There is a very specific sound that tells you a cheesesteak is about to be good: chopped ribeye hitting a hot flat-top, onions softening in the grease, and someone behind the counter asking what kind of cheese you want before you have had a chance to overthink it.
Philadelphia may own the origin story, but New Jersey has never been shy about taking a classic and making it louder, bigger, messier, or just more local.
Here, cheesesteaks show up on seeded rolls, round rolls, beach-town takeout counters, butcher shop menus, deli boards, and late-lunch paper plates. Some are old-school and simple…