One of the many things I pine for now that I no longer work on site in Manhattan, is Broadway Bites. It’s a collection of sweet and savory food vendors planted right along Broadway and right across the street from the advertising agency I work for in Herald Square. It’s the go-to arena for those who tire of the nabe’s by-the-pound lunch eateries, Koreatown BBQ and overpriced pubs.

My final dalliance with Broadway Bites unintentionally involved procuring fare from two melt-and-sandwiched focused vendors: Melt and Melt Kraft. The former hones in on ice cream sandwiches while the latter specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches. I know what you’re thinking, tsk tsk, such a mountain of calories to consume! In my defense, I offset these heavy meals with some very good habits. I’m not a snacker. Go ask my husband, he will tell you I am not one to nosh on chips or dig into a candy bar in between meals. I take my iced tea unsweetened and drink alcoholic beverages only on occasion. My quintessential breakfast involves two eggs and a cup of Java, no cream, just turbinado sugar. He will attest to these too. Oh, and we do exercise, folks. Maybe not on a daily basis but we do pick up our Kettlebells and walk around the neighborhood as often as we can.

Now that I’ve explained how I’m able to indulge in fatty meals without batting an eyelash, I’ll return to gabbing about these luxe sandwiches. Melt Kraft creates modern-day, grown-up versions of grilled cheese sandwiches, all made with haute ingredients. “Valley Thunder” is the perfect moniker for the sandwich I ordered: chunks of beef brisket partnered up with a cheddar mac and cheese to create a hearty filling for slices of grill-marked white bread. I gobbled up every gooey inch and meaty morsel of this heady concoction. Then, for dessert, I made a mad dash for the other melt-centric sandwich from Melt. Another apropos name – “Lovelet,” for a romantic ice cream sandwich made of chewy red velvet cookies and achingly rich cream cheese ice cream.

What’s in your sandwich today?