Luigi Ortega's-Closed

Luigi Ortega's 1655 E Colorado Blvd Pasadena 626-396-9669 Luigi Ortega's is across the the street for Pasadena City College, where the great Jackie Robinson, attended before breaking the color line in baseball with the BROOKLYN Dodgers. Luigi Ortega's is an interesting combination of Italian and Mexican food. But what I heard they were known for, is their Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies. Later on, I realized the irony of two Philly staples, cheesesteaks and hoagies, near the school Jackie Robinson attended. Philadelphia is a scumbag racist city. When Jackie Robinson broke the color line in baseball, by far, the city who treated him the worst was Philly. In 1997, when Major League Baseball honored 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson, breaking the color line, the Philadelphia Phillies apologized to the Robinson family, for the way jerkoffs on the Phillies treated Jackie Robinson. Philly fans maybe less racist but they are still a bunch of scumbags in Philly. From the jerkoff who ran onto the field during a Phillies game and was tasered; which they should do at any moron who runs onto the field, to the idiot who threw up on a father and daughter at a Phillies game, Philly has nothing but no class loser sports fans. Philly cheesesteak, $6.25, with provolone cheese on an Amorosa roll. Amorosa rolls are a must for any cheesesteak. The rolls have the perfect texture, chewy crust with a soft inside. But, a good ratio of cheese to meat, is also important!! On this cheesesteak, there was a decent amount of beef, though I doubt it was ribeye, but there wasn't much provolone cheese. The beef was more like top round or sirlion. It had a good flavor but not bursting with flavor. I asked for the Italian hoagie, $6.99, coppacola, mortadella, Genoa Salami, prosciutto and provolone Cheese on a Amorosa roll, to go. This hoagie had only mayo, lettuce and tomatoes, added. I hate Italian dressing and vinegar on my sandwiches. I don't want something that is too tangy or will make the sandwich soggy. The meats were pretty good but there just wasn't enough of it. I could go to Eastside Italian Market and get a sandwich with the same meats, ok, without the prosciutto, but with much more meat. I'm not saying this hoagie wasn't good, it was, I just don't think it is worth the price. Service is below average. The lady who took my order, had either just started working or is brand new. She was so unsure about how to write my order etc. I asked if they could put the Sunday night baseball game on TV, they were showing stupid X Games, and some other crap on TV. She said sure. But she didn't get to it until taking two orders, then until my cheesesteak was ready. Another lady brought me the cheesesteak and said I don't think we can change the channel. About 2-3 minutes later the channel was finally changed and I got to watch baseball, a real sport, not some bastardized sport made for TV. Of course, I had just about finished my cheesesteak by that time. There is no reason for me to go back to Luigi Ortega's, for anything. Ok, great they use Amorosa rolls but the meats for the cheesesteaks aren't anything great and there isn't enough meat on the hoagies.

Hoagie and Wings-Closed

Hoagie and Wings
5301 Venice Blvd
LA
323-934-1500

I've heard good things about Hoagie and Wings, so I finally made the trip to give it a try. Maybe I had higher expectations but I thought it was very average and certainly not worth the drive to the Mid Wilshire area.

I ordered the steak hoagie ($5.99) with four chicken wings ($2.99). The hoagies are billed as California hoagies, so if you're expecting the Philly style hoagies, go somewhere else. The steak hoagie has lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and cheese. I thought the amount of steak was really lacking. The cheesesteaks at Philly's Best gives you much more for the same price. The steak wasn't that tender either, very tough and chewy. The french roll was slightly toasted and soft and chewy. The other ingredients were nice and fresh.

The chicken wings was OK. I ordered the hot and they were fairly hot but nothing too hot. The wings were pretty good sized minus the midget wing they gave me. The skin was crispy and the inside was pretty good.

Service is decent. They did screw up my wings order. I asked for hot and they gave me honey BBQ. But that was quickly fixed but one of the hot wings was so small, I couldn't believe they served it. I also called on Sunday to see if they were opened and nobody answered the phone. When I went there on Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, I asked about that and they said they were opened on Sunday. Not sure why they didn't answer the phone. Oh well. I won't go back to Hoagies and Wings. I feel the prices are too high and the quality of food isn't the best. They recently opened another location on La Ceinega but I won't go to that location either.

Philly’s Best-Placentia

Philly’s Best
198 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Placentia CA
714-996-3278

Philly's Best has many locations in Orange County and have started to expand to LA County. At all locations the cheesesteaks and hoagies are very good.

Pictured is an American hoagie with ham, salami, bologna and cheese for $5.92. They put mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions and peppers. The onions and peppers, which I decide to try for the first time, really ruin the taste of the hoagie. The peppers have a nasty bitter taste. I took the onions and peppers off after the first bite. The other ingredients were fresh and the hoagie was good. But I think I think the prices are still on the high side and Philly's Best isn't a good value.

Service is OK. The lady who took my order was fine. But it took forever to get my order. The guy who ordered a cheesesteak after me got his order before I did. They didn't have to cook my order so I don't know what took so long!!!

Of the three Philly's Best locations I've been to, San Dimas and Walnut are the others, Placentia is the slowest location in terms of service and I believe they give you less meat on the sandwiches.

There is no reason for me to return to this Philly's Best location.

Philly's Best- Walnut-Closed

Philly's Best
368 N Lemon Ave
Unit B
Walnut, CA
909-598-3650

Philly's Best is rapidly expanding and one of their newest locations is in Walnut. The place is kinda of hard to find but it's in the Von's shopping center on the corner of Lemon and La Puente Rd.

As with all Philly's Best location the restaurant is very clean. I ordered the cheesesteak with prolone and easy onions for $5.83. There is no quality difference between the Walnut location and any other Philly's Best locations I've been to. But the amount of meat and cheese seem to have gotten smaller. The San Dimas location you couldn't see any part of the bread since it was covered with meat and cheese. I don't carry around a scale but I would be this cheesesteak weighed less than the San Dimas location. Dispite the small size, the cheesesteak was very good. Nice blending of cheese and meat. All their products are shipped from Philly.

I went back and ordered an American Hoagie, which is ham, salami, bologna and cheese. Top picture. All the ingredients were very fresh. The hoagies come with oil and oregano but I think they overpower the sandwich, so I have them put mayo instead. I like the hoagie but again is on the high side. A good once in awhile place to go.

I asked the cashier, if this owner also owned the San Dimas location. He said no. Then while eating I noticed his t shirt that listed the Walnut and the Buena Park locations. So I assume the same person owns both places. The cashier might want to mention that or the owner might want to inform his employees about that. But the service was good and fast.

As I mentioned in the San Dimas review, the food is good but on the expensive side. I wouldn't make this an everyday place to pick up lunch but they have good quality food and service. Can't ask for much more.

Philly's Best- San Dimas

Philly's Best- San Dimas
806 W. Arrow Hwy Unit C
San Dimas, CA 91773
909-305-8811

I went to Philly's Best in San Dimas today, Sept, 1, 2005. They opened August 26th so less than a week. But as with all Philly's Best locations I've been to the same menu items. Though the San Dimas location about about 20 cents more than the Placentia and Irvine locations. They are located in the Target shopping center off the 57 Freeway at Arrow Hwy.

The sandwiches pictured above are from the San Dimas location. The second picture is an American Hoagie with ham, salami, bogolna, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Mustuard, mayo, onions, oregano, oil and salt and pepper are optional.

The last picture is a cheesesteak with provolone cheese and onions. This location doesn't cheat you out of the steak. They put much more steak onto your cheesesteak than the Placentia location. Maybe that's what accounts for the higher prices.

Very friendly service and good cheesesteaks and hoagies should make this location a hit with the San Dimas community.