Hot Eats/cool Seats

Cheese and steak. Steak and cheese. Two things couldn't have been more made for each other in my mind. Piping hot, thinly sliced ribbons of steak, smothered in tangy cheese and topped with grilled onions. This month, I set out on a mission to uncover some great cheese steaks across the Triangle and found four stops that combine great flavor, atmosphere and fun. My first stop was at Andy's Burger's Shakes and Fries. Andy's famous cheese steak comes with sautéed mushrooms as a bonus, along with the steak, melted American cheese and onions. They also steam the bun so it arrives at your table piping hot. The sub was overflowing with steak and cheese so I dug into mine with a fork instead of trying to somehow get it into my mouth and not spill it all over my lap. I really like Andy's. The staff at the location I visited in Wake Forest (there are 10 area locations) was friendly; they kept my drink full and checked back regularly to make sure I didn't need anything. The place is decorated like a diner from the 50s so has some charm that makes it fun for the family. The second stop on the tour was at Village Deli at Cameron Village where I tucked into the regular Philly Cheese Steak. I opted to exclude the peppers here as, honestly, cooked green peppers aren't my favorite, and had the cheese steak on a wheat bun. Our editor Teri Saylor has expressed concern for the volume of "Hot Eats" entrées I have been consuming in my research for this column, so I wanted to give her a nod with the bun and my choice of sides - the fresh fruit cup! Village Deli is a great choice for a cheese steak, especially if you're the only one in your group that has the craving. The menu is extensive with options for all levels of hunger and discriminating palates. While I tackled the cheese steak, my wife had the hummus platter, so we both left satisfied. The third leg of this month's tour took me to Rudino's for one of it's famous grinders. I went a bit off the reservation here and got fancy. At Rudino,s, I tried the Parmesan and Pepper Steak Grinder. It came with steak, parmesan pepper sauce, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. What I liked most about Rudino's grinders is that they come fresh out of the oven and are a bit toasted giving it a nice crunch to go with the savory flavor of the steak and parmesan pepper sauce. I had mine at Rudino's Sport Porch in Apex, but there are 12 area locations that make it an easy stop after the game. The fourth and final stop this month was in Durham at Steak Escape, home of America's favorite cheese steak. I can't validate that statement, it's just part of their slogan, but I can say that their Grand Escape is pretty tasty. Two things in particular stood out about the Grand Escape. First, the steak was really good and the second was the provolone cheese. To me, it's the ideal combo for a cheese steak. I also I really liked the fresh cut fries (sorry Teri). The fries are cooked in 100 percent pure peanut oil so at least they were naturally trans fat free. While I didn't go for either of these options, you can also have your fries smothered in cheddar cheese sauce or, if you're really into the full-belly feeling, you can order them covered with bacon and cheddar or ranch and bacon. That's it for this month. Next month, I'm going to try some tacos from around the area so véale el mes próximo en Caliente Come Asientos Frescos.