Mad Philly owner Mike Broadnick was ready to leave his native Philadelphia behind, but he had to bring the food along with him.
"The food there - everything is phenomenal," said Broadnick, who moved to Chattanooga to be close to his mom, and because he and wife Dana, the restaurant's co-owner, thought it was a good place to raise their family. "It's about the only thing I miss from it [besides] my Philadelphia Eagles."
Mad Philly's specialty is, of course, the Philly cheesesteak, which the restaurant makes using sandwich rolls shipped in from Philadelphia's Amoroso's Bakery, where the first cheesesteak roll was created back in 1930.
He said it's Amoroso's baking process and the mineral content of the Philadelphia water that set the rolls apart, giving them an exterior that's tough enough to hold the sandwich while still being soft and spongy on the inside.
Other than the roll, the secret to Mad Philly's superior cheesesteak lies in the grilling process and the timing, said Broadnick. Veggies are cooked into the meat, and no oil is used on the grill, which he said makes the sandwich too oily. If a sandwich is left on the grill for 15 seconds too long, it hits the garbage, he added.
Aside from the original cheesesteak, one of Mad Philly's most popular menu items is the Mad Mike Cheesesteak, a spicier version of the original featuring extra meat, extra cheese, mushrooms, fried onions, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, bacon and hot sauce.
All sandwiches are available without bread, which Broadnick said is also really popular, as are his house-made chili and chicken salad.
Mad Philly is at 5959 Shallowford Road and can be reached at 531-9449, or visit the Mad Philly Facebook page or its website at madphilly.com to learn more. The restaurant also offers delivery through Dinner Delivered and Grubhub.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.