After all, it was ranked No. 1 by WIP host Glen Macnow, whose quest tested nearly 60 sandwiches in about as many days. He also emceed the show's live broadcast.
Sikahema, NBC10's sports director, went on about arugula and the peppers being "a little hot but not so hot that you sweat it out."
"You are embarrassing!" Reese declared.
Sikahema, gave the hoagie 50 out of 50 points.
Reese, weeknight yakker for 'IP (610 AM), gave it a 37, his lowest score among the seven finalists who showed up. Meager on the meat, he said. "Not overwhelmed by the cheese."
No one else agreed with Reese.
"That was by far probably the best hoagie I've ever eaten in my life!" said Matt Levin, former executive chef at Lacroix.
Comcast Sportnet's Leslie Gudel gave it 46 points, Phillies analyst and ex-closer Ricky Botallico 47 ("awesome"), sports commentator and author Ray Didinger 48 ("some real tasty flavors").
Total score: 278 points out of a possible 300.
It was leading with four hoagies left.
Two came very close.
Sarcone's in South Philadelphia, which adds cubes of provolone to its traditional Italian, scored 274 - just 4 points shy. Reese's 42 was lowest. Gudel gave it a 44, not thrilled about the chunks of cheese.
"Rivals Paesano's," proclaimed Sikahema, slapping down another 50.
So Paesano's still led as Carlino's Market of Ardmore stepped up to the plate.
Or put hoagie slices on the plates.
"We have the best stuff on there," said Angelina Carlino, explaining how her shop imports its own olive oil and bakes its own seeded bread.
This was Reese's favorite, earning a 49 from him - a dozen points higher than his Paesano's score.
Sikahema - of the discriminating palate - awarded his third 50.
But Levin thought it was "a little dry" and gave a 43.
Gudel, feeling "stuffed," suggested the sandwich, while good, was overly hefty, and scored it a 41.
Carlino's total: 275 - edging out Sarcone's, but three points short of first place.
Paesano's was the winner.
