Farmhouse – Evanston, IL
Farmhouse Evanston: Rating: 7.5/10 | Cheesiness: 9/10 | Price: $7.00 – decent | $$
Farmhouse Evanston
As you enter the Farmhouse you will notice that it is a very rustic, barn-style layout. The tables are all joined together in one area and there are separate tables available as well. There is also outside dining which is easily identifiable by the bright red umbrella tables outside. On a warm day, it would be wonderful to eat out there. Farmhouse is not fancy; rather, it is a casual (somewhat dressy) dining location that serves up comfort food like burgers, chicken, and other “farm food,” proudly made of farm-fresh ingredients.
As I walked in during a cold winter day, I found the warm, rustic interior very welcome because I was freezing and needed some warm chow to warm me up. Of course, the first thing I could think to eat was good-old mac n cheese. The hostess seated us at our table and very soon after our fantastic waiter came to the table to take our order. After reviewing the not-overly-lengthy menu, I made my order. The food came to the table very soon thereafter. I was so hungry that I started to dig in. In fact, everyone at the table stopped talking and began to chow down.
I started with the Baked Cheddar Mac n Cheese. The price was really competitive at $7 because the serving was really generous (as in, a six-inch rectangular dish about two inches deep). The serving bowl is cast iron which is a great presentation. For a single serving size, this is pretty big by my standards and a lot bigger than other places I’ve visited. The mac n cheese dish is served, in fact, in three different sizes-side, single serving, and table size. Again, all of them are baked in the oven in a cast-iron dish! It really adds to the flavor, I think, but it did add a tad of metal taste as you reached the bottom of the bowl. Some may like this, but I didn’t.
The mac n cheese was served with a bread crumb topping that added a nice dimension to this dish. The crunchiness was enhanced by the over baked preparation which not only made the breading crispy but also made some of the cheese crispy as well. For an oftentimes mushy dish, I found it refreshing that there was some crunchiness.
When you lift up the shell of baked breading with the duo cheese mix, there reveals a pool soft cheesy underlayer that is a brilliant contrast to the perfectly crisped bread-cheese crust. The Wisconsin Havarti and Cheddar duo cheese combo had a bacony, almost garlic taste. The noodles are very soft and have a bit of chewiness due to the mac n cheese being baked. I liked the noodles prepared this way and being a bit chewy (and crunchy for those at the edge of the pan).
I really enjoyed this mac n cheese and would order it again. It is very hearty food to have on a cold winter day. It will warm heart and the soul.