Theos and Beta battle it out. But no, this battle is not about who throws better parties, it’s about who has the better sandwich at Koch’s Deli on 43rd and Locust. You have to forget about the classic stereotypes of these frats, though, because both sandwiches are classic Jewish deli ones.
The Beta special is a spiced beef, fried onions, hot pepper cheese and Russian dressing sandwich on toasted maple rye.
Photo by Eric Kaplan
Though similar, the Theos sandwich consists of lean corned beef, honey roasted turkey, hot pepper jack cheese and Russian dressing toasted on rye.
Photo by Eric Kaplan
The meat in both sandwiches is cut to order, giving the meat that fresh, razor-thin quality other store-bought cold cuts can’t compete with. The Russian dressing (reminiscent of the New York Jewish delis in my hometown that I find missing in Philly) on both sandwiches is also superb–just thick enough and warm like the rest of the sandwich. Most importantly, the rye bread acts as a solid, hearty building block for the sandwich. The slices are perfectly seasoned and add a seedy bite that perfectly complements the salted meats. Although the sweetness of the onions on the Beta sandwich contrasts the saltiness of the meat, the honey turkey takes the Theos sandwich to a whole other level. By adding leanness to a sandwich filled with artery-clogging corned beef, the turkey places the Theos sandwich on a pedestal.
Though the wait for these sandwiches is sometimes lengthy, Bob is sure to insist that you take some free tastes of the meat he’s slicing (just as any Jewish mother would). Be sure to order the Theos, because when it comes down to the battle of the deli-sandwiches, Theos takes the crown.