Toasted Grilled Cheese Adds a Restaurant
The Cubano grilled cheese sandwich at Toasted (Photo: Shelby Lambert)
January 3, 2023 – Toasted Artisan Grilled Cheese food truck developed such a rabid following at the Mid-Valley Farmers Market that co-creator Erica Domingos would dispense one piece of advice more than any other.
It was not that the Mission Pig—loaded with chopped bacon and fig jam—is as good as it sounds. (It is.)
Or that the tomato soup ranks among the area’s best. (It does.)
Or that the specials—past creations have included a pulled-pork-charred-pinapple “Island Luau” and a St. Paddy’s “Shamrock” with slow-braised corned beef, cabbage slaw, “rustic” mustard, Guinness-caramelized onions, Swiss and havarti—are worth a romance. (They are.)
Instead the primary coaching was to get there early, because the line stretches long in a hurry.
The new restaurant is a few doors down from Beerded Bean coffee
Now the popular operation has its own brick-and-mortar spot, officially open as of today at 315 Mid Valley Center in Carmel Valley. Hours are 10am-7pm Tuesday through Sunday (closed Monday).
Their attempts at a quiet debut ahead of the grand opening evaporated quickly.
“We *tried* to do a soft opening, but… word got out,” a New Year’s Day Instagram post reads. “So, we’re OPEN!”
The new spot adds soup options, more grilled cheeses with all sorts of housemade touches like curds, relishes and salsas, fresh salads and seasonal desserts. Gluten- and dairy-free versions of each sandwich persist (and prove popular), and any protein can be swapped for grilled portobello mushrooms.
Erica Domingos runs the new restaurant with her husband and brother-in-law (Photo: Mark C. Anderson)
Specials will continue to be a strength. Current examples include parsnip-carrot soup; a stacked Cubano grilled cheese; and Southern comfort toast with sweet potato, toasted pecans, flaked sea salt, toasted mini marshmallows, arugula microgreens and a…
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