I’m a when-in-Rome-eat-as-the-Romans kind of traveler which is why during a daytrip to Philadelphia this past weekend, the clear choice for lunch was Philly cheese steaks, even though truth be told, I’m not even a cheese steak fan. I’m no Philly expert but of the little I do know of the city, I know the two big names in town are Geno’s and Pat’s, conveniently located diagonally across the street from each other.

Geno's Steaks' famous Philly cheese steak, "Whiz, with"

A little research showed that both had devoted followings, tacky websites and pretty similar cheese steaks, so really just picking at random, my daytripping buddies and I went with Geno’s Steaks.

Massive, greasy and sloppy, the cheese steak at Geno’s, oozing with melted bright yellow cheese and thinly sliced juicy beef, was everything I expected it to be. Ordered “Whiz, with” which is Philly cheese steak lingo for “cheese steak with Cheez Whiz and grilled onions,” it had the Italians I was with moaning and groaning about five minutes after they had eaten the last bite and licked off all the grease from their shiny fingers.

I wasn’t converted into a full-on cheese steak fan nor am I now on the Geno’s side of the great Pat’s vs Geno’s debate, but for being a local specialty that lots of other people seem to love, the cheese steak wasn’t half bad.