There are few things I love more than a grilled cheese sandwich, and I recently had the British version – called a toasty – at The Continental in Portland.
The pub, which opened in August, is owned by Michael Barbuto and Kevin Doyle who are also part owners of Portland restaurants CBG and Nosh. They’re both fans of British and Irish pubs and kept that love in mind when creating The Continental.
Last month, I took a quick trip to Dublin, Ireland, to visit Sinead O’Connor’s grave, and in June, I ventured to Kent, England, for a music festival. During those two trips, I did indeed visit a couple of pubs where I ate dishes like shepherd’s pie and Scotch eggs. Perhaps those trips contributed to my desire for some traditional food from the United Kingdom.
The Toasty with ham from The Continental in Portland. Photo by Aimsel Ponti
Either way, I had the place to myself during a recent weekday visit, and although I was tempted by both dishes that I had overseas and that are on the menu at The Continental, I just couldn’t resist the toasty ($11) with ham ($3), which came with a mountain of extra crispy hand-cut fries. The Continental’s toasty is made with Irish cheddar on thick white bread, and in addition to ham, you can add tomato for $2.
When I say I sunk my teeth into this thing, I mean, I was like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” eating his first non-seafood after four years on the island. I meant business and my eyes closed on their own accord, fluttering with the ecstasy of flavors I tasted. The sublime tanginess of the cheddar fused with thinly sliced ham and grilled to masterful perfection made this a meal to remember. In fact, the sandwich was so hearty and dense that I, for perhaps the first time in my entire life, couldn’t finish all the fries.
The Continental is a fairly large space with a variety of booths, tables and about eight bar seats. The entrance is through an entire wall of floor to ceiling windows allowing natural light to spill in with ease.
I’ll be back to try the veggie curry and rice and the bangers and mash, and I’ll make sure it’s when I’m not on the clock, so I can wash it down something a bit more interesting than a Diet Coke.
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