Truffle toastie makes a fleeting bid for Melbourne's best

Shaved truffle, three cheeses and peppery watercress all melded together between pieces of toasted ciabatta. It's decadent, rich and possibly the best toastie in Melbourne right now. The catch: it's available only as long as the truffle season.

Newly opened Guerilla Espresso in Footscray market teamed up with Madame Truffles in South Melbourne to create the ‘truffle toastie’. Co-owner Jag Singh says they specialise in “good toasted sandwiches” but because of the seasonal nature of the star ingredient, this one will only be available for another week and a half, “probably.”

“Depending on how much longer we have the truffles,” he says.

To make the $13 sarnie, Singh and his business partner, Evan Lindau, infuse finely shaved truffles into fresh mozzarella. Slices of the infused cheese are placed in the sandwich with gruyere and then toasted into an elegant, molten mess. A second layer of filling is then added, fresh watercress tossed with olive oil and lemon. A third slice of bread caps the sandwich, which is then buttered and topped with shaved pecorino. A squeeze from the wedge of lemon on the side highlights the earthy cheeses and bitey green of the cress.

The sandwich is decadent: the truffle, the brush of butter at the end, the gooey cheese. It's subtlety is a highlight, the nuttiness of the gruyere works with the earthy truffle, which is given weight and creaminess from the mozzarella. This would all be too rich if it weren't balanced by the watercress. The price is thoughtfully pitched too.

The sandwich is not on the board, you need to ask for it. And you’d better be fast.

Guerilla Espresso, Shop 228, 81 Hopkins St, Footscray Market (enter via Irving St), 9995 4054

-Hilary McNevin