Rising from humble beginnings on 9th and Passyunk, the cheesesteak has quickly become not only a Philadelphia tradition, but also the king of comfort food. However, over the past few years there has been a trend in high-class restaurants to create gourmet versions of the cheesesteak, attempting to improve on the Philly classic.

When Philadelphia’s serial-restauranteur, Stephen Starr, opened the Barclay Prime steakhouse in late 2004, he included a $100 cheesesteak on the menu, which is more than 13 times the cost of a cheesesteak at Pat’s.

This isn’t any old cheesesteak, though. The bun is a brioche roll baked fresh that morning; in place of the traditional rib eye steak you’ll find thinly-sliced Kobe beef; there’s no room for Cheese Whiz at Barclay Prime either, with the ‘almost like real cheese’ product being substituted for fresh Taleggio cheese. And it doesn’t end there. Where most cheesesteaks are finished, Starr feels the need to add a little something extra, with both lobster and shaved truffles added to separate Barclay Prime from the rest of the pack in the race to create the finest ‘haute cheesesteak'.

And what are you meant to drink with such a luxurious cheesesteak? Well, the decision is made for you, as every order comes with a small bottle of champagne to ensure that this cheesesteak will be as memorable as the first time you tasted the magical combination of bread, cheese, and steak.

[Photo credit: GoPhila.com]