Melt Me To Heaven
North-East Ohio, more specifically Cleveland, receives daily recognition as America’s up and coming city for cuisine. Ever since Lebron James came back to “The Land” and defeated the Warriors in the NBA Finals after a 3–1 series lead, the streets have been restless with hungry tourists and Cleveland’s own famished inhabitants. Just a short fifteen minute drive along the lake shore from Downtown Cleveland is the home of the supreme creator of the overstuffed grilled cheese: Melt Bar & Grilled located in Lakewood, Ohio. Sitting on the corner of Detroit Avenue, I walked into the first Melt restaurant ever created. I remember it as if it was yesterday maybe because it actually was yesterday, but the only reason I remember so vividly is because at that point my “hanger” took over my body completely.
I’ve been told by many that I tend to have very expensive taste when it comes to a lot of things, but specifically food. I can probably live off thick juicy steaks cooked medium rare or a wide array of colorful cut sashimi pieces plated to perfection, but other times I am a sucker for a good ol’ American classic: grilled cheese. That’s why I chose to dine in at Melt because who can go wrong with a grilled cheese? Before I even walked through the creaky doors of the establishment, I had a few qualifications that make the perfect grilled cheese. Some of these qualifications consist of perfectly grilled and buttery bread, the appropriate cheese to bread ratio, cheese type and consistency, bread type, and the stuffers aka what goes in your grilled cheese.
From the moment I entered through the doors of the lakeside bistro, I experienced this hipster vibe that made me feel like the restaurant had a lot of history and character. After waiting a few minutes to be seated, I couldn’t help but notice that the menus are old record sleeves from the 70s and 80s. I really enjoyed that because it was different; it wasn’t just the same old plastic bound one-hundred page menu that takes a lifetime to look over. The walls were almost completely covered in pictures, antiques, and Cleveland themed paraphernalia. Most of the restaurant’s character stems from its unusual lighting and holiday themed decorations such as light-up santas and fake jack-o-lanterns.
I started off my dining experience with an ice cold Pepsi, and it had the perfect bubble to syrup ratio; I tend to judge restaurants fountain drinks for my own amusement. After looking over the appetizer selection, I couldn’t help but order the fried mozzarella wedges. My standards are astonishingly high when it comes to fried cheese because it is easily one of my favorite food. These mozzarella wedges were so delicious; they were at least two inches in length and a half inch in width. Once my fork broke the surface of the crispy exterior of the wedge, a wave of oozy mozzarella cheese flowed onto my plate as if it was a volcano erupting after years of dormancy.
Before I knew it, my server was waiting beside my table with sandwich in hand; my eyes grew three sizes at the sight of the monstrous meal that could feed a family of four. I ordered The Dude Abides grilled cheese stuffed with homemade meatballs, fried mozzarella wedges, basil marinara, roasted garlic, and provolone cheese. The sandwich itself was probably four inches high; I could barely fit my whole mouth around it considering I almost popped my jaw out attempting to open my mouth wide enough to stuff the sandwich down my throat. Eventually, I just gave up and decided to use a fork and knife to polish off my meal.
According to my grilled cheese criteria, Melt’s grilled cheese only passed a few of my tests. I’ve noticed that Melt’s sandwiches fail the bread to cheese ratio test because they are made with very thick slices of bread, but have very little cheese added. Unfortunately, if a customer were to want more cheese added onto their sandwich it would be an upcharge. The Dude Abides sandwich I ordered only passed the cheese test due to the mozzarella wedge lodged between the bread and stuffers. The stuffers passed the test, but the sandwich was tremendous in size making it unenjoyable to eat. Lastly, the prices of the sandwiches are absurd; one full sandwich can cost up to $10–15 depending on if the customer wants extra stuffers added onto their sandwich. Although I was unhappy with some of the aspects of my sandwich, the service was spectacular because my server was friendly and attentive; she never let my glass run dry and tended to my every need making her $15 tip appropriate.
Since the grand opening of Melt in the Akron area, each week new customers walk through the doors of what may be their new favorite restaurant. For my dining experience as a whole, I recommend someone to go if they’ve never experienced a Melt grilled cheese before; perhaps try something new for a date or even just going out with a group of friends on the weekend. However, I would rate my overall experience 7/10 due to the failed tests. Personally, I believe that it is an over-rated and costly grilled cheese making it nothing to rant and rave over. If I am being honest, I am convinced I can craft a more delicious grilled cheese at home the good ol’ American way.
