Beating the Heat, East Coast Style

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year in Macomb so far, with temperatures reaching close to a hundred, the humidity making it feel more like 107° I had just worked almost twice what I usually do, and since I'm a meter reader that means I got to spend almost nine hours walking nonstop in the heat. There was literally a time or two I thought I would end up passing out. When I finished work I was hot, tired, exhausted, and I just wanted something cold to drink and a little something to eat.

I decided to visit my brother over at the Penn Station over on Gratiot, just off of M-59, or what we Michigan people like to call Hall Road. Penn Station is well known for their "East Coast style" subs, which essentially means that the subs are grilled to order in direct view of the customer, and they specialize in the Philly Cheesesteak, which I was craving at the time. In fact, as I was driving there, I was deciding how I wanted my sub made, in my head, because that's normal.

All I knew at the time was that a Philly Cheesesteak sounded really good, but whenever I got one before I always ended up having teriyaki sauce cooked with the steak, or dipping the whole sub in honey mustard, which I know sounds strange, but it's actually really good.

Anyways, what seemed like would hit the spot would be a Philly, with American cheese instead of the usual provided provolone, as well as grilled onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and finished with a sprinkling of oregano. That's one thing I love about this place, every sub can be made exactly how you like it. I also got these jalapeno kettle-cooked chips to go along with it. I received my food, sat down, and opened up the wrapper, like a child on Christmas morning.

I almost cried tears of joy when I opened this. Not really.

My sub could not have been more perfect. The bread was crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. The veggies had been cooked along with the steak so their flavors balanced with each other nicely. And the cheese was melted and held everything all together in one perfect layer. I know I was pretty hungry at the time, but I'm pretty sure this was the best sub I've ever had in my life.

This picture was enlarged to make you hungry. If it didn't work, I don't know what's wrong with you.

The kettle-cooked chips were amazing as well. They had a kick to them, unlike so many other products that have the Jalapeno flavor but not the heat. They were perfectly seasoned, there wasn't a single chip that was lacking in that department. I could have easily eaten another bag of these at the time, but I decided against it.

So I got to not only be in a nice, air-conditioned environment, and have an ice-cold drink, but I got to enjoy one of the best meals I've had in a while, and the best sub I've ever eaten before. If you're in the Clinton Township area and are in the mood for a good sub, don't hesitate to stop by here, they deserve your business.