Grilled Cheese Month is Here: Ready, Set, Eat!

There are only three days left until the annual celebration of melted cheese known as the Grilled Cheese Invitational (GCI), at which one sandwich will be crowned the champion, and all others will be merely delicious accompaniments to tomato soup.   In preparation, six local restaurants are each offering their take on specialty grilled cheese featuring GCI sponsor Tillamook Cheese. These sandwiches are only available until Saturday, so that gives you four days to eat them all.

In addition, Tender Greens West Hollywood is celebrating Grilled Cheese Month with a different sandwich each day this week.  Their chef, Eric Hulme will be competing in Saturday's GCI. Through Friday, April 22nd at the West Hollywood restaurant only, these special grilled cheese sandwiches will be $10.50 (served with a simple salad) and will be posted on twitter daily.  That makes seven sandwiches for you to eat this week to get your Grilled Cheese merit badge.

Lastly, Clementine will be celebrating Grilled Cheese Month all month long with different sandwiches available each week.  The full menu is here.  This is Clementine's 10th Annual celebration of the sacred sandwich.

Chef Eric Hulme’s Quack Attack Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The six participating restaurants serving cheesy and delicious Tillamook melts this week are:

simplethings sandwich & pie shop
8310 W 3rd Street ô (323) 592-3390
www.simplethingsrestaurant.com

Chef Carrie Cusack has created a Pork Belly Grilled Cheese with Tillamook Monterey Jack Cheese, Pork Belly, Smoked Tomato, Caramelized Onions, Avocado ($9.50)

The Foundry on Melrose
7465 Melrose Avenue ô (323) 651-0915
www.thefoundryonmelrose.com

Grilled Cheese Invitational veteran Chef Eric Greenspan will offer the Johnny Apple Cheese AKA Johnny Pastrami with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, Sourdough Bread, Apple Mustard Chutney, Green Apple, Smoked Pastrami ($8.00)

Dominick’s
8715 Beverly Blvd ô (310) 652-2335
www.dominicksrestaurant.com

Chef Brandon Boudet has created a sandwich featuring Tillamook Monterey Jack Grilled Cheese, Grilled Wild Ramp, Ciabatta Bread ($11.00)


The Oaks Gourmet
1915 North Bronson Avenue ô (323) 871-8894
www.theoaksgourmet.com

From another Grilled Cheese Invitational participant, Chef Luke Reyes will offer a sandwich with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, Black Forest Bacon, Homemade Tomato Jam, Sourdough Bread ($9.95)


101 Coffee Shop
6145 Franklin Avenueô (323) 467-1175
www.the101coffeeshop.com

Chef Brandon Boudet has also created a Po Boy for Angelenos across town with Tillamook Medium Cheddar & Homemade Creole Hot Sausage Po Boy ($9.00)


crow bar & kitchen (Orange County)
2325 East Coast Highway ô (949) 675-0070
www.crowbarcdm.com

Grilled Cheese aficionado, Chef John Cuevas, will offer a melt with Tillamook Sharp Cheddar, Pickled Ramps, Smoked Bacon, Garlic Mayo, Fried Egg ($11.00)


Tender Greens West Hollywood is the only Tender Greens location with the grilled cheese specials this week.

Tender Greens West Hollywood
8759 Santa Monica Boulevard  (310) 358-1919

Clementine in Century City has a month of sandwiches:

Clementine:
1751 Ensley Avenue (310) 552-1080
http://clementineonline.com/

Fall Cocktails at Dominick's

Monday night a phalanx of cocktail bloggers (including Caroline on Crack, e*star LA and ThirstyinLA) descended on the back bar at Dominick's to try the new cocktail list, which for the first time is shared by both Dominick's (West Hollywood) and its sibling establishment, Little Dom's in Los Feliz. The new cocktails were created by Nikki Sunseri of Little Dom's. We tried all of the new drinks:

The Scotch Leaf has Famous Grouse Scotch, Maple, Maple Bitters, Lemon, Egg White, Orange Peel.  This reminded me of the Japanese Maple, one of the signature drinks at the Roger Room (Yamazaki Scotch, maple syrup, lemon juice, egg white), and while it isn't up to that standard, is pretty darn tasty.  The froth of the egg white, the scotch and the maple all blend together seamlessly.

The garnish is anything but discreet on the Southside cocktail (above) made with Damrak Amsterdam Gin, Cucumber, Basil, Lemon and Simple Syrup.  With the cucumber it reminded me more of an Eastside than a Southside, but in any case it was refreshing and well balanced.  On the sweeter side of drinks I enjoy, but still recommended as the basil and cucumber cut the gin and simple nicely.

You may be shouting Ole once you take a sip of El Matador, which contains El Jimador Silver Tequila, Creme Yvette, Pressed Ginger, Simple Syrup and Lemon.  It is very light for a tequila-based cocktail although its pink color does not imply that it is simply a concoction for the fairer sex.  The tequila does not overpower the cocktail and you could find yourself drinking too many of these before you realize it.

The Italian 75 is a prosecco cocktail based on the classic French 75, containing Prosecco, Dimmi, Plymouth Gin, Simple Syrup and Lemon and served with a grapefruit peel.  The changes are the substitution of prosecco for champagne and the addition of Dimmi.

The cocktails above are all $12, with the exception of the Italian 75, which is $11.

The only beverage I tried that wasn't up to par was the Manhattan (not pictured), which was rather weak.  So stick to the drinks above and you should be a happy camper.

The back bar at Dominick's is very comfortable and seats about eight people max.  As part of a recent renovation they redid their side patio, which has a roaring fireplace and comfortable seating.  I'd recommend getting a cocktail at the front bar and relaxing outside by the fireplace or hanging out at the back bar which is open every day of the week except Monday evening.

Don't forget about the Sunday Dinner special which is 3 courses for $15, with bottles of red or white wine available for $12.  The prime seating area is the back patio, which is comfortable and relaxing.

Dominick's: 8715 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood.  Phone: (310) 652-2235.  Website: http://www.dominicksrestaurant.com/