At The Melt, a restaurant that debuted a few weeks ago just 10 minutes from Estrella, your childhood grilled cheese gets a gourmet makeover. Just one of several locations scattered around California and the rest of the western U.S., Tustin's recently unveiled The Melt promises the same ooey-gooey sandwiches as its sister locations, including the "classic" grilled cheese. There's really nothing classic about it, though. In lieu of bright orange grocery store cheese, the sandwich features aged sharp cheddar, and in place of bland sliced bread, there are slabs of artisan white bread.

You can also order a grilled cheese stuffed with mac and cheese (plus bacon), a Fontina-Povolone sammy augmented with grilled mushrooms and fiery garlic bread, or a cheesesteak with a creamy aged cheddar cheese sauce. Then there are the burgers, which come topped with artisan cheeses like aged cheddar, Fontina, and Monterey Jack. Cheesy chicken sandwiches an salads are also on the menu at The Melt, not to mention upscale versions of mac and cheese and fries. What's your favorite creation at The Melt?

The Melt
2943 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92782
(657) 212-6816
themelt.com
www.yelp.com/biz/the-melt-tustin-tustin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr stevendepolo