We've been fervidly tracing the meteoric rise of The Corner Melt from one-room sandwich counter in Fangjia Hutong to two-room sandwich restaurant on Xingfucun Lu that has some steps that you can sit and smoke on for pretty much their entire run. Hey, it's a living. After a couple months of being open, we figure they've had time to get some feedback, do some experimenting with the menu, and tweak some stuff here and there. Now it's time to start playing for keeps, eh. 'Lo and behold, we stopped by today to discover they've just launched their winter menu which features a smattering of some new sammiches. Here's the new ones... ..and here's a little round-up on what they're all about: Expendables MC Moto Melt Curry fried chicken breast, gouda cheese, shredded cabbage, satay sauce, and a ginger rum sauce on two slices of white bread (55rmb) So this one's the winner of the first Melt-Off Competition, conceived of and executed on behalf of Beijing's Expendables motorcycle club. What we've got here is a curry chicken plus Gouda concoction with a rum and satay sauce adding a bit of a South East Asian boozy zing. Pretty fine. Very tasty. Despite the curry, it's a creamy and mild sandwich, and still filling enough as a lunch of a light meal. Thumbs up. The Long March Melt Here's the sandwich it was up against in the Melt Off, the "Long March Melt". This one resents a vegetarian option, with a fried tofu base plus bourbon and red pepper sauce. Cheese is also a Gouda. Didn't get a chance to try this one -- I already polished off the other two here and I was totally done -- but the phrase "bourbon and red pepper sauce" seems real intriguing, I got to say. Something for the veggie people out there, though. Maybe we'll send The Vagitarian down to try this thing out and then write 9,000 words about fisting or something... Slices of smoked tofu, gouda cheese, broccoli, and bourbon red pepper sauce on two slice of sourdough bread (35rmb) Uff Da Meatball Melt Representing a Nordic take on a grilled cheese sandwich, here's the Uff Da Meatball Melt. Meatballs, mash potatoes and lingonberry sauce on a baguette. Meatballs are done in-house, and are of the variety that you get at an Ikea, rather than like on a Spaghetti and Meatballs dish from an American/Italian place. That's a good thing, though. Ikea's food is righteous. Lingonberries are like the Scando equivalent of cranberries, as well, I gather, although they're a bit tarter and juicier. The two elements plus mash and gravy combine to create this thing that's like a Christmas meal on a baguette. Pretty sure this one's representing the Scandinavian-via-Minnesota heritage of The Corner Melt's proprietor. At any rate, it's really good and very filling. Would have liked more of the gravy to come through though. Was a little light on the gravy. Maybe they could do like a gravy dipping side with this one, or even just douse the whole thing entirely in gravy a la a Beef Manhattan. Anyway, that's a small thing and it was a good sammich. Extras... everything comes with tater-tots now! Here's one impaled on a spork. And they've also got a bunch of deserts, including rice crispy squares. Hot damn. ...And a bunch more booze -- Mas' bottled daiquiris plus a small list of standard mixes (35rmb - 40rmb) to compliment the business of PBRs and Pickle Backs. All in, some really nice developments. Lots of unique, nostalgia-inducing stuff. Prices might be a little high for some on some of the items -- 55rmb a sandwich, ooooof -- but then again you're getting a pretty unique and delicious meal, so I can see it. And there's real infectious spirit and heart behind it all. So yeah, whatever, take my cash! Plus, tater tots. Tater tots, man. Tater tots. *** The Corner Melt is at 55 Xingfucun.