Grilled cheese, the 'greatest' sandwich choice says Andrew Coppolino

With a bowl of tomato soup, the sandwich just has to be grilled cheese. For its taste and texture, for its simplicity, I sayit'sthe greatest sandwich around.

Italycan have itspanini, France its croque monsieur. The grilled cheese sandwich with soft gooey, stretchy cheese on the inside and crisp, crunchy toast on outside is myfavourite.

At home, there are two approaches to the sandwich, and I like them both: it can beWonderbread-style white slices and American singles torn from their plastic envelopes, or more upscale artisanal sourdough sandwiching Muenster or Jarlsberg, or both, with caramelized onions and grainy mustard.It depends on your mood.

As for the cooking fat, is butter your choice or mayonnaise? Butter is moreflavourfuland gets a touchmore crispy(but is a bit more greasy), while mayo is more convenient in that you don't have to worry about it being soft enough to spread without tearing the bread.

At restaurants, grilled cheese can run the gamut from very casual late-night joints for students to more upscale venues with crafted rather than processed ingredients. Both styles of restaurants can offer veggie and gluten-free grilled cheese options; still other venues might have vegan cheese.

Here are a few suggestions for local grilled cheese selections.

The Princess Cafin Waterloo combines Cheddar and goat cheese with caramelized onions, artichoke caponata (the Sicilian eggplant dish) and grainy mustard for bold vegetarianflavours.Very late on weekend nights, the famousCheeses Murphytakes over at the location after midnight: they serve grilled cheese sandwiches to customers on the sidewalk through a window. That makes it a true street-food snack.

A few blocks away, look forEthel's Loungeand their special "build-your-own-three-topping" grilled cheese. Theneighbourhoodrestaurant and bar is a casual and friendly place tosavourthe classic sandwich with a pint of beer and pub camaraderie.

A few blocks further and you'll end up atJohnny Frescoat Weber Street and University Avenue (warning: there can be a lineup at lunch time). They have about a half-dozen grilled cheese, cooked both on flat-top and grill, including the cheesy and meaty "Tony Montana." Tamer is the Mountie: a grilled cheese with chopped Canadian peameal bacon and an egg.

Veggie grilled cheeses can be found atJimmy's Feed Co.andThe Jane Bond: at the former is Provolone doubling upHarvatiwith roasted red pepper and hot eggplant; at the latter, an applewood-smoked Cheddar with pea sprouts (and you can add tofu bacon, if you choose).

AtTheBent Elbow, a grilled cheese on good quality beer bread is a passion: I've recently tried the beef salami and grainy mustard, a ham grilled cheese and a beer barbecue pulled pork and Cheddar.

Fans of Portuguese food can find at "tostamista," Portugal's version of the croque-monsieur, atNova Eraacross from the Kitchener Market: it's big and delicious with ham and Havarti, and while there is another grilled cheese on the menu, thetostamistawith agalaocoffee is my Saturday morning go-toafter shopping at the market.

On the other side of the market isYeti Caf, where there is an inventive "Smokie" grilled cheese of halloumi cheese, apple-onion marmalade, greens and mayo on akaiserbun.

AtMalt and Barleyin Kitchener's Williamsburg neighbourhood, the kitchen makes ahamand cheese "toastie" with Gouda cheese fromMountainoakcheese company. As it is with their sister restaurant in New Hamburg,Scranand Dram, they can modify the sandwich to be vegetarian and offer you a gluten-free bun if you wish.

Also in New Hamburg, there's a bistro with a more refined menu that recognizes the sheer deliciousness of the grilled cheese:Jake and Humphreys [sic] Bistrolunch menu includes what may well be the trifecta of grilled cheese cheeses: Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Havarti are the heart of the sandwich, accompanied by bacon that is all served up on a potato-oregano bread.

Now, if you think that grilled cheese sandwiches are only at independent restaurants, I will add that the casualMELTwich[sic] near Wilfrid Laurier University has a wide range of the sandwiches.Their sourdough grilled cheese comes with onions and jalapeno for only $5.

And best of all, it's open until 4 a.m. should you get an early morning craving for grilled cheese with onions and jalapenos.