The Best EVER sandwich

Our second day in Philadelphia greeted us with rain and cold temperatures so we stuck to the indoor activities of swimming and eating.

Our family made an afternoon visit to the Reading Terminal Market for lunch.  This is one of the largest indoor farmer's markets in the country.  It was started in 1893, has over 80 vendors and covers over 1.5 acres.  It's huge and busy.  They have everything there from fresh produce grocers, to butchers, to fish mongers, to Amish bakers, to crafters, etc.  You also have a huge choice of prepared foods to choose from.  Chinese? Greek? NY style delis?  Cheesesteaks?  Amish food?  Ice cream? Chocolates and candies?  They got it all.

Reading Terminal Market

This was my second visit to the market and this time I was determined to taste the renowned Roast Pork Sandwich from Tommy DiNic's.   I have seen it on tv, I've read about it, and now I was finally going to have one.  But first, I had to wait in line...the longest line in the whole market.  Well, the line doesn't lie.  The sandwich was glorious, delicious, the BEST.  It was also huge.  In fact, when I took it back to our table, I told Dave to split it with me, which may have been one the best things I have ever done for him, because he also declared, "that is the BEST SANDWICH I have ever eaten!"  If we had been there longer, we probably would have gone back for more, because we seriously couldn't stop thinking about this sandwich.

Okay so here it is...

The Sandwich to End All Sandwiches

Don't let this picture fool you.  The sandwich is simple, but man, is it GOOD!!  Basically, it starts with a delicious Italian roll, sliced and layered with sharp Provolone cheese, filled with tender and juicy roast pork and topped with "greens" in this case garlic-sauteed broccoli rabe.  The combination of the three ingredients just makes for the perfect bite of flavor and the Provolone definitely has to be sharp.

Who needs a cheesesteak when you can get a pork sandwich???

Okay, enough ranting about DiNic's.  The girls did well in their eating adventures as well.  They started with a traditional Pennsylvania hot pretzel.



The girls, waiting for their hot pretzels

Then Ashley had a sandwich that was also pretty awesome.  It was a traditional turkey sandwich but the turkey was cut hot from the oven right off the breast bone, almost as good as Thanksgiving.  We also enjoyed some of the other treats offered at the market such as fry pies and sticky buns from an Amish bakery, creamy ice cream, fresh-made fudge (strawberry cheesecake) and whoopie pies from the Flying Monkeys bakery. 

Creme brulee, Red Velvet, and Irish Creme whoopie pies

Sorry, but I'm sucker for bakeries!

This eating frenzy, was just par for the course during our stay in Philly.  We met Debby and Sameer every evening for dinner and it was always a good time.  We went to a Brazilian steakhouse one night---to the delight of Ashley and Debby, the "meat and potato" girls.  We also went to a fancy restaurant called Buddakan, it is Asian fusion and very good.  We went to that one for Paige who saw their "dim sum doughnuts" on a tv show and had to have them.  The doughnuts were good but I loved the crab and lobster spring rolls and the pork dumplings...yummy!

Dim Sum Doughnuts, dusted with sugar and five-spice served with
three different dipping sauces.

 



Debby and Sameer