A salad is all well and good, but the truth is, what we really want when temperatures dive is gooey cheese. I would say “the more the better,” but that’s only true if it’s quality stuff. Luckily, at Bites Wine & Grilled Cheese Bar in Leesburg, it is both plentiful and well beyond the realm of Mom’s Kraft singles. In fact, the slabs of fromage rest in a brightly lit case behind the takeout counter looking amply ready for their closeup.
Comfort food can be harder to come by when you’re eschewing meat, but grilled cheese is an easy answer. At Bites, inside a cute historic home in Leesburg (the Great Falls location is temporarily shuttered), there are eight meatless sandwich options, all varied by the breads, cheeses and veggies within. They go from the plain cheese-and-sourdough King Street Classic to the Ramon, a nod to another of owner Damian Dajcz’s businesses, Señor Ramon Taqueria, on jalapeño-cheddar bread.
But I was enticed by the Hamilton, a blend of two of my favorite cheeses, nutty Gruyere and buttery fontina, along with funky Brie. A touch of fruity sweetness comes from both fig spread and cranberry-walnut bread. I enjoyed the sandwich, but it’s a better pairing for one of the restaurant’s sangrias than it is the creamy tomato soup I ordered.
Enter the Oatlands, which features Gruyere and Muenster. Its truffle butter and balsamic drizzle didn’t really register, but diced tomato and arugula made it an ideal companion for the hot soup. On a bone chilling night, grilled cheese and tomato soup was an apt antidote, with nary a hint of flesh. // 105 S. King St., Leesburg
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