Cheeseburger mac & cheese from The Blind Pig Tavern in Gardiner. Photo by Aimsel Ponti
Mac and cheese is a category all its own when it comes to comfort food.
During a recent visit to Gardiner, I forgot everything I thought I knew about it because The Blind Pig Tavern’s version opened up a whole new world of deliciousness, with a literal twist in the form of cavatappi pasta.
Like the moment when chocolate collided with peanut butter and the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was invented, The Blind Pig has combined two of my favorite foods with its cheeseburger mac and cheese.
The elegant and photogenic dish ushered me into the sophisticated mac and cheese era of my life.
The first star of the show was the cavatappi (Italian for corkscrew) pasta, a longtime favorite of mine and a radical departure from the traditional elbow style.
Not to be outdone by its host, the creamy aged cheddar sauce was a galaxy away from any I’ve tasted.
Then there was the sauteed beef, finely chopped caramelized onions and mushrooms, and a handful of diced tomatoes and scallions.
Every bite was warm and succulent and erased all memories of Kraft powdered cheese or the occasional side blobs I’ve had out at a few barbecue joints. This was next-level mac and cheese.
Cheeseburger mac and cheese, $17. The Blind Pig Tavern, 266 Water St., Gardiner. On Facebook.
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