Foodie News

The cheesiest sandwich of all: Where to find the best grilled cheese for thisnational holiday

The Grazing Mind
Cheese Sandwich

If you search the Internet, you'll find that every day has been assigned a random food holiday. If you have bad luck, like I do, your birthday falls on something super lame like National Mustard Day (sorry, mustard fans) instead of a holiday celebrating pastries or burgers or doughnuts or, yum, pie.

I'll put National Grilled Cheese Day — celebrated on April 12 — as one of the good food days. What is more simple and more delicious than the combo of melted cheese and toasted bread? That's something to celebrate.

Of course, not all grilled cheese is created equal. Here are our five favorites around town:

5. Shepherd Park Draught House

The mixture of cheddar and Swiss on the Grilled Cheese O.D. really takes me back to the sandwiches of my childhood, with a creamy tomato bisque on the side.

4. Bernie's Burger Bus

It's hard to hit up the bus and not order one of the incredible burgers, but Bernie also offers a grilled cheese dubbed the Recess, made of sourdough bread and cheddar cheese with optional add-ons like tomato, avocado, mushrooms, caramelized onions or a fried egg. Who needs beef?

3. Pinewood Café

If you want a grilled cheese done right, you've got to design the perfect combo yourself, which is why the make-your-own grilled cheese menu at Pinewood Café inside Hermann Park is so genius. I'm partial to a jalepeño cheddar bread with chicken, pico de gallo, pepper jack and cheddar cheese.

2. Max's Wine Dive

Thick brioche toast goes toe to toe with oozy gruyere and provolone in a battle to win over your taste buds, with a hint of heat from red bell pepper pimiento. The cup of tomato soup on the side is great — grilled cheese and tomato soup go together in a comfort food duo like cookies and milk.

1. Ladybird Food Truck

If you are going to name something after yourself, it better be awesome. Luckily the LadyBird grilled cheese, made of cheddar, Texas goat cheese, Brooklyn ricotta, green tomatoes and a side of pickled okra remoulade, does not disappoint. Oh, how it does not disappoint.

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Stay trill, owls

Bun B serves up smash hit smash burgers at Houston's Rice University

Photo by Quit Nguyen

Bun B is bringing Trill Burgers to Rice University.

Faculty, students, and staff at Rice University will have a fresh new dining option when classes resume for the fall semester. Trill Burgers will open its fourth Houston-area location on campus beginning Monday, August 17.

Located at the Rice Memorial Center, the new Trill Burgers will serve the restaurant’s signature smash burgers, which are available in either beef or vegan versions. That starts with the OG Trill Burger, made with two smashed beef patties, pickles, caramelized onions, Trill Sauce, and American cheese on a Martin’s potato roll. A vegan version uses plant-based smashed patties, vegan sauce, and vegan cheese. Burgers will be sold individually or as a combo with fries and a drink. Students will be able to use their campus dining dollars (Tetra) to purchase their meals.

Bun B, a Houston hip-hop legend and co-founder of Trill Burgers, has long had ties to Rice University. In 2011, 2013, and 2015, he served as a distinguished lecturer, co-teaching Religion and Hip-Hop Culture with Anthony Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Distinguished Professor of the Humanities.

“This is truly full circle for me,” Bun B said in a statement. “To bring this brand to Rice University where I once taught is a major moment for Trill Burgers and for myself.”

In addition to Trill Burgers, Rice is also home to locations of breakfast favorite Dandelion Cafe and salad and sandwich concept Local Foods Market.

“We are excited to build upon this long-standing relationship while giving the Rice community an authentic taste of Houston,” Beth Leaver, Rice’s assistant vice president of housing, dining, and hospitality, added. “Trill Burgers brings a distinctive and celebrated part of Houston’s culinary culture to the Rice campus. I am often asked about adding a great burger option, and this partnership fills an important gap in our dining portfolio.”

While the restaurant is open to the general public, its proximity to the original Trill Burgers location (3607 S. Shepherd Dr.) means it will likely appeal primarily to people who are already on campus. Initially, the restaurant will be open from 11 am-5 pm.

Opening at Rice comes at a time of continued growth for Trill Burgers. In December, the restaurant opened in Missouri City. It is expected to open a new location at Westheimer and Hillcroft (7616 Westheimer Rd.) as soon as this month.

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