Tomato soup’s soulmate, kids’ menu standby, and a comfort classic: the grilled cheese sandwich. Pre-sliced white bread and neon orange squares just don’t do justice to the genius who thought to marry bread and cheese with a kiss of heat. The timeless combo is loaded with potential, and in Southern California, Grater Grilled Cheese is proving even this everyday staple can be totally niche.
Grater got its start on wheels in 2012. Through catering events and office visits, the family-owned food truck gained a huge following. Soon, their first permanent location was established in San Diego, with three more brick-and-mortars emerging throughout Southern California. A veggie-forward sister restaurant, Grater Greens, has also opened up a few doors away from the original Mission Valley storefront.
Why grilled cheese? Chef and operations manager, Joseph Karadakis, says, “For me, grilled cheese was always the quintessential comfort food…. My mom was always making grilled cheese and opening a can of Campbell’s. When taking care of my younger brother, grilled cheese was the only thing I could make for him.” Joseph also pointed out that grilled cheese is, “like a blank canvas,” perfect for embellishing, customizing, and experimenting.
Walking into Grater makes you excited about their food. A palette of black, white, and American-cheese-orange is a sleek foundation for fun additions like cheese-grater light fixtures and chuckle-inducing puns on the wall. Grab a napkin; you’ll be drooling at the high-quality food porn flashing across TVs near the register. Think butter being slathered on thick slabs of sourdough, the sizzling kiss of the grill, then the sliced final product with melty cheese oozing out—just in case you weren’t already hungry.
What makes Grater’s grilled cheeses so special? Chef Karadakis claims it’s the choice ingredients and made-to-order care they put into every sandwich. All of their cheeses are 100% natural and locally sourced (sorry Kraft!). The bread is made specifically for Grater by an L.A. bakery, where it’s been custom-designed to have the ideal density, size, and shape for grilled cheese. The menu changes yearly, and there’s a rotating monthly special sparked by Karadakis’ imagination. He looks to social media to see what new flavors and combinations are trending, then incorporates those ideas into the menu. Needless to say, Grater is making simple grilled cheese ever current and exciting.
All sandwiches start basic: their mild and melty 5-cheese blend. But that’s just the foundation for a variety of different sauces and add-ins. Choose one of their pre-formulated combos (the Lobster Grilled Cheese “has been and will always be” the most popular) or craft your own. There’s also salads, fries, mac n’ cheese, and even burgers. They’re now offering Impossible patties for burgers as well as grilled cheeses, and Karadakis says that as soon as they find a vegan cheese that “doesn’t suck,” they’ll be dishing that out too.
The main attraction is in the name. Our first taste was the Texas Grilled Cheese: nice chunks of tender short rib, onion rings bringing both crunch and gooeyness, the heat of pickled jalapeño, all rounded out by a sweet barbecue sauce. I totally applaud their grilling skills; the bread was toasty and fully crisp, not all mushy on the inside, how grilled cheeses tend to get. Interestingly, rather than using mayo (the hottest new grilled cheese hack), they stay old-school with butter.
Next up was the Cali Grilled Cheese, a good option if you’re looking for something a bit lighter. Their creamy cheese blend ensconces fresh tomato, roasted red bell pepper, and jalapeño. The bite of arugula, sweetness of caramelized onion, and coolness of avocado make for a mellow yet satisfying choice. It’s a particularly nice match for the dill pickle wedge served with every sandwich.
One of my favorite menu selections was actually their Mac N Cheese. Al denté cellentani pasta is drenched in an ultra creamy, subtle sauce before receiving a sprinkle of crunchy onions bits. It’s elegantly Euro and just the right portion size.
As for other sides, definitely upgrade to loaded fries; they get extra crisp when heated in the oven, and what potato couldn’t use some extra flavor? We tried the Lobster Loaded Fries, which feature their cheese blend, lobster, krab, and Pale Ale Chipotle Aioli. It’s not steakhouse seafood, but the soft texture of the lobster against the crunch of fries is a unique combo. You also get slight heat from the aioli and some added umami from the cheese.
If you’re a fan of grilled cheese but want something a little different, Grater is your place. Admirably, Chef Karadakis says, “We mainly make food to please others, not to feed our ego.” This means elevated comfort food at affordable prices, and a strong effort to cater to guests’ preferences. Luckily, it’s hard not to please with a grilled cheese.