The Lunch Room (Ann Arbor, MI)

~ Mac & Cheese ~

~Surprise, it's vegan!!~

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very nice! It's always thrilling to see a generous portion set in front of you; The Lunch Room didn't let me down. The touch of almond, lemon zest and sesame seed (called almasen) with a sprinkle of parsley is also daintily tasteful and enticing.

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can easily say that this is one of the more flavorful mac & cheese dishes that I've ever tasted; this is probably due to the fact that the cornerstone cheesy flavor is a vegan substitute. I'm no expert on vegan substitutions, so I asked what they use in their cheese - it's butternut squash, red bell pepper, yeast and some other seasonings. Let me tell you, it's an impressive dupe. When trying to compensate for a lack of something as familiar as cheese, playing up a unique flavor is almost equally important as mimicking the original, which The Lunch Room executes perfectly. 

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Creaminess is the only part of this mac that was slightly lacking. It certainly wasn't dry by any means, but there wasn't really an abundance of cream sauce, per-se.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a very interesting category for this particular mac & cheese! The same savory, mellow essence that we all know and love about cheese is perfectly mimicked in The Lunch Room's vegan mac. To describe it to the best of my ability, it just tastes like a more nutty cheese was thrown into the typical mix of cheddars and whatnot.

Texture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was the most skeptical about texture going in. However, nothing was different at all. Not only was the cheesy texture there, but the elbow macaroni was the desired al dente, and the almasen mix sprinkled on the top added a little crunch. Very cool!

Overall Experience:

This was my first time trying vegan mac & cheese, and I was very impressed. Something that I find important in this review is that I am not rating it based on how it compares to or mimics typical mac & cheeses, but as an excellent mac in its own right. 

The Lunch Room is a charmingly eclectic vegan diner in Kerrytown, Ann Arbor, and I wholeheartedly recommend letting them knock your socks off with their vegan mac.

Menu Link: https://thelunchrooma2.com/diner

Tavern and Tap (Lansing, MI)

~ Lobster Mac N Cheese ~

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Right off the bat, I was impressed that the bites of lobster in this mac were incredibly generous. The juicy piece at the top of the bowl really makes you want to dive in head first. This dish has great color, a very unique pasta (pearl couscous) and big bites of lobster; off to a tasteful start!

Flavor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 
When it comes to shellfish and cheese, it's tough to keep a dish from being too rich - Tavern and Tap's mac passes with flying colors. Between the lighter flavor of the Boursin and the addition of the chives, this was very well-balanced entrée.

Creaminess: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Incredibly creamy, and did not dry out as it cooled. Had the sauce been thicker, it would've definitely been too rich. I think that the key to a great cream sauce is using a soft cheese in addition to hard - I'd speculate that the Boursin really cements that creamy texture in this mac & cheese.

Cheesiness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The combination of the Boursin and Parmesan cheese incorporated into the béchamel makes for a very mellow, yet warm and inviting flavor. Again, this balances the richness of the lobster perfectly.

Texture: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Have you ever had a mac & cheese with pearl couscous? No? Well, you should change that. The couscous adds a one-of-a-kind texture to this mac, such a cool take on a timeless classic. Between the couscous, the breadcrumbs and the shreds of lobster, you get an exquisite range of texture in this mac.

Overall Experience: 
I have had this dish several times, and always enjoy it. I was certainly skeptical at first, but it is such a novel way of making mac & cheese that it is hard not to love it. Tavern and Tap truly found a way to elevate mac & cheese into a classy bite, without stripping it of its core qualities.

Menu Link:http://www.tavernandtap.com/menu.php?mid=6604