by Joe Payne

Just last week burgeoning grilled cheese (internet?) startup, The Melt, held a a surprise preview at their very first SF location. SFist was able to take a quick peak inside. The Michael Mina backed QR code expediting chain is opening their first space at 115 New Montgomery at the end of this month. With "grilled cheese in one minute" technology and online ordering, The Melt's founder Jonathan Kaplan (Flip Video founder) hopes to achieve national dominance with over 500 locations.

While we were asked not to review the food -- the kitchen staff hadn't been fully trained, we were told -- we can say that the sandwich tasted like... grilled cheese. (The Melt differs from other artisan melted cheese sandwich restaurants in that it gives you simple grilled sandwiches that harken back to after-school snack time. We mean that in the best way possible.) Our sandwich consisted of Wisconsin and Tillamook cheeses.

Gluten-free bread will be available in the near future.

And just a heads up to all you downtown lunch hour deal seekers, The Melt will be giving away their Michael Mina-designed sandwiches for free to Twitter and Facebook fans this coming Friday, August, 26.

The Melt, 115 New Montgomery (at Market)