These days, it's the small victories that are getting me through. It's light past 4 p.m. Wainwright could be back in the rotation by May. Weed is legal(ish). Our collective action has likely succeeded in bringing back the Choco Taco.
Add to that list the fact that there is a large azcohort of our fellow St. Louisans who can have the Don Ho from Steve's Meltdown (3145 South Grand Boulevard, 314-403-0053) delivered to their houses. Without having to put on pants or turn away from The Mandalorian for more than 40 seconds, thousands of our Gateway City compatriots can now pull out their phones, tap a few buttons and enjoy this molten masterpiece within about 30 minutes of when the craving strikes, reveling in the way the substantial heat of the gooey pepperjack cheese is subdued by sweet pineapple jam slathered on the underside of perfectly toasted sourdough, admiring the salty notes of thinly sliced ham and how glorious the entire concoction is when dipped into a sweet, sticky and surprisingly spicy honey-chipotle sauce.
It's a great time to be alive.
Launched this past January, Steve's Meltdown is the latest offering from Danni Eickenhorst, Steve Ewing and Co., the creative minds behind Steve's Hot Dogs. As whimsical as the concept sounds — and is — the decision to launch Steve's Meltdown stemmed from their recognition of two important factors driving the hospitality industry in the COVID-changed world. The first is that delivery is here to stay, and restaurants must find a way to embrace that change and make peace with third party delivery apps — which are notorious for the high fees they charge restaurants — in a way that benefits everyone.
The second has to do with staffing, in particular employee retention. Eickenhorst is clear that, while she loves food, she is driven more by the desire to create opportunities for people, and she believes the way to do this as a business owner is to make sure her employees are empowered to grow within the company.
Steve's Meltdown is a way to do both of these things. Set up as a ghost kitchen within the Steve's Hot Dogs storefront on South Grand, Steve's Meltdown offers a variety of grilled cheeses for either pickup or delivery within a five-mile radius. Diners can order through DoorDash, Uber Eats or Grubhub, or directly through the brand's website; though not originally conceived of as a dine-in concept, patrons can also order in person at Steve's Hot Dogs by way of a Steve's Meltdown QR code and enjoy their sandwiches on site.
Eickenhorst, a grilled cheese aficionado who can no longer eat her beloved sandwiches due to dietary restrictions, understands the dish might not be the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of delivery-friendly fare. She admits there was concern of sogginess, so she, Ewing and their culinary team spent significant time doing R&D on different cooking techniques and packaging to ensure that the bread remained crisp well after leaving their kitchen. They settled on a two-step cooking process wherein they bake the sandwich to get the cheese melted and bread toasty, then finish it on a griddle to give it a substantial crunchy exterior. The sandwich is then wrapped in a piece of paper-lined foil that retains warmth but allows the grilled cheese to slightly vent so that the steam does not get completely trapped inside the packaging.
Though I ordered and ate my sandwiches on site (I live outside the delivery radius), I had them packaged as if they were for delivery, then let them sit for a few minutes before digging in. Just as Eickenhorst insisted, the sandwiches were melty on the inside and crunchy on the outside. This was a special feat for the Don Ho, which could have easily gone soggy because of the pineapple jam, but I appreciated it just as much on the Forever Young Adult Grilled Cheese, a classic that features colby, American and mozzarella cheese pressed between two slices of golden sourdough. There is nothing to hide behind on this sandwich — no dipping sauce or wacky ingredient that could disguise any technical flaws — which makes its simplicity all the more impressive.
Steve's Meltdown offers two sandwiches served on ciabatta. The first, That's Amore, is filled with both deli-sliced and fresh mozzarella cheeses, then accented with garlicky pepperoni. The bread is both pillow-soft and slightly crisp on the outside, as if it was placed in a panini press. It's a nice sandwich on its own, but the accompanying marinara turns it into an absolute delight; hunks of tomato and fresh herbs punctuate the zesty concoction and make this offering akin to a pepperoni Parmesan sandwich.
Like the That's Amore, the Mambo Italiano Caprese is filled with luscious mozzarella cheeses, though here the pepperoni is replaced with verdant pesto and tart sun-dried tomatoes drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Even with that addition, the bread retains the appropriate texture, delivering a flavorful vegetarian melt.
Eickenhorst and Ewing have big plans for Steve's Meltdown. In addition to offering weekly specials and adding new grilled cheese varieties to the menu, the team plans on expanding the concept to other area restaurants. The idea is to have Steve's Meltdown run out of different kitchens throughout the area, therefore allowing diners from all over the metro region get a taste of their gourmet grilled cheese. If this works, they will then look to other cities with an eye to making Steve's Meltdown a national delivery brand. If they have their way, there will be no place in the country out of reach from the warm comfort of melty cheese sandwich delivery.
Steve's Meltdown is open Sun.-Mon. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Coming soon: Riverfront Times Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting St. Louis stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
