Dining Out

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Taking advantage of the early spring, Mark's Carts opened at the end of March with an altered, expanded lineup from last year. Eat, of course, now has a brick-and-mortar shop on Packard, but several outfits--Darcy's Cart, Debajo del Sol, the Lunch Room, Hut-K Chaats, and San Street--have returned, along with three new ventures. Cheese Dream features grilled cheese sandwiches, the Beet Box healthy options, and Ann Arbor Pizza Pi mini-pizzas.

Looking over Cheese Dream's list of sandwiches in April, I wished for a more imaginative selection of cheeses and spreads. Of course tradition requires the Old School, made with gooey American cheese slices, but the other options didn't stretch beyond aged cheddar, Monterey jack, Swiss, and mozzarella, with only slightly more creative spreads (corn relish, bacon, tapenade). That said, I enjoyed the Frenchie, its filling of Swiss cheese and caramelized onions cooked with beef stock successfully imitating French onion soup's luxurious topping.

Zingerman's challah is the bread for all of Cheese Dream's sandwiches. I've always found it rather insipid, but as my companion pointed out, it grills up beautifully and nearly mimics, in a more interesting fashion, the soft bread of an American diner-style grilled cheese sandwich. Still, I would appreciate the option of a crustier, chewier white bread or a multi-grain loaf. Cheese Dream also makes tasty soups, and I trust that, with time, owners Jordan Ceresnie and Afrim Ramaxhiku will broaden their sandwich selection.