| CheeseSteak U Opens Near CCU |
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| News |
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Using lean shaved Angus beef By Becky Billingsley
Thursday, March 4, 2010, Conway – Pizza is out and Cheesesteaks are in at the new Cheesesteak U near Coastal Carolina University.
 Dennis and Jen Howell are the proprietors who moved into the former site of Vinny’s Brick House Pizzeria, off S.C. 544 near Food Lion and The Witch golf course. Now the bar has been removed, more tables were added and the restaurant is Cheesesteak U.The couple each worked in government jobs before moving to the Grand Strand.
“We like to eat out,” Jen said on Monday, “and our friends joked that all I knew how to make was reservations.”
 Now the Howells are fully immersed in the restaurant world. For the cheesesteaks they shave fat from Angus top round, cut it quarters and freeze the pieces. When an order is made for a cheesesteak, Dennis shaves the meat from the frozen block and minces it on the grill to create easy-to-eat and flavorful sandwiches. They’re served on toasted genuine Amoroso’s rolls from Philadelphia.“We also have Chicken Cheesesteaks,” Dennis said. “We have whole breast chicken we marinate overnight in nine seasonings like soy, pineapple and garlic. Then we freeze them in blocks and shave off what we need as we do with the steak.”
Over at the condiment bar diners can add any of four kinds of peppers to their sandwiches: pepperoncini, cherry, jalapeno or banana peppers.
The Howells also serve hoagies such as the Italian Sausage and Chicken Parmesan; burgers; side and entrée salads; and sandwiches including Smothered Chicken and Buffalo Chicken. The six-ounce burgers are patted up daily and the meat is never frozen, and the meatballs and Parmesan chicken are made from scratch.
Potato chips are made fresh in-house and can come with dip. They are paper-thin, lightly browned and crispy.
A children’s menu features chicken tenders, hot dogs, grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a joke: Liver and Onions is listed at a price of $22.95. Actually nothing on the Cheesesteak U menu costs more than $7.25.
Cheesesteak U is at 1867 S.C. 544 just east of Conway, and the number is (843) 234-2666. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. |