New waffle place sandwiches everything, even burgers, ice cream

Plenty of people like to eat chicken and waffles. How about a burger with waffles or ice cream with waffles?

You can get those combos and a lot more at new restaurant Griddle Me This in north Fresno. Everything in the restaurant – even dessert – is served sandwich style with waffles taking the place of bread.

The restaurant opened last week at 7675 N. Blackstone Ave. in the Universal Park shopping center across the street from River Park. Griddle Me This is next to Red Robin (and next to Griddle Me This is the second location of Mediterranean restaurant Doy Grill that opened recently).

Owners Tina Qi and Riki Toba saw the waffle sandwich trend happening in other cities in California and decided to bring it to Fresno.

To wrap your brain around this new concept, you’ve got to understand the waffle. It’s not a thick Belgian waffle, nor even the thickness of Eggo waffle.

The small, quick-service restaurant isn’t even open for breakfast, though it does have brunch-inspired options.

Instead, it uses a thinner waffle that’s a bit crisp and has a neutral enough taste it can be paired with burgers or ice cream.

It’s one of those things that makes sense as soon as customers dig into their meal.

“When they’re taking their first bite, they’re like, ‘This is not what I thought it would be,’ – in a good way,” Qi says.

In addition to two kinds of chicken and waffles, Griddle Me This has a few eggs Benedict sandwiches, including one with bacon. Several burgers with a “waffle bun” are on the menu, along with the “peanut butter jelly time” sandwich with a choice of jelly. The hot pastrami sandwich is a popular favorite.

Most sandwiches are not cooked in a waffle iron like a panini, but instead the sandwich fillings are added to fresh-made waffles and the whole thing is run through the cheese melter, similar to a small oven.

Griddle Me This is in the process of getting its liquor license so it can serve beer.

“Burgers and hot pastrami, those all go well with beer,” Qi says.

Of course, the restaurant serves waffle fries. Even the sweet potato fries are waffle fries. They’re toying with ideas for salads with waffle croutons.

For dessert, there are ice cream wafflewiches in eight flavors with chocolate drizzles or other toppings.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m Friday and Saturday.

Details: (559) 301-1933.

North U Street Chocolates

Several kinds of chocolately goodies are being sold by North U Street Chocolates.

Behind the company is Rex Spaith, who works under California’s “cottage food” law that allows people working in their home kitchens to legally sell certain foods.

Spaith makes four kinds of cookies packed with dark chocolate, oats, coconut and banana chips. He also makes RexBars, which are similar, but in bar form and with a thick top layer of chocolate.

Describing himself as a “wilderness adventurer,” Spaith used to take the energy-packed treats while backpacking to the highest lakes in the country and writing about it.

He now makes them in his home/gallery/bakery at 147 North U Street, near Divisidaro and Fresno Streets. It’s open to the public from 2-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and hosts a ladies night from 2-5 p.m. Mondays.

The treats can also be ordered by calling 559-351-6843 or emailing perplehat@yahoo.com.

Deli Delicious

Kerman is getting its first Deli Delicious. The sandwich restaurant is scheduled to open at the end of July at 14053 W. Whitesbridge Ave.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 11:00 AM with the headline "New waffle place sandwiches everything, even burgers, ice cream."