The Full Monti "Whiz Wit"

Are you a Philadelphia native who is tired of everyone telling you that the Italian Beef Sandwich is just as good as the Philly Cheesesteak? It is good, but it ain't no Cheesesteak.  Are you a Chicagoan ready to try something just a bit different? Tired of hearing the argument over Gino's vs. Pat's vs. Tony Luke's? Have you just watched so many of the Rocky movies lately that you can' help saying "Youz Guyzzzz" to everyone you see on the street and you want to meld that with an appropriate food type?

Well, there is a place in Chicago where you can get a very authentic Philly Cheesesteak. Monti's. Located just south of Lawrence on Talman. I've only been there once, but I can promise to go back in the near future and I highly doubt I will stray from one item on the menu. Philly Cheesesteak with Onions, mushrooms, and of course, the whiz. (At Pat's in Philly this would be a "whiz wit") Well, they call it cheddar cheese sauce at Monti's I think, but it's pretty much the whiz or a more natural version of the beloved philly cheese sauce that would typically comes in a very large can. Monti, the owner was quick to explain that every thing they serve is natural and healthier or something. I don't know as I was salivating so heavily, my ears clogged and I just couldn't concentrate. Natural, farm fresh . . . huh? I just nodded and ate my food as my eyes rolled back in my head. Oh, and there is nobody sending you to the back of the line here if you order incorrectly.

What I Eat: The Cheeseteak. My wife got the chicken steak. She was healthier for sure. I'm sure it was good, but I wouldn't know because she never even offered me a bite. I think maybe as her last bite was shoved in her already full cheeks she said, "you want a taste?"
The steak is chopped finely, more like Gino's than Pat's. Pretty standard really. The flavor was great. I have been to Philly's best and can tell you that those are not the correct flavors of a Philly Cheesesteak. It's all wrong. At Monti's the steak is a bit fatty, maybe that's ok, but I would be interested to see if it is the same next time. The onions were really nice and sweet and tender. The whizzy like sauce was nice and runny, not clumpy. And then there was the bread. Amoroso rolls from Philadelphia. I seriously don't understand why they can't make rolls like that here. They are incredible. Warm and soft. It melts in your mouth and is gone in a heartbeat. The bread makes it for me. My only real mistake was ordering an 8 inch long vs. a 12 inch. The bun for the 8 inch is too small for the steak and it all kind of falls out. I also ate it so fast that my brain got really confused and asked me to consider ordering another. Fortunately, my wife reminded my brain that my stomach would be very unhappy with me if I ordered another sandwich.

In the end, a definite recommendation. Careful if you go on an Eagles gameday. Learn more about the owners on their website or just go in and chat with Monti. A native Philadelphian transplanted to Chicago.

There are no more Tastykakes at Monti's. They stopped serving those when the company was purchased by a larger corporation and changed their policies and ingredients. I was kinda bumbed about that one. I was expecting to eat a lemon or cherry pie and drift into memories of my youth.  

The decor and location doesn't feel very "philly", but you just have to get over that and eat the Hoagies (pronounced "Hoewgee" if you are from philly). Some college pennants are on the wall, but that's it.
No signed photo of Dr. J or anything. 

The fries were excellent. I mean perfect. Not greasy at all. Perfectly cooked and salted. As you can see, the 8 inch hoagie roll is too small for the meat. I was confused about seeing a fork on my "plate", but understood that was a result of the smaller, though delicious roll.