From Cafe Carmela, we went further north on Bustleton Avenue to Stoli’s Steaks in Somerton. This is so far north, you’re not even sure if it’s still Philly (it is). This neighborhood is increasingly more Russian and Ukrainian, so a cheesesteak seems a little out of place. Stoli’s has been around since 2016, and proudly advertised that they are 2nd generation steak-slingers!
The bread was very good, with a very distinct flavor to the toasted sesame buns. It’s a good thing the bread was good, because the ratio definitely favored the roll. I would have preferred both more meat and more cheese.
Unfortunately I have seen photos of two very distinct styles of steaks coming from this shop. I don’t know if it’s inconsistency, different cooks, or maybe I needed to specify how I wanted my steak prepared. I ended up with very large, very hard to chew steak strips- true old school slab style. The flavor of the beef was lacking, and it was a little bit on the dry side with too much gristle. I would have liked more cheese to help with the dryness, but it was at least mixed through consistently.
So far, the Philly contenders have put out a consistently great roll, and that’s no surprise with so many great bakeries in the city.
