Electric Cheetah (Grand Rapids, MI)

- "Baked Classic Macaroni and Cheese" -

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'd frame this photo and hang it on my wall (in fact, I probably will).

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
One really unique flavor in this dish was green onion. I have never seen a mac & cheese use said ingredient before, and I loved it. For those of you that aren't super into green onion, don't fret, it was not overpowering. 

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The textbook ideal for a mac & cheese cream sauce. 

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Seven. That is the number of cheeses used in the making of this mac & cheese - AND it works. That, friends, is sheer artistry.

Texture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Beautifully al dente cavatappi pasta with a dusting of crispy Panko, juicy bacon and fresh green onion, rounded out by the smooth cream sauce. Superb!

Overall Experience: 
First and foremost, thank you to whomever recommended Electric Cheetah! 
The restaurant itself is really swanky, so even if you don't order this or one of the many other macs on the menu (you'd be crazy) I would still recommend Electric Cheetah. One of the best mac & cheeses I have ever had.

Menu Link: https://www.electriccheetah.com/menus/

Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen (Clarkston, MI)

- "The Most Macked Mac & Cheese" -

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

~ Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! ~

Preface:
I'm changing things up a little bit by kicking off this review with a "preface" - mostly to regain your trust when I disagree with Guy Fieri's experience at the Clarkston Union (*gasp*). Clarkston Union's mac & cheese was featured on the Kid Rock/Detroit region episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The mac that they made for Guy and Kid Rock, lovingly referred to as "the most macked mac and cheese" was fairly different in quality from the one I got. You may think to yourself, "Well, that makes sense, Guy is like, famous," but a truly good restaurant serves their best food to every guest. Read on to hear the rest.

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very average. The baked crust on the top looked appealing, but the random, lone carrot stick on the side seemed like a bizarre afterthought. Later, when I stumbled upon this very episode of Triple D, I saw the dish presented to Guy Fieri with multiple garnishing vegetables; pretty normal, even nice looking. Why should the everyday customer get such a half-assed version?

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️1/2 
To summarize: crust = good, insides = bad. The Panko and sharp cheddar crust was great, but the rest of the dish didn't follow suit. I would say that the most predominant flavor was oil. I don't know about you, but to me, that's pretty hard to stomach.

Creaminess: ⭐️
The sauce was the low point for this plate. I noted in the "flavor" category that the mac tasted very oily; this was because the cream sauce had totally separated. So the "sauce" was just clumpy cheese/béchamel with some oil around it. Hmm.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Again, the crust was the only saving grace here - the sharp cheddar came to play. As you may have already guessed, the separated sauce essentially drowned out the other elements.
After watching the chef make this mac & cheese on Triple D, I know that several cheeses are involved in this recipe. From just eating it, I would never have been able to guess.

Texture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
More disconnect between the pasta itself and the crust. The penne rigate was incredibly overcooked, which gave the mac the texture of baby food. Mixed with the ~unsavory~ sauce, it became mush. 
On the other hand, the Panko and sharp cheddar crust on the top of the mac added a nice layer of dimension and crunch. 

Overall Experience
I am very surprised that I did not have 5 star mac at the Clarkston Union. Not only are they known for having amazing mac and cheese, but they were ALSO on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives! I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.


Menu Link:http://clarkstonunion.com

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Episode:http://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/mi/village-of-clarkston/clarkston-union-bar-kitchen-restaurant

Cork on Saginaw (Flint, MI)

- "Macaroni and Cheese" -

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not too shabby! The oblong dish placed at a diagonal does a favor for the eyes. The little bit of browning from a quick broil also adds an enticing finish.

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
A dash of pepper (and I ~think~ some nutmeg) partnered with the Irish cheddar and comté cheeses create a few bold flavors that balance each other very well without being overpowering. 

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Right on the money.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Irish cheddar and comté cheeses - there's a combination that stands out in a world full of great mac and cheeses. 

Texture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As anyone who reads this blog regularly might know, I adore cavatappi pasta in a mac. It's a noodle that holds sauce incredibly well, and really adds a lot of texture. Cork's pasta is always reliably al dente, which adds an additional layer of texture that perfectly balances the smoothness of the cheese sauce. Add the little bit of crunch you get from the lightly browned top, and you've got a deadly mix.

Overall Experience: 
I have always loved Cork, especially the mac & cheese. You can rely on the mac to be out of this world every time, without fail. All you lobster mac fans should check it out - you have the choice to add it here!

Menu Link: http://www.corkonsaginaw.com/menu/

Ludington Bay Brewing Company (Ludington, MI)

- "Adult Mac & Cheese" -

Rating: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nothing novel here, but with the generous seasoning covering the top, things looked promising upon first glance. 

Flavor: ⭐️ 
Surprisingly, there was almost no flavor whatsoever in this dish - disappointingly insipid. The flavor reminded me of a béchamel sauce before the salt/pepper is added - I think that even a dash of salt would've made a big difference here.

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even though this mac was a letdown in a number of ways, the creaminess was up to my standards. There was plenty of cheese sauce to go around, and a good deal of body to it. This cream sauce would've had 5 stars in the bag, had it only tasted like something.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️
There seemed to be a fair amount of cheese in this dish based on the gooeyness and body of the sauce, but oddly enough I could hardly taste an ounce of it. Again, sadly blah.

Texture: ⭐️⭐️
New category, how thrilling!
The firmness of the pasta fell somewhere in the middle of the spectrum; not exactly mushy, but by no means al dente. I definitely would want a firmer pasta from a dish that has no other texture elements. Unfortunately, the noodle and the sauce really blended with one another to produce a fairly platonic texture. However, if I'd chosen to add a topping, this rating may have been better.

Overall Experience: 
Not the best culinary experience in general. Not only was the mac dull, but the food took an unbelievably long amount of time to come.

There are two factors, however, that interest me in giving Ludington Bay another shot in the future:
1) You can choose to add ribs, wings, or pulled pork to the mac, which I suspect would improve the dish a bit. 
2) Ludington Bay Brewing Company is a newer establishment, so all of these issues have full potential to right themselves in time.

For those reasons, I am not yet writing this mac off, despite the mediocrity of this first go. 


Menu Link:http://ludingtonbaybrewing.com/menu.html

Kraft Easy Mac

- "Easy Mac" -

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I want to start by giving Kraft a round of applause in terms of product concept. Easy Mac cups are incredibly convenient. Not having to refrigerate a microwaveable dinner is pretty great, not to mention the fact that they are extremely portable. Speaking of convenience, the water-fill line is even pre-measured for you and ready to go. If you're like me, you may remember the days of Easy Mac packets - a much bigger hassle. To round out the 5 star presentation rating, I also appreciate the fact that the cup itself has the label on it. This really elevates the aesthetic value, whilst serving as excellent branding.

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
Tried and true, never bland. I don't know about you, but I am always amazed by the amount of flavor in Easy Mac for the caliber of meal that it is. 

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of the greatest things about Easy Mac is something that sets it apart from other microwaveable dinners; you can tweak its creaminess to your own liking. If you put more (or less) water in before you nuke it, you can make it as creamy (or dry) as you please. With other microwaveable mac and cheeses, you don't have the same type of control over the creaminess of the final product. 

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The same cheesy flavor we all know and love from the original, just 10x easier.

Overall Experience: 
It may come as a surprise that I am giving this 5 stars. However, microwaveable/boxed macs are held to different standards than restaurant macs.
Easy Mac is incredible on the go and to buy in bulk. It tastes great every time and comes in countless variations to suit your fancy. All wonderful things that make it a staple in American lives. I mean, who doesn't have Easy Mac somewhere in their pantry?

Menu Link:http://www.kraftmacandcheese.com/products/microwavable/original