Last week, I attended The Eastburn‘s Grilled Cheese Invitational 2015. The 2nd Annual event capped off a great fundraising effort as Eastburn was offering $5 grilled cheese all August, with proceeds donated to the Portland Women’s Crisis Line. The Grilled Cheese Invitational, with it’s $20 for multiple grilled cheese samples as multiple establishments threw down for the people to judge, also had all proceeds go towards the worthy cause.

I wanted to recap and highlight all the wonderful grilled cheeses I was able to enjoy from the restaurants participating as I feel they deserve some extra recognition, even if they didn’t win. Everyone brought a very special grilled cheese they invented just for the event. Thank you for manning the grill for those hours and helping this great cause! And, of course thank you for the delicious combination of grilled cheese.

The Eastburn’s Grilled Cheese Invitational course was set up like golf, with various stations where you would drop a token to receive your grilled cheese. You would rank the grilled cheeses by Taste, Originality, Presentation for a total, and at the end the results would be for Best In Taste, Best In Originality, Best Presentation, and Best Overall.
 

Big Ass Sandwiches

Big Ass Sandwiches impressed with their special one off grilled cheese take that had Panko crusted brioche, pancetta, cambozola cheese and raspberry compote. This former food cart now has a brick and mortar in NE 55 and Glisan which has allowed them to offer even more sandwiches and Brian’s Meaty Balls. You should investigate this stop yourself. Meanwhile, I’m going to remember that clever use of panko for a future grilled cheese of my own.

Zeek’s Cheese Grill

Also formerly a food cart in Cartlandia but now located in Hillsdale Food Park and as a micro restaurant in Bethany Village, Zeek’s Cheese Grill concocted his own version of a Cubano. The Cubano grilled cheese sandwich take was served with tomato basil cream soup and included Slow Roasted Pork and Bacon, Dill Havarti cheese with Housemade Pickles and Banana Pepper Mustard Relish. Both of these are available on their regular menu.

Blue Plate Diner

There was quite the line for the Blue Plate Diner’s version of grilled cheese of Texas toast with Jack Cheese plus Rogue Creamery bleu cheese and house braised pot roast with beef jus dipping broth

Brunch Box

Brunch Box brought the heat in a good way with their Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese with Habanero Pepperjack, Jalapeno Cream Cheese, and French’s Fried Onions on Texas Toast

Gigi’s Cafe (formerly Gaufre Gourmet)

Gaufre Gourmet food cart recently closed so they could focus on the brick and mortar of Gigi’s Cafe. They swept the categories, winning the people’s vote for Best In Taste, Best In Originality, Best Presentation, and Best Overall! They offered up The Spicy Goat, their own country white bread waffle with a mixture of mozzarella, extra sharp white cheddar, and chevre paired with pistachios, arugula, peppered salami and local habanero jelly.

Gil’s Speakeasy Tavern

Tillamook cheddar, tomato, house smoked bacon and béchamel cheese spread on Portland City sourdough from Gil’s Speakeasy Tavern who have the tag line “The Nicest Assholes in Town” and are describe themselves as “a bitchin’ neighborhood dive underneath an apartment building. We have no sign other than the neons in the windows, so you may not know you are here until you ask”.

Meat Cheese Bread Portland

Next was Pimento cheese, pulled pork and pickled collards grilled cheese from Meat Cheese Bread Portland

Bazi Bierbrasserie

Bazi Brasserie offered a grilled cheese using Pullman loaf, spinach dip, manchego cheese, bleu cheese, cream cheese, bacon and Delirium Tremens red pepper coulis that was quite photogenic. Although it sounds simple, the pleasure of that combination was quite a wow.

If eating a progressive dinner of multiple sandwiches sounds awesome to you, you can wait until next year for the 3rd Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational (stay informed by following The Eastburn as they offer a lot of events on their calendar by liking their Facebook the EastBurn or Instagram @theeastburn)

For something sooner, next week Thursday will be The Feast 2015 Sandwich Invitational where I got all this practice for eating multiple sandwiches and documenting sandwiches with my cameraphone. The Sandwich Invitational boasts FIFTEEN sandwiches from chefs in Portland as well as around the US such as Alvin Cailan of Eggslut in LA and Aaron Franklin of Franklin BBQ in Austin and more. The ticket price there also goes towards a great cause, as net proceeds are towards ending childhood hunger in Oregon and around the country through Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Unlike the $20 at the Grilled Cheese Invitational, the Sandwich Invitational entrance is all inclusive of all drinks which includes several wineries, breweries and distillery.

For a recap of previous Sandwich Invitationals, see my recap of 2014 and my recap of 2013. I won’t be attending this year, but I definitely plan to be following the hashtags to live vicariously through other’s social media.

Which of the grilled cheeses would you have voted for Most Original or Best In Presentation, or sounds like would be Best In Taste for you?