Melt Bar and Grilled

Melt Bar and Grilled is a dive bar serving up gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. There are three locations in Cleveland: Lakewood (West side), Cleveland Heights (East side), and Independence (South side).

Melt is probably best known among non-Ohioans for having their "Melt Challenge" featured on the Travel Channel's "Man v. Food." While the MvF taping took place at the original Lakewood location, I ventured to the Cleveland Heights spot for my visit (since I happened to be in that area).

The place was packed as I entered Melt Bar and Grilled. The cashier (and souvenir stand) to my left, the bar straight ahead, and some dine-in seating behind the cashier. Glancing over the menu, I had zero idea on what to get...they all looked tasty.

To make my choice even harder, Melt was running a Thanksgiving-inspired special the week I was there: the New Bomb Turkey (mesquite smoked turkey breast, sage stuffing, roasted butternut squash, homemade turkey gravy, Muenster cheese on two pieces of sourdough, complete with a sweet cranberry dipping sauce).

The "New Bomb Turkey" looked amazing as well!

I opted to try the Spinach Pie ($8.50): a grilled cheese-concoction of wilted garlic spinach, roasted red peppers, grilled onions, and feta cheese in between two thick pieces of sourdough bread. It was served with fries and their sweet slaw.

One of my friends -- who lives in Cleveland -- said the wait for food could be brutally long. Perhaps I went at a good time, or maybe it's because I placed a takeout order -- but I got my food within 15-20 minutes.

Takeout menu

Loved the company sticker on the takeout container!

Spinach Pie grilled cheese, w/fries and slaw
(Melt Bar and Grilled)

Cross-section!

The feta was the star for me here. Just that added saltiness from the cheese imparted an extra boost of flavor in this one. The sweet, peppery slaw is a lovely side dish for this grilled cheese, and the stubby fries were cooked well. There are a number of great grilled cheese choices here, and I found it hard to pick just one.

Of course, if you're real hungry, attempt the "Melt Challenge." A massive sandwich consisting of 13 different cheeses and three slices of grilled sourdough bread will leave you with a calcium surplus for the rest of the week -- not to mention you'll be sweating saturated fat from all that cheesy goodness. Over five pounds of food (including fries and slaw). There's no time limit, but no help and no bathroom breaks. Finish it all, and you get: (1) a Melt T-shirt or Melt pint glass; (2) a $10 gift card; and (3) your picture on their Melt Challenge Hall of Fame. In all likelihood, the record is probably held by Furious Pete (he even has a video on his YouTube account that shows him completely destroying the Melt Challenge).

Melt Bar and Grilled has great food and a lively atmosphere! If I'm crazy enough one day, I'll head back to try that Melt Challenge! 8.25/10

Hot Sauce Williams

Hot Sauce Williams is a family-run local dive located on Carnegie Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. Known for serving up great "Polish Boys" (the signature item of Cleveland), Hot Sauce Williams was also featured on the Cleveland episode of "Man v. Food."

Adam Richman!

I walked in just after 11 a.m. on a Friday. The lunch rush hadn't happened yet, and the place had a sprinkling of customers. I wasted little time in ordering their Polish Boy ($3.99): a deep-fried spicy kielbasa is placed on a bun, topped with cole slaw, french fries, and their house-made sauce.

Menu (side 1; November 2011)

Menu (side 2; November 2011)

Polish Boy...messy indeed! (Hot Sauce Williams)

Deep fryers do such awesome things to food. I enjoyed the snap of the kielbasa here. The sauce and the creamy slaw packed great flavor -- and made this Polish Boy a bit messy. I don't think I had crinkle fries since my elementary school days, so a bit of nostalgia there. I ate my food in the car, so I felt compelled to bring out my "namby-pamby" side and eat it with a fork. The bun could have used some toasting, but that's my personal preference.

I didn't get many smiles from the staff when ordering. Not sure if it was just too early for the crew, or if they were just too busy getting everything ready for later, but I feel that a lack of flashing pearly whites must be mentioned here.

I'm also certain that Adam Richman tried the "Polish Girl" instead, as that one, at $5.99, includes the pork shoulder. I'm unsure whether I'll be back in Cleveland, but I wouldn't mind trying that next time. Hot Sauce Williams also offers various sandwiches (the catfish and the whiting call my name). Various side dishes include mac and cheese, black eyed peas, collard greens, baked beans, and stuffing.

Want to feed a family? Consider the Family Meal ($32), a full slab of ribs, eight pieces of chicken (legs and thighs), and two large side dishes. If you're more of a seafood lover, consider the Seafood Platter ($15.99): a (normally) two-person feast consisting of two pieces of whiting or perch, eight fried scallops, six jumbo shrimp, fries, and slaw.

Craving dessert? The peach cobbler ($3.95) and the banana pudding ($4.50) both sound awesome.

Hot Sauce Williams has a multitude of delectable offerings. It's too bad I only had a short time to enjoy this experience. Hopefully I'll be back for more. 7/10

Seti's Polish Boys

Seti's Polish Boys is a food truck located in Cleveland, Ohio. I located them at the Dean Supply Parking Lot on Woodland Ave.

While Seti's serves up several types of hot dogs, their signature item is also Cleveland's signature dish: the Polish Boy! Michael Symon mentioned Seti's variation on an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." Basically, a Polish Boy is a deep fried hot dog or sausage, placed in a hot dog bun, topped with cole slaw, french fries, and a sweet BBQ sauce.

Menu (November 2011)

Of course, that's what I went to Seti's for...a Polish Boy! Just had to get a true taste of Cleveland! A reasonable price at $5!

Polish Boy (Seti's Polish Boys)

What an awesome Polish Boy this was. The fried sausage produced a slight snap on the outside, while remaining juicy on the inside. The bite of the predominantly onion-filled slaw worked well with the sweet, glazy BBQ sauce. The fries were also great, no complaints there! While I would have liked the bun toasted a bit (or a bit more), this was a great introduction to Cleveland's Polish Boy!

The winner here was that BBQ sauce. A great sauce can make all the difference between a good dish and a great dish, and Seti's came through with flying colors. The Iron Chef was spot-on in his assessment of this Polish Boy! Check Seti's out...you won't be disappointed! 8/10

Steve's Gyros

Steve's Gyros can be found inside The West Side Market (Cleveland's oldest and most trusted market) in Cleveland, Ohio. Steve's has earned several accolades, including being Cleveland's #1 Gyro. In June 2011, the Food Network's Anne Burrell mentioned Steve's gyro in an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." And of course, for all "Man v. Food" fans, Adam Richman filmed a segment here on the Cleveland episode in June 2010.

The West Side Market!

Inside West Side Market...huge! A foodie's dream, really!

Yup, just look for E-13!

Meat on the spit!

Great attitude probably gets you a bigger portion...?

Adam Richman with employees at Steve's Gyros

One of Adam Richman's favorite places!

Steve's opens around 10 a.m., and I knew it was vital to get here early. Usually by around noon, the line can get extremely long, and it may be pushing it to get a gyro here if you show up after 1 p.m. The average wait time can be up to one hour, and Steve's may close the line about 60-90 minutes before closing to ensure everyone in line gets served. Luckily for me, by being among the first that day, I didn't have to wait long.

I ordered a regular gyro with everything (lamb/beef strips on a grilled, buttered pita, with tomato, onion, lettuce, and their sour cream-based sauce.

A huge gyro!

It was hard to get my hands around it...even after eating a bunch of the meat!

I thoroughly enjoyed the flavorful lamb and beef meat from the spit. The fresh veggies in a gyro always get a thumbs up from me. The pita was buttered and toasted to perfection on the flattop.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan of the sour cream-based sauce. Perhaps it's just my general aversion to sour cream. For a small consolation, I appreciated the sauce's slight kick.

For $8, I got a very generous portion of food. The regular gyro alone must have had over a pound of meat. Steve's has an incredible fan following, and I'm privileged to have tried their gyro for myself. But ultimately, taste is one of the main factors in my rating, and the sour cream-based sauce didn't work for me. Sorry guys...just an average score from me (slightly bumped up for the great gyro meat and the wonderful pita toasting). 6/10

Ohio Deli & Restaurant

The Ohio Deli is a dive restaurant located in Columbus, Ohio. While they serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, they are known for their sandwiches. On the first season of "Man v. Food," Adam Richman successfully took down Ohio Deli's Dagwood sandwich challenge.

Adam Richman taking the Dagwood down!

Adam's photo on the Wall of Fame!

The (now-previous) record was held by another competitive eater....

Furious Pete (competitive eater from Canada) now holds the record!

I arrived around 9:30 in the evening, fresh off my trip to Cincinnati. I decided to stop in, check out the Wall of Fame, and grab a sandwich of some sort. While I was not taking on the Dagwood this time, Ohio Deli had several sandwich choices that piqued my interest.

Since I like spicy food, one of the female workers suggested I go with the Buffalo Spinner ($6.69): strips of breaded chicken in buffalo sauce, diced tomato, lettuce, and cheddar cheese in a grilled tortilla wrap. It's served with a side of chips and a pickle spear.

Dagwood sandwich...front and center of this section of the menu!

Yup, styrofoam container (not something you'd find much of in Oregon)....

Buffalo Spinner (Ohio Deli & Restaurant)

Closeup of the cross-section

The wrap was still warm due to the cooked-to-order breaded chicken. Probably one of the more eye-appealing wraps I've had, such a beautiful cross-section. The chicken was breaded nicely and the vegetables were refreshing. However, the chips were soggy (likely from sitting next to the warm wrap in a closed container for a few minutes). The tangy buffalo sauce, while not spicy, awakened my palate from its slumber.

As a note, if you want to take on the Dagwood, it's just $8.99, so it just may be one of the best sandwich deals in town. It's served on "a mammoth sourdough roll spread with roasted garlic mayonnaise...piled high with smoked turkey, ham, roast beef, American & Swiss, lettuce, onion, and tomato." Finish that, plus a pound of fries and a pickle spear in less than 30 minutes, and you'll get your photo on their Wall of Fame, plus a T-shirt saying you took down that Dagwood. Otherwise, you can get a T-shirt that looks like this, just for kicks:

Yeah, that sandwich might just put me in a massive food coma

Anyway, the wrap was quite good, but the soggy chips (likely Ruffles) were a disappointment. Aside from the great tip for food, the service was average (but I'll give them a pass since it was close to closing time). Hopefully one day, I'll venture back there to try that Dagwood! 7/10