A long long time ago there were these things in the United States called "malls". I'm being funny of course, malls still exist in the US, but most of them are just a shell of what they formerly were.
It's been forever since I visited the one in my home town, but last I knew at least half the stores were empty as well as two or three of the anchor stores. With staples like Sears, JcPenny, and the like going out of business or scaling back, you are lucky to find much of anything in your local mall these days.
Being the lover of food that I am, one of the things that always fascinated me about malls was the food court. Imagine a dozen amazing to mediocre restaurants all bundled together in one place. Want a burger from McDonald's and a Taco from Taco Bell? You can do that! As long as you don't mind waiting in line.
Orange Chicken from Panda Express and an Orange Julius to wash it down with! You know what I'm talking about right?
One of the staples of nearly every 90's food court that I can remember was a Philly Cheesesteak restaurant. They went by many different names, Steak Escape, Charley's, The Great Steak and Potato Company, but the menu was pretty much always the same.
Greasy handcut french fries and some of the most fantastic subs cooked on a flattop that you can imagine. I remember back in the day my go-to was a teriyaki chicken sandwich so good it could make you cry.
Penn Station is a relatively large national chain that brought all those memories screaming back to me when @mrsbozz and I visited on our way through Cincinnati, OH.
According to the website, Penn Station was established back in 1983 and the decor in this location makes me feel like it might have been one of the very first locations! As you can see the whole place has a very dated look to it, but I almost feel like that adds to the charm.
What it lacks in decor, it absolutely makes up for in the way of food.
My sister used to live in Indianapolis and I remember her and my parents talking about visiting a Penn Station when they were down visiting. I had never been before, so I was curious to try it out. One thing I do remember is they always raved about the french fries.
I was a bit out of sorts when we first stepped in. There was a family behind us and I let them go ahead of us because they looked like they knew what they wanted and I am sure I looked like a deer in headlights.
Since we still had a bit of time on the road ahead of us and we didn't want anything super heavy (I know that seems silly looking at the pictures) sitting in our stomachs, @mrsbozz and I decided to split the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. I also knew that we had to get some fries with it given how much my family raved about the fries.
The sandwich was amazing. We both felt like we should have gotten one of our own because by the time we were finishing the last bites of our half, we were wishing there was more. The ingredients were fresh and the chicken and ham were cooked on the griddle to perfection.
After the first couple of bites, I immediately started looking at the menu to see what I should have got for myself versus sharing with my wife!
I recently jumped on the Blackstone craze and bought myself a 22" griddle to use while camping this summer. You better believe I am going to be spending a good portion of my time trying to recreate this chicken cordon bleu sandwich at the campsite!
In my opinion, the fries were exceptional. They not only reminded me of the mall trips of my youth, they also took me back further to my days of visiting the county fair and getting fries from a little stand called Gibby's. @mrsbozz was a little less impressed with the fries, but that didn't keep her and I from finishing ever single one of the spuds.
I understand why she didn't like them as much as me. If you need your fries to be totally crispy, these probably aren't the fries you are looking for. While the smaller bits are definitely crispy, the larger fries can come across as a bit soggy.
However, it isn't soggy like I ordered takeout food and by the time I got it home the fries were cold and soggy. It's more soggy they just aren't quite as crisp as the other ones. They were still plenty warm and delicious.
I also expect a lot of people might take issue with the skins still be on the potatoes. I used to be that way too, but now I love it and it just add something special to the fries that you can't get anywhere else.
By the end of our meal, we both found ourselves looking at the menu wondering what other delicious treats they had to offer. "What do you think their cookies are like if the sandwiches are this good?".
Realizing we were in a precarious situation, we quickly finished our meal and got back on the road before we found ourselves spending more money, time, and calories at Penn Station.
If you ever find yourself looking for something to eat and one of the options that pops up on your Google or Apple maps is Penn Station, I highly recommend you stop in to visit. If you aren't fully satisfied, feel free to come back and down vote me!
Sports Talk Social - @bozz.sports
Oooo I should not have read this before lunch! It looks delicious and now I am stuck here with PBJ lol
Hey, nothing wrong with a PBJ, probably a lot better for you too! This was definitely quite good!
be aware potato chips are the worst food for the body, even people love them
Umm. Thanks.
This looks very attractive and yummy
I agree. I should have waited until later in the day to write this post. I am starving now!
That cordon bleu sandwich with french fries looks absolutely delicious! It's been a while since I had a cheat day so I should consider something similar for the next opportunity 😉
Best of luck to you! It was well worth it! Sometimes those cheat meals don't live up to the name. This definitely did. No regrets at all!
I guess people like you who love good food will always know where food malls are. Hahaha
Nice pictures!
You're making me hungry! I've never heard of Penn Station subs but have fond memories of mall food courts in the 80's. I always liked the hand cut fries with the malt vinegar.
Yeah, you would probably love this place if you ever come across a chain. My brother in law said there is at least one in Columbus, but they have so many other options to choose from they never go there.
There are a lot of good options for food there. I looked up the franchise and there are three in Columbus! I may have to stop in when we're there in June.
If you do, let me know what you think. I agree about Columbus having a ton of good stuff. It looks like the Ohio Deli closed down, so that isn't an option anymore. My brother in law completed the Dagwood Challenge there. I wouldn't even attempt it! I just stick with the regular burger at the Thurmond Cafe too!
They have caused devastation in Malls here too especially with all the Rona nonsense that they were enforcing. I am a huge fan of Subs and love to goto Subway, although it is quite pricey for a sandwich and I read they fill the bread with sugar or something.. not sure how that works though! lol
I am ok with the skin being on fries still, I actually like them more that way tbh. Great to see you getting some food coverage again Bozz. 😀
I couldn't let you down! This might be the last one I do for a while. It will depend. I don't have many trips or free weekends ahead of me. Although I think I am going out this weekend, so I will have to remember to grab some snaps. If there is yeast in the dough for the bread they often use sugar to activate it. Most white bread has a ton of sugar in it.
Thanks Bozz, appreciate it. 😀
I just bought a new grilling toy too, so once I get a free weekend I will be playing with that for sure!
Nice one, I am looking forward to seeing it in action!! I have grilled already this season, was late with the bad weather until now. We have a couple of long weekends coming up so will see if I can get the family activated and make a trip too.
I am excited too. From what I have read it is one of the single best accessories you can get for a Weber Kettle. I'm geeked to try it out. I picked up a couple slabs of baby backs the other weekend at Sam's Club, so I am ready to go!
Everyone loves Weber here. Cant wait to see you testing it out.
When I saw the picture of the fries, I can say that it is not that crispy and indeed I am right because you state it on the sentences after. But at least you are still able to eat them all.
About the peel of the potatoes, oh having it's peel is good and that is advisable but it seems not normal for us because we are used to have unpeeled potatoes.
I prefer them unpeeled honestly. I have heard there are nutrients in the skin that are good for you anyway. The fries were deceptively delicious. You will have to trust me on that.
Yes me too I heard and read that we can get good benefits from it's peel.
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The Chicken Cordon Bleu was my go to when I used to live in Northern Kentucky, and go to Penn Station at least once a week! Love that place
That is awesome! I really dig Kentucky. It's a beautiful state. My sister used to live down in Wilmore, so I used to go down to the Lexington area quite a bit.
Oh, my! That made me laugh. :)
Philly cheesesteak subs were always one of my favorites, which I cannot figure out, to be honest. I am not a huge fan of greasy anything, especially if I am eating it...yet, these yummy delicious gastronomic delights? I will say yet to, every single time.
Sometimes I wonder if it is nostalgia that makes me order something like this, something I seem to have fond memories of, then I get one and think... Nope, they are just that darned good.
I never step foot in the malls here. There is absolutely no good reason to now. Even though JC Penney isn't one of my go to stores, it was still a store that I had a past with. it is in my childhood memories or my teenage years. It is one of mine and they have taken so much of them already.
Le sigh.
I actually understand what you are saying about the fries and sitting there, hot and delicious, they are forgiven for not being perfect, whereas that Irish place MeDonalds, or something like that :) No forgiveness is implied. Thank you for the wonderful wanderings of lunch - and next time, get your own!
I totally should have gotten my own. Probably my biggest regret from that whole trip! I am sure I would have been miserable if I had. Half a sandwich more than filled me up, but it just tasted so good I was craving more. I actually don't think I have ever had a proper Philly cheesesteak. I typically always go for the chicken options when presented with the choice. As I mentioned to someone else, it feels like a lot of the malls have been demolished and turned into outdoor malls. Most of the same stores, just in an outdoor setting. Which is fine, but it doesn't work so well in colder climates.
Our are stillnintact, looking lonely and feeling abandoned when you go inside. Im not sure which is worse!
I never get the chicken although I have tasted it. My mom used to make the Philly beef forvthe family, so thatvseemed right.
We still have traditional malls here too, but most of them have been foreclosed and re-bought several times.
The interesting thing is malls are thriving in Japan. We have Amazon putting smaller guys out of business here too, but that hasn't seemed to affect malls at all. The design is basically exactly the same as in America, so there is nothing unique in as far as that that I can see. I wonder why the difference.
Looks like good food. Believe it or not, despite growing up so close to Indy, I've never been to Penn Station.
I think a lot of it has to do with kids just not going out as much as they used to. People as well for that matter. There was a big push a while ago where malls were being torn down and converted to outside malls. So picture little cities with all the mall store fronts being open to the air. I am not sure that is the case anymore, but it warmer climates I can see the draw.
I could see an outside mall being nicer. Except when it rains. A mall trip on rainy days was always a good time back in the day.
Yeah, for sure! Especially if they have a theater in the mall. You could be in there for hours!
Now that's some awesome grub! Nothing like sub from NYC! Sadly no Penn Station where I'm working right now, I miss the east coast subs!
They are quite good. I have to admit though, I don't really care for Jersey Mike's. We just had one come into the town near where I live and everyone was so excited about that. I have been to a couple different locations and tried different things and I am not impressed at all. We have a local chain called Mancino's that makes some killer grinders. I would rather go there or Jimmy John's before Jersey Mike's. We have a Firehouse too, but none of those are quite like these steak, onion, and potato places.
Its great when you find a place like that where you just love the food !