Fly, Eagle, Fly

Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks, 1229 8th Av, Fort Worth. 484-218-0862. 11am-10pm Mon-Thu, 10am-10pm Fri-Sat.

Philadelphia native Davonte Fung recently opened his first Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks brick-and-mortar location after major demand at his trailer proved that this savory hoagie is not limited to the East Coast. Fung decided to share a taste of the City of Brotherly Love after sales outshined expectations at his food truck in fewer than two years in business.

It took us a minute to locate Vonte’s on 8th Avenue on the Near Southside, but once we pulled in, my young son and I were jazzed by the beefy aroma. I have never been to the cradle of U.S. democracy, so getting an authentic experience was what I most wanted. Show me what I have been missing out on my whole life!

Then I spotted the dreaded QR code to pay for parking in the empty Saturday afternoon lot. I figured there would be validation and headed inside, but a Vonte’s worker mentioned that the parking lot had been bought and codes placed for charging by surprise. The validation system also had not been activated yet. I would not be deterred and moved my car to nearby CVS like a true rebel and hoped for the best. Never understood why these companies charge for lots that local businesses use and deter customers. At $7.49 just to park for an hour, it does add up, and I can only hope customers find a way.

With a simple, streamlined menu, cheesesteak options come in my favorite number: three. Choices include Vonte’s Favorite, Broad Street Philly, or the Build-Your-Own Cheesesteak with fries or eggrolls if you have a Texas-sized appetite. Vonte’s Favorite is the best-known and must be good if Vonte himself chose it, so I chose it, too.

An 8- or 12-inch Amoroso bun comes with mouthwatering seasoned ribeye, fried onions, banana peppers, and a blend of American cheese and Cheez Whiz, with mayo and ketchup. It was certainly hearty and flavorful.

The Broad Street is similar but with mushrooms and hot peppers, minus banana peppers. The Build-Your-Own is completely up to you. My son went with just delectable beef, fried onions, and American cheese. He said he just wanted to taste real Philly beef.

If fries are too standard, Vonte’s has cheesesteak eggrolls, stuffed with prime ribeye, cheese, onions, and banana peppers with dipping sauce.

The sandwiches came rolled up and piping hot. Once you unwrap them, be ready. They are as messy as they are delicious. It took me a minute to figure out where to grab my Favorite because no matter which end you choose, the result is tasty fingers and ample napkins. The fries were hot, crisp, and freshly made, nicely complementing the sandwiches.

Even though we opted for the 8-inch varieties, our order was massive. I did my best to fulfill the cravings that my eyes had dared to select but did end up taking part of my Favorite home. And I wasn’t the only one. My teenage son’s appetite was no match either, but we were happy knowing the car would smell like Philly cheesesteak when we got home. There are far worse smells a car could have when transporting top-tier leftovers.

Vonte’s has an ample patio when the day is nice and a cool indoor seating area, complete with large-screen TVs showcasing Philly sports, surrounding fun-tastic memorabilia and posters. There is a lot to take in visually in addition to the rich aroma of the curated beef. We chose indoors because of the heat. I did not want the sun to compete with the freshness of the food.

Although there was plenty of seating when we arrived, it was packed when we left, proving that good taste can be common sense.

For those who want to just grab and go, the food truck will keep on trucking on Bledsoe Street near West 7th Street, but for a bigger Philly experience, Vonte’s on 8th is the place.

Vonte’s Philly Cheesesteaks

Vonte’s Favorite $13.75

Build-Your-Own $13.75

Fries $3.50