The phrase "comfort food" means different things to different diners.

Whether it's meatloaf and mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, pot roast, potpies, chicken noodle soup or peanut better and jelly, some foods evoke happy childhood memories and make people feel safe and happy upon consuming them.

John O'Hare knows the feeling very well, and he wants to share it with everyone who walks through the door at the Cheesy Grill, his restaurant at 2155 Miller Park Way, West Milwaukee.

The Cheesy Grill, which opened earlier this year, specializes in a pillar of the "comfort food" lineup -- the basic grilled cheese sandwich - which is augmented with optional add-on toppings and side dishes like tomato soup, chili, French fries and macaroni and cheese.

"It's definitely comfort food," O'Hare said. "We hear that all the time. People say 'It's just like mom used to make at home.'"

Skeptics who question the concept may wonder why people would visit a restaurant to eat a sandwich they can easily assemble at home.

A single bite of the Cheesy Grill's "Classic" grilled cheese -- three slices of American cheese melted to a gooey perfection between two pieces of fresh egg twist white bread and sold for just $1.89 - provides the answer:

Simply put, Cheesy Grill makes grilled cheese better than you can make at home. What's the secret? Is it the various spatulas that adorn the wall and logo?

"There is no secret that I'll disclose," said O'Hare, who spent 20 years in the investment business before opening the restaurant.

"I did realize from experimentation, though, that it's hard to make a good grilled cheese at home. You have to get the pan at just the right temperature. You have to use the right amount of butter..."

Employees at Cheesy Grill use a roller to apply melted butter. That ensures the right amount and even distribution.

"That's a big part of it," O'Hare said, divulging one secret. "When I use a butter knife at home, I get big chunks of butter on there. It's hard to make it even. We also have our grills at the right temperature. If you've ever had a bunch of kids at home and made multiple grilled cheese sandwiches, you find that the third and fourth one are better than the first. That's because it takes awhile to get the pan at the right temperature. We make a lot of them."

Unlike other outlets, the Cheesy Grill uses three slices of cheese. "I've gone to diners and café's where they'll charge $4.99 for a grilled cheese with two slices," he said. "It's $5.95 for a grilled cheese with a tomato."

At Cheesy Grill, the basic sandwich sells for $1.89 and is available on white, sourdough, marble rye or wheat bread provided fresh daily from Miller Bakery. For 30 cents, diners can upgrade to Swiss, provolone or cheddar cheese.

Optional toppings include tomato (59 cents), onion and jalapenos (39 cents each), pepperoni, salami or an all beef hot dog (79 cents), ham (89 cents) and bacon (99 cents).

"Tomato is the number one add," O'Hare said. "Ham and bacon are second. Some people like jalapenos. I like them."

Asked if there were toppings requested by customers, O'Hare laughed. "We get a lot of people asking for avocados," he said. "At least once a week, someone will come in and tell us that we should have avocados. I tell them we won't do it because they cost about a dollar apiece."

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