The first time I had Lil Cheezers it was a frigid December day where everything turned out right. My two best friends and I blew glass Christmas ornaments together, visited Joe Ley's, went to The Flea Off Market, got our picture taken in the Magnolia Photo Booth--and we were starving. We found the Lil Cheezer's truck and glutted ourselves with grilled cheese sandwiches, super spicy tomato soup, curried ketchup and cheese sticks. I have such fond memories of that day, I have often wondered if Lil Cheezer's could ever again measure up to my expectations.
So when Lil Cheezers opened a location on Bardstown Road, I was terribly excited for them but a little apprehensive. How would they handle the transition from food truck into restaurant? Would the Fancy Pants grilled cheese still the an oddly gourmet comfort food conundrum with caramelized onions, granny smith apples and walnuts? Would that spectacular curry ketchup still entrance the taste buds as it did on that magical December day? Would the whimsical nature of the cuisine translate from the ultimately hipster food truck stage to the small Bardstown Road location? I am happy to report, the Lil Cheezer's restaurant is just as good, just as fast, and much less difficult to find than the food truck. I brought my little sister, (a grilled cheese connoisseur, she says a good grilled cheese should sound like a radio crackling between stations when you bite into it) and my best friend Teacup. We tried the Fancy Pants, the fried bologna, the Caprese and the Bailey's Breakfast, to which I added bologna. The fare was cheap and delish as ever, and there are more grilled cheeses than I remember on the menu, including some dessert options--s mores, anyone?
The only gripe I have--the bologna on the sandwich was THIN LITTLE SLIVERS! Even the menu states "two thick cut bologna steaks" on the fried bologna grilled cheese, and the little slivery bits of meat we got were NOT thick steaks. This is a picture of the bologna sandwich we got in December:
And this is a picture of the bologna sandwich now:
Besides this small hiccup, the new Lil Cheezers is worth a visit. Also, they are fixing up the old truck and building a new one, so soon grilled cheese will roam this city with wild abandon. Rampant trucks bearing melty cheese and buttered bread? Yes, Please.
Photos: Elizabeth Orrick
