Thrillin' grillin'

Few sandwiches recall the flavors of childhood better than a grilled cheese sandwich. The basic formula is simple: sliced bread, the right kind of cheese, and butter for grilling.

But as adults, we crave more. Vegetables, perhaps? More than one cheese? Seasonings? A creative chef could come with any number of variations on the theme. And that’s the challenge of the first-ever GROWN-UP GRILLED CHEESE GRILL-OFF, set for Saturday at Taste Café downtown. Six of Spokane’s chefs — Chana Hershberger of Taste, David Blaine of Latah Bistro, Jason Rex from Scratch, Jeremy Hansen of Santé, Jonathan Sweatt from the Downriver Grill and Mike Dodd of the newly opened Vintages at 611 — will go head to head in the event. They’ll serve up the sandwiches to a panel of five judges, who’ll pronounce their decision on whose grilled cheese is tops. We hear a rumor that there will be samples…

— ANN M. COLFORD

The chefs will grill their cheeses at Taste Café, 180 S. Howard St., on Saturday, April 11, starting at 9 am. Visit www.tastecafespokane.com or call 468-2929.