Sunday, July 22, 2007

Tuna Melt Wrap - The Fit, Nicasio CA

Oh God....did not get a picture. I know, I'm an ass. white albacore tuna salad mixed with very small about of mayo. wraped in a Flour Tortilla. Packed in with Lettuce, Tomato, cheese, and a bit of Italian dressing. by far the most unconventional tuna melt I've had. It's served with homemade potato chips which are rather tasty.

Total Price w/ drink $6.95
I give it a 7 out of 10

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Studio Cafe

If you should find yourself working at 3575 Cahuenga Blvd, home of several post production facilities as well as a dive shop, you might want to pick up a snack from the Studio Cafe, located on the 4th floor. Their tuna melt had wonderfully sturdy and crisp bread, creating a very stable foundation for the tuna. They didn't have the intense buttery flavor of the Sitton's melt, and the bread was a bit dry. The cheese was melted perfectly, and the bits on the edge had a tasty crispness. Now for the tuna salad: It was a blend I haven't seen before. It had a lot of vegetable bulk mixed in, including carrot, onion, and I believe some celery and or green onion. It wasn't really creamy, but it held together well. I'd have to say I'd rather have more tuna than all of the filler. Some of it would have enhanced the flavor, but I found the high vegetable to tuna ratio overpowering. This detail reduced this melt to a mid-grade melt that doesn't completely impress.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

DISH restaurant - La Cañada, CA



This tuna melt was a slight departure from what I was used to, and I extend respect in its direction. The most striking thing about it was the finely chopped sweet pickle chunks blended into the tuna salad. It definitely sweetened things up, and I thought it was a good blend. The tuna was flanked by melted cheese on both pieces of bread. I'm not sure which variety they were rocking, but it was cheddar-ish. The bread was appropriately golden brown, but the middle of the underside of the bread was a bit floppy and soggy, which was an understandable shortcoming of this melt. The flavor was on point, despite this textural handicap, and I was pleased overall. The french fries that came with it were mediocre. It seemed as if they had sat for a little while and weren't piping hot. They tried to pull off some parmesan encrusted action, but the offerings were meager. Overall, this tuna melt is worth trying, unless you don't like sweet pickles.

On a side note: DISH has one of the best burgers I've had anywhere. The applewood smoked bacon burger is a walk through a delicious and smoky dream land of bliss.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Sittons NoHo Diner North Hollywood CA

The Tuna Melt that all other Tuna Melts are compared to. White chunk tuna with melted yummy provolone cheese on crispy grilled sourdough bread. just greasy enough to where you need some thick napkins; yet it won't make a total mess. mix up some Smithy Sauce™ with the fries and you're good to go.

Total price with a drink is around $7.50.
I give it an 11 out of 10.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Sitton's NoHo Diner - North Hollywood, CA

On first glance, you wouldn't think the NoHo diner would bust out an epic tuna melt of this stature, but you will be wowed. This is the tuna melt that got me into tuna melts. It is served on sourdough with no vegetable frills. Its just tuna salad and cheese. The bread is always very buttery and toasted to a golden brown which is crispy and delicious. The accompanying french fries and cole slaw make a nice counterpoint. The tuna salad is always pleasantly warm and the cheese is melted perfectly. It isn't very messy to eat either, thanks to the crisp foundation of toasted bread, and the perfect amount of tuna added which minimizes spillage. This is the tuna melt by which all other tuna melts will be judged.

Beverly Garland Hotel - North Hollywood, CA

A standard melt on sourdough, it features sliced tomatoes and swiss cheese.
They got the general melt down right, with the tuna warm and the cheese fully melted.
The bread was buttery but a bit sloppy. They failed to attain a brown crispness that would give the sandwich a more sturdy platform. I found the tomatoes to be a welcome variation, adding a sweetness that I haven’t experienced before in a tuna melt. Overall it was mediocre, and doesn’t inspire return visits.