Why: Philly Bilmos opened in 2000 and has been at its present location for 14 1/2 years. Specializing in cheesesteak sandwiches made with high-quality meats and cheeses on Amoroso’s bread, it’s a neighborhood favorite go-to place for a quick, made-to-order sandwich.
What I tried: I settled on the traditional cheesesteak and fries for my evening visit.
Though they were fairly busy during my visit, I did not have to wait long for my food. The traditional cheesesteak is composed of thinly sliced steak, grilled onions and melted American cheese on an Amoroso’s roll. The steak and onions were chopped small and the gooey cheese filled in all the spaces. It was piping hot, salty and very tasty. I was not impressed with the fries. They tasted bland and over-processed. They reminded me of fast-food fries. In my opinion, fries that were fresh cut from a potato would be the perfect pairing for the cheesesteaks. Overall, I considered the tab of $13.28 (including $1 for bottled water) a bit spendy. Higher quality fries would have justified the price.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The steamed pastrami and Swiss combines pickles, sauerkraut and brown mustard with the meat and cheese. Other hot subs available are sausage and peppers, meatball, roast pork, chicken Parmesan, eggplant Parmesan, and a chicken cutlet. Cold subs include a homemade chicken salad, and several sandwiches featuring Italian and American deli meats and cheeses. Traditional cheesesteak options include a pizza cheesesteak.
Dining out guide: Philly Bilmos
Where: 2100 S.E. 164th Ave., Suite D105, Vancouver.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Contact: 360-944-1006 or phillybilmos.com
Health score: Philly Bilmos received a score of 10 on May 2, 2018. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or greater. For information, call 360-397-8428.
All the cheesesteaks can be made with either steak or chicken. Add or subtract mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, bell peppers, banana peppers and grilled onions to create different sandwich options. A homemade chocolate chip cannoli is available if you have room for dessert.
Atmosphere: Located in a strip mall, the space is set up with dining in the front and the kitchen in the back. Walls are painted dark blue. Modern tables and chairs sit atop a sealed concrete floor, filling in the dining area but leaving plenty of elbow room. An upholstered bench on the left wall is paired with some of the tables and Philadelphia location prints decorate the wall above. A cooler with bottled beverages sits between the soda fountain and a sideboard with napkins and condiments — help yourself. A large-screen TV provides some entertainment.
Other observations: The staff is friendly and efficient. Food is brought to the table and diners clear their own trash. Boars Head-brand ingredients are prevalent throughout the menu.
Cost: Hot subs and cold subs are available in 8-inch for $9.25 and 16-inch for $18, other than the steamed pastrami and Swiss, which costs $10.25 and $19.50. Cheesesteak sandwiches are $9.25 to $10.25 for 8-inch and $18 to $21 for 16-inch. Chicken strips and fries, mozzarella sticks, cheese fries and chili cheese fries cost $7.50 to $9.50. French fries come in small, medium and large portions for $2.50, $3.50 and $6. Hot dogs cost $2.75. A bag of chips is $1.35 and a pickle is $1.25. The cannoli is $3.50. Bottled and fountain beverages cost 92 cents to $3. Domestic beer is 12 ounces for $3, microbrew is 12 ounces for $3.75, and 22 ounces for $6.75.
