First off, let me just say this place is packed! We got there at 2:00 and it was crowded beyond belief. This picture doesn't even do it justice:
There was a long line, but since we were the special ones ordering a cheesesteak, we didn't have to wait. We talked to the mystery man, and he started making our steak right away. By the way, did I mention he told us the cheesesteak cost $17? But it was big enough for us to share. We said ok, and that it better be one damn good cheesesteak. He told us it would come with onions and mayo. Chris doesn't normally get onions, and I don't normally get mayo, but we both wanted him to make it however he normally makes it, no modifications. He took a huge roll, put some mayo on it, and then loaded it up with provolone cheese. I started getting a little huffy that he was putting the cheese on the roll, but I just let him do his thing. The meat was already prepared, it came from the front pan in the case right here:
Here's our mystery guy:
He started piling it on the roll, and I do mean piling! He wrapped it up for us and sent us on our way. We decided to get some little sweets since they had so many interesting candies.
There are some tables outside to sit down and eat, but there was no way we were getting one. So we sat on the curb and got our grub on. When Chris unwrapped this steak, it was already melty, oozy and really juicy. I was very pleased to see that all of the cheese had melted perfectly. This looked serious! I have not seen a sandwich this monstrous since Gooey Looies in South Philly!
We started chowing down. We both thought the meat was delicious. It was good quality, tender and juicy, and perfectly seasoned. The onions were cooked just right and had a nice mild flavor that accompanied the meat well. Chris normally doesn't like onions, but he actually liked them in this sandwich. I thought the mayo was a nice touch...there wasn't too much of it, just a thin layer, and it added a little burst of flavor. We both thought that the roll was excellent. Not a traditional cheesesteak roll, but this also was not a traditional cheesesteak. This roll was a big Italian roll that was buttery and flavorful. I wouldn't mind just eating the bread! Chris and I both liked that every element of this cheesesteak was flavorful in its own right, and that it all came together very nicely.
There is no graceful way to eat this sandwich. I had meat and cheese falling out all over the place. Actually, I think Chris somehow kept his half together and ate the whole thing without anything falling out. But we both needed wet naps after this one! Seriously, I think I could still smell this sandwich on my hands for the rest of the day.
We were both pretty full, but that didn't stop us from trying the candies. We weren't a fan of either.
I also grabbed a piece of baklava (no one makes it better than my ma, but I always like to try).
It wasn't anything special. And I had this odd tea drink with basil seeds in it. Why one would want basil seeds in a drink I will never know, but this was better than I expected...but it still freaked me out a little.
Chris and I really enjoyed our experience, and we felt that all of the work of tracking down this cheesesteak and dealing with the crowd was definitely worth it. Chris has been craving it ever since, and I'm getting hungry again just writing this. We will definitely be back at Bay Cities for the not-so-mysterious-anymore, $17 cheesesteak!
Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
1517 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310-395-8279
www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com
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