Do our eyes deceive us? Banh mi AND poutine under one roof? The two dishes we live and die for were both on the lunch menu at Creo Restaurant. It's like they were meant just for us. I was always intimidated by Creo, thinking it was too stuffy to be part of our dining scene. We frequent Mr. Fuji Sushi and The Meat House on a regular basis but for for some reason or another, we always bypassed Creo at Stuvesant Plaza. Setting our prejudices aside, we set off for to try a new experience. The menu had our names written all over it; how could we pass up on two of our favorite meals?
Our search for poutine in the Capital Region has led us to various interpretations, from The City Beer Hall to Capital City Gastropub, with little success in replicating the flavors and squeakiness of this French Canadian delicacy. They both deserve honorable mentions for use of quality ingredients but the magic is in a certain cheese curd and execution of the dish. It's hard to impress this Canadian-Vietnamese. Thus far, the only place that has been able to perfect the ratio of unmelted cheese curd to crispy fries and gravy has been The Montreal Poutine food truck. The cheese curd I look for has a particular flavor and texture that local cheddar curds here just don't have. Oddly enough, Montreal Poutine truck aside, the only other cheese curd with the exact flavor profile can be found frozen in Trader Joe's version of poutine but the fries and gravy that come with it are atrocious. It's difficult to describe what I'm looking for exactly in terms of flavor but it's almost a cross between mozzarella and cheddar and the texture and squeak of halloumi. So how does Creo's poutine fare?
For whatever reason, growing up in Canada the only kind of cheese that was around my house were wedges of Laughing Cow cheese spread. My parents didn't grow up with cheese products in Vietnam nor did they ever develop a taste for it here. It wasn't until we moved Stateside that I got a taste for grilled cheese sandwiches. As a kid I marveled at the grilled cheese of my friends' childhoods: gooey bright orange slices of Kraft singles melted between buttered slices of Wonderbread. I've since graduated from American cheese and have discovered grown-up variations.
There's something magical about perfectly toasted bread and melty cheese. Add gourmet ingredients and grilled cheese is taken to a whole new level. After this weekend, I'm pretty sure J and I have found the grilled cheese sandwiches of our dreams at The Cheese Traveler. We're no cheese connoiseurs but you don't need to be to stop by here. The staff are very knowledgeable about their products and happy to educate you about the nuances and origins of the various cheeses. As purveyors of all things delicious, it's no surprise that you'll find a quality grilled cheese sandwich here. All the ingredients are found right in the store. Here you'll find the finest of ingredients from bread to cheese, to charcuterie and even fruit spreads and chocolate bars.
There are two grilled cheese menus at The Cheese Traveler: the front board is reserved for the day's specials while just around the corner, you'll find the full regular menu overlooking the olive bar and case of cured meats. Anything with duck confit usually calls our name so we got one sandwich from the daily menu (a duck confit and rippleton cheese with cider jelly) and one from the regular menu (The Spicy & Smoky). It's not just the bread or just the cheese that makes each and every one of these grilled cheese sandwiches special but the unique pairing of ingredients.
