Posts tagged mac and cheese

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I’ve always been the picky eater in my family. Meat on the bone, like wings and ribs, are not my favorite. Sandwiches and burgers are mostly ordered condiment-free. And messy meals have always been a bit unappealing… that is until I discovered the pure meaty joy of some darn good BBQ.

Famous Dave’s BBQ has become a consistent pit stop for road trips down south. In fact, it’s no longer just a coincidental meal on the road, it’s a strategically planned out event that Alex and I refuse to skip when we’re crossing through Gilroy. The decor is delightfully cheesy, and the food has never disappointed.

Famous Dave's BBQ

Menu and basket of sauces

The key to the goodness is in the sauces. They offer 5 traditional sauces and 1 kick-you-in-the-face hot sauce. As a devilish trick to make your mind explode, I’ve listed out the flavor profiles:

  • Rich & Sassy – A traditional BBQ sauce with great tang and a bit of honey (a fantastic staple)
  • Sweet & Zesty – Molasses based BBQ sauce with lots of sweetness and a flavorful punch (extra sweet but great when mixed)
  • Georgia Mustard – A smoky spin on the traditional honey mustard (not my favorite, but a good change from the rest)
  • Texas Pit – Tons of pepper and spices go into this smoky sauce (great peppery flavor if you love dry rub)
  • Devil’s Spit – A punchy and spicy sauce with a touch of sweetness (my ultimate favorite sauce at Dave’s)
  • Wilbur’s Revenge – KICK IN THE FACE habanero BBQ sauce (they serve this in a tiny tiny cup for a reason, fellas)
Chopped Pork Meal

Chopped pork, corn muffin, side of jalapeno mac and cheese

I can never seem to get past the trifecta of Georgia chopped pork, a sweet corn muffin, and the side of mac and cheese. It’s just the perfect combination of guilt, self-hate, and embarrassment that everyone seeks in BBQ… right? Well either way, it’s delicious. Yes it’s a chain, and yes there probably exists better BBQ in the Bay Area, but for me, this place is a gem and I look forward to road trips as an excuse to get my Q on.

To help celebrate Valentine’s Day and do this “Day of Love” justice, I figured it was appropriate to write about a meal that would give your heart a good workout.

I recently met some friends at Hard Knox Cafe to help cure my ever-present craving for fried chicken. I had heard some great things about their corn muffins, mac and cheese, and perfectly fried chicken, so I recommended it for our casual catch-up. Hard Knox is like a sports bar/auto garage/vintage diner with a heavy touch of Southern soul. The menu items are predictable, but comforting: Po-Boys, meatloaf, BBQ, coleslaw, rice and beans– you name it.

Hard Knox Cafe Clement St San Francisco

Hard Knox Cafe decor and signage

I decided to go for some expected favs: spicy fried chicken, mac and cheese, corn on the cob, beer, and corn muffins. We were served the corn muffins first and it was hard not to devour them considering they were light, fluffy, mildly sweet, and served with a (very excessive) side of butter. Luckily I had the beer to help cut through some of the richness because when our fried chicken plates arrived, I was ready to roll my sleeves up.

Hard Knox Cafe Chicken and Muffins

Left: Corn muffins and beer, Right: Spicy fried chicken, mac and cheese, corn on the cob.

The spicy fried chicken was indeed spicy. It didn’t overwhelm my tastebuds, but definitely made its flavor known with each bite. The skin was perfectly crunchy and the meat remained juicy and tender– the sign of a good piece of fried chicken. It wasn’t overly coated in batter nor was it over-seasoned, which was a plus. The mac and cheese was not particularly exciting. It had the authentic velveta-y gooey cheese flavor that but lacked some depth and contrast in texture.

As a whole, the meal itself was not the best I’d ever had, but it definitely hit the spot. The food was tasty, fresh, and well-prepared, but not the awe-inducing surprise I was hoping for. I would definitely recommend Hard Knox Cafe if you’re craving some true Southern food, but only when your heart is feeling up to the heavy task.

I haven’t always enjoyed beer. In fact, in college I’m pretty sure I used to say that my drink of choice was “anything but beer”. Well, times have changed and so has my palate.

Although not in day-trip distance to the bay area, Stone Brewery is definitely worth a trip for beer lovers. Beautifully set against a hillside in North San Diego County, this cave-like brewery is like a “dark movie set meets sci-fi machine”. The brewery has an overgrown lush green entrance and a sweet garden patio which makes it perfect to enjoy on a warm summer afternoon or even a chilly winter night (like I did).

Stone Brewery World Bistro and Gardens Escondido California

Left: Menu and Decor, Right: Bar and exposed brewery

The beer selection is strong– not only in variety, but taste. We had the Stone Pale Ale, Smoked Porter, IPA, and Arrogant Bastard (left to right in the photo below). They were hoppy, bitter, and intense. My favorite by far was the Arrogant Bastard Ale for it’s strong and punchy flavor. I even preferred it to it’s Oaked counterpart. I have not been able to warm up to the extra hoppy IPA’s, but I will say that Stone also makes an amazing Cali-Belgique IPA that is fragrant, light, and crisp.

Stone Brewery World Bistro and Gardens

Clockwise from top left: Beer tasting, Mushroom pillows, Mac and beer cheese, Chicken Schnitzel

The mushroom pillows and mac and beer cheese were both excellent starters. The mushroom pillows were creamy, delicate, and just a bit spicy (which I love). And although I’m sure you can imagine the flavors of the mac and beer cheese, let me help you out. It was smoky, rich, and tangy with the perfect sauce-to-pasta ratio. For my entree, I had the woody and heavily spiced chicken schnitzel. The chicken was fresh and earthly while the veggies and potatoes were decadent and sweet.

Overall, the complex flavors of the meal were a perfect compliment to the bold beer selection. It’s a bit too far to visit on a casual Sunday, but if you happen to be in the area, I wouldn’t miss the chance.

Of the 7 years I’ve lived in San Francisco, a glorious 5 of them have been spent living in the Inner Richmond neighborhood.

It’s refreshing to hear that my college ‘hood is finally gaining some reputation points as an up-and-coming place to live. Unfortunately, I’ve since moved to the other side of the park, but I still frequent a few of my favorite hip shops and eateries up and down Clement street: Park Life, Green Apple Books, and Q Restaurant.

Q Restaurant holds a special place in my heart since it was one of the first restaurants Alex took me to when we started dating. With quirky art shops and laid back coffee houses dotting the same block, Q encompasses both playful and energetic decor (alphabet magnets!) with the unpretentious warmth of comfort food. We arrived during the dinner rush and were not surprised at their estimated 45 minute wait (this place is usually packed on weekend nights). The blocks of Clement street between 3rd and 8th are home to some of the best little Asian markets in the city, so we were happy to browse the shops and reminisce about our early dating jitters.

Q Restaurant Meal

Clockwise from Top Left: Fried Chicken and Potatoes, Bar and Dessert Menu, Mac and Cheese w/ Tater Tots, Apple Crisp

An absolute favorite dish of mine has always been mac and cheese. Q definitely hits it out of the park with their version, topped devilishly with tater tots. Their mac and cheese has that familiar sharp cheddar taste, but also a hint of sweet smokiness (almost like BBQ sauce) that blends nicely with the crunchy tots. We also tried their fried chicken for the first time during our recent visit and were blown away at how moist the chicken was and again intrigued by the faint sweetness of their gravy. Q does a great job of taking classic comfort food and adding an ingredient or two that set it apart from the rest.

After a nostalgic and tasty meal sprinkled with hints of sweetness, we decided to pull the lever into full sugar overload with Q’s Wickedly Forbidden Apple Crisp. Although the apple faded into the background, the homemade crisp topping and gooey caramel center reminded us of why we continued to trek across the park for dinner. Not only does this neighborhood bring back old college memories for me, there are actually some excellent restaurants and shops, like Q, that are well worth the trip.