This just in folks. The first restaurant macaroni and cheese we sampled since posting Quintessential Mac & Cheese, Part 1 on September 6th easily sailed into the Give Me More collection for next year’s Quintessential Mac & Cheese roundup.
Rather than make you wait a full year to learn which restaurant renditions make it into the next round, however, we thought it would be more fun to feature the renditions we love along the way.
We headed to Crave (known for its honest, home-style comfort food) on Seattle’s Capitol Hill tonight because Google has been directing a good number of searches for Crave’s Shitake Mac & Cheese recipe to LunaCafe. The way we figured it, all those folks looking for the recipe must mean really good mac and cheese. We figured right!
Chef Robin Leventhal makes a memorable, full-flavored Shittake Mac & Cheese, using a trio of cheeses: New York sharp cheddar, creamy fontina, and Parmesan. Plus loads of succulent shiitake mushrooms. I was sceptical about the choice of seashell pasta in this dish–until I actually tasted it. It works beautifully–bite size pasta with hollows to capture the sauce. The apple garnish is a nice touch too and helps to cleanse the palate between each rich, creamy, mouth-wateringly delicious bite.
Oh yeah, about the recipe. I did my best to assist those hungry souls who are typing the request into Google’s Search box. I brazenly asked Chef Leventhal for the recipe. But as it turns out, she had an ephiphany last night at 3:00 A.M and decided right then and there to put this yummy creation, under the Crave brand and logo, in an upscale grocery market near you in the very near future. I was then able to point her to The Food Innovation Center in Portland for their excellent program, which assists entrepreneurs in getting their recipes to market. How’s that for synchronitcity?
So, sorry, no recipe, but why make it yourself when a master chef will do it for you?
More Mac & Cheese
To check the continuously updated list of Mac & Cheese renditions that we hope to sample for this year’s roundup and those that have already sailed into the best-of-the-best circle, click Quintessential Mac & Cheese (under the Dining tab for future reference).
Coming Soon
Look for Quintessential Mac & Cheese, Part 2 in October, which will feature the recipe for LunaCafe OtherWorldly Mac & Cheese.
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[…] Sadly, Crave is now closed. Nevertheless, Chef Robin Leventhal deserves applause and appreciation for creating this most memorable, full-flavored Shitake Mac & Cheese, using a trio of cheeses: New York sharp cheddar, creamy fontina, and Parmesan. Plus seashell pasta and loads of succulent shiitake mushrooms. I miss this rich, creamy, delectable dish. The apple garnish was a brilliant touch. For the complete story, see my earlier post, Crave: Shiitake Mac & Cheese. […]