The Blue Plate "Mac and Cheese with Drunken Spanish Goat Cheese"

Yahoo often partners with Zagat or Travel sites to list the top 10 burgers, pizzas, ice creams, etc in the USA. Well my friend found a link for the 10 best Mac and Cheese in the USA. One of them, Beechers, I had already visited up in Seattle , however there was one in San Francisco at a formal restaurant called the Blue Plate listed that I decided to try out. It was tucked away in the mission district of SF.

The official review by Yahoo states: The ultimate mac and cheese for adults can be found in a cozy little restaurant on Valencia Street in the mission district; The Blue Plate's recipe is so revered among locals that it hasn't changed since 1999. The star ingredient is "Drunken" Goat cheese, cured in Spanish red wine for two months. To offset their cheese indulgence, patrons can pair the mac with a side of fresh local vegetables.

Ohhhhh boy

Review: Yahoo's opinion is spot on. This mac and cheese tasted like nothing I had ever had before. It was 100% completely different and totally unexpected. I was extremely pleased with the flavor, cheese, consistency, and even pasta.

Pasta: A standard elbow mac, cooked perfectly tender. The pasta itself was kept very subtle, to focus more on the taste of the cheese, which is a very smart move when you have such a unique flavor.

Cheese: The Goat cheese used was indeed cured in Spanish red wine for 2 months and showed. It had a rich consistency and a very subtle sweet flavor to it as well. It's very difficult to explain the taste of it, however when combined with the crusted Parmesan on top, it's hands down amazing.

7 minute test: I ate the entire dish with a friend and we didn't even bother waiting for the 7 minute test. Nor would you if you had this mac.

Advice: You wouldn't want this ordered any other way. One piece of advice I would give however is to not eat this on an empty stomach. The portion is small for $9 and the rest of the food there is good... but extremely expensive.. I'm talking about 30 dollar chicken. Unless you are a fine diner, I would eat somewhere beforehand and just go for the mac and wine.

Rating: 9.5, the best restaurant mac I have had so far.

Here is the original link, I am going to try and hit all 10 one day.: http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/america-s-best-mac-and-cheese-010004044.html

Kraft Southwest Chipotle Mac and Cheese

In 2013, Kraft has released 4 new boxed Mac and Cheese. These include Jalapeno, Chipotle, Buffalo, and Garlic/Herb Alfredo.

Since the fourth is not necessarily a mac and cheese per se, so I will not be reviewing that one. The first one of a 3-mac series will be the "Southwest Chipotle Mac and Cheese.

I saw "Chipotle" on the box and immediately had to pick it up. My own mac recipe uses organic ground chipotle powder, so I accepted Kraft's challenge. It's quite hard to demand much from a boxed mac and cheese, however if they are so bold, I'll see what they have to offer.

Review: I had high hopes for kraft, they have always been the cheap boring mac to me. Their classic blue box is edible, however only enjoyable, in my opinion, when you add cut up hot dogs and catsup. Yes catsup. There is a Facebook group called "Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with Catsup" which i am a part of along with thousands of others. This mac however failed greatly in the flavor department. 

The chipotle was barely noticeable, it was not sweet and spicy, and these seemed to be way too much "Southwest" flavor in it. It's very hard to decipher what exactly made these spices up, and the ingredient listing didn't offer much help either, however it seems like a bit too much cumin was put in. 

Cheese: I could not taste the powdered cheese flavor whatsoever. There was so much added salt and spices the cheese flavor vanished. The consistency was there, but it was more pasty than anything else. In the original blue box, you could at least taste the "cheese."

Pasta: Kraft did step it up in the quality department for their pasta. The macaroni noodles were larger, thicker, and had ridges. It was a definite upgrade from their original wimpy pasta that you had to perfect the cooking time with.

Much larger elbow macaroni than the original

7 minute test: The pasta eventually began to stick together. The flavor wasn't very good so I only ate a little bit more of it, however the part I did wasn't too terrible.

Aftertaste: This one actually did leave a pretty bad aftertaste. It tasted like I had eaten something old. It's hard to describe it, but it also caused some bad breath as well. I had to brush my teeth for a bit to get it all out.

Advice: The new pasta does take a few extra minutes to cook, and it won't look creamy like regular blue box which is normal for this kind of mac. It's a lot more absorbent so it soaks up a lot more of the cheese sauce. That tends to happen when it's a powdered cheese though as it's not in a truly solid state.

Rating: 4 

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Macaroni and Cheese

On a diet... sigh.... it's tough to find a way to fit mac and cheese on my diet, and I've tried the Lean Cuisine with no luck. Weight Watchers makes a good Chicken Fettuccine so I thought perhaps I'd get lucky with....

Review: Sigh.... nope not that good. It's strange.. it has the consistency of a good mac and cheese, but there's zero flavor to it. Very odd, I get the feeling like it should be good due to the texture but it's not. Although that's not the only problem with this entree. It's also a bummer because there is only 2G of fat and only 260 calories in the entire box. That's about 1/8 of the amount of a Stouffer's. I did find another boxed Mac that was slightly healthier than the rest and tasted much better, that review is to come.
Cheese: It's somewhat there but very faint. It's somewhat pasty, but still edible.
Pasta: The only redeeming factor for the dish. It's a large soft tubular macaroni. It's odd that they went finest quality on the pasta, when it is the least healthy part of the dish.
7 minute test: It failed miserably. Did not stay warm, turned way too thick way too quickly. If it sat any longer it may have thickened into one large piece.
Aftertaste: Sour and bad. I tried adding other flavor enhancers and it didnt help it either. It was sour and stuck around until I had to brush my teeth
Advice: It's not worth even trying to do the Stouffer's trick of overcooking to burn a cheese crust. There isn't enough sauce in the dish to boil and brown.
Rating: 3

Beecher's Handmade Cheese "World's Best Mac and Cheese" Seattle, WA

Mother's day weekend is here! And what better way to spend the weekend than to fly up to Washington to visit the 'rents! What a great and fun trip, got to see the new house, all the attractions of Seattle, went to an A's Mariner's game (I'm a huge A's fan and got lucky enough to see them play as the away team), and also got a chance to go to Pike's Market where right next door is...
Beecher's Handmade Cheese Co.

I know it's a bad picture with the cars and sign, but u get the point

The big reason I wanted to go to Beecher's is because their recipe for World's Best Mac and Cheese is the base of almost every variation of Mac I make. It's a simple recipe such as in my post
Worlds Best Mac and Cheese (My Version)
This place was a destination over all the other attractions of the city. Space Needle? SafeCo Field? Puget Sound? Psh! They ain't the world's best! I am able to get their cheese here in California, but it's super expensive and hard to find. I have to go to fine food markets such as Nugget just to track it down, after which it's 12-15 bucks a pound. The mac itself prepared by them is only available in Seattle however. You can buy it frozen online, but I wanted a legitimate review, so here it is.

Review: It came together very well. I kept comparing it to my version of it, which is somewhat unfair. I used my parent's impression as a big factor as well as they have not tried my most recent iteration of the dish, and therefore have a clean palate.

Cheese: They use their own handmade "Flagship" cheese. When cooking with it, it tends to crumble often and is difficult to shred by hand. When I mix it into a roux and make a sauce from it, I often just break it into curd size chunks and throw it in. Crank shredders don't have that problem as much.

As far as once it's in the sauce, it melts very easily, is not waxy at all, and stays creamy up to when the dish is eaten. I have not worked with their "Just Jack" version but I imagine it would be about the same to handle when taking their cheese making style into consideration. Their cheddar is very very sharp. I love sharp cheddar, but this is really strong!
Pasta: They use a regular penne pasta, when I had it at their cafe, it was in a big serving dish where they scooped it. I sometimes get concerned over it as when it sits in one of those too long, the pasta softens too much. That's just fine in my book as they likely prepare barrels of the stuff considering its quality and they fly through trays.

Aftertaste: It left a flavorful taste in my mouth that lingered for a good long time. Was just great in my opinion.
7-Minute test: Even though I scarfed it down in one sitting, I can still make some conclusions as I use the same recipe. Their version will likely solidify as they use jack cheese which likes to thicken. Mine will oil up and stongly solidify when refrigerated, but reheat well. The interesting thing about their Flagship cheese is their cheddar starts creamy the first time you eat it. But if you reheat it the next day, it isnt creamy anymore and becomes more cheesy. It's very strange how it mixes into two different types of sauce but both are great.
Advice: Don't get their spicy version on your first try, get the original to get an impression of what their cheese is all about. I always encourage people to stick to the basics for first impressions.
Final Thoughts: I know I stated earlier that it's unfair to compare it to mine, but here it is anyway. My version is superior in flavor by far. Theirs is superior in sauce texture and preparation. I have modified their recipe to include imported English smoked white cheddar, Swiss Gruyere, and Vermont white cheddar, with organic chipotle powder mixed in.

 If they did that with their mac and made a Spicy Smokey version, I would concede my opinion on flavor. Until then, I'll take my own mac any day. Of course I'll take my Aunt Debbie's mac and cheese over my own any day.
Rating: 8.5

Bubba Gump Shrimp Shack Mac and Cheese

So my homegirl Nicole and I were adventuring through San Francisco and had never been to Bubba Gump restaurant. It really was overrated just as most who have been there say, which was kind of a bummer but we still had fun. It's located on the upper level of Pier 39. The place is very Forrest Gump themed and they even do trivia at the table so you can win stuff. I havent seen the movie in almost 20 years so I didnt remember much of it unfortunately. The menu featured mostly seafood and shrimp dishes, and one of them was..... Shrimp Shack Mac and Cheese.

Review: The description below is quite accurate in just about what it is. The dish isn't overflowing as the photo suggests....

It was good if you like a baked skillet of breadcrumbs... Actually it wasn't that bad. It had alot of good flavor and the breadcrumbs served their purpose keeping it from getting watery. I've reviewed other macs such as the Alchemy Market and Wine Bar Crab Mac and Cheese. They could have definitely balanced it out though as we had to brush some of the breadcrumbs out of the way.
Cheese: You could tell there was Cheddar and Jack in it, but the Parmesan they describe is just the grated type mixed in with the breadcrumbs just as any other breading is. It was more creamy than stringy.
Pasta: A regular elbow mac that held the cheese in well, but was a bit too small. Perhaps that's just because I prefer larger pasta.
Aftertaste: It had a shrimpy aftertaste to it, obviously, but was not too bad. You have to like shrimp to eat it, but you should probably like shrimp if you go to a place called Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
7-Minute test: We shared it so it didnt last too long, but I would figure it wouldn't keep well because of the seafood.
Rating: 7

Whole Foods Mac and Cheese (Hot Food Deli)

I was in Sacramento at whole foods picking up some produce and, as I do in all places, check for Mac and Cheese. I was pleased to see they had it in their hot food deli so i grabbed a box... or should I say, 110% Recycled Organic Vegetable Paper "Box."

Review: It was actually quite tasty. it seemed to have a lot of onion and garlic in it, which made it a bit hard to pick around, but other than that I was very satisfied. Since it was whole foods, I knew I wasn't going to get a bunch of preservatives and additives in the food, so the mental effect of that helped too strangely.
Cheese: It was a white oil-based cheese. Slightly stringy. Hard to pinpoint exactlt what it was but it seemed like a mix of cheddar and swiss. Cheddar from the oil and texture, and swiss from the sharpness.
Pasta: The pasta was a large tubed macaroni and was a little overcooked. It's really easy to overcook large tubed pasta though as it is primarily pretty thin.
Aftertaste: Sometimes swiss cheese gives a bad breath aftertaste, and it did a bit, but nothing to denote the overall dish
7-Minute Test: I took my time eating it and although it was not piping hot when served, it was still good at room temperature, which is quite pleasing.
Rating: 8

Nugget Market Fried Mac and Cheese Ball

So I was out to lunch for the day, wandering around Nugget looking for something good and as soon as I saw Mac and Cheese in the hot food deli, it was on. I was somewhat hesitant to get a deep fried mac and cheese balls because I have not had pleasant experiences with attempts. The only decent one I've actually had was the one at TGI Friday's. Not only does that dish not exist anymore. I don't even think the chain does. Here is the review:Review: I feared it would end up being similar to the other deep fried mac balls I've had before and unfortunately it was. For some reason, they always want to put at least a quarter inch of breading around the entire ball of mac. I don't know if it's to prevent leakage or what, but it's so much in excess. A 2x2 square of 1/4 inch deep fried breading is quite a bit to eat, but then realize you have 6 sides to the cube. So you are eating 6 cubic inches of breading, and only a few bites of mac. See below.

It's something that just seems to plague restaurants and markets. Perhaps I'll try to figure it out.
Cheese: The cheese sauce was a standard cheddar sauce similar to Stouffer's or other frozens, which lead me to believe that they were likely frozen and shipped to the market rather than prepared in house.
Pasta: Regular elbow macaroni, it was actually quite tender but thats expected when pasta is frozen and reheated. Nothing special to it, it was decent.
Aftertaste: There was so much breading I couldnt eat it all. It did somewhat stick in my mouth and just felt like I ate a bunch of bread.
7-Minute Test: There really isn't a way to tell as far as the Mac as it is enclosed, but the outside breading is so thick and greasy that it would likely not be very good later since it has probably been reheated so many times.
Advice: I'm not sure if it would make any of a difference if you get it when they put it out or not because it was likely prepared weeks prior then frozen.
Rating: 4.5

Stouffer's Frozen Mac and Cheese

Since I keep comparing everything to Stouffer's, I figure it is fitting I give it an official review. Now that I am on a diet, it is a rarity I get to eat it, but when I do... oh man is it good.

Review: When it comes to frozen macaroni and cheese, there is none better than Stouffer's. It has a perfect blend of cheese, cream, and pasta. This may end up being a major Stouffer's ad, but I don't care! This stuff is amazing! There are downsides though such as the insane amount of calories and fat it contains. A big drawback from it may be that each box has practically a week's worth of sodium. People who don't like salt or are watching their sodium intake should be very aware. Therefore if you are on a diet or realize that gaining 4 pounds from 10 minutes of please may not be worth it, you should probably limit yourself to 1 box a month at the most.

Cheese: The cheese sauce is fantastic. It's made with real cheese, is super creamy, and very very flavorful. It's sharp and salty and really takes control of the dish while the pasta adds great texture.
Pasta: A thick large elbow macaroni that is very fresh tasting for a frozen dish. It holds the cheese in very well. It is soft, but still holds its shape and has its own texture no matter how long you microwave it (within reason).
Aftertaste: It leaves a pleasant aftertaste; it's cheesy, but doesnt turn sour.
7-Minute test: It can get a film on top of it if it sits too long, but a stir mixes it back in and there's no problem. It does solidify if it sits too long, say 15 minutes, but you will eat it up so quick it's not a problem.

Advice: Depending on the size and type, after it tells you to stir then insert back in the microwave and continue cooking, be sure to add an extra 1-2 minutes to the final cooking time. That way some of the cheese will burn/crust onto the side of the tray and it is the best part of it all. Yum Yum.

Overall Rating: 8.5
Frozen Mac Rating: 10

Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ Southern Mac and Cheese

Review: Went out to Lucille's the other night for some ribs and brisket.  I knew they would have mac and cheese so I got that and cheese grits for the sides. The grits were okay, too much onion in them and they weren't fried, just plain. The mac side however was surprisingly tasty. It was cavatappi pasta, which isn't a bad pasta, but every cavatappi mac and cheese I've had has just been from okay to not that good. Red Robin, Jack's Urban Eats, and TGI Fridays Frozen all use cavatappi and they are average at best. I thought perhaps the reason they don't come out as good was because the noodle so large or something, but no... this mac was great!
The cheese was very thick and creamy, but it wasn't very sharp in flavor. That would usually be a bad thing because if it's not sharp or spicy, there isn't much to it... but, the thickness made the flavor linger and boosted the taste of the dish. I have a feeling that since it was "Southern" style they likely used a good amount of processed cheese food to go along with the real cheese in it which usually I frown upon. However, I have been eating so much Gruyere and Aged Vermont Cheddar and other fancy cheese that I missed the greasy goodness of the fake stuff. They topped it with some fresh cheddar and it was served very hot. Next time I go there, I'm going to try and order it as a main dish. Perhaps use my Internet powerz to even get it comped perhaps.
Aftertaste: The flavor did stick around and it complemented the ribs and brisket well. Didn't linger as sour, the cheese did stick alot in my mouth.
7 Minute test: I have a feeling this will thicken up really quick since it is processed, but the serving was so small as a side that I didn't really have time to test it out.
Advice: I went through it so quick since it was just one of the sides. They don't give you much in the side, so ordering it as a main dish is recommended if you really want to enjoy it. I don't know if they do that, but that's definitely going to be something I ask for next time.
Rating: 8.5

World's Best Mac and Cheese (My version)

Review: So I finally found a recipe that I can modify as much as I'd like and have it turn out awesome. It starts with a basic roux, then add milk and thicken, add 1 pound of cheese and some chipotle powder and garlic salt. Then mix in drained pasta and top with cheese and chipotle. It's simple, quick, and easy. The best part about this recipe is that it's so customizable. For some reason, the chipotle pepper disappeared from my house so I used Emril's seasoning instead and it worked. I've also used different cheeses. Once I used Australian 9 mos. aged Cheddar and Swiss gruyere. Then I decided to mix it up and try a three cheese with Vermont White Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, and Swiss Gruyere. It's so much fun to experiment with different cheeses.

Vermont (Black Rind) Gouda (Orange Rind) and Swiss (Tan Rind)

The results do strongly vary depending on the cheeses used not only with taste but also consistency and amount of grease. I found when I used the Australian Cheddar, it came out much more oily than when I used the Vermont and Gouda. That may also be because Cheddar is so oily that since I cut the amount in half and substituted Gouda for it, it came out less oily. The cheese is more stringy and smooth rather than congealed which is a nice treat. My favorite part has to be the Chipotle powder however because it gives a tangy taste when you occasionally get a bigger taste of it and then the heat kicks in about 3 seconds later. It's kinda funny watching people eat it because you can tell exactly when it hits them. It's not too hot, but it'll heat up your mouth. Just the way I like it.
Aftertaste: Like before, the immediate aftertaste of it being spicy is nice, and then later it still sticks around as a pleasant taste.

7 minute test: It stays pretty smooth even after some time. It also reheats very well. It can congeal when you reheat it however, but the best part is you just give it a stir and it gets smooth again.

Advice: The cheeses are the fun part to experiment with. I still have to try a mozzarella Romano Parmesan mix with some garlic cloves and basil. Or perhaps a Pepper Jack, Asedero and Sharp Cheddar mix with Jalapenos. That's what I love about it. It's a base recipe to play around with.

Rating: 9 when you use Chipotle Pepper, Gouda, Vermont White Cheddar, and Swiss Gruyere. Although it can get better if you find the modifications that suit you. The recipe is in the comments.