Augusta Eats: Chopped cheese sending nostalgic New Yorkers to new North Augusta eatery

There’s no huge sign outside Le Bodega to tell customers about the new North Augusta restaurant’s authentic New York “handhelds” – the sandwiches, rolls and wraps sold at small corner shops throughout the Big Apple.

Small signs apparently have been working just fine.

“A New Yorker came in yesterday,” co-owner Eric Emedoh said. “We put door hangers out that just said ‘chopped cheese’ on them and he came in instantly, like in 10 minutes.”

Much like the tingle many Southerners feel when they see roadside signs reading “barbecue” or “boiled peanuts,” a nostalgic gravitational pull is drawing former New Yorkers to 1696 Knox Ave. to again taste one of the city’s most iconic sandwiches.

The chopped cheese is a grilled sandwich that covers grill-chopped ground beef covered with cheese and paired with lettuce, tomatoes and other ingredients on a toasted hoagie bun.

“I won’t tell our secret. It’s like a Philly cheesesteak without the actual cheesesteak,” Emedoh said.

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Emedoh was born and raised in the Bronx, then attended high school across the Hudson River in Englewood, N.J. He studied marketing at the University of South Carolina, but the business idea for Le Bodega developed later.

“I’m an excellent cook,” he said with a laugh. “I just prefer other people to cook.”

For Le Bodega, Terica Hills is that cook. She burnished her culinary arts credentials working for several years at Augusta-area restaurants and more recently graduating with a culinary arts degree from Helms College. She “can cook anything,” she said, “but soul food is my go-to.”

Emedoh describes the menu as “more of an American style.” He wanted to bring sandwiches such as the chopped cheese to the Augusta area for the first time, but the menu also features more recognizable standards such as bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches using French toast or glazed doughnuts instead of biscuits or buns.

Beginning Monday, Le Bodega starts opening at 6 a.m. daily except Sundays. That better fits the profile of a traditional New York bodega, where handhelds are ideal breakfast foods for grab-and-go commuters.

A glimpse of New York wouldn’t seem complete without a touch of elegance. Possibly the most decadent handheld on Le Bodega's menu is the savory Lamb Egg N Cheese – four seasoned lamb chops and eggs with sharp cheddar cheese and bacon jam.

“That’s one of my top sellers,” Emedoh said.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta Eats: Le Bodega's chopped cheese delivers a taste of New York