This grilled cheese is about to exceed all expectations.
If you find yourself in Des Moines, IA and like to keep things cheesy, have I got a place for you. The Cheese Bar on Ingersol Ave. near 31st St. is a newer restaurant, housing a variety of cheeses, cocktails, wine and even 30 beers on tap for those Wisconsinites.
However, before The Cheese Bar, was The Cheese Shop of Des Moines. Owners CJ Bienert and wife Kari like to call it the little big sister of “The Cheese Bar” due to its smaller size with only 25 seats. The shop, not the bar, is a retail store where you can buy cheese in chunks and create your own cheesy master pieces at home. It was also where the communities love for their grilled cheese, fondue and Mac & Cheese started–now staples at the bar.
Let me just talk about this grilled cheese. A friend of mine and I went to the restaurant recently to see what all the hype was about. Upon looking at the menu I notice a section dedicated to all that is grilled cheese. So naturally, I got a grilled cheese.
Wow. It was amazing. They didn’t just leave it at the typical cheddar. The cheese was sharper on the taste buds. And the bread, perfectly toasted, producing a satisfying crunch with every gooey bite. And with any great melty cheese, the cheese-pull was magnificent. I specifically got the Gruyere grilled cheese and this one came with some divine and perfectly caramelized onions in the center. Adding a bit of sweetness to compliment the saltiness of the cheese and bread. It made for an explosions of flavors.
I think it’s safe to say that the quality of ingredients put into food matters. This meal had only three components to it: cheese, bread and onion. Simple, yet because each were chosen carefully and with quality in mind, it became the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had (sorry dad).
So, I 100 percent recommend this place if you live or are ever in Des Moines and need your cheese fixin’.
