My Saturday night out in the city was supposed to be just for the girls.
That was until I remembered I didn’t eat anywhere for my review, and I wouldn’t be in the city for the rest of the weekend. So, my friend Liz’s birthday celebration dinner had to become a cheesy, analytical review.
That was because on Saturday, Melt’d in Oakland was one of few restaurants open until 1 a.m.; and it was already late.
Although we parked our car only feet away from the restaurant, we walked two and a half blocks away until I, the navigator, realized we were headed in the wrong direction. Once we finally got out of the cold and spent too much time worrying about college girls not wearing jackets, I looked over the menu for a few minutes before placing an order on one of the kiosks.
Nevaeh Wessel, the Globe’s Business manager, begged me to order a milkshake. I told her no. Although that was until I saw that it only added $4 onto a combo, versus the usual $6 it adds separately in most businesses.
The Smash’D Burger that was $10 was comparable to Point Park’s served through the Point Cafe. With our dining hall’s track record, I was shocked to say that Point Park’s rendition of the smash burger was tastier.
The whole sandwich at Melt’d was a little dry. The fries it came with were drier. Although it has more ingredient options than that of the Point Cafe’s, it wasn’t comparable to the university’s soft, cheesy and warm bun.
As for the milkshake, it’s something you should order once. The vanilla drink was pleasant, but wasn’t special.
Next on the list was the $11 Philly cheesesteak grilled cheese that came with a side of tomato soup, which was seasoned and delicious. Its strong flavor contrasted the milkshake, which aided to cool down the spice that the sandwich gave off from its peppers.
It was an excellent rendition of grilled cheese. It did not cross the line that a cheesesteak normally does, which classifies it as a hoagie. Nor would it cross the line to be classified as a sandwich. It gave a subtle spicy kick and the crisp bread and cheese pull came first before the grilled onions, peppers or chipotle ranch’s flavor.
Last was the $13 Gas Can Bowl, which was composed of mac and cheese with tater tots, pulled pork, house barbeque and chives. To say that it had tater tots was an under exaggeration. The bottom part of the bowl was a bed of tater tots.
The amount of grease in this thing probably made my cholesterol levels go sky high.
The mac and cheese in the next layer was superb. The noodles were tender, and the cheese–although on the drier side–made the noodles stickier to chew. I can assure you this was a good thing.
The mac and cheese ended up being the only thing I enjoyed trying inside the bowl which left me wondering if a simple mac and cheese bowl would taste the same, and just as good, on its own.
The pulled pork on top, which was marinated and covered in barbeque sauce, became overwhelming. Sure, it might be beneficial to add something tasteful to two other typically tasteless items, but not in such an overwhelming capacity.
The meat’s flavor was bursting sweet and needed something else to calm it down. Perhaps it would have been better if we had mixed the whole bowl together, rather than trying each component separately on its own.
As for the cooks, not only were they excellent at making grilled cheeses, they were also fun people who delivered quick and good service.
When I entered the restaurant I heard one of the cooks talking to himself in Spanish. So, I took the opportunity to practice with him. And although I asked what sandwich was the best incorrectly (Cuál sándwich es mejor?), and he really didn’t understand me, he was very appreciative of my attempt.
At the end of the night, without the knowledge that I was doing a review he came by my table with a free box of hot tortilla chips and queso and said, (para tí,) “[for you].”
Despite the bribe with chips, Melt’d is a place that you should visit if you’re in Oakland and are looking for an affordable milkshake and cheesy, greasy carb-loaded meal.
