Lunch on a Budget

Pappa's cheesesteak fits the bill perfectly

Randy Shemanski

Let's face it - we're all on some sort of tight budget these days. Sure, gas prices have dropped over the first two months, but we're certainly not out there tossing around Andrew Jacksons like we've got a gangster roll in our pockets.



It seems like the same moment every day that we here at ec/dc have to stop and examine our wallets is when it's time to decide what to do for lunch. Go out and grab a bite during lunch hour, or pack a lunch before heading out the door in the morning? It's a tough choice, especially considering the wide variety of luncheries in the 570. Plus, we're kind of sick and tired of PB&J sandwiches, yogurt and a banana for lunch, but that's just us.



With that in mind, we've revamped our Food Coma column into a way for us to suggest tasty and affordable lunch options. We'll tell you where to go to satisfy your appetite and stay under $10, all in an hour or less.



For our first lunch stop, we headed a few blocks from the Electric City office to Pizza by Pappa's on N. Washington Avenue in downtown Scranton. With pizza in the name, it would be easy to go that direction (and you wouldn't go wrong), but what many might not remember is Pappa's won "Best Cheesesteak" in the 2007 ec/dc Readers' Poll.



It's doubtful the place will be renamed as "Cheesesteaks by Pappa's," but that's no reason to overlook the tasty sub.



There's nothing flashy about this sandwich, and that's just the point. The steak is thicker than the Steak-Ums you can by at the grocery store, but not so thick that it's chewy. The cheese is melted and mixed with the steak, not just draped over the top of the sandwich like so many cheesesteaks. That usually leaves you with one bite of mostly cheese, another of mostly steak. Pappa's clearly understands that' it's a cheesesteak sandwich, not a cheese-then-steak sandwich.



Put it all in a toasted roll, and we don't mean Subway's faux toasted sandwiches. This roll is toasted before the steak and cheese are added, helping it stay crispy until the last bite, which unfortunately comes surprisingly quick, but only because it was so tasty that we gobbled it up before we knew what happened.



We added a bag of chips and a Dr. Pepper and the total came to a reasonable $8.47. And best of all, it took 28 minutes from the moment we stepped out of the office until we finished the last sip of Dr. Pepper, which means even those who only have a half-hour lunch break have plenty of time. And if you're too afraid to chance it in under 30 minutes, Pappa's offers takeout, or call ahead to place your order.



Under $10 and under half an hour Ð that's an A+ in our book.