Take Solace in something Urban - Northpark

First of all, the picture I have taken her is terrible - sorry about that... my BlackBerry flash decided to stop working completely.  The night I got this delicious (but small) cup of M&C was a strange one. I was not planning on going to Urban Solace, but at a switch of a moments notice, dropped in to sit at the bar, have some biscuits, glass of wine, and try the mac and cheese. It was raining this evening (yes this is one of my older posts I was mentioning - from late April) and I was painting just down the street at the Art Academy.

The M&C was deliciously filled with baby tomatos, onion and rather heavily sprinkled with breadcrumbs. When I mixed it all together that made every bit taste a bit of bread crumbs, so I was unable to single out the cheese flavors from the past from the onion - you get the picture. Regardless - the small cup was worthy of a second visit that I manage a month or two later. At that visit my sister took part in the duckaroni - a M&C infused with duck. I only had one bite of that, so will have to visit again to do a 'round 2 writeup'.

If your in the area, this is definitely a must visit, but with the tavern right around the corner - it will have to increase it's portion to keep up.

Urban Solace is located in Northpark, just south of University on 30th.

urbansolace.net

One of San Diego's Finest - Cafe Chloe

I would have to say that this has to be one of my favorite restaurants serving macaroni and cheese that I have ever been to - with exception of Willi's Wine Bar in Santa Rosa -soon to be written up in my new "travel" section :).  Cafe Chloe always delivers the freshest, hottest, and most well balanced mac and cheese. Their recipe consists of a simple pasta and cheese combination with bread crumbs and bacon cubes, baked to perfection.   I have never been let down by getting this dish here - once you have this, venture on to trying anything on the menu and you will be happy!

A little known fact is if you are by yourself - order the half size or "kids portion" as the larger portion is just too much of a good thing. I pair this with a green salad, side of bread, and an Arnold Palmer that is to die for - lemonade mixed with some sort of lavender ice tea.

Cafe Chloe is located downtown San Diego (9th and G streets)

Cafechloe.com

Dining at Donovans (with child in tow)

Donovans is more know for their exquisite steaks and wine offerings than their pasta ala fromage, so when I met a client at Donovans and just happened to have my daughter with me, we had to try the mac and cheese. I thought - what a great idea... we'll use it as a one of our kid surveys. What we found was mac and cheese that on any other day would pass as sufficient, but that night we went it was far less so. The pasta and cheese was not worthy, it was dried out, and tasteless. I thought for sure we would get something that could be paired with a fine chardonay, yet maybe mixing milk in would have been better. To top it off the heat lamp or last few minute broil cooked the top a little too much - and you all now by now how much I enjoy baked M&C...  For the kids, it was ok, a little bland, but for one of the lower priced meals on the menu it will be ok.

Donavans is located in UTC area, also known as Golden Triangle (La Jolla)