Everyone loves grilled cheese. It's easy to make. It's convenient. It fills a hollow spot in a pinch. I thought I knew all there was about grilled cheese: two pieces of bread, some cheese, butter, and a stove.
Boy was I wrong.
Downtown Norfolk, VA is home to a number of restaurant gems. Needless to say, when someone mentioned a new spot called The Grilled Cheese Bistro I was intrigued. As you can see from the photo, just THREE weeks after opening, we had to wait in line for the doors to open from brunch on Sunday. And it was well worth the wait. The Bistro is small, but the seating arrangements make great, creative use of all available space without it feeling too crowded. There is a bar where they serve local, craft beers as well as the hibiscus tea I enjoyed with my meal. The menu is short and sweet, with a few regular staples. Specials are written on a chalkboard and vary by day. Today's special was "The Big O" which consisted of chocolate bread, bacon, bananas, Nutella, and powdered sugar. I should have tried it. But I didn't. Instead, I opted for the "Dreamin' of Rueben" with a side of chimichurri fries and tomato basil bisque. I'll be dreaming of Rueben hereafter because it was A-MAZING! The bread was buttery but not saturated, the cheese was gooey but not overwhelming, and the meat was tender and well seasoned. The chimicurri fries are to die for! No ketchup needed. And the tomato bisque was without the usual acidic aftertaste that I usually encounter after eating tomato soup.
Then came the dessert.
At first I was miffed because they only offer one dessert. But after experiencing it, they need no other. Imagine coffee ice cream sandwiched between two double chocolate chip cookies, topped with chocolate sauce and BACON. Bacon. I swear bacon makes everything better. It was decadent.
So, to recap:
Yay: Grilled cheese sammiches. Locally owned. Chocolate and bacon dessert. Rotating specials.
Boo: Seating can be a pain if it's busy.
Boy was I wrong.
Downtown Norfolk, VA is home to a number of restaurant gems. Needless to say, when someone mentioned a new spot called The Grilled Cheese Bistro I was intrigued. As you can see from the photo, just THREE weeks after opening, we had to wait in line for the doors to open from brunch on Sunday. And it was well worth the wait. The Bistro is small, but the seating arrangements make great, creative use of all available space without it feeling too crowded. There is a bar where they serve local, craft beers as well as the hibiscus tea I enjoyed with my meal. The menu is short and sweet, with a few regular staples. Specials are written on a chalkboard and vary by day. Today's special was "The Big O" which consisted of chocolate bread, bacon, bananas, Nutella, and powdered sugar. I should have tried it. But I didn't. Instead, I opted for the "Dreamin' of Rueben" with a side of chimichurri fries and tomato basil bisque. I'll be dreaming of Rueben hereafter because it was A-MAZING! The bread was buttery but not saturated, the cheese was gooey but not overwhelming, and the meat was tender and well seasoned. The chimicurri fries are to die for! No ketchup needed. And the tomato bisque was without the usual acidic aftertaste that I usually encounter after eating tomato soup.
Then came the dessert.
At first I was miffed because they only offer one dessert. But after experiencing it, they need no other. Imagine coffee ice cream sandwiched between two double chocolate chip cookies, topped with chocolate sauce and BACON. Bacon. I swear bacon makes everything better. It was decadent.
So, to recap:
Yay: Grilled cheese sammiches. Locally owned. Chocolate and bacon dessert. Rotating specials.
Boo: Seating can be a pain if it's busy.