Recently, Philadelphia introduced their new mascot Gritty, a 7-foot-tall, orange, fuzzy creature “who will take an active role in embracing the Flyers community outreach initiatives in the Greater Philadelphia Region.”
Although the fuzzy mascot faced some criticism when he was first introduced, Philadelphia has finally begun to welcome Gritty, and as a tribute to him, the fuzzy creature has been turned into 7-foot-tall cheesesteak.
The delicious-looking homage can be found at South Philly’s very own Mike’s BBQ.
“Gritty is great for Philly,” said Mike Strauss, owner of Mike’s BBQ. “Everybody’s talking about Philadelphia and that’s what matters.”
The “Gritty” is a brisket cheesesteak topped with sharp whiz, fried onions, lettuce, tomato, special sauce, and potato sticks on a long roll. In a teasing statement that playfully mocks early reactions, Mike’s BBQ tells fans that they will “love hating this one.”
For the more adventurous eater, if the cheesesteak alone is not enough to make one salivate then they can pair the sandwich with a light-hopped cream ale from a Bucks County brewery.
Aside from the new Philly cheesesteak, Broken Goblet Brewing announced the creation of their “Nightmare Fuel” beer to commemorate Gritty the mascot. When Gritty made his debut, fans called him everything from “scary” to more interesting descriptions like “a cross of Snuffleupagus and Oscar the Grouch,” and “Nightmare Fuel.” The tribute beer will be released on Oct. 13.
By: Maytinee Kramer
