Mac & Cheese? Yes, Please!
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Check out these local restaurants that bring elevated flavor and flair to this classic comfort staple.
Good morning! Today is Monday, January 17, and you are reading today’s section of Examiner+, a digital newsmagazine serving Westchester, Putnam, and the surrounding Hudson Valley.
Need to subscribe — or upgrade your Examiner+ subscription?
Join the community as a full-fledged member with our special FREE TRIAL OFFER for the New Year: Enjoy 30 days of total access to Examiner+ for no charge. Offer expires at month’s end.
Macaroni & cheese is the quintessential comfort food. Pasta and cheese in one hot dish — how could you possibly go wrong with that combination? But the beauty of this mainstay is that you can apply different twists to make it stand out even more. It’s like a blank canvas, and the final version is your unique work of art. These restaurants know how to deliver showcase-ready mac & cheese iterations that you’ll devour as soon as they get to the table (especially in this weather!)
Southern Table Kitchen & Bar, Pleasantville
This restaurant is known for its Southern cooking and Southern hospitality, so it comes as no surprise that mac & cheese has its own section underneath “Supper” (aka dinner) on the menu.
Cavatappi pasta is mixed with a three-cheese blend and topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and scallions, giving an extra layer of crunch for the perfect texture once it’s baked in the oven. If that hasn’t sold you on it, you can add some protein, such as the classic bacon, or shrimp. You can also add some heat with jalapenos. However you eat it, just know that each bite will burst with Southern comfort on a fork.
www.southern-table.com
Italian Mac & Cheese
25 North Ristorante, Mamaroneck
A classic American dish turned Italian, this iconic macaroni and cheese brings flair from a different culture.
Found under their pasta specialties (as it should be), the Italian Mac & Cheese features pecorino Romano cheese mixed with diced onions and pancetta (which is basically an Italian version of bacon). It is then topped with breadcrumbs.
You can’t go wrong with trying their version, as this entrée will bring your palette to an Italian village.
www.25northristorante.com
Truffle Lobster Mac & Cheese
Saltaire Oyster Bar and Fish House, Port Chester
https://instagram.com/p/BpsF_ylFTpG/
This restaurant is known for its large variety of fresh seafood. From a raw bar to kitchen plates, they are stacked with tons of quality seafood. They also provide an entire section dedicated to steaks and chops.
If you’re browsing through the menu, don’t pass the “sides” selection, as you’re going to feast your eyes upon a bubbling, gooey mac & cheese that happens to involve a key ingredient: lobster. This elevated mac &cheese also includes truffles, making this side dish feel like a luxurious entrée.
www.saltaireoysterbar.com
Copper House, West Harrison
Their slogan, “locally crafted comforts” doesn’t shy away from the truth at this Italian-inspired American eatery and marketplace. Their farm-to-table foods serve comfort in a rustic and homey, yet sophisticated hot spot.
If you’re looking for a mac & cheese that’s oozing with rich cheeses, you’ve come to the right place. Although it boasts as a starter, you’re going to savor it like it was your meal. Their iteration uses two varieties of extra sharp Cabot cheddar — New York and Vermont — that they slowly mix into a bechamel base. The whole thing is topped with rustic breadcrumbs and pinches of parmigiana snd asiago, and baked to perfection.
www.copperhouseny.com
Kayla Garritano has been a freelance writer since 2017 when she graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in journalism and a double minor in creative writing and marketing. She now runs her own freelancing website, kaylagarritano.com, where she will happily flaunt her work in many different genres such as food, travel, lifestyle, and all things that make people laugh or smile. When she’s finally done with the computer for the day, she enjoys keeping busy with friends and family. Whether it be attending a sporting event or concert, going to the gym, or just grabbing a drink, she doesn’t know how to stay still.
We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s section of Examiner+. What did you think? We love honest feedback. Tell us: examinerplus@theexaminernews.com
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.