Elbert's Cheesesteak Sandwiches

By setting up the first Cheesesteak Place in Manila (located in Rockwell), Elbert beat everyone to the punch. A lot of the foodie people I know prefer Philly Cheesesteak over the usual burger. The cheesesteak, popularized in Philadelphia, is made up of thinly sliced beef with melted cheese on a long roll.

On the first soft opening day, Elbert gave away free cheesesteak to all his friends and Facebook friends. We were there the day after, and the place was an instant hit in Rockwell.

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The most basic cheesesteak is called the Steak Sandwich. The American Cheesesteak uses American cheddar melted on the bun. The Provolone Cheesesteak uses Provolone cheese melted on the meat itself (instead of the bun). The Pizza Cheesesteak has additional marinara sauce on top of it. All the cheesesteaks are served with grilled chopped onions.

 

My personal favorite is the Provolone Cheesesteak. :)

 

 

The thinly sliced sirloin beef made from USDA certified beef is used in all the cheesesteak sandwiches. The bits of fat in between the meat make this really yummy. I like my provolone cheese melted on top of the beef.

 

 

Essentially, it is just a burger with a different configuration. It uses thinly sliced beef and an 8-in hoagie roll. I enjoyed the bread because it's crunchy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. It is lighter on the stomach compared to the usual burger patties.

 

Cheesesteak Sandwich and Grilled Sweet Onions with Melted Provolone Cheese on top.

Absolutely yummy! You will forget that this one costs almost P400. These cheesesteaks are selling like burgers in a fastfood joint. People just line up for them.

 

You can order the cheesesteak with large cut fries or chili fries.

 

 

Elbert's Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Basement, Power Plant Mall Food Court

In front of Dulcinea (somewhere in the middle)
Rockwell Center

 

 

 

 

 Live an Awesome Life in God's Love,

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2009.

blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com

prof. blog: AntonDiaz.com

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email: anton@diaz.ph

Comments

[Bob Reyes]

Congrats Elbert! Will drop by one of these days.

[kate]

congrats to elbert :)

[Between Bites]

Philly Cheesesteak!!! Yay, I love Philly cheesesteaks! I’ve tried the one they serve in their lunch set.

http://www.janedchua.com/2008/06/26/much-craved-lunch-elberts-steak-room/

Now, I have a new stop for my Cinema eats at Powerplant =)

Jane
Between Bites
http://www.janedchua.com

[Anton]

Thanks for sharing the link... yummy nga :)

[Jill]

P400 for a cheesesteak? Wow...

I wish they had the traditional Philly cheesesteak with wiz tho. Shouldn't that be first on the list in the menu?

[vin]

is this the same elbert steakhouse?

[upto6only]

yummy

[tina vitas]

Anton, I am not a big meat eater but I have tried the BURGER WITH MARROW at Elbert's steakhouse at lunchtime (they have set lunch menus that are affordable). I found that to be absolutely divine! But their PHILLY CHEESESTEAK in Rockwell really does transport you to the United States. Middle of winter with freezing temps, lining up with the rest of the suited office folks on the sidewalk to get one of these babies from a silver truck. It's worth every peso because it's both delicious and filling. I could eat two in one sitting if I was ravenous!

[Anton]

Thanks for the comment! I'm actually amazed that a P400 cheesesteak is
selling like hotcakes... amazing.

[Anton]

yes, Elbert of Elbert Steakhouse. He opened a new burger place focusing on
cheesesteaks in rockwell...

[Anna]

I was waiting for the opening of this store but when it finally opened and i saw the price, i said it was unreasonable. but now that i know that it's owned by elbert, i would probably give it a try. :)

[chinkee]

Cool! It's finally open! But, yeah the price is kinda steep. I'm hoping their cheesesteaks taste like they're P400, so at least the price is justifiable.:-)

[Jill]

I went there last night and tried their cheesesteak. I have to admit it was pretty good... but NOT P420 good. At that price I'm amazed how they couldn't throw in free fries and a drink (despite what the sign said). Also, they should to put in more grilled onions and slice it longer so they don't fall off easily.

At least I can say I tried it but honestly, for a sandwich that costs that much in a mall/foodcourt ambiance, I probably won't have it again.

[Mon]

Too expensive for my taste. Thanks for the pics and review though.

[knifenut]

dude that's more expensive than the cheesesteaks I get here in the states. and those cheesesteaks are waaaaay understuffed. good cheesesteaks should have rolls that cant even contain all the beef. Honest question, is Anton getting paid by these people? he seems to be a fan of bad overpriced gimmicks

[Anton]

Thanks for the comment! It is very helpful to know these kinds of different
perspective....

[Anton]

Thanks Tina for this great comment :) I love the cheesesteaks too

[Anton]

Check it out and let me know what you think...

[hungrydude]

what!!! 400 bucks for a cheesesteak sandwich!!!! highway robbery man!!

[Urban Bandit]

Too expensive? A cheesesteak at Pat's in Philadelphia cost $7.50. Thats equivalent to 360 pesos, so elbert's cheesesteak is cheaper at 320 bucks! You pay for quality and if you don't like quality, there's always the carinderia and jolly jeep! You can also eat and have a headache at rufo's for a much cheaper price. I haven't tried his branch at rockwell yet but if its the same cheesesteaks they serve for lunch at his steak room, and then it must be awesome.

If he is using usda grade meat, then at this price, this is a steal! hungrydude should eat at his nearest carinderia. I don't think local meat will taste the same, even if its a marbled cut.

[fran]

wow! congrats elbert! rockwell is the best! its bursting with lots of restaurants that serve good food!!

[tina vitas]

Just funny how people always comment about how high prices are.....If what you're getting is high quality (you pay peanuts, you get monkeys as the saying goes) then it's not at all expensive in real terms. There are things that are cheap in the absolute price yet are still not worth that little money you paid because the quality is so damn low. No customer satisfaction though cheap. Kung baga, mura nga pero hindi naman sulit. If you're getting your money's worth, then it ain't expensive. It's called RELATIVE VALUE.

[linksys]

oh my goodness, that looks really skimpy...the meat out to fill up the hero.

[linksys]

ooops sorry for the typo... i meant to type the meat ought to fill up...

[Jill]

You're right when you said "if you're getting your money's worth, then it ain't expensive."

Unfortunately, in the case of the cheesesteak, you won't be getting your money's worth.

[knifenut]

Well I've tried it and though honestly, I was a little biased, I still think it was a big disappointment. I've had waaay better 12-inch cheesesteaks in New York overflowing with beef and provolone for about the same price or even cheaper. And Urban bandit, you have to realize, minimum wage in the USA is close to $8/hour, I would think employees in Elbert's would be very lucky to get $8 in a day! Add to that the difference in rent, at the end of the day you're paying more money for less of a worse sandwich at Elbert's. And you can't say "you're paying for the ambiance" either. I don't mind paying a premium if it's deserved. I eat in Antonio's twice a month, ate in 12 three Michelin star restaurants, heck I'm even a supporter of Elbert's steak room for trying to cater to more refined Filipino palettes . I know I'm probably getting just 30% of what I pay, but in these cases, I'm willing to pay the other 70% percent for the ambiance and overall experience.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not just some troll picking a fight, I'm a daily visitor to this site, I also bleed green and I was the biggest fan of this site but, lately I've just noticed too many favorable responses to big hollow marketing gimmicks

[ingrid]

400 pesos for a philly!? that should be good... based on the photo, they should caramelize the onions more just IMO.

[ingrid]

400 pesos for a philly!? this SHOULD be good... IMO they should caramelize the onions more so itll taste sweeter.

[teh]

I've had a chance to try it.

and at 400 pesos, it's ACTUALLY A STEAL. The quality of the beef is what you're really paying for.

[mike]

kinda prioey... have to try it and see if its worth it...

[Pepe]

I don't see anything wrong with Anton reviewing a place that sells sandwiches for close to P400. I ate there last Tuesday and got to eat the provolone cheesesteak. It was divine. I didn't think I could finish it, but it was so good, I ended up doing so. I was stuffed all day though, so next time I'm thinking of bringing my gf and just splitting it with her.

I got to talk to the owner. He couldn't offer the free soda at the time I was there because the fountain machine was being serviced by coke. He was able to address the situation though by offering everyone who was there free nestea, viva or minute maid. I know those cost more that soda, so I think he was really cool of him to do that.

I also asked him how heavy a sandwich is, and he told me that it's around 300 grams! That's 1/3 a kilo. I immediately referenced how much meat that is in the grocery nearby. I looked at a 250g pack of purefoods ham and couldn't imagine I ate that much!

In conclusion, sulit siya. It's mahal on the menu, but after I ate it, I didn't feel that way anymore.

Oh, and the fries were amazing!

This sandwich is not for everyone though. Kungbaga sa analogy, ang taong may kayang bumuli ng Toyota pero hanggang Revo lang ay magkokomento na mahal yung Fortuner, pero yung may ari ng Fortuner ay masaya at nasusulitan sa purchase niya.

thanks OAP. This was One Awesome Philly. OAP?? hahaha

[Pepe]

kinfenut, on Feb 5, at 5:00 am, you wrote:

"dude that's more expensive than the cheesesteaks I get here in the states."

then on Feb 7, 4:08am, you wrote:

"Well I've tried it and though honestly, I was a little biased, I still think it was a big disappointment."

so, either you're really in the states and you tried the sandwich via email, or you teleported yourself to Power Plant mall just to try eat it and bash both Anton and the Sandwich.

Whatever the case, you just gave us reason to not believe anything you say. You're such a basher!

[Mike Cu]

I can never comprehend how some people like to bash a new restaurant without even trying it. I tried the american cheesesteak and i will say it is one of the best sandwiches i've ever had. It may look like there's very little beef in the picture but when you actually see it and eat it, its sobrang nakakabusog. I asked one of the staff how much beef they put and he said it was 150 grams. Thats more than a quarter pounder. Its more expensive than a quarter pounder but for me much better. Its a bit pricey for my standards but it was worth every centavo. I just wish they offered jalapeno.

[Sonny Thakur]

I've been to the place once, then twice... I don't know why I'm such a fan of it even if I think it's overpriced.
I'm not surprised though because rent in places like Rockwell is quite steep and putting up a restaurant/snack bar that serves food that can be had for $5 is difficult to understand. I've had cheesesteaks and pit roasts for about the same price with the meat bursting out of the roll. and cheese oozing that it gets a little uncomfortable to eat... I'm on my way to get another one... :-s

[jamiz]

im a big cheesteak fan and i think it's pretty decent but i don't think it warrants the price. a cheaper alternative, if they still do serve it, would be the cheesesteak at the handle bar on polaris st.

[Tin]

tried the provolone cheesesteak yesterday... i was disappointed because the bread is kinda hard(halatang hindi bago). i definitely agree with jill- you won't be getting your money's worth. mag-pepper lunch na lang kayo hehehe

[chinkee]

Finally tried the cheesesteak here and I, too, find it to be terribly understuffed. I suppose another 100 grams of beef would not hurt...

[rupert]

He could be a wizard and apparated? lol

Anyway, I'll be trying Elberts Steak Room and his cheesesteak sandwiches when I get back. Can't wait!

[Supreme_Being]

I loved it. I ate the entire thing in <5 minutes. Ain't that something? I wouldn't expect anything less from Elbert. :-)

[alwayshungry]

"Relative Value" as you termed above does not always apply in the case of food. For maybe the same amount/price, you can probably get the same quality and with even more offering (i.e. with additional side dish plus drink). A high price doesn't always (note: I didn't say "never") mean high quality. A case in point is 145 Farenheit Steak in QC vs Myron's or Tagaytay Highlands Steak. They are all high priced steak houses but 145 Farenheit Steak failed to deliver the quality it projects to the customer. I had ordered their wagyu steak and it turned out to be "wag-na-you" steak.

Just my two cents...

[clumsy]

elberts is one of my fave in powerplant. i eat there once a week w/ my hubby. I love their phillycheesesteak w/ provolone cheese & of course their fries & match it w/ sola icedtea perfect! then we tried their burger & its also good. they also have the best tunamelt sandwich ever! when i knew it cguro 2 mos.ago it instantly became my fave.sandwich esp. its tuna & there's no malansa taste.

[Melissa]

I think this cheesesteak is indeed overpriced. In Philadelphia, $4 to $5 cheesesteak is huge and bursting with meat and onions. It's not healthy though but it doesn't feel like highway robbery!

[gretchen gates]

• I tried Elbert’s Provolone Cheesesteak the other day and it does taste good but the price is a rip-off. A cousin of mine who works at a call center in emerald avenue, ortigas brought me to a place called BANCHETTO. She said that she’s hooked into philly cheesesteaks being sold by a lady vendor in one of the food stalls at BANCHETTO. Her food stall is called A LA TEP.So we gave it a try and whoa it blew us off!!!
The beef is so tender, juicy and well-seasoned. The creamy condiment adds rich flavor to the beef and its sauteed onions gives a bit of spice. The melted cheese is really awesome. She uses a steak roll by French Baker and it’s the perfect bread match, crunchy on the outside and kindda soft inside. And on top of it all we only paid P80 for such a delicious sandwich. The aroma of the beef is really pleasant. Based on its taste and value, it’s definitely one of the best tasting cheesesteak sandwiches we’ve ever tried!!! We just hope that she’ll make a much bigger size sandwich, say an 8-inch steak roll will definitely satisfy all our cravings. Kudo’s to that lady in black shirt with red apron!!!

[Anton]

Thanks for the tip on A LA TEP, we will check Banchetto out again...

[Migs]

Hi Anton,

Would just like to advise that there's a promotion at Elbert's

Today's deal: 50% Off delicious "Philly Steak" sandwiches at the famous Elbert's Cheesesteak Sandwiches in Rockwell! (Voucher valued at P600) Save P300!

Its all here > http://bit.ly/aMOtDr

Thanks and More Power!
Migs

[Tiff]

Im a big cheesesteak fan as well. I was able to try out Philys Cheesesteak at Ortigas Home Depot right beside Mini Stop. I think its a new diner that serves cheesesteak burgers& rice toppings thats both yummy and not overpriced like elbert's. A burger would cost around Php 80 to Php 85 :) I tried the mustang as well as the challenger. :-)

[Anton]

Hi Tiff,

Thanks for the tip! we will check that out :)

Anton