Disclosure- My boyfriend is a native of the Philly area and therefore is a complete cheesesteak fanatic and snob and considers the issue so important to the world that he helped me write this review. When we go back to his home we always have several cheesesteaks because it is impossible to get an actual cheesesteak that tastes the way it "should" outside of the philly/south jersey area. Until now.
Key cheesesteak components-
1. Super chewy, almost rubbery roll that you almost have to "fight with" a little bit- think of the almost rubbery consistency of a true New York bagel and you kind of get the idea. This is the most obvious and heartbreaking places where most places fail. Like the importance of rice in fine sushi, the roll in a cheesesteak is almost the most important component. Rocco's nailed it. When I commented to the guy behind the counter how they were right on with roll and how important that is he told me they baked the rolls fresh everyday. Well done sir. Well done.
2. Real steak cut thin - we watched as the cook put pieces of ACTUAL thin slices of ACTUAL steak on the grill. Just like plastic wrapped cookies at a convenience store counter will never taste like Mom's fresh out of the oven cookies; the cheap, meat-like substances every other non-Philly based restaurant I have ever gone to has used will never create an even passable Philly cheesesteak.
3. Philly attitude- the same way you can taste grandma's love in her thanksgiving stuffing, you can taste the attitude in a Philly cheesesteak. A good cheesesteak cook attacks the meat on the skillet with an attitude letting the meat know it's their bitch, and it WILL taste good- or else. You can actually hear if a cheesesteak is good. It sometimes sounds like a knife fight in a back room poker game at a Tokyo whorehouse (disclaimer: I have never actually been to such a fight). Walk into the store and yell "Yo! What's up" and you will get a "Yo! What's up buddy?" back. Real deal attitude. Real deal steak. Five Stars!