MELT

I'm going to go ahead and say that Melt Bar and Grilled has the best food in Cleveland. 


Holy hell.

Originated in Lakewood, Ohio, Melt is the home to the best grilled cheese in the nation. With sandwiches from "the Godfather" -- 3 cheese lasagna, fresh fennel-oregano pasta sheets, spicy red sauce, provolone with garlic spiked bread -- or "the Parmageddon" -- 2 potato and cheese pierogi, fresh napa vodka kraut, grilled onions, and sharp cheddar -- Melt is aimed to please.

Having only been to the Cleveland Heights location, I assume that Lakewood is similarly decorated with tacky, light up yard decorations of pumpkins, santa claus, and vampires. The Cleveland Heights location has a huge (original) Dairy Queen sign and a huge mural on a side wall of famous people from Cleveland, including Michael Symon (Iron Chef) and Alan Ruck (Cameron Frye of Ferris Bueller's Day Off). The surrounding televisions play the same-old sporting events, food network, and there are a few tv's hooked up to a DVD player, which have played Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Star Wars, Beetlejuice, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Big Lebowski, etc.

"Parma, Italy"

I went today with my family and my dad and I split the "summer chicken" -- grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, havarti, roasted garlic herb dressing (the best part, if you ask me) between two, thick pieces of bread. Out of the five times I have been to Melt, this is the first time I have broken the streak of getting the "Parma, Italy" -- breaded chicken, sun-dried tomato pesto, roasted garlic, provolone (pictured here).  Where the "Summer Chicken" sandwich is very light and perfect for summer, the "Parma, Italy" is just right for colder weather -- it is a much thicker and heavier meal.

With your huge sandwich, you're given a large helping of great fries and some of the best cole slaw I have ever had. You can check out the menu here -- my uncle had "the Dude Abides" and my cousin had the "Gyro Melt". Basically, I drool at everything on the menu.

And if you get a "Melt tattoo" of the grilled cheese sandwich with crossbones, you get 25% off for life.

Lets do it.



Hatte