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SportsFor a taste of Philly, try a cheesesteak at Rick’s
Friday, July 25, 2008
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by REID SILVERMAN
Regulars, Doug Ford, second from right, Jimmy Mayor and, clockwise, Ricky Dunn, Blaise Avella, Charlie Harless, Paul Strahl and Jay Ridgell share some laughs and a white cheese pizza at Rick’s in California.
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I will share with you the advice of my college roommate, Joey Boninfante, who grew up in South Philadelphia.
Boninfante says if you want a good cheesesteak it’s all in the name. A first name, an apostrophe and an ‘‘s.” Pat’s ... Geno’s ... Jim’s. There you have it.
You can follow Boninfante’s wisdom in Southern Maryland. In fact, if you are looking for a cheesesteak about as good as any in the ‘‘City of Brotherly Love,” Rick’s in California, which shares the same building as Donovan’s Pub, is the place to go.
You may not get to order your sandwich from an absolutely humongous man slicing up a humongous hunk of meat on a steaming, open grill.
You can, however, wait for your food in a cozy booth instead of a wrap-around line out the door and then devour your sandwich in a comfortable, clean, diner-like atmosphere.
Originally from Philadephia, Rick Toth, a chef for 18 years, once owned a Philadelphia establishment called Fitzwater Station. His father, who had been stationed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, opened up a restaurant in Piney Point after he retired.
Toth took over the restaurant for his father. But after it got wiped out by Hurricane Isabelle he decided to open something smaller. Rick’s opened in Wildwood four years ago; it moved to its current location in October.
You can now order Rick’s food at Donovan’s and Donovan’s drinks at Rick’s. Donovans has various specials throughout the week, like draft beers for a dollar on Mondays and poker tournaments, DJs, karaoke and live bands.
I went to Rick’s after the lunch rush on a weekday. It was quiet, and I took a seat in a booth.
The tables have shakers of parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. There are also containers of mustard and ketchup and bottles of Texas Pete’s hot sauce and malt vinegar.
Why note this? I tend to believe the way to prepare a cheesesteak is to ask for every possible additive and then add everything else within reach.
Rick’s standard Philly cheesesteak ($7.49) adds grilled onions and white American cheese to the mound of thinly sliced steak inside a long roll. For Toth, this is the quintessential cheesesteak, the way it was served to him as a child before he even knew it could be prepared differently.
Nonsteak fans might try the Philly chicken for the same price. Rick’s original ($8.49), meanwhile, contains a sauce, onions, provolone and white American cheese.
I was torn between the Philly wiz ($7.49) and the Philly loaded ($8.49). The wiz has onions and the oh-so-important cheese wiz. The loaded, on the other hand, has lettuce, tomato, onions, green peppers, mushrooms and mayonnaise.
The more ingredients the better, I say, but I also wanted the wiz and some white American in the mix beneath that. You have the option of building your own cheesesteak, and I suppose I went for the loaded-wiz combo.
It arrived in a basket. I added ketchup and an extra sprinkling of salt, pepper and parmesan. I ordered a 12-ounce cup of Boardwalk fries ($2.09), but there was nothing particularly special about them, and the sandwich by itself was more than enough.
A good cheesesteak, in my opinion, should be difficult but not impossible to pick up and fold; in your hands it should be something of a controlled mess, the meat slipping out onto the paper, grease in your hands, the mayonnaise and ketchup and juices coming together.
I knew after one bite that Toth was from Philadelphia — before I paid and spoke to him. His cheesesteak is dead-on.
And there is far more to Rick’s menu than one of Philadelphia’s finest creations.
Lunch options include toasted subs, ‘‘grinders” in Philly parlance, with meatball, sausage, veggie, ham, turkey or Italian-style and wraps (ham, turkey or chicken salad). Both options are $7.49.
There’s everything from a cheeseburger to a Reuben to salads and chili. Appetizers range from chicken tenders ($6.95) to fried pickles ($3.95). Wings can come sweet or with a spiciness labeled ‘‘insane!”
You can order dinner after 4 p.m. Italian options include chicken, veal and eggplant parmesan for between $12.99 and $15.99, standard pasta dishes and seafood dishes. Seafood pasta ($16.99) is clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari served over linguini.
Rick’s also serves Sunday brunch, with items similar to what one might find on a breakfast menu at a diner. Options include steak and eggs with toast and homefries ($9.99), creamed chipped beef over toast, omelettes, eggs, French toast and a children’s menu.
I will certainly return to Rick’s. The next time I go, however, I want to try the pizza, which ranges in size from 12 to 18 inches and in price from $8.99 to $18.99. You can also order by the slice.
I am interested to see if Toth knows New York and Chicago as well as Philadelphia.
My guess is he probably does.
