Grilled Cheese Stole My Heart

 

Them Grilled Cheese Bandits , that is.

Don your cowboy hats, slip on them cowboy boots, and saddle up. I am taking you on a ride of some cheesy ooey gooey yumminess.

Yes. I just wrote that sentence. Sorry to my vegan and lactose intolerant friends. This one ain’t for you

This morning had been crazy busy. With sleeping in to catch up on some much needed ZZZZ’s to coning a cat (more on that later) and rushing around the shop getting things done I realized I had nothing to eat. I was going to post about that (when I had time to actually blog) but as luck would have it, I was driving out on a delivery when I saw a sign for the Grilled Cheese Bandits.

The sign did me in. By the time I came back from delivery, I was salivating over the thought of a grilled cheese sandwhich. And then I saw their food truck. (In my head I thought a new resturant opened up in the neighborhood). I immediately banked right and into the parking lot.

 

I was greeted cheerfully by a lovely lady (I am so sorry I forgot your name [note to self: take notes]) And she handed me a sample of a fruit patato salad. (more on that soon). I eyeballed the menu posted under their window, which is black and orange [that reminded me of Nickolodeons ooze until I realized it was melted cheese] and thought of getting a sandwhich for my Dad at the shop, so I ordered two.

The Butch Cassidy and The Giuliano. The Butch is “provoloneand Russian dry salami on organic San Francico sourdogh batard”. You have me at sourdough.   Since my tummy is questionable when it comes to meat, I knew that would be best for my Dad. I had the other sandwhich. The Giuliano “mozzarella, parmesan and tomatoes with pesto on Italian batard”. Had me at Mozzarella.

I also ordered a side.  The Mashed Tater Balls “three bite sized, lightly fried, creamy mashed potatoes seasoned with chivesand sharp cheddar cheese”.  They sounded interesting.

While things were a grilling and frying I chatted with the owner Shayne Herrera. He was even kind enough to let me photograph him and their truck.

 

I love the hat.

Where can I find me one of them hats?

 I asked him how long they’ve been in business and he said they’ve been actively driving around for the past month or two. (I remember seeing their truck at least once before in the area).  They stop at this location and have several others in the Southbay and up the Peninsula into Redwood City. Check their site for their calendar. He likes the idea of making thin, but good sandwhiches. Nowadays people seem to want their sandwhiches piled high like Dagwood’s but the few ingredients in the sandwhiches they make is all they need to make them sing.

He’s also an artist (yeah!), photographer, and he and his business partner (didn’t catch your name, sorry!) were in the Tech industry before they switched gears into the food truck business. And he seems very happy doing it! He was all smiles and talk with every patron of the truck as he excused himself to get back to working on the sandwhiches.

My lack of impromptu interview skills is apparent. Whoops.

(I LOVE that sign. Makes me think of one of Eric’s Prunedale stories)

They were done in a jiffy and to my delight, he offered up the Fruit Potato Salad. I drove the hot food to the shop and even before I could get one photograph in, my Dad tore into the Butch Cassidy.

 

 I managed to pry it from him to take some pictures before he devoured it.

 

 Dad’s review: “It’s good.”

 . . . .

Give me something more to go with Dad. Haha.

“The combination of everything, the cheese, the salami, it is very appetizing.” Chomp chomp chomp.

 

Argh. 

I took a small bit and immedately tasted the yummy sourness of the bread. Crisp with a slight crunch, but moist with a bit of the grease from the butter and fat from the melted provolone. Almost immediately after, the kick of the thinly sliced salami and it’s peppery flavor hits and I am reminded why I love salamai all over again. 

 

I then dug into my Giuliano.

The bread was same in texture with a good crust and crunch. I was worried the  tomato and pesto combo would make the sandwhich soggy, but that wasn’t the case. It was definetly moist, but seemed greatly balanced with the acidity and juice of the tomato with the thickness of the pesto. The pesto itself wasn’t overly garlicky like some I’ve had. It fact it was pretty light. The cheese mellted beautifully with almost a creamy like texture (I think due to the mozzarella).

 

The flavors with beautifully balanced. I loved it. Dad said it was good, but he liked his sandwhich more.

We shared the ‘Tater balls. The ball is lightly fried, and when they say ligh the mean light. It was feather like to other fried foods. But the mashed potato…..ooooh man. Soooo creamy. Almost like a pillow. A cloud to rest your tongue on. Lol. Yes, I tried and my tastebuds loved it.

The chives gave a yummy slightly green onion flavor, though very mild against the sharp cheddar cheese action going on there.  It was, to me, a little salty (but I don’t salt a whole lot a foods so it could have been salted just fine for regular folk).

Now as for that Fruit Salad Potato mixture. Honestly, it sounded quite strange to me and the first bite my tastebuds didn’t know what exactly to think of it. Savory or sweet? Side or dessert? Eating part of it as a side with my sandwhich, I just didn’t know what to make of it.

 

I stuck the rest in the fridge and waited for my tastebuds to recallibrate and have since tried it again.  I love the idea of it and I find that I do like it. The creamy, slightly salted potatoes in contrast with the sweet fruits. So many textures going on in this. There were pieces of crunchy cool apples and small bits of peach (I think), with the strawberry on top.

 

 I would love to have had a larger portion of fruit mixed in, but that’s just me being a fruit lover.  I suggest to eat this served chilled on it’s own. It deserves it’s own moment because it just gets lost with the flavors of the sandwhiches.

((The more I think about it. . . .I imagining coconut somehow coming into play with this….. hmm…..))

The cost of 1 side with the two sandwhiches was about $16. Yeah, it’s not a $5 foot long. You get what you pay for and that’s some really yummy sandwhiches on with quality cheeses and breads. And flavor. Great flavor.

((I would really love to know where they get their cheese and the bread.))

My one and ONLY complaint (if I really have to) is the sandwhiches are greasy. But again, I think that’s from a possible butter coating and the fats from the melted cheeses. It should not be a deterrent from eating from the Grilled Cheese Bandits.

Be warned now to have ample napkins on hand.

There is a dessert option on their menu and it involves Nutella with Goat Cheese. Um, droooooooool.  I can’t wait to see the truck again to try that baby out.

If you see the Grilled Cheese Bandits setting up shop near you, drop by and check them out. Or to find where they are going to be next, check out their site.

 

 

 Agenda: paint after work in studio, go to gym to get a small run in, watch Olympics and get some sleep.

Tell me.  .  .

If you had a food business, what would it entail? I honestly have no clue.

What is your favorite food truck? I LOVE Babloos Cuban Food. Everytime I’m at West End (once a year) I hit them up for some of their fish sliders. Droooooooool I think it’s called the Fred and Ethel. And I now really like the Grilled Cheese Bandits. Helps that they are closer too. haha.  

Do you like cowboy gear? I must have been a country girl in a past life ‘cuz I love the classic country songs and would love to have a horse to trail ride. And I love their hats. And shoes. I married a ‘cowboy’ (that’s what my family called Eric when we first started dating) so I guess that’s close enough.  

 

Tagged as: food truck, foodie, grilled cheese, Grilled Cheese Bandits, San Jose, Santa Clara, South Bay Area