The Gobble Gobbler sandwich from Cheese Louise in Portland. Photo by Ray Routhier

When I first heard about a grilled cheese sandwich that included the ingredients of a Thanksgiving dinner, I thought it sounded like overkill.

I mean, turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce make a very nice sandwich all alone. Do I really wanted melted cheese all over that? And grilled bread, too?

Turns out, I do. After trying the Gobble Gobbler sandwich at Cheese Louise in Portland, I know the combination works, and works well. I should have seen that it’s a no brainer, to combine two classic comfort foods – grilled cheese and Thanksgiving dinner.

But what makes the Gobble Gobbler so good, in my opinion, is the attention to detail in putting the sandwich together. After years of trying almost any Thanksgiving sandwich I can find, I know that proportions are so important.

Some places just throw a turkey dinner onto some bread or a roll – lumps of turkey, stuffing and cranberry – along with more gravy than the bread can safely hold. Others use turkey cold cuts with just a dab of cranberry and mayonnaise instead of gravy. Others put it into a wrap, instead of a sandwich. It might be just me, but I find no comfort in wraps.

The Gobble Gobbler I sampled at a recent lunch hour had thick slices and chunks of roast turkey, covered by a slightly thinner layer of savory stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy and a some well-melted Swiss cheese. The whole thing was in grilled cranberry sourdough bread. The bread had a hint of cinnamon flavor, sort of like raisin bread.

All of the flavors were detectable and blended well, but none overwhelmed the others. The gravy portion was just enough to keep everything moist, but not enough to make the sandwich soggy or get all over your hands.

I ate it at the sandwich shop, so it was nice and warm, like Thanksgiving dinner should be. It came with lots of potato chips and the Cheese Louise secret dipping sauce. The sandwich was probably big enough for me to save half for another time. But who am I to skimp on a Thanksgiving dinner? Even if it is in a grilled cheese sandwich.

The choice of Swiss cheese was smart, because it was mild enough to not overshadow the Thanksgiving flavors, but added some more creamy texture to the overall comfort food effect. Being French Canadian and a fan of poutine, I already knew that gravy and cheese can be a delicious combination.

The Gobble Gobbler, $14.29, Cheese Louise, 363 Fore St., Portland. Eatcheeselouise.com