Quest
October 2007
Mac Attack
In search of the city’s cheesiest comfort food By Signe Langford
High cheese: Trevor Kitchen and Bar's perfect pasta
Image credit: James Reid
It’s the ne plus ultra of starch and fat, as modest as Kraft Dinner or as magnificent as a bowl of Genoan maccheroni and farmhouse cheese under a crispy gratinéed croûte. Warming, rich, delectable and almost always casual, few dishes say autumn like macaroni and cheese. We’ve found four of the best.
| The Place | The Plate | The Goods | The Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weezie's 354 King St. E., 416-777-9339 |
Macaroni gratin, $14 | Elbow mac in a parm and asiago sauce, shot through with bacon and topped with a flame-licked asiago crust | A bit puny, and the bacon would better serve as a garnish, but still satisfying |
| The Rebel House 1068 Yonge St., 416-927-0704 |
Ol’ Macki’s Back, $9.95 | Rigatoni, chopped tomato and scallion in a creamy cheddar sauce, dusted with parmesan. Comes with cornbread, green salad or chips | While it ain’t pretty, it’s tasty and portioned for lumberjacks. Great-value rustic comfort |
| Carens Wine and Cheese Bar 158 Cumberland St., 416-962-5158 |
Spicy baked mac and cheese, $16 | Perfectly al dente penne in a super-creamy sauce of cheddar, São Miguel, Swiss and parmigiano-reggiano cheeses, topped with a liberal sprinkling of chili flakes | So very Yorkville: elegant, rich, delicious, a little flash and a bit of spice |
| Trevor Kitchen and Bar 38 Wellington St. E., 416-941-9410 |
Macaroni and asiago cheese, $11 | Gemelli, asiago, cheddar, parm-regg and pecorino are brilliantly bound in 35 per cent cream, wine, shallots, thyme and garlic | With multi-layered complexity and beautifully balanced flavours, this one’s the winnerL |
