Whiskies and Grilled Cheeses at Noorman’s Kil

Noorman’s Kil is a one-year old whisky bar on Grand Street in Williamsburg, located away from the more trafficked areas of the neighborhood.  This was certainly not a place I thought I would find myself on a Sunday afternoon.  However, all it took was the mention of grilled cheeses and I was walking faster than anyone else in our party.

The spacious bar was pretty much empty when we walked in, with a large wooden bar and cozy window booths.

Empty with the exception of a little furry friend who greeted us by sniffing around our feet before bounding out the back with his owner, a partner at the bar.  The bartender, another partner, was equally, if not more friendly who happily entertained us with stories of operating a bar.

With over 260 whiskies (scotch and bourbon too) available from around the globe, this place was pretty much a whisky fanatic’s playground.  But for me, the highlight at Noorman’s Kil was the selection of seven unique grilled cheeses.

The Salona is a spicy take on grilled cheese with perfectly buttered sourdough toast as the vehicle for jalapeno jack, Texas Pete hot sauce, diced tomatoes and cilantro.

For a more mild bite, the Maefred is the way to go.  Pillowy ciabatta slices are filled with buttery double creme brie and the sliced mushrooms and rosemary added an earthy aroma.

For the traditionalist, you can’t go wrong with the Karen.  With fromage blanc, gruyere, sharp cheddar an havarti, this is a perfect blend of four kinds of cheese that creates a beautifully melt that stretches when you pull away the first corner.

And of course, there is a grilled cheese for dessert as well at Noorman’s Kil.  The Vernice is a simple combination of creamy ricotta and seasonal fruit preserve, dusted with powdered sugar.  Not coyingly sweet, these could have been great as breakfast as well.

Oh and another bonus to the grilled cheeses are the briny tart pickles that came with the savory sandwiches.  Sourced from Brooklyn Brine, these had been pickled in a whisky sour brine that uses a whisky from upstate New York.  After we polished one more Salona and a big plate of the pickles, we were finally ready to move on.  Sure, we were obscenely full and did not need this unplanned pit stop after a delicious brunch only three hours early but sometimes you just need a little whisky and a few bites of grilled cheese to round out a Sunday afternoon.

Noorman’s Kil | 609 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 | http://www.noormanskil.com/