Macaroni and cheese

Where can a chowhounder get a great macaroni and cheese?

[BackBayGirl]

I will tell you where NOT to get mac n' cheese...The Last Hurrah at the Omni Parker House. It was oily (literally a puddle of oil at the bottom of the dish) so they must've used a very cheap cheese (it didn't taste good either). I'm not saying I'm surprised. I know the joint is not known for its stellar cuisine. I happened to be there for drinks w/ friends and whenever I see mac n' cheese on a menu and am hungry, I'll try it. Too bad it was a waste of money.

[Aphex]

My vote for best Mac n' Cheese would have to be Stone's Public House in Ashland. They make a morel mushroom Mac n Cheese that is one of the most flavorful dishes I've ever had. I'm also a fan of Silvertone's more standard version.

[edgewater]

The first response to this post back in 2001 was a recommendation for Deli King in Tewksbury. I just had my first macaroni and cheese from there and want to report that it is wonderful. It was about $6.50 for a pie plate filled with mac and cheese....enough for two or three meals. Of course, if you live in Boston, considering the price of gas, it will be a bit more expensive.

[greygarious]

Edgewater, either we have very different palates or Deli King's M&C is quite inconsistent. I had it a couple of weeks ago - elbows in a floury white sauce with virtually no cheese - truly awful.

[mjg0725]

Greygarious's post stopped me from taking a trip to Deli King.

What is it about their Mac that you love? Do you consider it cheesy? Have you had it since 2001? The place could have change ownership a few times since then...

[kirby76]

Comfort in Watertown Square...large portions and an unbelievable 3 cheese sauce.

[Chipper]

I was walking through Faneuil Hall last night and was handed a sample of macaroni and cheese made by that new place that's located where Beard Papa used to be - and it was SO good! Somehow really light-tasting but rich at the same time, with the most wonderful subtle flavors and a nice texture. I can never remember the name of the place - the word "organic" is in the name somewhere. I'll post the name tomorrow unless someone else comes up with it...

[TomH]

The place is called "The Green Organic Bowl" and I just had a friend tell me about the mac & cheese there last week. I have yet to try it myself but it isn't too far of a walk from my office! :)

[Chipper]

"Green Organic Bowl" - now how am I ever going to remember that? ;) It's just steps from my second job so I foresee more mac and cheese in my life! I've never considered myself a mac and cheese fan before, but maybe I just hadn't had _good_ mac and cheese before... Hope you like it, TomH! :)

[taves7]

I had some creamy, yummy, wonderful mac and cheese at Picco the other day. I got the roasted garlic add-in. So good!

[LDoll13]

10 Center Street in Newburyport has great Lobster Mac & Cheese.....

[Food4Thought]

I'm usually pretty impressed w/ the M&C from Good Life, and they change up the ingredients from time to time. Currently, pecorino toscano, sweet soppresata, wild mushrooms. Yummy.

[greygarious]

Since this 7yr old post is periodically reborn, Trader Joe's frozen M&C deserves mention. It's 14 ounces ("serves 2"....hah!), with shredded cheddar, swiss, gouda, and havarti topping a milk/flour/cream bechamel and elbows. Because you have to stir it up once it's heated, I think that 5 minutes in the microwave is better than the oven, which dries out the exposed bare elbows and makes mixing harder because the cheese solidifies as it browns. Good flavor, ample gooey cheesiness, and for a couple of bucks a good thing to keep in the freezer.

[raddoc]

The Loft in Andover is reputed to have a good lobster Mac and Cheese

[kobuta]

Having read your post and needing a trip to TJ's I looked for this item. I was just about to put it into my basket when I did the unthinkable and turned it over to read the nutrition label. !!! No wonder it probably tastes pretty good. I put it right back. :(

[franksnbeans]

Ah, now there's the rub. See, there is no low-fat mac and cheese with the ability to just floor me. I've made my own mac and cheese for years, and while it's passable, it's not great, because, well, it takes a cook with a heavier hand than my own to add all that cheese and butter and cheese and milk and cheese, and more cheese.

So, yeah, I read those nutrition labels too. And I too have put back the box in the store. But, thankfully, restaurant dishes don't come with nutrition labels (we'd generally be horrified if they did), so I've got that going for me. Which is nice.

[kobuta]

Well I learned my lesson after buying TJ's unproofed chocolate croissants. I didn't read the label until after I got home, and I nearly had a heart attack just from reading it. Of course, since I bought it, I made them and they are utterly delicious! I tasted every bit of butter and chocolate that went in, but I fully believe I now have the arteries of a 65+ old portly man after eating an entire slab of bacon.

[joth68]

Lucky's Mac and Cheese had me making some R rated noises the last time I was there.

[hyde]

oh man, soulfire shapes it into balls and deep fries it. i believe you can schedule a cardiac catheterization at the same time as you order, neat!

[voodoocheese]

I'm still a big fan of Z square's mac- with the andouille addition of course. I'm still working on trying mac all over town- I need to head over to Silvertone, that's next!

[franksnbeans]

Best I've ever had, hands down, was at the long-gone Daddy-O's (where Oleana is now). Mercy, their mac and cheese was what it's all about. Insanely rich and creamy; several types of cheese, and enough of each to kill you twice.

Who's bringing THAT kind of mojo these days? That's what I want to know.

[PJ Mac BJ]

That's what I want to know also Frank.

[Chris VR]

Paul Sussman was chef there, and was a Chowhound- not sure if he still is. Googling shows he's cooked at The Fireplace but I don't think he's still there. Paul, wherefore art thou and thy mac and cheese?!

[greygarious]

Paul Sussman - exec chef at Z-Square in Cambridge.

[franksnbeans]

Love it. Will have to give Z-Square a shot. It takes a bold hand to add that much cheese to a dish, and Sussman must have the mojo. Thanks for the sleuthery!

[Joanie]

I thought he left there a while ago, no?

[teezeetoo]

heaven help the memory. the best cholesterol bomb for the money in boston/cambridge was that mac and cheese followed by a homemade strawberry rhubarb tart at Daddy-Os. I think I don't like Oleanas because I do not forgive the loss of Daddy-Os.

[EastaBoss]

The Winthrop Arms in Winthrop has the BEST mac n' cheese.

[Pegmeister]

I was on a mission awhile back to try mac & cheese at various locations and here's what I came up with:
Fat Cat, Quincy -- Love the lobster mac & cheese
Amhrein's lobster mac & cheese, available as a special is even better than Fat Cat"
Zon's in JP has a wonderful, creamy mac & cheese
Silvertone's mac & cheese, although somewhat basic is quite good
Buckowski's has a good version to which you can add broccoli or chorico; and I also enjoyed the mac & cheese at the Public House.

[ginnyhw]

My husband is always on this mission and lately has liked Soul Fire and Formaggio kitchen in the South End (they only make this as a special - iwould like to get some more of this one)

[lulu806]

Georgetown Grille in Georgetown has great mac and cheese with grilled chicken on top. I'm also a fan of Silvertone's.

[pamalamb]

Publick House in Washington Square in Brookline. Orecchiette baked until crispy on top, with your choice of add-ins. I can't get enough of this stuff.

[greygarious]

On my dining wish-list is a trip to S'MAC in NYC. It's a mac&cheese restaurant, similar to an ice cream parlor in that you choose your types of cheese and mix-ins, which are served in 3 sizes of piping-hot cast iron skillets. The menu has a hypocritical ;) green salad and cookies, that's about it. Since mac&cheese is such a beloved dish, I'm surprised there are not more places like this. I think they'd be a big success in this area. We can dream, can't we?

[C. Hamster]

The Lobster Mac and Cheese at FAT CAT in Quincy is delicious. It ca also be ordered as a lobster-free side dish.

[hiddenboston]

Well, back in 2001 I liked the mac and cheese at Howard Johnson's (but my parents didn't let me eat it very often back then). But now that I've had 7 years to think about this question, I'd say that Harvard Gardens in Beacon Hill and Tennessee's in South Braintree are probably two of my favorites.

[MattyD.]

Lobster mac and cheese form Amrheins in south boston is the best i've ever had

[truro]

I agree! Amrhein's lobster mac and cheese is a real treat though very rich. My husband & I split the appetizer size and loved it.

This may sound lame but Harvard Gardens in Beacon Hill used to have a fantastic mac and cheese as a side dish - very cheap, and absolutely melted in your mouth. Not a heavy mac and cheese but very flavorful with bread crumbs done just right! I haven't been there in a while though and the food had started to go downhill last time I was there.

Al forno's in Providence has an incredible dish called pasta in the pink. This is mac & cheese on a grand adult scale with parm/mozz/ricotta/fontina/gorganzola and lots of cream. Worth every calorie.

The same dish is typically available at Cafe Louis in Boston.

From what I hear you are correct... and I share this with you only because the owner was on Martha Stewart and shared their recipe..........

oven at 500

1C canned tomato
2C heavy cream
1/2C pec/parmagianno
1/2Cfontina
4TB gorganzola
2TB Ricotta
1/4 lb fresh Mozz
fresh basil

cook one box Decesso shell pasta-conchiglie rigate

mix pasta into above and cook in shallow dishes until crisp, adding dab of butter and add parm...

it aint your mamas pasta!! enjoy!!!

This may sound odd but FIGS has delicious mac & cheese. They make it with orzo pasta. I think you will enjoy!

Oh my god, Figs' mac and cheese is a total killer. Husband brought it to me in the hospital after our son was born - what a way to recover! Incredibly rich, and a large portion so you can eat it for more than one meal.

There used to be a little red diner on Rte. 99 in Malden that made ambrosial m&c, the classic casserole topped with buttered crumbs. It's been years since I've had a chance to look in, and in any case I think they only had it once a week. Does anybody have an update?

That's the Phyllis Diner on Rt. 99 and it's still there, altho I haven't been in years. There was a 'for sale' sign for a while, but looks to be open with lots of signs for specials in the window.

I thought you'd never ask!

Tremont 647 (at 647 Tremont St, of course) has Macaroni and Cheese with Lobster.

And, YES, it's great.

Good Mac and Cheese:

FIGS - very creamy - lots of different cheeses - though somewhat odd shaped pasta

LINWOOD GRILL - the style of Mac and Cheese that you often find as a side at Barbecue places - classic comfort food

JASPER'S SUMMER SHACK - in the style of store-bought stuff (like Velveeta!) - yet, somehow, remarkably addictive

SILVERTONE - very straightforward baked stuff but darn good

Silvertone Bar and Grill, near the Park St. MBTA. Temple St if my memory serves correct. THE BEST MAC&CHEESE!

Silvertone: 69 Bromfield Street [phone]

yes they do have great mac and cheese!

on a side note-- Silvertone also has great steak tips, too, for $9 or so (with salad and mashed potatoes!). The tips have this strange but addictive burnt caramel note to them. . . .mmmmmm. . . . .

It is a little bit out of the way but a place in Tewksbury on Rt.38 called the Deli King Makes great Mac and Cheese. Very Creamy. The place is a cafeteria style place so you get to see all the meals they have right before you.It is just a cafeteria that happens to make the best Mac and Cheese I have had around

It's not gourmet but I like Bob The Chef's mac and cheese the best!

[greygarious]

Currently it is only on the menu on Fridays and Sundays.