Brianto's Original Hoagies, with Philly firmly in mind, makes some mighty strong sandwiches
(Credit: MikeAnthony Moffa)
The Digs: Plastered with Philadelphia Phillies paraphernalia, right down to the lettering in their name, Brianto's is all about bringing a little slice of Pennsylvania to Orlando (and placing it neatly into a hoagie bun). Each table has a view of a television, which will likely be broadcasting a sports game (you can guess which team will get volume preference). Despite Orlando's plethora of manufactured authenticity, Brianto's manages to pull off the illusion of a Philadelphia neighborhood sandwich shop.
The Delivery: The staff is fast, good with the grill, and chatty about the food. Though sandwiches tend to come out in about five minutes, if your food is a little late there are plenty of players' stats on the wall to bide your time.
The Dish: The sandwiches are the main attraction at Brianto's, taking up most of the menu and ranging between $7.29 and $8.99 for a 12-inch behemoth, but there are also green salads for you carb counters (if you still exist). My guest and I started with a tortellini salad ($1.49), made with ham and cheeses. The dressing was the best part, amply coating each ingredient. We also had garlic bread with cheese ($1.99), but it didn't flood our mouths with garlicky butter as expected. Instead, the lightly melted mozzarella blended well with the bread, but filled us way too quickly.
My guest had a 12-inch chicken Philly supreme ($8.79), with chicken, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and a choice of cheese (white American, provolone, or Cheez Whiz) on a hoagie roll. Provolone was the cheese, and it was lovingly layered into the juicy chicken and veggies. Surprisingly, the vegetables were limp but still flavorful, which is a welcomed change from typical, mushy sandwiches.
I tried the 12-inch cheese steak supreme ($8.79), with the same ingredients as the chicken except, of course, the chicken. Mine came with Cheez Whiz (kind of like a plain nacho sauce), and made a right mess of the table. Sloppiness aside, it was delicious, being rich but not overpowering.
For dessert we had a chocolate Tastykake ($1.29), a Philadelphia snack cake. It's not much different than Little Debbie or Hostess fare, but it's little touches like that make Brianto's stab at Philadelphia authenticity more genuine.
The Damage: A small 12-inch hoagie combo will run more than $10, but you're sure to have leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
The Deduction: Not all sandwiches are created equal, and the extra attention put into Brianto's proves it.




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