15 replies to this topic

[New Foodie]

Taylor Charles Steak and Ice (from the Taylor Gourmet guys) opened on December 12 on H St. We happened to stop by yesterday to check it out and it was pretty busy.

First off, I think the decor is funky and fun. The graffiti and street lights and picnic-style tables certainly evoke the outdoor atmosphere of many of the Philly cheesesteak places. There aren't a ton of seats, but it is similar to other places up and down H.

The basic choices are ribeye, chicken, or portabello, wit or witout onions, and a choice of cheeses (provolone, American, whiz, or homemade white whiz). Adding mayo, tomato, and lettuce is an upcharge, plus some options for other toppings. There are also maybe 9-10 options of "specialty" sandwiches where they've put some combinations together. And a couple of hot dog options as well. Fries are available plain, with whiz, or with sloppy joe topping and whiz.

My +1 and I each had the ribeye, wit, with white whiz, and we split an order of sloppy joe fries. I think we both agreed that the flavor was good (from the bread to the steak, onions, and whiz), but we both prefer our cheesesteak meat to be a bit more chopped. I realize this is a personal preference, and there are places in Philly that do both chopped and whole pieces. I also realize ribeye is not a lean cut of meat, but I had far too many pieces pull out of my sandwich (making for some huge and awkward bites) and too many bites that were too chewy. I'm not sure if you can ask them to chop it more finely or not, but if not, I think I may steer towards one of the chicken sandwiches next time. The fries were good, but nothing spectacular (and were not that large of a serving for nearly $5).

[DCDuck]

We also stopped in this weekend (Saturday), and quite enjoyed it. They are having a few (understandable) service issues, and as a result we did not get exactly what we tried to order (disappointed I didn't get to try the house-made white wiz), but liked the sandwiches that we did get very much. I am a big fan of the bread, and feel that the ratio of meat to bread was pretty much spot on. One of our sandwiches mistakenly came with grilled peppers, and these were a nice addition, one that I might order on purpose next time around.

The Taylor Balls (cheese fritters) were fine, but not something I'm likely to order again next time around. Like New Foodie, I really like the decor and layout. Since it is two blocks closer than Taylor, and since I can be quite lazy, I'm sure I'll be back.

[mbucher]

There's a joke here... Someone plz jump in..

[Jeff Heineman]

I am not an expert, but I am sure one exists here. I don't know who, but it seems using the terms "wit" and "wit out" must be offensive, to someone. Kind of like using Ebonics on a soul food menu.
Before anyone goes crazy, this is more of a question than a statement.

[Pizzaandbrew]

I am not an expert, but I am sure one exists here. I don't know who, but it seems using the terms "wit" and "wit out" must be offensive, to someone. Kind of like using Ebonics on a soul food menu.
Before anyone goes crazy, this is more of a question than a statement.

If the omission of an "h" is offensive to anyone it is a true sign the apocalypse is upon us. There is no pretension that this is the King's English. When you walk in the door, they are offering you a glimpse into the world of their youth. "Wit" is to South Philly vernacular what "hon" is to B'more. To who it does offend, I'd suggest any grammatically correct "steak and cheese" is far more offensive to the taste buds.

[DanielK]

I grew up in Philly, and the way you order a cheesesteak (not a steak and cheese) is to specify the cheese, then whether or not you want onions.

"wiz wit" - That's a cheesesteak with cheese whiz and onions. Simply the local dialect. I usually got "pizza wit" - cheesesteak with provolone, onions, and "red gravy" aka tomato sauce.

[Rieux]

Every time I look at the name I see Charles Taylor, not Taylor Charles and I think of the Liberian warlord who committed crimes against humanity. I know it is random, but I wonder if the owners ever thought about that?

[Twinsdaddy]

Every time I look at the name I see Charles Taylor, not Taylor Charles and I think of the Liberian warlord who committed crimes against humanity. I know it is random, but I wonder if the owners ever thought about that?

It's not that random -- I think the same thing.

But the vast, vast majority of Americans have never heard of the guy.

[Barbara]

It's not that random -- I think the same thing.

But the vast, vast majority of Americans have never heard of the guy.

Or, they think of Chuck Taylors . . .

[Pat]

Or, they think of Chuck Taylors . . .

I had the Charles Taylor reaction too. My eyes just keep making me rearrange the words that way. I think I saw something when this was in the planning stage about why the Charles is in there, but Taylor Steak and Ice is a much better name.

[ad.mich]

I am not an expert, but I am sure one exists here. I don't know who, but it seems using the terms "wit" and "wit out" must be offensive, to someone. Kind of like using Ebonics on a soul food menu.
Before anyone goes crazy, this is more of a question than a statement.

It's ok for these guys. And since they're not these guys, I think it's safe.

[Kev29]

It's ok for these guys. And since they're not these guys, I think it's safe.

Kind of funny, because the first thing I thought when I saw a photo of a Taylor Charles cheesesteak was that it looked a bit like Geno's version...

[DrXmus]

Went there two weekends ago. I had a chicken whiz wit which was sloppy and delicious, but a little salty from the cheese. The sliced chicken product they've come up with was terrific. I'd read they designed a proprietary system to make tender sliced chicken for the subs. I give this product two thumbs up. It's nothing like the typical chicken cheesesteak meat, which is a great thing. We got the Taylor balls, which while they're fun to say, they don't taste very good. There was an odd flavor i couldn't ID and didn't appreciate. The thin mustard sauce didn't help in the least. The nearby fries looked great, so that'll be the next side dish. They were handing out samples of ice and I'm glad I tried it. It's new to me and I enjoyed the refreshing lemon version they were giving away. There were pieces of lemon zest present, so it seems the Taylor guys aren't cutting corners here, either.

Great space. Great music. The one knock (besides being 30 minutes from my house) is that lunch cost about $28 for two subs, two drinks and an order of Taylor Balls.

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[Kanishka]

Went today on a whim and really enjoyed it. I had the broccoli rabe with extra long hots, while the wife had the Red. Long hots were surprisingly not spicy, but did have a bit of a kick. The combination of broccoli, provolone, and rib eye would have been good enough, so next time I think I'll skip the hots. Wife enjoyed her sub, which was basically a chicken parm. Service was fast and the proprietary fountain soda they have was pretty different from your standard Coke/Pepsi fountain. Proprietary fountain soda on H Street... the idea scares me, but only a little.

Best sandwich shop named after a war criminal in DC! Or at least until Spike Mendelsohn opens his Serbian fusion lunch stand, MILOseVICH.

[hoosiereph]

Best sandwich shop named after a war criminal in DC! Or at least until Spike Mendelsohn opens his Serbian fusion lunch stand, MILOseVICH.

Taylor Charles is definitely promoting understanding -- a Liberian colleague says he finally understands how upset some people get by those ubiquitous Che Guevara t-shirts!

[Albert Yi]

I kind of naively ordered a plain steak and provolone...with no other toppings. It still ended up tasting amazing. The cheese tasted aged. Bread had a nice chew. Fries looked like they came out of a Sysco truck but were fried perfectly crisp so I can't complain much.