FOODIE PROFILE - NICE N CHEESY - LONG READ

Anybody who knows me knows my obsession with toasties. I like to think of myself as a connoisseur of them; experimenting with different staples, consuming them frequently with greed and buttery hands. 

This week's foodie profile is a real pleasure for me. I chat to Lee from Nice n Cheesy who is making what frankly sounds like the best toasties in Ireland, along with his wife Kathy. I haven't had the pleasure of tasting one yet, but I will be specifically going out to Herbert Park ASAP to rectify that.

Read on while Lee talks toastie specials (truly mouthwatering), bearded cheese grillers and secret cheese mixes... 

Who is Nice n Cheesy? Tell me about the people who work there?

Nice n Cheesy was set up in May 2016 by myself and my wife Kathy. We have both been working to grow the business together over the past year while working in our full time jobs too. We also have Rob, our super friendly bearded cheese griller who works with us on weekends.

How did Nice n Cheesy get started? What gave you the idea for it?

We came up with idea for Nice n Cheesy a couple of years ago while in London. It seemed to be an extremely popular form of street food which we both had never come across at home. Who doesn't love a good cheese toastie, right? 

Ireland has some of the most delicious cheese in the world and  with so many amazing bakeries around it was bound to be a match made in cheesy heaven. So we got grating and after months of trying different combinations and many a late cheesy night we found the perfect cheese mix. We feel that we have found the tastiest cheese Ireland has to offer.

Why did you decide to only do grilled cheese?

Who doesn't like cheese? This was the basis of our food stall. We wanted to stick to the motto' keep it simple and do it right' and so started with grilled cheese. Now we feel that we have the basics right we are planning to venture into other cheesy realms so keep and eye on our menu for some new additions in the near future.

What bread, cheese and butter do you use and why? Do you use relish?

We use a delicious sourdough bread.  We collect it on the morning of each market from our local bakery, The Firehouse Bakery, in Delgany Co.Wicklow. Its the best sourdough bread we have ever tried and works so well for our sandwiches.; it's in in a league of its own and we are often asked where it comes from as it has such a delicious flavour.

We really tried to get the best of Irish cheese and selected two types that we mix together. It is a top secret mix of cheese from Wicklow & Cork. Being from Wicklow of course we had to include at least one cheese from our home county and after trying so many other cheeses from Ireland the one from Cork really stood out so had to make the final cut.

Sometimes, it's nice just to have a straight up grilled cheese... but when you want to pimp out your toasties, what ingredients do you recommend?

One of our most popular grilled cheese in our Ballymaloe, bacon & cheese mix. Of course everyone knows Ballymaloe has the best relish in the world and when you pair that with some good old Irish bacon, from our local butchers called Farrelly's, no one seems to be able to resist. This special was so good it made it to our menu permanently. 

Have you ever tried a mac n cheese grilled cheese? If your answer is no you are missing out! It may seem like an odd combo but believe us it is out of this world! Your can find this as a special on our menu throughout the year.

Keep an eye out for our Clonakilty black pudding with apple sauce special. This one seems to be real hit with our customers. Again it is down to simple great quality ingredients. 

Who made the best toastie you've ever had?

It's miles away from anything we do now but remembering as a child, spending Sundays in the pub and having that cheese toastie dropped on your table served in a plastic bag was the best part of the week. There was definitely something magic about those toasties that seems to have stayed with me.

If you were a cheese, which one would you be?

If I were a cheese I would have to be a good Irish cheddar. Some people may find me old fashioned but one thing I can say is that wine does go well with me! 

What would your last meal on earth be?

Our last meal would have to be a big bowl of mac'n'cheese. There is nothing more comforting then getting your mouth around some cheesy pasta.

Where would you like to see Nice n Cheesy going? Would you like to have a shop/permanent residence?

We have many ideas in our head for Nice n Cheesy and are currently converting and old horse box into a rolling cheese wagon. Fingers crossed it won't be too long before you see it at markets. It would be a dream come true to have a permanent place somewhere and hope this will be a reality at some stage in the future. 

How much are your toasties and what variations (if any) do you offer? 

We stick to a small but delicious menu

Wicklow & Cork cheese with onion mix      €6.00

Ballymaloe relish, cheese mix & crispy bacon    €7.50

Goats cheese, toasted walnuts, honey & rosemary butter    €6.50

We also have a month special, this month being our cheese mix, pesto, mozzarella and tomato   €7.00

Where can people find you?

People can find us on Saturdays in Bushy Park, Dublin and Sundays in Herbert Park, Dublin.

Any last thoughts?

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