectly crusty hoagie rolls.

The taste was out of this world...hands-down the best sandwich I have ever eaten in my life. As I finished my sandwich, I so badly wanted to get another Italian hoagie to go...but then I realized that as the sandwich travelled the bun would absorb jucies and get soggy, and the sandwich would be somewhat flawed. I wanted my memory of Sarcone's to be that of the perfect hoagie, not one that might deteriorate with travel, so I walked away...vowing to return one day.

Behold: Sarcone's Italian Hoagie

Looks pretty good for a sub with sesame seeds on the bread.

I'm getting in my car and driving to Philly now. Seriously, on a couple of fronts, Number One is that Cheesewit and I are hoping there is interest in a Hoagie tour for later in the summer. So far it has been lacking. Sarcones would definitely be one of the stops.

http://roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7801

Second is that while I have never been to Sarcones for their hoagies, they only recently started selling them, I have been to Primo www.primohoagies.com several times. Primo uses the seeded Sarcone's roll for their regular sized sandwich, and when they run out of rolls, that's it, they are done for the day. A rather strange way to run a business. That's why Subway bakes it's own bread, so they are not dependent on a bread supplier, and why The White House in Atlantic City used to keep 3 bakeries busy baking for them.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That photo (of just one variety, mind you) of a Sarcone's hoagie is a textbook.

This is the reasoning and the idea behind the intended Hoagie Tour of 8/6/05.

The bread alone is worth the trip. You should taste slices of a loaf of their bread dipped in a nice olive oil or in a red sauce with Mussels or Clams...mmmm!

Johnnymolson,
First of all great review of Sarcones.Philly has so many wonderful places to eat.The Italian Market on 9th St.is amazing also The Reading Terminal you can eat their for weeks.In my neck of the woods I have a place for you.Leo's Latticini AKA Mama's in Corona,Queens.You will find incredible sandwiches here.The real joy of mama's are the people who work there,they treat everyone like family.This place is not to be missed,enjoy a sandwich after that next store get some pastries and coffee.Enjoy and Happy Eating.
Leo's Latticini
46-02 104th St.
Corona,Queens N.Y.718-898-6069

Welcome Tengo. Tell us about more places you like.

Hey Johnnymolson,
Welcome. My buddy who just visited with us last month here in Fla. is coming back next week and he always brings Sarcones Hoagies, their Pepperoni Bread and Loaves, the hoagies travel just fine he lives down on Two Street, leaves an hour earlier for the airport and about four hours later, all of my gang are diggin' in, and personally I think they are better for the wait, everything has just sopped together, we devour them immediatley. He also bring's a load of Geno's Steaks, Federal Pretzels, Kielbasi from Port Richmond and Rye Bread. It all travels well. The next time your in South Philly try a hoagie from Red's, mussels with dandelions from the South Philly Grille on 10th St., the roast pork at John's down on Snyder Ave., chipped beef from the Melrose, okay I gotta stop! There's food and then there's South Philly food!!!!

All I can say is...oh, Chef Joe said it all!

I am crying, CRYING, over here. In California. Where you can't buy a sandwich like that for love or money. Even those places that try to do it, even the Italian joints, even Molinari's frickin Delicatessen who make their own frickin salumi (which is damn good) can't make a sandwich like that. Snif.

Oh, you guys are killing me!!! I can't get anywhere near Philly for nearly two weeks and I'm jonesing for a Primo "Old Italian" after looking at that Sarcone's puppy! <sigh>

essvee, I really feel for you, man!

Chef Joe, Your guy brings you steaks from Geno's? How does he do that. I've never even considered getting a steak to travel. What kind of cheese. How do they wrap it? How do you reheat it? Do you take it apart first?

Hey signman,
When Bobby & Karen, our friends arrive, we (my gang) family and friends are usually all waiting, and it turns into a major pool party. The Geno steaks are wrapped the same as if you ordered one, nothing special, some of us just open them right up and eat them. Now my sister puts the oven on a pre 350 and we give them about 5 mins. and then cheese them ourselves, it works for us. If you do your own onions, fry them up in oil and spoon them over the cheese, this really brings the steaks back. We line everything up, hoagies, steaks, etc, plus my signature BBQ shrimp, ice down the beer, pina coladas, rumrunners, appletini's and let the games begin. The fresh Kielbasi we save for another day, usually have that with kraut on rolls as a side to newspaper covered table of my cousin Larry's Heineken steamed & spiced blue crabs, mussels & clams,mmmmm!!!
Can't wait.

Chef Joe,
Any plans to come north? Would love to eat our way through South Philly wit ya.

Chumley, thanks for your kind condolences.

Hey Cheese Wit,
I have a busy summer, but I am going to try and hit South Philly in Sept. Would love to do the town with you and yours. I am heading to Europe for several weeks to study chocolate, so I should have some good info for you when I return. I'll take you down Two Street, I was the original Captain of The Froggy Carr New Years Brigade and a Captain of the Hammond Comic Club in the Mummer's Parade, I marched for 25 years, so we will definitley have fun & food. The food served in them Mummer's Clubs, is as good as it gets. Chef Joe!

Wow, a real Mummer in our midst! And a chef, too! It's an honor to have you here, Chef Joe.