GREENE – Wondering where in Chenango County you can find a cheese steak good enough to rival anything Philadelphia has to offer? Look no further than the latest addition to Greene’s restaurant scene, the Trojan House Deli at 68 Genesee Street.
Owner Debi Cerwinski and her husband Mike take great pride in their cheese steak, which has been one of their most popular items since they opened just over a month ago. Their secret, she explained, is that they cut and marinate the meat themselves before cooking it up with plenty of cheese, mushrooms, peppers and onions and serving it in a fresh, nearly foot long roll. The aroma alone is enough to make hardcore cheese steak fans weak in the knees.
“I was told Philly had competition,” Cerwinski said. “That’s the best compliment we could have gotten.”
Of course cheese steaks aren’t the only thing on the menu at the Trojan House. Other offerings include a wide selection of deli sandwiches, hot and cold subs, wraps and items from the grill such as their signature 1/2 pound burgers. They also make all of their own side dishes, and serve up a selection of hot lunch specials each day, “for those that don’t have time to wait,” Cerwinski said. They also do catering, and plan to add dinner specials in the near future.
Patrons can enjoy their meals inside the establishment, out on the front porch or wrapped up to go. And plenty of off-street parking is available behind the building.
Word has traveled quickly about the Trojan House in Greene’s tight-knit community, which Cerwinski said has been “so supportive” of their business venture. The family’s own ties with the community are illustrated by the Greene Trojan’s memorabilia hanging on their walls.
“I have gotten nothing but positive feedback,” she said.
While Cerwinski calls the restaurant her “baby,” the rest of the family pitches in as well. Husband Mike can be found manning the grill most evenings, and the couple’s two oldest children, Michael and Chelsea, do their part as well.
Opening the deli has been a dream of the Cerwinski’s for some time. For the past three years, they have searched for the ideal location for the business. Originally, they intended to rent space, but desite their efforts, they were unable to find a place that was either already equipped for their needs or had a landlord willing to make the necessary renovations. So instead, they decided to buy a property in a residential section of town and adapt it for their purposes.
It wasn’t easy. It took five months for the family to gut the space and install the equipment they would need.
“We had to do everything,” Cerwinski said. Their mascot of sorts through the process was Wilma, a maniquin head dressed in a Trogan’s swim cap and goggles, which she compared to “Wilson” in the Tom Hank’s movie Castaway.
Because the property was just barely in a residential district, the Cerwinski’s also needed the help of the village board and planning board to make their business dreams a reality.
“The Village Board has been more than supportive of us opening a business,” Cerwinski said. “I am so thankful that they gave us the opportunity to do this.”
The Trojan House Deli and Catering, 82 Genesee Street in Greene, is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 656-8700.