Judging from the brisk lunchtime traffic, Campo’s Deli, 214 Market St. (also with outposts at Citizens Bank Park and Wachovia Center), knows what Philadelphia wants when it comes to cheesesteaks and sandwiches.
Wave the flag all you want about Pat’s and Geno’s, but everybody with at least some culinary integrity will admit to the reality that 1) the traditional cheesesteak can be pretty boring more times than not and 2) those two monoliths of Philadelphia steakography get over mostly on tourism and the post-last-call crowd than genuine craft.
Coming from the Southwest and a family with more than 50 years in the food and deli business, the good people at Campo’s crank out the traditional cheese, chicken and veggie steaks and hoagies, as well as some bold variations of the city’s signature sandwich, keeping customers coming back again thanks to reasonable prices, fresh ingredients and friendly service.
Campo’s truly excels at the chicken cheesesteak. While the most common specimens found around town tend to be on the dry side, Campo’s version, especially the Valentine ($8) — marinated in garlic and balsamic vinegar and topped with sweet roasted peppers, provolone and onions — blows most of the competition out of the henhouse. The chicken is moist and tasty without the greasiness or necessity for copious amounts of condiments lesser chicken cheesesteaks require.
On the other hand, The Godmother ($8.50), one of the more popular vegetarian sandwiches, served hot with broccoli rabe, sweet roasted peppers, sharp provolone, grilled tomatoes and onions, was a valiant effort, especially on a hearty seeded roll to soak up the juices, but wasn’t the clear winner that some of the other sandwiches were. The broccoli rabe dominated the sandwich, which would have benefited from more of a kick or a stronger presence from the grilled tomatoes and onions.
On the more bovine side of cheesesteaks, Campo’s knows how make patrons hanker for some beef.
The bravest carnivores should try The Stockyard ($8.50), a truly intimidating piece of cheseesteakery that tries to cram as much barnyard carnage as humanly possible into a single sub roll. It has chicken, steak, pepperoni, bacon, fried onions and mascarpone cheese. It may sound like overkill (no pun intended) and the sandwich is definitely a kung-fu kick to the arteries but, despite all odds, the swirling mass of meats and cheese is quite tasty. Another adventurous choice is the Flyer Ice Steak ($8.50), with cream cheese, tomato, hot cheddar cheese and oregano.
Another sports-themed offering is The Heater ($7.50), a saucy cheesesteak proudly served at Phillies home games — and with good reason. The jalapeño cheddar and buffalo sauce make for a tangy eating experience. The buffalo sauce and steak work surprisingly well, though the fire is not as extreme as the title might lead you to believe. But we realize you can’t be distracting Phillies fans the whole game with singed taste buds, so The Heater is definitely a winner.
If you’re truly adventurous about spicy fare, definitely try the Philly pretzels with Campo’s spicy mustard, which is absolutely delicious and somewhat painful all at the same time. Don’t ask what’s in the mustard: They won’t tell you. And the other sides are well worth the trip. The homemade macaroni and cheese is bound to disappear, so get your own order. If you try to share it, the creamy sauce and huge noodles guarantee that it will be completely devoured. And don’t forget Campo’s pepper shooters ($3.75), stuffed with prosciutto and provolone.
If you have any room left after feasting on the sandwiches and sides, Campo’s cheesecake ($3.50) or cannoli ($4) are both ideal for finishing off your meal.
For the sandwich craft and the prices, very few can compete with Campo’s Deli.
Larry Nichols can be reached at a href=”mailto:[email protected]”>[email protected].