I only live a couple blocks from American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in SOMA and have sort of a love/hate thing for them. Sandwiches are good, but I'm put off by their for what amounts to melted cheese and buttered bread. You can check my review of them here. They have their following and even though they decided to close up the Mission location, things at the SOMA and Financial District spots are still humming along. 

In the back of my mind, I've sort of always known they served up breakfast at the one near me, but through laziness of getting up that early or cheapness for plopping down the dough, I hadn't actually gotten by to see what was on offer. Since I started this breakfast sandwich thing, it seemed like the perfect time to swing by before work one day and see what was up.

It's a limited selection for breakfast, but then, do you really need to offer more than the basics? Sandwich wise, they have four to choose from with variations of eggs and different cheeses and a few additional toppings depending on which one you pick. I figured I may as well go all in and got the Farmer's Breakfast.

Toasted and buttered(!) country levain bread with a cage free fried egg over easy, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, roasted potatoes and chive butter. Sort of the hearty carbs, meat, fiber and fats to fill you up and get your day going. Sandwiches are cooked to order so it is no sweat getting it hot and melty. It's a pretty heft sized sandwich with generous slabs of bacon, a nicely cooked only slightly runny egg and soft potatoes with just a little bit of brown crunchy crust along the edges. It is a tasty combo I enjoyed on this particularly foggy, chilly morning. (Though aren't most like that?) Gooey cheese, salty bacon, a little black pepper and enough butter to make even me happy. And as is there trademark of sorts, they throw in an apple just so you can get some vitamin C and not feel like you've eaten totally unhealthy. 

Flavor, size and butter have me hooked, but you know what else was a surprise? It was only $7.50 (plus tax). It is the highest of the 4 they have. The others are $6.50 and $7. Meaning, outside of their most basic sandwich, they are all a full $2 to $4 less than their everyday/all day offerings. Can't say I understand the basics of why a sandwich with just as much on it will run you so much less than say the Jalapeno Popper with 2 kinds of cheese and bacon at $11. Is that a complaint? Not in the least, I'm happy with any affordable eats I can find in this town. Let's just say it's more of a wondering query I'm more than happy to not think too much about. 

To sum up, that's a hearty and tasty breakfast sandwich on two large slices of toasted bread, loaded with bacon, cheese, egg and potato and slathered in butter (and that apple) for $7.50. I'll take that and you should too if you are in the hood. May take me awhile to get back around though, several new spots have opened nearby in the last few months and they have more variations of bacon, egg and cheese to try. Somebody's gotta do it!