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Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
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Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink Remains Closed
Vidalia's baked macaroni and cheese (Alicia Mazzara).
For many of us, childhood memories of macaroni and cheese involve watery, neon orange noodles from Kraft. If you were really lucky, your mom might have sprung for Velveeta with its frighteningly gooey sauce from a squeeze packet. But mac 'n' cheese isn't just for kids or poor college students anymore. These days, you can find macaroni and cheese on the menu at many fine D.C. restaurants, and thankfully it is unrecognizable from anything you'd make from a box.
Though you wouldn't guess it based on the name, Hank's Oyster Bar does a mean mac and cheese. For five bucks, diners can get a bubbling side of creamy, white cheddary goodness. Hank's Mac and Cheesy isn't fancy, but it captures the essence of a great classic mac and cheese -- a crunchy, browned top, a soft, gooey inside, and a clean, sharp cheese flavor. If you want to get a little fancier, order Vidalia's baked macaroni ($8.50), made with nutty cave-aged cheddar, smoked Virginia ham, and a buttery breadcrumb topping. For a real splurge (and an extra $9.50), add fresh shaved truffles.
Truffles aside, the winner for most decadent macaroni and cheese might have to go to Zola for their lobster mac ($21 a lunch entree, $10 as dinner side). Zola uses a smooth, mild Fontina sauce studded with big chunks of tender lobster and draped with a few springs of asparagus. DCist loved it so much that we even figured out how to make it at home. Where's your favorite place for macaroni and cheese? Let us know in the comments.
Small Bites
Peeps Show
Over the years, humans have devised many alternative uses for the humble marshmallow Peep. Perhaps the most creative is the Washington Post's Peeps Diorama Contest, which is back for its third year. Grab a shoebox and submit your diorama by midnight, March 15.
It's like March Madness... but with food
Brackets are not just for sports anymore. Both the Post and Washingtonian are holding online voting brackets for your favorite local burgers or brewskies. Each week, readers get to vote on a pairing and the winner advances to the next round. Check out Washingtonian's Burger Brackets here and the Post's Beer Madness here.
D.C. chefs on yet another reality TV show
Three pairs of aspiring D.C.-area chefs and restaurateurs will be competing on "The Chopping Block", NBC's latest foray into the world of foodie reality TV. Khoa and Denise Nguyen of Vidalia, Chad Phillips and Mikey Torres, executive chef at Giffords, and Nate and Alex McCoy of Rugby Food & Spirits will be among the 16 contestants. The show follows eight teams as they run a pair of competing Manhattan restaurants. The contestants are coached by three star Michelin chef Marco Pierre White, a man so mean he allegedly made Gordon Ramsay cry. "The Chopping Block" premieres on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Persian New Year at the Freer Gallery
Celebrete Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij. On Saturday, Batmanglij will discuss traditional new year foods and sign copies of her latest book. Visitors will also have a chance to sample some typical Nowruz dishes. Batmanglij will speak at 11 a.m. Food will be for sale until 5 p.m.
GSPOT now open for sit-down dining
Zagat reports that Gillian Clark's General Store and Post Office Tavern is now open for sit-down meals. The Silver Spring restaurant was previously only open for take-out orders.
English tea
Todd English's Cha will be fully open in three weeks. At present, the sushi bar and bar are open and serving. The sushi is pricey, with spicy fish rolls starting at $10.
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Mia's Pizza in Bethesda has terrific gourmet "Little Mac and Cheese" which I think was originally meant for kids, but is a perfect appetizer for adults. I believe it has smoked gouda... mmmm!
I have to disagree about the Hank's mac and cheese. Twice I've had it, both times it was al dente pasta in burnt cheese swimming in grease in a tiny metal pan. I can't speak for the downtown location, but the Old Town shop needs to get its act together.
I've had the run of the gourmet types of mac and cheese: every possible combination of white cheeses and seafood and whatthef**kever and I keep coming back to the classic version served at Levi's Port Cafe. A balanced mix of cheese, thickened with egg and milk, with a crispy, bubbly slightly burnt crust. Simple honest clean flavors that speak to memory and desire, not some painted whore with beauty marks covering their smallpox scars. This is where mac and cheese goes to die. So you can keep your lobster and shaved truffles, thank you very much.
And any home cook worth their salt will tell you Velveet is an essential component to great mac and cheese. Cheddar alone is too greasy, American too flavorless, but combined with Velveeta, you arrive at a flavor and mouth-feel balance that's more than the sum of its parts. And when you fry a slice of it in a pan the next day, it makes a kickass carbo-overload grilled cheese sammitch. Try THAT with some goddamned lobster.
Bistro D'Oc across from Ford's theater has an AMAAAAZING gratin de macaroni. It costs around $8 and is (rich) enough for 3 people to share in its gooey deliciousness.
"...nutty cave-aged cheddar..."
that's just not right.
You would prefer "cavey, nut-aged cheddar?" Because I have some right here IN MY PANTS.
i know you have a wife and kids keeping you busy (Lord knows your day job doesn't), but you should really consider showering now and then. make it fun for everyone and make Sunday night "family shower night", you know, right after you've slaughtered your goats and what not.
Afterwords does a pretty good mac and cheese as part of their "Sharezies" (ugh) menu.
That word really appears on the menu? I will never go there again. Who's running that place, kickballers?
Too bad Afterwords' service is worse than Hitler.
Ooops! Did I say that out loud or just think it?
I have been there four or five times at various hours of the day and have never had a problem with the service. They even seem to have gotten rid of the ridiculous bathroom tokens. Most people just like to hear themselves complain (e.g., people hyperventilating over the "no substitutions" rule -- seriously?).
Red Derby on 14th St NW.
Kraft Mac and Cheese (yeah, the neon orange stuff) formed into wedges, breaded and deep fried.
Bliss.
Great Mac and Cheese at the West End Bistro.
If you want great mac n cheese at home, Trader Joe's makes a frozen "diner style" m&c that is amazing, and costs 2 or 3 bucks.
If that Mac 'n Cheese is even half as good as it looks it's gotta be kick ass.
Hm. That Vidalia mac and cheese looks greasy and crusty to me. Again, that's what's wrong with whoring up mac and cheese with (oily) cheddar, (oily) ham, and buttery bread crumbs. Without enough egg and milk to create an emulsion, that oil has nowhere to go. It's the difference between hollandaise/mayonnaise and some melted Crisco. The fundamental problem with upscale mac and cheese is that they almost never have enough cheese sauce; by the time it's done baking, you've got hard pasta and oil. Maybe that's the style, but damned if I'm paying $10 for the privelege.
I'm in search of the best Mac 'n Cheese in DC and can report that Firefly has the best I've tasted so far. It's oven-baked and consistently amazing. Nage has a Mac 'n Cheese with truffle oil that is just too rich and not a good take on Mac 'n Cheese from our childhood. Cafe Deluxe has the 2nd best I've tasted, along with Local 16 and the Diner at 18th and U. All are great, but Firefly can't be beat. I'll be sure to try out some of the others, but right now I'm working on creating my own perfect version!
Don't know the name, or if it even has one, but the breakfast/chinese place in the very center of the DC Farmer's Market has the most incredible homeade mac n' cheese I have ever tasted. Must be secret ingredients of some sort, but an order paired with an Iced Lemon Tea is absolute pleasure.
The vegan Mac and Cheese at Soul Vegetarian Cafe on Georgia Ave is simply amazing. Even for a omnivore like myself.
Ignorant question - vegan mac and cheese? How exactly is that done? And how does it not taste hideous?
Vegan mac takes some creatively and serious culinary skills to prefect. Depends on the recipe you're going for but addressing the vegan ingredients alone, you'd probably add Earth Balance, nutritional yeast, and a vegan cheese. Most soy based cheeses are flawed, the best by far is Teese. Teese melts very well and does not the have a soy taste like many other soy based vegan cheeses. The best vegan cheeses are cashew based, however the process is time consuming and raw cashews are pricey.
I prefer Sticky Fingers' Mac 'n Teese over Soul Veg. Soul Veg's mac has too much oil in it for me.
Crap! The above comment is intended for moorpirate, my mistake.
Actually an omnivore eats veggies AND meat etc.
Vegetarians and vegans are herbivores.
Human animals are all omnivorous. It is near impossible to not consume any animal based ingredients, so despite what you might believe veg*n are not herbivores. Vegetarians consume dairy products and eggs which are clearly not plant based, making your comment out plain incorrect.
I'm an omnivore, I'll eat everything. I love real mac and cheese especially if it has bacon in it.
The vegan mac and cheese at Soul Vegetarian Cafe is damn good, even when held up next to the best cheesy and meat filled recipes.
Open City in Woodley Park has a pretty good Mac and Cheese - they use an Aged White Cheddar wich is pretty darn tasty!
Central's is to die for.
any way you cut it, mac & cheese + sriracha = goodness.
A staple in the kitchen at chez d'Ouest is mac and cheese with beef, onions, and mushrooms. In fact, pretty much my only purpose in life is making increasingly ridiculous variations of this formula (pasta, cheese, meat & veg). It's a combo that cannot be defeated. Actually, I've got some frog legs in the freezer right now .... hmmm. Weekend project!
I had some great mac and cheese at commonwealth.