Food

They’re celebrating Cheesesteak at PHL Airport

In anticipation of National Cheesesteak Day – March 24 – Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is hosting PHL Cheesesteak Week with samplings and events now through Friday, March 22.

Check the PHLfoodandshops.com/CheesesteakTour map for ind 19 PHL food locations offering cheesesteaks or cheesesteak-related items.

The list includes Chickie’s & Pete’s, which offers Poppin’ Shrimp Cheesesteak, Pizza Cheesesteak from Tony Luke’s, Win Kitchen’s Cheesesteak Eggrolls, Noobar’s Cheesesteak Dumplings, and Classic Cheesesteaks from Geno’s, Jim’s South Street Steaks and Independence Prime,

That’s a lot of cheeseteak…

Finale Celebration — Cheesesteak and Pepsi Zero Sampling

On Friday, March 21 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Free samples of classic cheesesteaks, Pepsi Zero and related menu items with a twist will take center stage at a sampling spectacular on the connector between Terminals B and C.

Here are the restaurants that will be represented:

  • Bar Symon (Terminal B), sampling Mini Chicken Cheesesteak
  • Chickie’s & Pete’s (Terminals A, C, E and D/E Connector), sampling Cheesesteak Eggrolls
  • Passyunk Steaks (Terminal B), sampling All The Way Cheesesteak and Chicken Cheesesteak
  • Philly Pretzel Factory (Terminal F), sampling Cheesesteak Rivets and Pretzel Rivets

Hungry now? Through March 22, 20225 use the promo code CHZSTK to get $5 off a cheesesteak or cheesesteak-inspired menu item from a participating location on OrderAtPHL.com.

There’s a debate brewing over how to make tea

What is the correct way to make a cup of tea?

Tea, like coffee, can be prepared and enjoyed in different ways and in different places.

But adding a pinch of salt, as Bryn Mawr College chemistry professor Michelle Frankl suggests in her new book, Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, is causing some good-natured debate between countries.

The British Embassy in Washington shared some cheeky tea-making tips. The US Embassy in London said that while putting salt in tea is not official United States policy, the embassy staff would “continue to make tea the proper way – by microwaving it.”

And the The Museum of the American of Revolution responded with it’s tried and ture tea-making tip: “We all know the way to make tea in the proper way is by throwing it into the Boston Harbor.”

What do you think is the best way to make a cup of tea?

(Photo up top: Skeleton having tea- courtesy State Library of New South Wales via Flickr Commons)

Fresh new airport amenities

The Stuck at the Airport team is always on the lookout for cool new amenities.

Here are a few we’ve spotted so far this week.

Bunnie Cakes Vending Machine at Miami International Airport

Bunnie Cakes, a popular vegan, kosher, and gluten-free bakery in Miami now has two cake-vending machines at Miami International Airport (MIA). Find them at Gates D21 & G15.  

@msbunniecakes

Have you seen us at the airport? ✈️ Your favorite vegan treats are now at the Miami International Airport at gates D21 & G15!!! Grab a treat for yourself or to surprise someone at your final destination 🤩💗🥳🎂

♬ BANANA SHAKE (SPED UP) – HUS

Halloween Story Time at Tulsa International Airport

Tulsa International Airport (TUL) and Tulsa City-County Library (TCCL) host a free, monthly aviation-themed Storytime events at the airport. But October’s Storytime event on October 19 will be Halloween-themed, of course. This a great community-minded airport amenity.

John Wayne Airport Celebrating 100 Years

John Wayne Airport (JWA) will be holding a Community Celebration Day on October 19, 2023, to celebrate 100 years of flight in Orange County, CA. On tap in the terminal: live music, goodies, and giveaways.

Travel Tidbits from here and there

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food and a dish many people turn to when they are stressed.

So where better to open a restaurant with a full menu of mac and cheese dishes than in an airport?

San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) is now home to the first airport mac and cheese restaurant: San José Mac + Cheese Kitchen.

Located in Terminal B, across from Gate 19, the restaurant is serving up a Signature Mac along with a wide variety of customizable mac and cheese dishes with cheddar cheese sauce, 5-cheese white sauce, grilled chicken, smoked bacon, and BBQ pulled pork.

The menu also includes Grilled Mac + Cheese Sandwiches, Breakfast Mac + Cheese Burritos, and a full bar.

Very comforting!

More airport comfort

Speaking of comfort, we spotted some comforting touches at South Carolina’s Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) Sunday morning as we made our way to a very early flight.

First, we spotted these very comfy chairs right by the baggage claim carousels.

Then, once through security, we made our way down a hallway filled with useful – and tempting – vending machines.

We’ve seen the Fuel Rod machine that dispenses handy fully-charged chargers in quite a few airports. But the machine that’s ” a carwash for glasses and jewelry,” and the one that dispenses tins filled with licorice aren’t as common. Yet.

And how’s this for service?

We saw a gate agent sprint off towards the security checkpoint and wondered what was up. In just a few minutes she came running back with a young man in tow who would have missed his flight had she not rushed over and hustled him to the front of the security checkpoint line.

Sights & sips: Seattle-Tacoma Int’l Airport

Two lounges and a restaurant to love at SEA Airport

Who says airports are no fun?

The Stuck at the Airport food and drink team joined a food and drink tour of some swanky spots at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and found plenty to love.

Our tour included a stop at Alaska Airline’s recently renovated lounge on Concourse D, the oh-so-swanky American Express Centurion Lounge on the mezzanine of the Central Terminal area, and Salty’s at the SEA restaurant, also in the Central Terminal.

The Alaska Airlines lounge on Concourse D has 50% more seats and upgraded amenities, including loungers, a barista station and expanded hot food options.

Thankfully, the make-your-own pancake machine is still onsite.

We’ve been waiting for a chance to get a look inside the American Express Centurion Lounge. And it is a ‘wow’ as we’ve heard.

Besides being beautiful, and beautifully laid out, the lounge has a wellness/coffee bar, a cocktail bar, plenty of relaxation areas and work spaces, two phone rooms for privacy, and loads of artwork, including a collection of photographs of musicians and other notables who hail from Washington, including Kurt Cobain and Bill Gates.

The food offerings are top notch and include a menu curated by Chef Kristi Brown. She’s a James Beard Award semifinalist and owner of Seattle’s Communion restaurant, which serves “Seattle Soul” cuisine using fresh local ingredients.

And, over at Salty’s at the SEA, an outpost of the much-loved Salty’s seafood grill on Seattle’s Alki Beach, passengers can order from a menu filled with Pacific Northwest seafood items and creative cocktails AND get great views of take-offs and landings.

Here’s a short video of our some of the sips, sights, and bites from our tour.