Friday, March 10, 2017

Zingerman's Delicatessen (Ann Arbor, MI)


- "Squash Mac & Cheese" -

(Seasonal)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Zingerman's presentation is standard deli-style, but is particularly cute and zany in accordance with their overall brand. It's not worth five stars, but it is a pretty good-looking dish.

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The mac here is, as one would imagine, a little bit out of the ordinary; it is squash mac and cheese. I was a little nervous about that, but I was pleasantly surprised. The squash is definitely present and adds a touch of sweetness to the dish, but not in an overpowering way. The cheeses (Emmental and Vermont cheddar, I believe) really mellow it out. Additionally, there is a peppery hint added to the mix to really give this mac a nice ~zing~.

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
There wasn't much creaminess to this dish, but I don't think it was a bad thing. The melty cheese provided enough creaminess that the dish wasn't dry or lacking.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There is quite a savory blend of cheeses in this dish, like I said, I believe it is Emmental and Vermont cheddar, nothing to scoff at. The squash was the more prominent taste in the dish, presumably as it is an unexpected one for mac and cheese as a whole, so the cheese was somewhat of a secondary character here.

Overall Experience: 
Like I said, very pleasantly surprised by this little number. There were numerous flavors and textures (crumbled chips on top for an added crunch, as pictured in the photo) that made this a very satisfying fare. To summarize, this different spin on mac and cheese is a success. 

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