There are grilled cheeses far and wide, for good reason. Many of them are good. Some, great. For April, Grilled Cheese Month, we'll be trying grilled cheeses from all over, and dispensing a little wisdom along the way.
The Murray's Melt ($3.99)
Murray's, 254 Bleecker Street, New York, New York, 10014
Murray's is a New York City institution. A temple of curd. If you're going to die of a heart attack, this is the place you go to cross life's finish line. So what's the cheese combo they use for their "secret blend"? I have no idea. But I can tell you this: When you unwrap that crisp, buttered square from the foil wrapping, it glows like a golden brick. Pull those two diagonal halves slightly apart and it oozes — the most beautiful, creamy white-cheesiness I've ever seen. We're talking thick lava. We're talking a good half-inch all perfectly melted and mixed. Take a bite: the creaminess hits you first. Luscious, but also amazingly fluffy. You could eat this by the spoonful and die happy. Then some tang to keep the binge in check. Perhaps it's a hint of cheddar. Then a smile. Then an empty wrapper.
Decadent, yes. But as my dining companion said: "I regret nothing."
There's no fanciness here. No crazy add-ins or artisanal whatever. Just an amazing, classic grilled cheese.
Cheese: 10 out of 10
Texture: 10 out of 10
Originality: 8 out of 10
Intangible Grilled-Cheese Essence: 10 out of 10
Final Score: 38 out of 40
