We tried the food at the US Women’s Open; here are our top picks [column]

DAN NEPHIN | Staff Writer
May 30, 2024
May 30, 2024
5 min to read

USOpenFood05292024 — LNP reporter Dan Nephin made sure to not let any of the cheesesteak from The Philly Cheesesteak Co On the Roll go to waste at the U.S. Women's Open at the Lancaster Country Club, May 29, 2024.
Tim Card

I do not golf, so I don't know what food is traditionally associated with the game.

The game originated in Scotland, so perhaps haggis?

When I think of Lancaster County, however, there’s an array of foods with a strong association. Red beet eggs. Chow chow. Sweet bologna. Scrapple. Chicken corn chowder. Chicken pot pie. Shoo fly pie. Pork and sauerkraut (OK, maybe just on New Year’s Day.)

So with the Lancaster Country Club hosting the U.S. Women’s Open, I was hoping that some creative takes on local foods would be offered.

(And you will need to buy food if you go, because you can’t bring in outside food or beverages. Water bottle refill stations are available.)

I had an assignment: “Go during and rank the food … taste test a lot of stuff, give a totally subjective ranking. It’ll be fun.”

Sadly, there was little in the way of local when I went Wednesday morning.

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I saw one stand, a sort of garage, it seemed, that was going to be offering Auntie Anne’s pretzels — they started in Lancaster County — but that wasn’t quite set up yet. The Philly Pretzel Factory also had a truck and Hammond’s pretzels were available.

I skipped those because, well, you pretty much know what you’re getting with a pretzel, and if you don’t, that’s on you.

And I was on a budget. A caloric budget. Also, a financial one, but I didn’t think I would get anywhere near the top upper limit of that.

Let’s put it this way: It had three digits, not counting the numerals to the right of the decimal point. And the first number was not 1.

Spoiler alert, here’s our totally subjective ranking of the handful of food and drink we tried, from worst to best. Read on for details and full reviews:

7. “The Frenchy”, a French toast breakfast sandwich from Par Caterers

6. Lemonade, from a nondescript, small stand on the course

5. Pulled chicken sandwich with cheese and crispy onions from Par

4. Boneless buffalo chicken wings with fries from Hershey-based Philly Cheesesteak Co. On the Roll

3. Coconut butterfly shrimp with fries and chipotle aioli sauce, from Philly Cheesesteak Co.

2. Milkshake from Hershey-based PA Original Milkshakes

1. Cheesesteak (“wit’ Whiz” and mushrooms) from Philly Cheesesteak Co.

I met photographer Tim Card at 9 a.m. I tell him breakfast is in order.

Most of the half-dozen concession stands are run by Par Caterers, a Florida-based outfit that handles a lot of golf tournaments. They’re near the main entrance, 3 and 10 greens, 13 and 15 fairways and the 11 tee and 18 fairway have more limited offerings.

Lemonade, soft pretzels and ice cream are also available throughout the course.

Food at the US Women's Open [photos]

A subpar breakfast sandwich

I’m a sucker for names, so I breeze past Par’s “Heart Healthy Breakfast Wrap” – egg white, pepper medley, turkey sausage, spinach and salsa for $10.50 – and order “The Frenchy.” French toast, sausage patty, fried egg, American cheese and a cup of maple-flavored, sugar-free syrup in a foil-lidded cup for $9.50.

This was OK, and while I thought the prices overall were fair, you can do a lot better with an MTO at Sheetz.

“I’ve definitely eaten more for less,” Card said.

(Breakfast is served until 11 a.m.)

I get it, though. You need someone with expertise at feeding a lot of people, so simplicity and uniformity rule.

Par also offers: turkey club wrap, buffalo chicken wrap (both $11), veggie Mediterranean wrap ($10.50), all-beef hot dog ($7), for those desiring fruit, banana or orange ($2), sodas ($5), Miller Lite or Coors Light ($7), Yuengling ($7.50), and a (local!) Springhouse IPA ($9), as well as pinot noir, chardonnay and prosecco ($11).

Liquor is available, too, but I’m on the clock. You can find full bar options at the main entrance and The Barn on Hole 12.

MORE U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN COVERAGE

Better milkshakes than the Farm Show?

We head to the food truck area. Sadly, there are only three: PA Original Milkshakes, the aforementioned Philly Pretzel Factory and Philly Cheesesteak Co. On The Roll.

It is not quite 9:30 a.m., and I am ordering milkshakes. Vanilla for me. Chocolate for Card. $7 a shake.

Mitchell Spittle, who was working the counter, tells us the truck is based in Hershey and they travel around the Lancaster and Lebanon areas.

After telling me that their milkshakes are better than the famed Pennsylvania Farm Show’s, he laughs and says, “I’m probably going to get so much hate for that. My boss will love me though, that I called out the Farm Show.”

But the shakes are very good. Recommend.

Tournament winner: Philly cheesesteak from Hershey

Off to Philly Cheesesteak Co. On The Roll, which is also based out of Hershey.

If there’s one thing I know having lived in Philly for more than a decade, it’s cheesesteaks.

Despite being central Pennsylvania-based, Philly Cheesesteak Co. has a spot at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. They’re also at HersheyPark, the Giant Center, and Subaru Park in Chester, which is home to the Philadelphia Union soccer team. Their food truck location schedule can be found here.

I ask Tim Brandt, who lives in Landisville and was working the counter, for a recommendation.

“The original Philly cheesesteak is kind of what we're known for. And you know, what makes us authentic is our bread comes from Philadelphia, every day,” Brandt said.

Card and I split a mushroom cheese with “Whiz,” meaning Cheez Whiz, a processed cheese sauce developed by food scientists – and this is what you get on a cheese steak. The End.

Brandt compliments me as I take a bite of the first cheesesteak sold of the day.

It is about 9:40 a.m.

“You even had the correct method form: lean over, elbows out,” Brandt said.

It is delicious.

Chewy roll. Meaty. Juicy. Cheese-producty. Great mouth feel. Piping hot.

With fries, which we skip (calories), it’s $14 for a six-inch sandwich.

This was hands-down the best thing I’d eaten.

Shrimp, chicken and more chicken

Later, I swing back to sample a coconut butterfly shrimp (eight for $17, with fries) with a delicious chipotle aioli sauce and a boneless wing (12 for $14, with fries) in Buffalo flavor, though BBQ is also available. Both are also Really Good. Recommend.

This place also has chicken cheesesteak, Buffalo chicken cheesesteak, California cheesesteak (with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise), mozzarella sticks and fries.

This was the best truck, if your diet leans toward tasty, but not necessarily healthy (and not just because I love cheesesteaks).

From here, Card and I head to another Par stand, where we split a pulled chicken sandwich with cheese and crispy onions ($10.50). It is decent.

This stand also offers a grilled burger ($10.50, add another buck for lettuce, tomato and onion.)

Noon is approaching. Even on half-rations, my belly is too full to sample anything else.

Except, perhaps, a Tums. But, as my editor promised, it was fun.

Dan Nephin is the crime and public safety reporter for LNP | LancasterOnline, (very) amateur food critic and all-around good sport.