Comfort Food Crawl: 18th Street Eats

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WITH WARM WEATHER on its way, barbecue season can't be far behind. Be the star of the picnic with delicious homemade macaroni and cheese. Express took to 18th Street NW, a place known for bar crawls where there also happens to be a trove of excellent mac and cheese spots to find tips.

Whether you're starting from scratch or want to update your recipe, chefs offer advice for creating a master side dish.

At Madam's Organ, the buttery dish is served as a side, though it's filling enough for a meal. Chef Alvin Trice's secret is to make sure the macaroni is cooked "just right — definitely don't overcook it or undercook it." He also seasons the boiling water with salt and olive oil before cooking the pasta, for extra flavor.

Other restaurants' plates provide useful tips: Don't use just one cheese — a combination provides a depth of flavors. At the Diner, a mix of Gruyere, cheddar and Parmesan makes for a rich dish. Garnishes are also key — at Bourbon, the pasta picks up a sharp bite from a topping of chives and an undercurrent of spice from paprika in the sauce.

On the nontraditional side, New Orleans Café serves up a Cajun-spiced cheesy pasta with chicken and veggies. Owner Bardia Ferdowski's tip: "When you cook from the heart, everything will be tasty."

MADAM'S ORGAN MAC AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
A chef is only as good as the secrets he's willing to share (or something), which makes Madam's Organ chef Alvin Trice top-notch for hooking up Express with this classic recipe.

» Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. elbow macaroni
1 egg
2-3 5-lbs. bags of cheese (mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and American cheeses)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
2-3 sticks unsalted butter
1.5 cups of milk

» Directions:
Cook the macaroni. While the macaroni is cooking, add melted butter, milk and egg to the pan. Add the macaroni to the pan, along with salt, pepper and garlic. Start adding the cheese, and mix until the cheese is slightly melted. Add another bag of cheese on top, cover pan with foil and bake for 10 to15 minutes at 350 F until a crust forms on top. Yields 20 servings.

Written by Express contributor Amy Cavanaugh
Photo courtesy Kristoffer Tripplaar