A couple of months ago the trade publication Restaurant Hospitality – citing sandwiches that best highlighted some of the sandwich trends across the country and that “won their hearts” – named The Tex-Mex Cheesesteak at Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys here in Houston as the best sandwich in America. I have been down on Antone’s for quite a while, but reading this and hearing that they had revitalized their menu, I had to give it a try. It was certainly worth the recent trip.
The relatively small-for-a-cheesesteak sandwich priced at $9.95 features thinly sliced top sirloin, sliced sautéed red bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos and onions, pepper Jack cheese, doused with some red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and slathered with some chipotle-spiked mayonnaise in a toasted roll from their longtime supplier Royal Bakery. I found it delicious, the best sandwich I’ve had at Antone’s in memory. Tasty and tender beef, a good amount of spice and other complementary flavors and a quality bread. But there could have been a little more cheese on this cheesesteak, and I wish the peppers, skin-on, could have been cooked a little longer for my taste – and stomach, as these seemed to have caused some distress later. Plus, the nicely toasted, fresh roll provided enough texturally contrast to the soft beef and other fillings. No real matter.
This isn’t the best cheesesteak sandwich in Houston, any of the ones at Pappa Geno’s including the basic one I had there a couple of days ago are better, but it is worth a trip to Antone’s if you have the hankering for a tasty hot and properly unavoidably messy sandwich.
Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys
4520 San Felipe (just inside the West Loop), 77027, (713) 623-4464
2724 West T.C. Jester (just north of the North Loop), 77018, (713) 686-4338
antones1962.com
The Tex-Mex Cheesesteak at Antone's (courtesy of Restaurant Hospitality)
The relatively small-for-a-cheesesteak sandwich priced at $9.95 features thinly sliced top sirloin, sliced sautéed red bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos and onions, pepper Jack cheese, doused with some red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and slathered with some chipotle-spiked mayonnaise in a toasted roll from their longtime supplier Royal Bakery. I found it delicious, the best sandwich I’ve had at Antone’s in memory. Tasty and tender beef, a good amount of spice and other complementary flavors and a quality bread. But there could have been a little more cheese on this cheesesteak, and I wish the peppers, skin-on, could have been cooked a little longer for my taste – and stomach, as these seemed to have caused some distress later. Plus, the nicely toasted, fresh roll provided enough texturally contrast to the soft beef and other fillings. No real matter.
This isn’t the best cheesesteak sandwich in Houston, any of the ones at Pappa Geno’s including the basic one I had there a couple of days ago are better, but it is worth a trip to Antone’s if you have the hankering for a tasty hot and properly unavoidably messy sandwich.
Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys
4520 San Felipe (just inside the West Loop), 77027, (713) 623-4464
2724 West T.C. Jester (just north of the North Loop), 77018, (713) 686-4338
antones1962.com
The Tex-Mex Cheesesteak at Antone's (courtesy of Restaurant Hospitality)
