Date 89 & 90: Army Navy and Sandwicheese

Date 88 & 89: Army Navy and Sandwicheese

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      I think cheese steak sandwiches are my new favorite thing. Remember when I used to have an obsession with xiao long bao, and then later, buffalo wings? I think my cheese steak obsession is already near that level. Near, but not quite.

      In a cheese steak sandwich, I look for perfect balance. The meat should be the star, of course, but the other ingredients should also complement the meat well. If there are caramelized onions, they should provide much needed sweetness and variety in texture, while the cheese should provide silkiness and elevate the flavor. The bun should be able to hold everything in place, and should make all the flavors come together. And most importantly, the meat should be tender, perfectly seasoned, and should have a distinguishable beefy flavor.

       For now, our favorite place to get our cheese steak sandwich fix is Elbert’s Cheesesteak Sandwiches. Elbert’s is located all the way in Makati, though, so we’re trying to look for alternatives nearby.

       Recently, we tried Army Navy and Sandwicheese. They are located across each other in Katipunan Ext. Here’s how the two go toe-to-toe:

1. Ambiance

      The ambiance in Army Navy is like an army barracks.

      But I think I prefer the cozy and feminine ambiance in Sandwicheese.

2. Menu

       Both menus have burgers and sandwiches on them, although Army Navy wins on this aspect because they also offer plenty of side dishes like fries.

3. Pricing

       Both restaurants have reasonably-priced dishes, but I think the food in Sandwicheese is a bit more worth the price, with most items on the P120-P170 price range.

4. Packaging

     I don’t normally include this as a criterion, but I think it was really a mistake for Sandwicheese to wrap their sandwiches in paper. Why?

     Because of this. I think they should implement a different system for people who plan to dine in.

5. Cheese Sandwich

      Here is where the battle really begins. Let’s start with the cheese steak from Army Navy, the Starving Sailor Sandwich (P225)

     The Starving Sailor Sandwich was jam packed with meat, but Douglas and I didn’t feel that the meat had a prominent beefy flavor. The meat to bread ratio was also highly uneven. It did have good cheese, though.

      Douglas and I preferred Sandwicheese’s Drippin Roast Beef (P160) sandwich. The beef was a little bit under seasoned at first, but it was nothing a few shakes of salt and pepper couldn’t fix. The cornbread that they used for this sandwich was flavorful and delicious, but I think it was too soft to hold  the whole thing together. Overall, though, it was a great sandwich.

5.2 Other offerings

      We also got a Steak Burrito (P190) from Army Navy. I didn’t like it at all. The lettuce made it feel like a salad wrap rather than a burrito. The meat also left much to be desired.

      Meanwhile, this Hickory Shredded Pork (P160) sandwich was a delight to eat.  The sauce was a little overpowering, though, but overall it was great.

Overall Verdict: We didn’t get to try a lot of things from either restaurants, but for now Douglas and I prefer eating at Sandwicheese. Of course, we still haven’t found a substitute for our favorite sandwich from Elbert’s, but I think Sandwicheese is good enough to answer our cravings.

Sandwicheese

and 

Army Navy

Katipunan Ext. 

Quezon City

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With and For Love,

Rina Caparras and Douglas Chong

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