The Grilled Cheese Grill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Grilled Cheese Grill |
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Food truck in northeast Portland in 2019
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| Restaurant information | |
| Slogan | "Come by for a taste of your childhood, unless your childhood sucked, then we'll let you have a taste of ours." |
| Established | April 20, 2009 |
| Current owner(s) | Matthew "Matt" Breslow |
| Food type | Comfort food |
| Dress code | None |
| Rating | Zagat: 25/30 |
| Street address | 2315 NE Alberta St. |
| City | Portland |
| County | Multnomah |
| State | Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Reservations | Not taken |
| Website | grilledcheesegrill.com |
The Grilled Cheese Grill is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, USA. It is famous for its special grilled cheese sandwiches. The restaurant started in 2009. It became well-known for its very popular food carts.
The Grilled Cheese Grill closed in March 2021. It had been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. But in July 2022, the restaurant opened again. It now has a regular building location.
Contents
History of The Grilled Cheese Grill
Matthew "Matt" Breslow is the owner of The Grilled Cheese Grill. He grew up in New Jersey and New York. As a child, he often visited Portland for holidays. His aunts, uncles, and cousins lived there.
In 2007, Matt moved to Portland. On April 20, 2009, he opened his first Grilled Cheese Grill. It was located on Alberta Street.
Unique Restaurant Locations
The Grilled Cheese Grill has used some very unusual places for its restaurants.
Alberta Street's Bus and Airstream
One location was on Alberta Street in Portland. It was a mix of an airstream trailer and a school bus. The kitchen was inside the updated airstream. The old school bus was changed into a dining area. Customers could sit inside the bus to eat. The tables inside had old school photos on them. Outside the bus, there were picnic tables for eating too.
Double-Decker Bus and Food Cart
In Southeast Portland, the restaurant was inside a double-decker bus. This bus was from 1954. It used to be a tour bus for Mount St. Helens. Matt Breslow painted the bus to look like a giant checkerboard.
The location in downtown Portland was a permanent food cart.
New Location in East Portland
In July 2022, the restaurant opened again. It is now inside the kitchen of a cocktail bar. This bar is called The Knock Back. It is also reopening in the Alberta neighborhood of East Portland.
The Grilled Cheese Grill's Impact
Before the pandemic, The Grilled Cheese Grill's food carts were very successful. They were seen as a great example of how well food carts could do.
Awards and Recognition
Lonely Planet magazine said The Grilled Cheese Grill was one of Portland's best food carts. In 2009, the restaurant won an award. It received the People's Choice trophy at Eat Mobile. This is an annual food cart contest by Willamette Week magazine.
Media Recommendations
Famous chef Rachael Ray suggested The Grilled Cheese Grill in her magazine. It was called Every Day with Rachael Ray. Reader's Digest also named it "the best grilled cheese in Portland."
The Zagat guide reviewed the restaurants. They gave scores out of 30 points. The Grilled Cheese Grill scored 25 for food, 22 for décor, and 23 for service.
Because the three Grilled Cheese Grill locations were so popular, Matt Breslow opened another sandwich cart. It was called the Shotgun Sub Shop. It was located in downtown Portland.
Delicious Menu Options
The Grilled Cheese Grill offers many different toppings. These are not usually found on grilled cheese sandwiches. Some toppings include bacon, apples, and blue cheese. They also have Swiss cheese, jalapeños, and artichokes. Other options are turkey, hummus, and Nutella. You can even find banana, cinnamon, avocado, and fried eggs.
Here are some of their special sandwiches:
- Cheesus: This is the Grilled Cheese Grill's most famous sandwich. It is like a "grilled cheese cheeseburger." Instead of a regular hamburger bun, it uses two grilled cheese sandwiches. One sandwich has pickles and American cheese. The other has grilled onions and Colby Jack Cheese. In the middle, there is a 1/3 pound burger. It also has lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mustard.
- BABS: The name BABS stands for Bacon, Apple, Blue Cheese, and Swiss. This sandwich is served on rye bread. Matt Breslow said it is a top-seller. It has a unique mix of flavors. The blue cheese is tart, the apples are sweet, and the bacon is savory. The Swiss cheese brings all the flavors together.
- Jalapeño Popper: This sandwich has roasted jalapeños and Colby jack cheese. It also includes cream cheese and corn tortilla chips. All these ingredients are on sourdough bread. 1859 magazine said it offers a "delicious medley of texture and taste." They noted the crunch of the chips and the spice of the peppers.
