Journalists are supposed to be neutral. We can report on working conditions, wages and contracts, but we’re not supposed to take sides or act as de facto negotiators or agents. If Leon Draisaitl gets paid a bajillion dollars over the next eight years, I am supposed to simply write “that’s the market” and not wax poetic about how much money pro athletes get or how much it costs to go to games.
But, I’ll make an exception, here. It’ll be our secret. Here’s why: I walked into Phat Boy Cheesesteaks’ newly opened north Edmonton location at about 5:20 p.m., Oct. 22. I asked the woman at the counter about the restaurant. She told me that the Edmonton spot had been open just a month or so, but it’s a local restaurant: the first one opened in Sherwood Park a little more than a year ago. And then she hit me with the doozy — telling me that her boss was “the best boss in the world.”
So, if you’re in management at Phat Boy, take note. Who was working in the Edmonton location at that time? Because, well, she’s one heck of a great ambassador for your brand.
Now, to the cheesesteak. Unlike other American comfort foods, the Philly cheesesteak has never swept across Canada. It’s not as ubiquitous as the burger or the hotdog. Maybe this marks the change? I ordered the straight Philly, with chopped steak mixed together with provolone cheese, served on a soft torpedo bun. Of course, there were fried onions. Because I am a heathen, I added some barbecue sauce. Of course, you can add peppers, too.
We don’t really have a lot of comparable for cheesesteak in Edmonton, and it’s not like I can fly in someone from Philadelphia (my publisher has a budget) for a true expert opinion. But what I ate was pretty darn good, there was a nice smokiness to the meat, it was appropriately messy, and afterwards I felt like Rocky Balboa, Mike Schmidt and Bobby Clarke all rolled into one.
Phat Boy Cheesesteaks
Pembina | 13138 137 Ave NW, Edmonton
270 Baseline Rd, #122, Sherwood Park
phatboycheesesteaks.ca
