The fattest cheese toasties pon road...
Every morning on my way to the ‘Lion office, I walk past Blend’s massive windows and stare longingly at the chocolate croissants standing proudly on the counter. But there’s much more than lattes and pastries to get stuck into at this place.
It was a day off work, so naturally things were kicked off with a boozy hot chocolate (£3.50). I went for the amaretto one, served with a generous helping of mini marshmallows and honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. I don’t care what anyone says, when something tastes that good, it’s never too early to start drinking. My companion chose a matcha latte (£2.50), a bitter-yet-sweet green tea concoction. I stole a sip and wasn’t the biggest fan, but there were no complaints from the fella.
When it came to ordering food, we couldn’t wait to sample some of their signature grilled cheese sarnies, having heard some wondrous things about the boggers. Each one is made using sourdough bread and is pressed to perfection using a griddle. The proper way to make a toastie.
Sure enough, these aren’t your ordinary sarnies; they’re a cheese lover's heaven. The melted stuff oozes out of every side to form a thick crust that’s just begging to be devoured. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an entire block of cheese in each one.
I chose the Brieyonce (£5.95) which is packed with roasted mushrooms, brie and spinach. This one is flavoured mostly by the cheese, but every bite was a creamy delight, with the mushroom and spinach there to add an extra texture.
My fella was determined to have some meat, so opted for the Monterey Jack Nicholson (£6.25). Not for the faint-hearted, this one was stuffed full of smoked chicken, chipotle relish, peppers and Monterey Jack cheese. Intrigued by this flavour combination, I gave the thing a little sniff and felt my whole nose tingle from the chilli. Taste-wise, the chipotle gives it heat and the peppers help sweeten it up.
The staff at Blend did not want us going hungry, so threw some healthy stuff on the side. The roasted broccoli, sundried tomato, fresh pepper and mixed leaf salad (£5.75) had been topped with some salty chunks of brie and was a welcome addition to the table, adding an extra crunch to the mix.
In all, I can’t complain. I made it three quarters of the way through my nosh before I was completely defeated, and I spent the rest of the day in a cheese-fuelled food coma.
Avenue C, 30 Sneinton Market, NG1 1DW. 0115 838 9350
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