Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen lastly made it to Miami after years of ready. The pandemic delayed the opening of the Kendall location, however that didn’t cease my pleasure.
When the doorways lastly opened, I had one objective in thoughts: to see if Cheddar’s was nonetheless carrying the torch for one of many nice consolation meals sandwiches of all time, the Monte Cristo.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen (Kendall) – Fast Data
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
📍 16455 SW 88th Road, Miami, FL
📞 305- 388-6236
🌐 cheddars.com
📸 Instagram | Fb
🕒 Hours:
Solar–Thu 11:00 AM – 10:00 pm
Fri–Sat 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Cheddar’s calls itself a “scratch kitchen,” and for as soon as, that’s not simply advertising and marketing fluff. The chain prides itself on making dishes in-house, proper right down to the croissants, that are brushed with heat honey butter.
Should you’re scrolling Google for “Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen menu”, anticipate hearty American classics: burgers, ribs, fried shrimp, steaks, and loads of creamy, tacky sides. However let’s be sincere—one sandwich steals the present.
What to Eat and Drink at Cheddar’s
A few years again, Marcela and I dropped right into a Cheddar’s in Tampa for some drinks and appetizers. We went in blind and left impressed.
The chips and housemade queso, loaded potato skins, and hand-breaded hen tenders had been all top-notch. Marcela ordered a Painkiller cocktail, which comes with a two-drink most. Our waiter informed tales of parents who underestimated it and needed to be helped out the door. Marcela was wonderful, however the others weren’t.
Between the croissants, queso, and cocktails, you can cease there and name it an evening. However then I noticed the cheeseburger on the menu, and like Marcela along with her second Painkiller, I couldn’t resist. It was strong, however I wasn’t right here for “strong.” I used to be right here for the Monte Cristo.
What Is a Monte Cristo Sandwich?
Should you’ve ever eaten at Bennigan’s again within the day, the legend. The Monte Cristo is the Americanized cousin of France’s croque monsieur: a ham and cheese sandwich that will get dipped in batter, deep-fried till golden, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with a aspect of raspberry jam.
It’s salty, candy, tacky, and messy, basically, all the pieces consolation meals ought to be. Bennigan’s made it a family identify within the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, however after its decline, the Monte Cristo almost disappeared from nationwide menus.
That’s the place Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is available in. They’ve quietly saved the custom alive.
How Was Cheddar’s Monte Cristo?
Two months earlier than my Cheddar’s go to, I tracked down the final Bennigan’s in Florida (now closed). The Monte Cristo there wasn’t what I remembered—greasy, limp, and unhappy.
Cheddar’s, then again, nailed it. The batter was crisp, not oily. The sandwich was stacked with turkey, ham, American, and Swiss cheese, sealed up tight, deep-fried to perfection, and dusted with simply sufficient powdered sugar. The raspberry protect on the aspect introduced all of it house.
It’s all the pieces a Monte Cristo ought to be: decadent, nostalgic, and satisfying. Bennigan’s would possibly’ve began it, however Cheddar’s perfected it. Palms down, it’s the greatest deep-fried sandwich nonetheless on a nationwide restaurant menu.
Ultimate Chunk
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen isn’t simply one other informal eating chain. It’s one of many few nonetheless doing consolation meals proper—scratch-made, hearty, and unpretentious. Whether or not you cease by for the Painkiller cocktails, the honey butter croissants, or the Monte Cristo sandwich, you’ll go away full and pleased.
And in the event you’ve been chasing the ghost of Bennigan’s all these years, your search ends at Cheddar’s.
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