Grilled cheese has always been close to this city’s heart. A comfort food found in every diner across the five boroughs, it’s about as straightforwardly delicious as it gets, and it goes perfectly with a pickle.
Like mac ‘n cheese and the donut, the cheesy sandwich has been given a little more credit than usual as of late, with restaurants like Melt Shop and food trucks like the Milk Truck presenting sumptuous twists on the classic American cheese melted between two slices of buttery, toasty bread.
The grilled cheese had more time to shine this past weekend, with Time Out magazine and venue rental firm Openhouse presenting its fifth annual Big Cheesy: Grilled Cheese Challenge to raise money for Food Bank For New York City.
For $30 a ticket, event-goers had access to six tastings of grilled cheeses and two beers from Chicago brewery Goose Island. Attendees were then asked to vote for their favorite toasted sandwich by putting a ping pong ball in the appropriate vase to crown the winner of the Time Out and Openhouse’s People’s Choice Award. Popular spins on the sammie included the combo of cheddar and avocado, which appeared in three of the six contenders, while few contestants went the traditional route. Have a hankering for your own? Check out what was served and seek ’em out yourself:
Twist ’n Smash’d, a burger restaurant known for its twisted potato fries with two locations in Queens, served up a Twisted Grilled Cheese with cheddar, fried chicken, chipotle mayo and avocado spread. Lightly spiced popcorn, a mini minty moon pie and strawberry lemonade served as accompaniments.
La Maison de Croque Monsieur, off Union Square, offered its signature smoked mozzarella with bresaola, béchamel sauce and truffle oil on country bread, alongside a vegetarian alternative with butternut squash, onions and brie.
Mrs. Dorsey’s Kitchen in Brooklyn showcased its Guac and Bacon, with cheddar, avocado, diced onions, jalapeño, tomato and bacon.
Depanneur Brooklyn went tongue-in-cheek with its Hangover Grilled Cheese, made from cheddar, avocado, sriracha, and buttered sourdough, served with McClure’s Bloody Mary chips, rootbeer saltwater taffy and Mexican coke.
The Wheelhouse Brooklyn dished up olives with a Spanish take on the grilled cheese, with pimento, ham and melted cheese.
Artisanal, a Parisian-style bistro specializing in fondue and all things fromage, stepped in with its Artisanal Grilled Cheese, consisting of a blend of five cheeses, including ricotta and parmesan, on toasted sourdough bread and a secret signature sauce.
My verdict? While I give Twist ‘n Smash’d credit for adding a crave-worthy layer of fried chicken to the classic sandwich, my ping pong ball went to Artisanal. Theirs was classic but a showstopper. It was everything you dream of when you order a grilled cheese, but better, and it would 100% go hand-in-hand with at least a cornichon, if not an LES kosher dill.
Twisted Talk: Have you been to any of the past Big Cheesy events? Which of these sammies would take home your ping pong ball? Discuss below!
