Friends and foes will undoubtedly remember this...
Patrick started the $100 Mac & Cheese Challenge with a confidence rarely seen outside Donald Trump's Twitter account, and we applaud him for it.
This time we hit Downriver Grill to try their butternut squash mac and cheese gratin during what some might call the blue hair hour. And, let me digress here: Why wouldn't you eat an early dinner? What's this obsession with being all Spanish and eat dinner at 10 p.m.? Seriously. The blue hairs have this figured out, damn it.
Tirade aside...
This mac and cheese is more in line with the more traditional style seen at Saranac, but with a couple of twists thrown in for good measure. First, the butternut squash, the Spokane standby, gives the dish a creamy texture, and adds just a bit of sweetness to the palette.
Then you have the crispy prosciutto and breadcrumb serving well as a contrast to the creaminess, even though they probably don't really add too much to the flavor.
The parmesan topping finishes it all out well, and really, other than some slightly overcooked noodles, there's little to complain about there. Overall it is a mac and cheese I'd eat again.
Is it enough to top the $100 Mac & Cheese Challenge though? That is up to you to decide, but we think it might place well with those who like more of a traditional mac and cheese.