As with any culinary tradition in the US, the Philly cheese steak has its fair share of aficionados bickering over how to make it just right: the proper consistency of the melted cheese; the softness of the bun; the thickness (or thinness) of the beef. Is it best eaten al fresco, or sitting down inside a restaurant? Decide for yourself at Cheese David (起司大衛), which opened last year in Ximending (西門町) and specializes in the Philadelphia favorite. As the restaurant’s paper placemats read: “You don’t have to fly all the way to the US to eat one.”
The 10-inch hoagie at Cheese David runs you NT$145 for a single order (NT$185 for a set meal with fries and drink) and includes a moderate amount of chopped US beef, fried onions and melted processed cheese. It’s somewhat fortunate I ordered the set meal because the sandwich wouldn’t have been particularly filling on its own— especially if it was for dinner.
I found the fries (crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside) were ideal for mopping up the cheese and onions that escaped from the sandwhich as I ate. The meat was good, but there was so little of it — or it was so unevenly distributed — that I occasionally bit into just bread and cheese.
Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei Times
In addition to the Philly cheese steak, I tasted a fried chicken wrap (NT$105, or NT$145 for a set meal), which was two pieces of spicy breaded chicken wrapped in a soft tortilla with lettuce, chopped tomato and fried onion, all topped with a dollop of mayonnaise. The wrap was tasty, but there was nothing to distinguish it from something you might find at the KFC located a few doors away.
Cheese David’s menu also includes a “Philly” barbecue burger (NT$135, NT$175 for set meal), a bacon and cheese sub (NT$145 or NT$185), a fried chicken sub (NT$115 or NT$155) and a tuna salad sub (NT$105 or NT$145).
For a restaurant that bills itself as introducing Taiwan to a unique American sandwich, one would half expect the decor to follow suit, but the second-floor dining area has a generic fast-food vibe. Still, there are some nice touches. An enormous mural shows what I presume to be Philadelphia’s skyline at night. Opposite are long bar tables and stools facing three large windows — ideal for watching foot and vehicle traffic below.
Photo: Noah Buchan, Taipei Times
For those hankering after a distinctive sandwich experience or a taste of home, Cheese David’s Philly cheese steak might be worth a try.
It’s unlikely, however, that I would make a special trip to the restaurant because most of its menu items are readily available at fast food joints throughout Taipei, and even Subway’s steak and cheese sandwich beats out Cheese David’s specialty.
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