Mouthful: Mac-n-cheese
March 7th, 2009 by Jennifer Zyman in Restaurants
CARVER’S GROCERY: Slap yourself if you haven’t been to this quintessential Westside Meat ‘n Three spot. On any given day, the restaurant churns out a long list of Southern classics and its mac-n-cheese is tops. Carver’s keeps it simple by using the stuff mac-n-cheese dreams are made of: Velveeta! The Carvers start with a simple béchamel sauce and add Velveeta before mixing it with the cooked shells. The result? A sticky, creamy and super cheesy heap of love on your plate that pairs beautifully with any of the homey entrees. 1118 West Marietta Street. 404-794-4410. www.carverscountrycooking.com.
FOX BROS BAR-B-Q: This BBQ joint takes this ubiquitous side from boring to terrific with a few twists. They make their mac-n-cheese with shells, not elbows. The cream-based sauce gets a healthy dose of white and yellow cheddar cheese and a touch of cayenne pepper for some spice. You can get it alongside your BBQ of choice, on a veggie plate or by the pint/full pan. But there is no debating the sinful superiority of the fried mac-n-cheese. Fox chills the cooked mac, slices it into squares, breads it in seasoned flour and deep-fries until it’s golden and gooey. 1238 Dekalb Ave. 404-577-4030. www.foxbrosbbq.com.
OK CAFÉ: Long-time Atlanta residents are well acquainted with this funky restaurant where American standards are served by saucy wait folk in retro garb. The Café’s “Triple cheese macaroni” has racked up awards over the years and many proclaim it “the best” in Atlanta. A mix of Parmesan, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses get a boost from a sprinkling of ranch seasoning and some chopped parsley for color. The kitchen uses a corkscrew-shaped pasta for some added textural interest and bakes it off underneath a sheet of aluminum foil so the contents meld. 1284 West Paces Ferry Road. 404-233-2888. www.okcafe.com.
(Photo by Jennifer Zyman)
March 7th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I don’t disagree with the selections, but the most memorable mac I’ve had lately is at Top Flr. It’s bomb.
March 7th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I love OK Cafe’s Mac. It may be my favorite in town.
March 7th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
I’ve had the mac’n'cheese at Fox Bros. but I must have had it on an off night. It seemed quite bland to me.
A friend and I split a dish of the Porter’s mac’n'cheese app on Tuesday and it was pretty tasty.
March 8th, 2009 at 1:43 am
kali wat do you do that you have so much time to comment on cl?
March 8th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Packing up an apartment and finishing up wedding plans.
March 8th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I think Sam and Dave’s in Marietta and East Cobb has mac & cheese that truly satisfies – they call it three cheese and use rigatoni so maybe it should be rig & cheese instead. Oh and I still say they have the best BBQ in Atlanta even though I have had some great meals at Fox, Harold’s, etc.
March 8th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
J. Alexander’s has the BEST mac & cheese I’ve ever had. The only one in Atlanta that I know of is up near Perimeter; it’s absolutely worth the drive.
March 8th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
This is related to mac’n'cheese, so bear with me, I used to love the mac’n'cheese fritters at Agnes & Muriel’s, then they changed owners/chefs, and sure isn’t the same.
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:11 am
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