After the St. Clair Broiler closed in 2017, the space was leased by Tono Pizzeria + Cheesesteak. Their Snelling/St. Clair location, adjacent to the Macalester College campus, seems ideal for starving college students. I’ve driven by for years and finally had an opportunity to try them out.
I selected the Sunny Side of Philadelphia: choice of protein, choice of cheese, grilled onion, two over-easy eggs, two strips of back, this sandwich comes prepared on a bed of fries. I chose steak and pepper jack cheese.
I was definitely underwhelmed. The “steak”, if it was in fact steak, was with any real texture or flavor, more of a low-grade ground beef than a steak: I’m not expecting Prime Rib but am expecting something (anything) that resembles steak. The melted cheese was mixed into the meat but did not contribute anything that could overcome the blandness of the meat.
The addition of the eggs and bacon only raised the sandwich to edible, without which I may have walked after a single bite. Yes, it was that disappointing.
French fries vary widely, but these were middle-of-the-road fast food type: not good, not bad, present and accounted for.
Perhaps I’ll give Tono’s another chance and try their pizzas, but don’t wait with baited breath: it’s taken 5+ years to get there once and I’m not planning an immediate return!
