35. Henry James Saloon

Henry James Saloon, 577 Jamestown Street, Roxborough

We sat under photos of Whitey Ashburn and the Three Stooges at this Roxborough joint, and my hunch is they've been hanging there since the 1950s. The Henry James Saloon looks lived in, and that's not a bad thing. The waitress called me "Hon" all afternoon, and the two older women at the next table made their way through a pitcher of Coors Lite while chatting about yoga. The television overhead showed "The Price is Right."

You want atmosphere? You'll find it at Henry James. Along with a pretty good meatball sandwich.

The "Meatball Parm," at $7.50, is a hefty sandwich laden with even meat to feed an Eagles lineman. It's more of a meatloaf, actually, than your traditional meatball, without a lot of seasoning. Crumbly but tasty, and that's just fine. It comes with a pickle and side of Herr's chips.

The roll comes from the Conshohocken Baking Company, one of my favorite local bakers. It oozes with mozzarella cheese. We're told that owner Linda Falcione takes particular pride in this menu item, rolling the meatballs herself.

Is it great? No. The marinara sauce was not among our favorites. But a solid pub sandwich and a bargain at the price. Plus, we nailed the price on the "Showcasr Showdown."

Score: 78/100