Can you identify agood macaroni and cheeseby its looks?
I believe it’s possible for you to.
The pasta must be cooked toal denteperfection, that magical point between too hard and too soft.
Photo: Outback Steakhouse/Facebook.. Design: Eat This, Not That!
The cheese coloring is important, too.
As for the cheese texture and amount, it should be smooth and abundant but not overwhelming.
Striking a proper balance is key.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
The specific key in of cheese used is important, too, and there are many right answers here.
I often award special bonus points to macaroni dishes that come with broiled cheese on top.
I went looking for top-notch versions of this dish at a few of America’s most popular steakhouses.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
Which steakhouse mac was the cheesy champion?
Read on to find out.
I went into this taste with an open mind and a genuine curiosity.
Megan Hageman / Eat This, Not That!
The cheesy dish is considered to be more of a “premium” side at the steakhouse.
I ordered an unaccompanied side of mac and cheese which cost me $4.48.
you could also add pizzazz with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and bacon for $1.29.
I kept my mac bare-bones to get a fair read on its quality, sans any frills.
The look:The laid-back atmosphere of Texas Roadhouse was mirrored in the mac and cheese presentation.
It looked slopped onto the plate.
Maybe it would have looked better on the side of a steak?
The taste:Cheesy and creamy, but standard.
This mac could have passed as homemade or a dish brought to a workplace potluck.
Texas Roadhouse vs. Outback Steakhouse: Which Has the Best Bone-In Ribeye?
Old-timey photographs hang on the walls and cowboys on horses run wild through the darkly lit dining room.
It can also stand alone for a price of $5.49.
The look:The side is served in a classic, oval-shaped baking dish.
Curly-cue noodles, or cavatappi, make up the base.
It all gets covered with a four-cheese layer, which is bubbly and browned.
Bits of applewood-smoked bacon peek through.
The taste:I had high hopes for this mac on account of the extra cheese and bacon.
It ended up being disappointing.
There is certainly a satisfying cheese pull with each bite.
However, all the different flavor profiles work against each other.
I tasted what I thought to be cheddar and parmesan cheesesjust like at Texas Roadhouse.
The smokiness of the bacon permeates the entire bowl.
Texas Roadhouse vs. LongHorn Steakhouse: Which Has the Best Bone-In Ribeye?
On a visit to my local Outback, I ordered the noodle-based side alongside a juicy 13-ounce ribeye.
There was an upcharge of $2.99 for the mac.
Ordered by itself, the mac would have cost $5.99.
How bloody cute is that?
The look:It comes in a minuscule cast iron skillet, nicely dressed up for the occasion.
The noodles are cavatappi and corkscrew-shapedlike Longhorn’sand come in a subtle yellow-orange shade.
They are topped with parsley and a light dusting of crispy bread crumbs.
The taste:Understated cheese, but bold flavor.
Compared to the Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn’s macaroni, this one isn’t oozing with cheese and sauce.
It lets the noodlesserved perfectlyal dentebreathe and shine.
The breadcrumbs added a welcome layer of texture and a tiny crunch in every bite.
But, what defines this mac and cheese is the seasoning mixed into the cheese substance.
Outback does not create your average, everyday mac.
No, the chain has invented something even better.
