Mama Mia!

Macaroni and cheese is a decidedly American dish I've come to realize.  I would think that this pasta dish would have worked it's way into (or out of) all kinds of Italian restaurants because of it's ease of making, when in reality it doesn't ever seem to be on the menu unless you're looking at the children's menu.  That means the planned Mac N' Steve's world tour of eateries (in Italy) that serve mac n' cheese vacation I had planned won't really net me any new blog posts.

While the lack of main menu mac's may stop some from trying to order the worlds best use of cheese and pasta, it doesn't stop me.  What's the harm in asking if I can order off the menu even if I don't come close to looking like I'm 12 (just because I may act my shoe size sometimes...)?

Just over a month ago I went to dinner with my parents for their birthdays (born just 4 days apart) and while Strizzis has an Italian flare with some American influence, I had no option for a mac and cheese on the main menu (I guess I shouldn't be surprised).  The waitress however was kind enough (or didn't care) that I asked if it was O.K. to order off the children's menu and she even told me that the potion was a pretty respectable size so I didn't need to worry about going hungry ordering it.

With that kind of reinforcement, I had no choice but to fulfill my destiny... erm order it.

The Review

Brand:
Strizzis (Kid's Menu) Macaroni & Cheese

One If By Freezer, Two If By Store

There aren't too many places that have their own lines of foods available in stores in addition to having actual restaurants that serve the same food stuffs. Often you're given the 'inspired by' route when you see that same meal at your local grocers, rather than the same exact thing that is in the restaurant.  To a degree the chain/company loses out if you're not in their establishment enjoying their food, but if they're smart, they make good money because of the licensing that they've got on those meals.  I really don't know how it all works out and I really don't care.  I care about getting at Mac N' Cheese, in whatever form it may come to me.

Boston Market a decade ago was HUGE (actually their rise started in the late 90's, man I feel old).  They had restaurants all over the place serving up all kinds of rotisserie chicken, turkey, meat loaf (barf!) and those other big dinner favorites that we Americans love in addition to sandwiches that had the same stuff in them.  That massive expansion did eventually catch up and McDonalds of all companies bought them up in 2000. They were originally bought for the real estate, but because McDonalds was trying to expand their image past the drive through / food in 30 seconds feeling their restaurants and menu's had at the time and because the Boston Market brand still was pulling in good sales, they didn't shut them down.  McDonalds sold Boston Market off in 2007, just a year after they had pulled out of Chipotle as well.

While Boston Markets are rare finds here in the Bay Area now, I had recently gone back to the city of my youth to drop some stuff off at my parents and the wife and I stumbled onto the fact that the one I ate at those many years ago that opened when I was a teen, was in fact still open.  Having a meal that was something completely different than the typical fast food lunch struck a cord and realizing that there was a mac waiting for me to review once we got inside, I was excited to see how it compared to their frozen variety mac & cheese.

The Review

Brand:
Boston Market Gourmet Side Mac & Cheese

I used to work across the street from this place and I ate a ton of their Carver sandwiches all those years ago.