Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks

Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks
177 Toa Payoh Central #01-110

200 Victoria Street
#B1-K24 Bugis Junction

http://www.yellowsubmarines.com.sg/


More Cheese Than Steak In This Cheesesteaks

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 6
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $12 per person.


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Originating in the city of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, United States Of America, the Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich, more commonly known as the Philly cheesesteak, is an iconic American fast food, popular as a main dish. The creation of the Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich is credited to brothers Pat Olivieri and Harry Olivieri, who decided to served thinly sliced grilled rib-eye beef, and sauteed onions, along with either provolone cheese or American cheese, on a warm, long, soft, slightly salted Amoroso bread roll.

Spotting an opportunity in the Singapore market, Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks founder Andy Hoon opened shop in April 2013, bringing his version of the Philly cheesesteak to the heartlands. With a menu created with the help of chef Eric Teo, the bright and cheery Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks has created quite a stir over the last 1 year with their yummy, halal, ultra cheesy Philly cheesesteaks.

Ambience at Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks is cheeky, playful, and bright. Their colours theme of vibrant yellow and blue stands out amongst other shops, and within, the ceiling blocks are shaped like cheese, with the center table taking the shape of, what else? A yellow submarine! However, the layout is cramped, and the furniture, while pretty looking, feels cheap, especially the flimsy chairs.

Service at Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks is largely self-service, similar to a other fast food franchises. Queue to place your orders and make payment at the counter, then collect your order later. I like that staff are friendly, and orders are prepared quickly, typically taking less than 5 minutes even during peak periods. I also like that staff are quick and efficient at clearing dirty tables. But there is very little overall interaction with the staff.

Food at Yellow Submarines Cheesesteaks revolves largely around a variety of Philly cheesesteaks, all customised to the Singaporean palate, and thus, not authentic or traditional at all. But as a sandwich, I must say that they are tasty, and quite filling because of the generous helping of gooey cheese in each sandwich! Prices at slightly higher than other fast food franchises though, and I don't quite feel it's great value for money, average value at best. Budget about SGD $12 per person for a meal here.


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A typical Yellow Submarines Meal will come with a sandwich, a Yellow Submarines Drink, and a Torpedo Fries, for about SGD $12. Quite filling because of the cheese, but the portion looks slightly small.

Yellow Submarines Meal

Yellow Submarines Drink

I like that the Corn Mine (SGD $1.50) comes with a slab of butter, separate from the husked corn kernels, meaning you can decide how healthy (or unhealthy) you want it to be. The corn is wam and juicy, absolutely delicious! And the price is slightly cheaper than what you pay elsewhere!

Corn Mine

Each tub of Torpedo Fries (SGD $3.50) features hot, thick-cut chips, doused in a savoury and warm cheese sauce. A blend of several types of cheese, the cheese sauce is a house secret receipe! Not overly salty, these are probably the best cheese fries of any major fast food franchise, though the overload of cheese may leave you feeling full!

Torpedo Fries

The Philly Submarine (SGD $8.90) is very tasty! Quality Australian beef sirlion is grilled well, still slightly juicy, and the onions were chunky and soft. The bun was warm, slightly crisp outside and soft inside, holding in the meat juices and gooey provolone cheese well. Pretty good sandwich on its own!

However, it differs greatly from an authentic Philly cheesesteak. The real deal typically uses thin, deli style sliced beef rib-eye, with has a nice salty, savoury, smoky flavour, unlike the thick strips used here. The onions are also cooked till extermely soft and somewhat stringy, with a caramalised sweetness, unlike the onions here which are done more Chinese Zi Char style. The bun is normally longer with more crispness, and the real Philly Cheesesteak doesn't use tomato ketchup! The only authentic ingredient here is the provolone cheese!

Philly Submarine 01

Philly Submarine 02

The Yellow Submarine Classic (SGD $7.90) comes with the awesome secret recipe cheese sauce instead of provolone cheese, but otherwise, is functionally similar to the Philly Submarine in the use of ingredients. You can choose from either a chicken or beef sandwich filling, and best of all, it's all halal certified!

Yellow Submarine Classic 01

Yellow Submarine Classic 02

The Tuna Submarine (SGD $7.50) is probably the worst item to order here, being the least value for money. Basically tuna mayonnaise and lettuce in a bun, without any other frills, no cheese, no sauce, no other toppings. Don't get me wrong, the taste is pretty good, and it's quite filling. It's just that for a lower price, there is another franchise that specialises in sub sandwiches that does this better.

Tuna Submarine 01

Tuna Submarine 02

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