Primanti’s Sucks

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

Kevin,

I think these are matters of definition.

“Destination” place to me, means that you go to that destination for the purpose of going to a specific restaurant. I go into Phila for certain things…even if they’re not the best. I go to New Haven for Modern Apizza (on the way north to Maine); I even go to NYC for a Katz sandwich, though the last time I did that, I was unimpressed; the meat had no texture/chew to it…like it was processed. That was in 12/16.

Primanti’s is not only not a place to go to PGH for…but it is a place that, once in PGH, it’s not worth the effort. The meats there are sliced so thin, you can see the next slice…and they have the texture of jerky. My son said he likes to put an egg on them…but…to me, that would just add to the mess. (There is a place that sells almond torte in PGH; I am not a cake person and was skeptical, but that cake is really good…two locations.)

Re: Pepe’s…sorry, but not how I judge pizza places… .by what’s nearby.9 ( I am not a big Pepe’s fan anyway…prefer Modern, but…the branch I went to in CT was as good as Wooster St.) (Similarly, my favorite cheesesteak place…by a large margin…is Mama’s in Bala Cynwyd, though Pat’s is a “destination” place in the sense that it is ok food and an experience.)

[Scott_Tallman]

@Jeff Twersky

Growing up, I worked for my family’s fish business in the Strip from the time I was 8 years old to when I graduated college. I can’t tell you how many hundreds (thousands?) of times I ate at Primantis. It served a decent sandwich, but I mostly went because the guys I worked with went there, and it was a lot of calories, which I needed to survive the day. It was never a great sandwich. And it was made with steak, not pastrami, and definitely not hamburger.

When I as in college, some of my friends, not from the burgh, wanted to go get a sandwich late at night at a place they had “discovered” and had a great sandwich. I cracked up when they took me to Primantis in the Strip. They were confused when I knew everyone there.

If you want a great sandwich, come to Seattle and eat at Salumi.

Growing up in West Virginia, we’d generally stop there before/after a concert in Pittsburgh. Not because food was good as you note, but plentiful, cheap calories. Can’t imagine eating there now.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

@Jason T

Maybe my sarcasm detector is broken but why check the box if the box is universally described as completely sucking?

Because some people like to make up their own minds.

I tweeted that awful grainy picture of the Capicola & Cheese sandwich yesterday (took it with my antique iPhone 3GS way back when lol) and I think the tweet got more likes than any I have ever posted! Someone likes Primanti.

[Ken_Strauss]

Since we are talking destination place.
I took a Uber to get there from a downtown hotel.
I couldn’t get back. No cabs in the area. No pick up on Uber.
I stood outside for 45 minutes trying.
Luckily I was on a field trip with the Miami Marlins. I missed the pickup at the hotel to go to the Roberto Clemente museum. However I was able to call and arrange for the bus to pick me up and get to the museum. This was 2 years ago.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

@Ken Strauss

Since we are talking destination place.
I took a Uber to get there from a downtown hotel.
I couldn’t get back. No cabs in the area. No pick up on Uber.
I stood outside for 45 minutes trying.
Luckily I was on a field trip with the Miami Marlins. I missed the pickup at the hotel to go to the Roberto Clemente museum. However I was able to call and arrange for the bus to pick me up and get to the museum. This was 2 years ago.

Are you sure this was the Strip District location? It’s like a 5-10 minute walk from the Heinz Museum and the Convention Center. How can that be a Uber no-go area? Penzeys Spices is right next door.

[Ken_Strauss]

@K_F_o_l_e_y

@Ken Strauss

Since we are talking destination place.
I took a Uber to get there from a downtown hotel.
I couldn’t get back. No cabs in the area. No pick up on Uber.
I stood outside for 45 minutes trying.
Luckily I was on a field trip with the Miami Marlins. I missed the pickup at the hotel to go to the Roberto Clemente museum. However I was able to call and arrange for the bus to pick me up and get to the museum. This was 2 years ago.

Are you sure this was the Strip District location? It’s like a 5-10 minute walk from the Heinz Museum and the Convention Center. How can that be a Uber no-go area? Penzeys Spices is right next door.

Yes the original location.
It was my 1st time in Pittsburgh so I had no idea how to get anywhere.
I was baffled also.

[Tom_G_l_a_s_g_o_w]

If you think Primanti’s sucks, the cab service is way worse. Can’t hail a cab on the street (not permitted) and if you call they only pick you up for an airport run, have to go to a hotel for a cab.
Maybe Uber wasn’t as prevalent 2 years ago, but that’s a definite ok area to get Uber.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

I did eat at one of the Frank Pepe pizzerias in CT this week. Though that place is not my favorite pizza place in New Haven (Modern is)…because the crust is so chewy (glutinous) that my jaws ache…the branch concept has worked really well for them…and replicates the original with great care and respect.

Video about Frank Pepe’s on Eater today:

Watch: Does New Haven Serve the Best Pizza in America?

[Siun_O_Connell]

Sally’s was always better.

Apizza with Schmozz

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

@K_F_o_l_e_y

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

I did eat at one of the Frank Pepe pizzerias in CT this week. Though that place is not my favorite pizza place in New Haven (Modern is)…because the crust is so chewy (glutinous) that my jaws ache…the branch concept has worked really well for them…and replicates the original with great care and respect.

Video about Frank Pepe’s on Eater today:

Watch: Does New Haven Serve the Best Pizza in America? - Eater

Thanks…nice taste…but the crust is so chewy, my jaw gets sore every time I go there…and when I reheat it at home. It’s like a glutinous, really chewy italian bread. Very tasty…but too much chewing. That’s why of the ones actually in New Haven, I like Modern the best…not like chewing elastic cardboard. (And, Sally’s might be the most inefficient restaurant in America…one pie shows up after an hour…and the next ones…spread out even longer than that; no turnover of seats as a result…and eternal lines…and , essentially, the same pie and genesis as neighboring pepe’s, without the efficiency. No thanks on Sally’s)

[T_Williams]

@K_F_o_l_e_y

I went to the original a few years ago and had whatever the famous sandwich you see on TV is with fries and a runny fried egg thrown in. Is that pastrami?

I thought it was good, although not amazing. Definitely a fun place to visit and check off the bucket list. But it ain’t no Di Nic’s in Reading Terminal Market (Philly).

Di Nic’s is good, but its not even the best sandwich in Reading Terminal!

Herschel’s East Side Deli: pastrami on marbled rye with 3 latkes on the side. Best lunch sandwich in the city. As a city, we (Philadelphia) really need to shake this whole “cheesesteak” as the defining sandwich of the city bit. Most places that serve a cheesesteak fall into the same boat as Primanti’s, lots of calories for little money and nothing more. Good grub for starving college kids but not a serious sandwich.

[K_F_o_l_e_y]

@T. Williams

Di Nic’s is good, but its not even the best sandwich in Reading Terminal!

[Dave_McIsaac]

Primanti’s may indeed suck, but the Strip District is awesome!!

I made a pilgrimage on Saturday AM for the first time in several years.

Breakfast on the second floor outdoor patio at Rolands (Pamelas and DeLuca’s too packed to wait for) with Bloody Marys

Bought 5 lbs of cheese (Piave is the bomb), hot capicola, an olive mix and prosciutto from Penn Mac

Blue Mountain coffee beans

Then off to the Montour trails for some bike riding

Dinner on the deck grazing the spoils of our shopping, a couple bottles of wine and one outstanding cigar.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

Good food - - - Pittsburgh - - - (?) - - - why is this even a discussion.

We made Primanti’s sandwiches in the parking lot at our tailgate when the Jets played the Steelers. I set up a large pot of frying oil and we made fresh fries for the sandwich. It was over-rated as a concept to start with. Putting French Fries on pastrami is a bad idea. Pastrami goes on rye bread with mustard. Anyone who goes to Katz’s will understand. At least the sandwich uses vinegar based coleslaw. Mayo based coleslaw would make it truly puke worthy.

[Dave_McIsaac]

@J a y H a c k

Good food - - - Pittsburgh - - - (?) - - - why is this even a discussion.

We made Primanti’s sandwiches in the parking lot at our tailgate when the Jets played the Steelers. I set up a large pot of frying oil and we made fresh fries for the sandwich. It was over-rated as a concept to start with. Putting French Fries on pastrami is a bad idea. Pastrami goes on rye bread with mustard. Anyone who goes to Katz’s will understand. At least the sandwich uses vinegar based coleslaw. Mayo based coleslaw would make it truly puke worthy.

Sorry to interfere with your obnoxious comment, but there are lots of great restaurants in Pittsburgh. Primanti’s is not one of them.

You’re just pissed because the Jets blew that game - a few times!!!

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

Best food in “Stiller” country is that burnt almond tarte…second is a brewery with names that non one can pronounce…many viking sounding.Millvale’s Draai Laag relaunches as Strange Roots Experimental Ales | Drink | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper

After that…it’s a long way to the Jamison lamb farm…wherever that is…

As Jay said, their coleslaw ain’t really too bad at Primanti’s…

[Dave_McIsaac]

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

Best food in “Stiller” country is that burnt almond tarte…second is a brewery with names that non one can pronounce…many viking sounding.Millvale’s Draai Laag relaunches as Strange Roots Experimental Ales | Drink | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper

After that…it’s a long way to the Jamison lamb farm…wherever that is…

As Jay said, their coleslaw ain’t really too bad at Primanti’s…

Jamison’s is in Latrobe, which is where the Stillers do their summer camp (St Vincent College).

Elysian Fields Farm is also in the Pittsburgh area.

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

Yes…“Lay-trobe” as John Jamison pronounced it…near Lig-o-nier.