What is Chopped Cheese? And Why Is It So Popular in Denver?
It’s hard to go wrong with beef, cheese and bread.
Cheeseburgers? Magnificent. Cheesesteaks? Sumptuous. But a third member of this holy trinity has only recently been noticed in Denver and around the country: New York cheeseburgers.
Make no mistake: While it’s typically served on a bun or hoagie, the chopped cheese sandwich is not a Philly cheesesteak. While the two may be similar, the chop-cheese (as it’s also known) has its own rich history.
According to a New York Times in-depth look at the chopped cheese sandwich, this unique and satisfying sandwich was born in a Harlem deli called Hajji’s. Legend has it that a Hajji’s cook named Carlos Soto created the first sandwich sometime around that 20-year mark, though history is unclear about exactly when or why.
Eventually, the affordable, portable sandwich became a hit, popping up in delis across Harlem and the Bronx. Its appeal is obvious: ground beef and velvety cheese shredded together on a grill, then topped with onions, ketchup, mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes. Pile it on a bun and voila, it’s done. Enjoy it on your walk to the subway.
Then came a turning point: In 2014, Anthony Bourdain briefly mentioned chopped cheese on an episode of his TV show, “Parts Unknown,” about the Bronx.
A group of Bronx teenagers munched on chunks of cheese while chatting with Bourdain about life in the neighborhood. Bourdain, a man well-versed in New York City eating habits, seemed unfamiliar with the sandwich, but he was smitten. As with many things Bourdain-related, enthusiastic gourmands latched onto this unfamiliar cultural artifact. Interest in the bodega staple grew throughout the city, and in the years that followed, it traveled with traveling New Yorkers.
That’s how Brian Murphy brought his vision of chopped cheese to Denver.
Murphy, a Denver-born New Yorker, opened Big Apple Bodega, at 2231 S. Broadway, in May. It’s a brick-and-mortar version of his food truck, offering a full menu of chopped cheese sandwiches. Each sandwich represents a little piece of New York, both in name and distinctive flavors.
For a classic chopped cheese experience, Murphy’s offers “The Sinatra.” It has all the right elements: melted American cheese expertly blended with heavily seasoned ground beef and grilled onions, along with ketchup, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomatoes on a soft but sturdy bun.
From there, the menu tours the region, from Far Rockaway (beef fajita, peppers, avocado ranch) to Hudson (Cajun seasoning, pepper Jack, green onions and chipotle ranch).
Murphy, 46, acknowledges that most of his products are a departure from the bodega’s original shredded cheese. But he says the New Yorkers who have stopped by are all for it.
“New Yorkers love it,” Murphy said. “They want to eat everything they can eat.”
Other Denver chefs are also putting their own spin on chopped cheese.
At Avanti Restaurant, located at 3200 Pecos St. in Denver, the Vietnamese-style fusion restaurant Pho King Rapidos offers a “crispy chopped cheese roll,” which consists of seasoned ground beef, cheese and onions in an egg roll, served with tomatoes and lettuce leaves for a Vietnamese-style wrap. Ketchup and mayonnaise are served on the side for dipping.
Split Lip, located at 3560 Chestnut Place, a Denver bar and gathering spot, makes a point of celebrating regional specialties on its menu (think Nashville-style spicy chicken and Oklahoma onion burgers). The chopped cheese is one of several sandwiches that have been slightly reworked from their original form. Made with bison and green chiles, it’s very Colorado.
“I had never heard of (the chopped cheese), but we stumbled upon this cult sandwich from Harlem and the Bronx,” said Split Lip owner Adam Branz.
“Our original goal was to pay homage to these regional dishes, and it felt a little disingenuous to take them at face value,” he said. “Our version came about during the National Western Stock Show, trying to attract some cowboys at that time.”
It couldn’t have been difficult. The funky appeal of chopped cheese is powerful — much like New York City itself.
Looking for other places that serve locally made chopped cheese sandwiches? Try these:
- Duke’s Good Sandwiches, 2748 Welton St., Denver: American white cheese, pepperoncini and raw onion
- Tessa Delicatessen, 5724 E. Colfax Ave., Denver: peppers, onions, mayonnaise
- The Grateful Gnome, 4369 Stuart Street, Denver: closer to the classic style
- Bodega, 2651 W. 38th Ave., Denver: A breakfast version with sausage, weekends only
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