Cheap Eats: Alkobar Grill

Menu items at Alkobar Grill in Cathedral City include the Chinese chicken salad (from left), Joey's Philly sandwich and Alkobar Philly sandwich (Credit: Jennifer Soliz, Special to Metromix)

The cook must have telepathically known that I was going to order a cheese steak sandwich and had his hand hovering over the beef as I stepped up to the counter.

That's how quickly my meal arrived at Alkobar Grill — mere minutes from grill to table.

There are several grilled steak subs from which to choose at this efficient little restaurant, tucked into a strip center on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City. The Philly features thinly sliced ribeye and grilled onions, topped with provolone; with the Philly Deluxe you also get peppers and mushrooms, and the Philly Mexicanos features jalapeños and pepperjack cheese.

I went with the Joey's Philly just because I know so many Joeys in Philly. In addition to the ribeye, this one's got a special sauce and is topped with crunchy fried onion bits.

The meat is tasty, and the roll is perfectly crisp on the outside. But beware: The sandwich ($5.29 for regular) is extra juicy. You'll need a couple of extra napkins with which to wipe your chin as you gobble it down.

There is a big selection of other hot and cold sandwiches and salads, but what really sets this shop apart from other sandwich places is the breakfast menu — it's touted as Hawaiian and Pinoy (Filipino) style.

Not familiar with it? Try these on for size: Tapsilog contains stir-fried flat beef pieces marinated in spices and is served with garlic fried rice and two fried eggs, as are all breakfast specials, all priced at $5.99 or $6.49.

The Tocilog starts with stir-fried sweetened cured pork, and the Basilog has milk fish belly as its main component. There's even a Spamislog, with, you guessed it — Spam.

The ethnic touch is evident on each table, where you'll find two glass cruets — vinegar and fish sauce — alongside the salt and pepper.

Since breakfast is served all day, you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to indulge. Good thing — you never know when you'll get a sudden craving for milk fish belly late in the day, right?

Locations also at:

• 42-005 Cook St., Palm Desert, 773-3359

• 82-590 Highway 111, Indio, 347-6235

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