Bread and cheese are my two favorite foods. When they come together in a grilled cheese sandwich, I cannot be more happy.

Unfortunately, I've run into two very problematic grilled cheese sandwiches this month.
Grilled cheese with spinach and mushrooms at Chelsea Grill.: Syd Kearney: 29-95.com
The first was at the new Chelsea Grill on Montrose. It was my first visit to the month-old cafe and the menu that looked as though it had been crafted by me. Seafood enchiladas, meatless lasagna and blackened shrimp pasta.

I opted on one chilly night for the Grilled Cheese Sandwich, which was made with cheddar, sauteed spinach and mushrooms. It was served with "Shoe String Potato Mixture," a combo of regular and sweet potato fries.

There were only a couple of tables filled in the large dining room on a Tuesday night, so I was a little taken aback when the plate arrived. The fries were cold and the sandwich was terribly undergrilled. Only a sad corner of one side of the sandwich could be described as grilled. It certainly wasn't the warm, comforting sandwich I had anticipated.

(If there was an upside, I took an entire half of the (oiled/buttered?) sandwich home and gave it a proper grilling the next day. Much better.)
Grilled cheese with tomato bisque at the Yardhouse.: Syd Kearney: 29-95.com
A couple of days later, it was lunch at the Yardhouse and another grilled sandwich. This one was touted as "oven-roasted roma tomatoes, cheddar, gorgonzola, swiss and fontina cheese on crusty artisan bread." It was accompanied by a cup of tomato bisque. Hell, yeah, I'm in.

The Yardhouse sandwich was, to use a cliche, an embarrassment of riches. Too, too much cheese, plus the bisque was overly sweet. Two bites of sandwich and a couple of spoonfuls of soup and I was done -- for the rest of the day.

So, here's the deal: I'm looking for a great grilled cheese sandwich. Superior bread, fresh ingredients, more simple than not and grilled by a cook/chef with the patience or balls to brown it. What say you, Houston?