Street food / Reviews
Cheese Machine
The half-wheel of raclette bubbled away under a grill like a choppy sea, its bubbles browning in front of my eyes before it was picked up and its molten layer scraped off with a sharp knife straight onto a slice of bread that had been toasted on the other side of the small food van.
Already on the bread was cayenne onion, mushrooms, wild rocket and generous slices of salt beef. This was one hefty open sandwich. And it tasted amazing, the cheese itself almost playing second fiddle to the other layers but not quite.
It was my second visit in less than a week to Cheese Machine on Castle Street, on the Old Market side of Castle Park. The first taste was just as good; a more traditional toasted cheese sandwich with the addition of juicy chorizo and homemade chutney, all for £3.
is needed now More than ever
Poland-born brothers Krzysztof and Tom Mikulski are keeping things relatively straightforward in the early days of Cheese Machine, with added extras such as salmon and capers, and specials that have so far included courgette and goat’s cheese fritters.
The brothers discovered the taste of raclette, a Swiss speciality, on their travels around Europe.
Settling in Bristol, their cheese sandwiches are now on a par with those at Hart’s Bakery and the tragically short-lived Bar Buvette, made with bread baked at Polish Cukiernia on Church Road in Redfield.
The journey to cheesy fame in Bristol hopefully won’t be as choppy as that bubbling raclette for these ambitious young brothers.
Cheese Machine, Castle Street, Bristol
@cheesemachinist
Photo by Doug Jewell
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