T.L.C. Chicken Burger from PYT
Allow me to preface this entry with a bit of personal information: I dislike condiments and all that they stand for. Perhaps the most vicious offender is mayonnaise. I will never place this vile substance on anything that I eat and it should never appear on any man, woman or child’s hoagie or cheese steak, for heaven’s sake I beg you. The only exception to Philly Food Tour’s condiment rule may be a serving of ketchup, somewhere between a dab and a dollop, on a burger or cheese steak that may be in need of a little flavor. When I eat a cheeseburger that is in fact what I eat, cheese plus burger plus bun, in its truest and most enjoyable form. Having said that, I fully succumb to the west coast burger style offered in the heart of the Piazza and eagerly consume these colossal concoctions. Walking into P.Y.T. is like stepping into a burger bizarro realm that I wish to never escape from and you’re about to see why.
Perhaps we will chill out in the bizarro world for the rest of this stop and I will introduce to you, straight from Tommy Up’s heart to yours and mine, the T.L.C Chicken Burger. The T.LC. Chicken Burger is a perfectly seasoned, sizeable patty of ground chicken. The chicken is so perfectly seasoned and cooked, retaining all of its flavorful juices, it truly could be eaten a la carte, but we both know that’s not how this movie ends.
This tantalizing treasure is then garnished with lettuce, tomato, thick-n-crispy pepper bacon, a few Martin’s Kettle Potato Chips and topped off with the P.Y.T. special sauce that can be denied by no man, mayo hater or not (maybe a little less generous of a smear though, eh?). One of my favorite aspects of this West Coast style burger joint is their loyalty to Martin’s of Lancaster County, PA. They use Martin’s Potato Rolls for all of their menu items and Martin’s Kettle Potato Chips are on the tops and sides of most selections as well. Growing up, Martin’s hamburger and hot dog rolls were staples at all family grilling sessions so this slightly toasted version hits the spot with this guy. One might like to think that back in the 1950’s Lois and Lloyd Martin created this roll to one day keep together this vast culinary creation. See how well kept the T.L.C. remains even at two-thirds of the way in ...
When it comes to onion rings, the most important factor is that said onion ring remains intact after each bite. Lucky for us, PYT thinks so as well. The thick ring is flavorfully battered in a well seasoned tempura, with just enough pepper. Even though it’s early into the ride on the Philly Food Tour, these rings might be tough to bump out of the driver’s seat. This meal goes great with a gift from the hop heavens, such as an IPA from the brew masters at Stone Brewing (San Diego, CA). This gargoyle should have a permanent perch upon the tap at this burger bar and lounge (wink wink, nudge nudge).
Tommy Up is the "Don King of Fun" in Philadelphia and now burgers have been added to his repertoire. Great start so far PYT Crew… I look forward to future stops on the Philly Food Tour. And to all of my loyal passengers on board, keep your eye out for a post on the PYT Burger as well as a featured “Burger of the Week.”
PYT
In the Piazza at Schmidt's:
1050 N. Hancock Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215-268-7825
I had the distinct pleasure in accompanying Danny to PYT. While here, I had to go with what was strongly recommended, TLC Chicken burger, by the man himself who I trust and who knows my tastes. I was so eager to get my hands on this chicken burger, something I never had before and was having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of ground chicken. As I waited patiently for my TLC Chicken burger and onion rings, I sipped on my fresh cherry coke and and of course engaged in wonderful conversation about other offerings on the menu. My meal arrived and I was instantly amazed before I had even taken a bite. The bun was so soft and perfect, the pickle was amazing, the burger was the perfect size and the bacon was perfectly cooked. I was definitely not disappointed as I managed to take a bite of this burger and savor all of the flavors at once. It was amazing and was beyond anything I could have ever expected in a ground chicken burger. The onion rings were perfectly cooked, and when you bit into it the whole onion didn't come out leaving you with just an onion in your mouth and then some leftover bread, it was so tasty and cooked to perfection. I highly recommend both the TLC chicken burger and the onion rings and will definitely be going back for another round sooner then later. Everything was delicious.
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