http://www.meltbarandgrilled.com/
14718 Detroit Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
THE STORY
After not 1, but 2 burger let downs on our weekend at Cedar Point, I woke up this morning A. wanting burger redemption B. not wanting another burger but with the promise of a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with a burger inside, there was no denying it. Chris from the band Chimaira heavily suggested we stop in at Melt Bar & Grilled to eat before returning home. Derek, Lara, Cara and I drove into town where we met our friend, card carrying member of Melt's "Big Cheese Club", Jason Pettigrew from Alternative Press and his wife.
With a 90 minute wait for a table, Jason claims this is standard, we sat at the bar drinking beers from the amazing selection offered. Not a beer drinker? Melt has a full bar and an impressive selection of sodas, including 2 different kinds of grape soda! Jason gave me the oral history on Melt, explaining how the place had become the punk-rock, artsy, hipster, foodie, beer-drinking, counter culture hang out. Adorning the walls of Melt are all kinds of local art, sports memorabilia, and photography. These guys love Cleveland and have made sure you know it. They even have local artist create poster art to help advertise their monthly specials . The decorations and old school wood tables and chairs give this an old-timey tavern appeal.
Once we were finally seated, the VERY friendly and accommodating waiter handed us the menus which were affixed to the back of album covers. Although gourmet grilled cheese is the name of the game here, Melt offers a up all kinds of comfort foots from pierogis, to tomato soup, salads, crab cakes, chili, waffles, eggs and more. I almost cried a tear of joy when I found out that all bowls of soup come with a snack sized bag of Goldfish Crackers.
THE BURGER
Cara and I split an order of the Melt Pierogi; "locally produced potato & cheese, pan fried, grilled onions, fresh napa vodka kraut,shredded cheese and sour cream." They were simply divine. If you have never had a pierogi before, get off your computer and get some from your local grocer's frozen section. If are not a pierogi virgin, get on a plane or in a car and get to Lakewood, OH immediately, these are the best pierogies I have ever eaten.
How anyone is ever able to choose a sandwich from the insane menu, I have no idea! Technically Melt does not serve burgers, here they are Grilled Cheese Burgers; a Grilled Cheese Sandwich stuff with a Hamburger Patty. I narrowed down to the either the "Fat City" with honey ham, salami, crisp bacon, Swiss and American cheese or the waiter suggested Breakfast Burger stuffed with 2 Amish farmed fried eggs, crisp bacon & American cheese. I got the latter. All the grilled cheese sandwiches at Melt are served on delicious, buttery Texas toast with fries and sweet slaw.
When my Grilled Cheese Breakfast Burger was placed down in front me, I got lost in the moment. This was one of the most appealing and appetizing sandwiches I have ever laid eyes on. If photos speak a thousand words, the first 2 here are "holy crap!" I was barely able to wrap my mitts around this sucker but I wasn't going to let anything hold me back from mowing down. The burger was cooked perfectly and covered in oooey-gooey cheese. The mix of flavors from the toast to the beef to the eggs and the stacks of bacon came together to create an orgasmic food explosion in my mouth. As I slid the last amazing bite into my pie hole, I looked at Jason and said "I am so glad I don't live close. I would never eat anything but this!" You need to eat this burger.
Congrats Melt! Not only did you earn the title "first t-shirt I have ever bought on a burger conquest" but more importantly, you are now in our "BEST OUTSIDE NYC" list.
9 out of 10 ouncesLakewood, OH 44107
THE STORY
After not 1, but 2 burger let downs on our weekend at Cedar Point, I woke up this morning A. wanting burger redemption B. not wanting another burger but with the promise of a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with a burger inside, there was no denying it. Chris from the band Chimaira heavily suggested we stop in at Melt Bar & Grilled to eat before returning home. Derek, Lara, Cara and I drove into town where we met our friend, card carrying member of Melt's "Big Cheese Club", Jason Pettigrew from Alternative Press and his wife.
With a 90 minute wait for a table, Jason claims this is standard, we sat at the bar drinking beers from the amazing selection offered. Not a beer drinker? Melt has a full bar and an impressive selection of sodas, including 2 different kinds of grape soda! Jason gave me the oral history on Melt, explaining how the place had become the punk-rock, artsy, hipster, foodie, beer-drinking, counter culture hang out. Adorning the walls of Melt are all kinds of local art, sports memorabilia, and photography. These guys love Cleveland and have made sure you know it. They even have local artist create poster art to help advertise their monthly specials . The decorations and old school wood tables and chairs give this an old-timey tavern appeal.
Once we were finally seated, the VERY friendly and accommodating waiter handed us the menus which were affixed to the back of album covers. Although gourmet grilled cheese is the name of the game here, Melt offers a up all kinds of comfort foots from pierogis, to tomato soup, salads, crab cakes, chili, waffles, eggs and more. I almost cried a tear of joy when I found out that all bowls of soup come with a snack sized bag of Goldfish Crackers.
THE BURGER
Cara and I split an order of the Melt Pierogi; "locally produced potato & cheese, pan fried, grilled onions, fresh napa vodka kraut,shredded cheese and sour cream." They were simply divine. If you have never had a pierogi before, get off your computer and get some from your local grocer's frozen section. If are not a pierogi virgin, get on a plane or in a car and get to Lakewood, OH immediately, these are the best pierogies I have ever eaten.
How anyone is ever able to choose a sandwich from the insane menu, I have no idea! Technically Melt does not serve burgers, here they are Grilled Cheese Burgers; a Grilled Cheese Sandwich stuff with a Hamburger Patty. I narrowed down to the either the "Fat City" with honey ham, salami, crisp bacon, Swiss and American cheese or the waiter suggested Breakfast Burger stuffed with 2 Amish farmed fried eggs, crisp bacon & American cheese. I got the latter. All the grilled cheese sandwiches at Melt are served on delicious, buttery Texas toast with fries and sweet slaw.
When my Grilled Cheese Breakfast Burger was placed down in front me, I got lost in the moment. This was one of the most appealing and appetizing sandwiches I have ever laid eyes on. If photos speak a thousand words, the first 2 here are "holy crap!" I was barely able to wrap my mitts around this sucker but I wasn't going to let anything hold me back from mowing down. The burger was cooked perfectly and covered in oooey-gooey cheese. The mix of flavors from the toast to the beef to the eggs and the stacks of bacon came together to create an orgasmic food explosion in my mouth. As I slid the last amazing bite into my pie hole, I looked at Jason and said "I am so glad I don't live close. I would never eat anything but this!" You need to eat this burger.
Congrats Melt! Not only did you earn the title "first t-shirt I have ever bought on a burger conquest" but more importantly, you are now in our "BEST OUTSIDE NYC" list.
-Rev
Posts
I didn't have a burger - I know, blasphemy on this site! Instead of had the eggplant parm and it was divine - the eggplant was perfectly fried, the sauce was pretty good and the ooey gooey cheese was plentiful.
ReplyDeleteThere's tons of amazing stuff on the Melt menu. (Check out the "New Bomb Turkey" which is essentially Thanksgiving between two slabs of Texas toast.) My personal choice on this visit was the Tokyo Tuna Melt, which is a rare tuna-steak slathered in ginger wasabi sauce and topped with lettuce, tomato and a piece o' Muenster cheese. All of the Alternative Press editors have their own fave Melt architectural creations; bring your expense account and a few hours of free time, and I promise you will have a blast.
ReplyDeleteNow if you'll excuse me, I'm going to prepare the guest room at my house. I think Cara and the Rev are coming back to Cle much, much sooner than later...
That looks crazy crazy good! Also worth noting - I'm a pierogi virgin so be kind to me.
ReplyDeleteAs as Clevelander, and lover of Melt, I must take issue with you calling their delicious bread Texas Toast!
ReplyDeleteThis is Texas Toast: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_toast.
Clearly there is no comparison; that wimpy white bread could not handle all the goodness they cram between two slices :)