The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen

Sitting in the baggage claim area of San Francisco International, a lone dismantled magazine covered with tidbits of the city's offerings beckons. Having done no prior research to arrival, The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen jumps out from the rest, not only by its reasonable price but that the restaurant specializes in unique versions of the snack and meal that defined more youthful years. It is thrilling that as restaurants become more specialized, its fare must correlate to its level of specialization in order to survive (or so I would like to think). As it turns out, I was going to a San Francisco Giants baseball game the following day during the lunch hour on a rare sunny day in the packed AT&T park that made you wonder if people really worked in this city or were just playing hooky.

A rare, unusually warm sunny day walking through San Francisco toward the Giants stadium passing through South Park admiring the charm and coveting a Public bicycle en route, I finally arrive at the front of the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. The historical landmark building casts a shadow on its sidewalk dining area where airline pilots, tourists, Giants fans, and locals are lunching. There are even game day specials for drinks and organic iced tea. It is a little before noon and plenty of time to walk those few extra blocks to the stadium.

The walls are decorated in grilled cheese memorabilia, the menu on black chalkboard and has an overall focus on being local, sustainable, organic, environmentally aware, and green or all things representative of the ultimate San Franciscan emanating from the cozy decor of the interior. The line was short so before I was decided, I was already talking to the woman at the till. She tells me that the owner's favorite is the Black n' Blue - gorgonzola dolce, monterey jack, roast beef, arugula, balsamic onion marmalade, and sage butter. However, this is being replaced with the regular menu item Don Gondola of provolone, sopressatta salami, pesto, and garlic butter. She tells me the Jalapeño Popper (US$9.00) is her favorite. Though not a particular fan of jalapeños and definitely not one to seek them out, I oblige to her recommendation. At first, I hesitate being so long without cheese and wondering if a bite filled with too much ooey gooey dairy would result in something the opposite of digesting. She says she can tell the kitchen to go light on the cheese, but wanting the full experience, I opt not to. I am already thinking I should have ordered the Red, White, and Blue Plate Special (US$8.00 or +$1 for sandwiches over $8.00) to try their organic house-made tomato soup with crème fraîche and croutons. The house sodas (US$3.00) sounded really appealing, but all I wanted was a taste.

I sat at the counter overlooking the kitchen window where the sandwiches are apparently toasted - not grilled - and employees are quickly filling orders pouring soup or adding a couple luscious strawberries to each sandwich order. In a case of not-so-mistaken identity, it turns out Nate Pollak is one of the owners of this place, though looking somewhat different from his university years. Already impressed by the mere venture of grilled cheese, its obvious success is equally impressive. My jalapeño popper made of chèvre, monterey jack, applewood-smoked bacon, and apricot-jalapeño relish arrives in a basket lined with brown paper and the presentation is given a colorful splash from the plump California strawberry I plan to conclude my meal with. The hearty country wheat bread is perfectly toasted with a crisp layer of caramelization which also keeps the contents of the sandwich from oozing and making the bread fall apart. Each bite is incredible. There is a perfect balance of cheese, bread, bacon, and jalapeño with no one flavor or texture overwhelming the other. The jalapeño-apricot combination was surprising, balancing the heat with sweetness and bringing out the subtle nuttiness of the salty cheese. The cuts of applewood-smoked bacon were thick and gave the grilled cheese a meaty depth. Sad as it was to see the sandwich end, each bite was strategically chosen so the last bite would be the perfect one balancing all the flavors.

As I am eating, the line is growing out the door regardless of how fast these people are grilling / toasting, packing, and registering orders. Just hearing patrons order different sandwiches makes me extremely curious to dive more into the menu. Alas, another time. Already waiting in great anticipation for the next visit after crossing the Pacific in the unforeseeable future.

The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen. 1 South Park Avenue, Suite 103A, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States. Telephone: +1.415.243.0107. Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm, Sat 9am-3pm. www.theamericansf.com