Hot pressed sandwich shop American Grilled Cheese Kitchen made its leap to former Cafe Gratitude spot in the Mission nearly three weeks ago, marking a second location for owners Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak. Early critics of the grilled cheese restaurant felt the area was already inundated with gourmet fromage offerings, namely Mission Cheese which is set up only a few blocks away. However, since its soft opening customers seem to be warming up to the melty sandwiches. Here's the early word on The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen.
The Good News: One Yelper evaluates the first week of service: "The ambiance for the place was still kinda new so we were lucky to get our order quickly. We enjoyed 3 of their sandwiches: the Jalapeño Popper, the Club Turkey and the Mushroom Gruyère plus the Smoky Tomato Soup which they were "ALL" delicious! I can't wait to go back and try a few other yummy grilled sandwiches! Keep up the great work and service!" [Yelp]
The Neighborhood News: On Twitter, @saysjustin explores the early offerings: "Finally eating to the new American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in my hood. Just realized they serve breakfast too. They're doing it right." [Twitter]
The Bad News: A vegetarian customer on Yelp has some issues: "My husband asked about soup of the day. Making sure there is no meat in it. Although they do use chicken broth, there are no chunks of meat, he was told. Surprise! Tons of little pieces of bacon were in it. I didn't eat it, of course." [Yelp]
The Side-by-Side News: UrbanDaddy compares the Mission location to the original: "A roomier kitchen. A longer bar. And more importantly, slow-roasted short ribs, deep-fried shoestring fries, made-to-order biscuits, more local beer like Pac Brew Lab's Hibiscus Saison, wine from the tap and a flat-screen TV for game days. So... a lot more." [UD]
The Interior News: Table Hopper describes the restaurant layout: "The space is approachable, with warm wood floors, a counter with stools, and banquettes along one wall. The ceilings are high, and the television at the bar doesn't distract too much from the cozy, old-fashioned vibe." [Table Hopper]
The Pricing News: A Yelper thinks the value is just right: "Never thought i would say this, but 6+ dollars for a grilled cheese, "its worth it!"?Very Good food. Friendly service. Comfortable environment." [Yelp]
The Gourmand News: @mcclure111 suggests the shop to a friend: "@pikoeri The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is a walk but like the best place to eat I found, gourmet grilled cheese w/like ham & stuff" [Twitter]
The Diet-Breaking News: SF Weekly's Anna Roth waxes poetic about the carb-filled creations: "Including a masterpiece that involves mac and cheese stuffed between two slices of bread for an unholy creation of dairy and carbs that can't be part of any respectable New Year's diet. Still, grilled cheese is one of those comfort foods that's hard to screw up, and a superlative version can easily make your day. And one of those sounds like a great base before bold adventures in cocktail experimentation." [SF Weekly]
— Ashley Mason
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· All American Grilled Cheese Kitchen Coverage [~ ESF ~]