Paloma Veloz

**A Note: This post was written and posted in 2016, but the content is still fresh and delicious! And hey, any day can be national grilled cheese day if you so choose! Enjoy :)**

Let’s get unapologetically cheesy! April 12 is National Grilled Cheese Day, so let’s indulge in this comfort food favorite.  To commemorate the occasion this year I set out to find a place serious about their grilled cheese and I found that and more at Cheese Grille in the Lower East Side.

The menu offers several inventive options, but I chose to keep it simple and went the Three Cheese with no add ons.  I got a chance to meet and chat with one of the owners, Misha, who was managing the counter that day. He told me this is one of their best sellers and I could see taste why.  The combination of asiago, gruyere and cheddar is spot on, melted onto perfectly crispy bread.  Their tomato soup is fantastic and I loved that you can choose to have a small cup rather than a full bowl.  Just enough to dip in your grilled cheese.

I asked Misha about the beginnings of Cheese Grille out here in the LES.  He told me they were met with a lot of skepticism. Some people said a grilled cheese spot would not survive past winter. But they are still going strong two years laters. He said one of his goals for the restaurant is to be known as the place for grilled cheese – to be an institution of this comfort food, if you will.  It’s my humble opinion that they are well on their way to accomplish that mission.  

One of my favorite things about Cheese Grille is that they also have dessert options. I had the Banana Mascarpone, which comes with mascarpone cheese, nutella and banana on brioche and a side of vanilla ice cream.  This was everything.

Cheese Grille is planning a full day of celebration for national grilled cheese day.  There will be live music and prizes AND free grilled cheese.  But honestly, go any day and treat yo self! If you go on a weekend I recommend to go mid-afternoon.  You’re likely to beat the crowds during those hours.

Keep calm and grilled cheese on, amigos! Cheers.

Cheese Grille
188 Allen Street
New York, NY 10002

Hasta pronto,

Paloma