My Quest for the best Mac & Cheese. Part 2 of 3.

Second installment. Nine were included in the previous write-up.  All restaurants included here were recommended on FB.

The pasta was cooked in unsalted water unless otherwise noted. Show me a cookbook that tells you to cook pasta in unsalted water. 

It's called Mac & Cheese for a reason. Macaroni & Cheese. Not random pasta shapes. From Wikipedia: "The word "macaroni" is often used synonymously with elbow-shaped macaroni, as it is the variety most often used in macaroni and cheese recipes".

Here is a link to the first part. 

Local 438 in Stoneham serves up a delicious Buffalo Blue Chicken Mac & Cheese dish for $12.95 or $13.95. The creamy elbow pasta mixed with a five-cheese blend, crispy buffalo chicken tenders, Ritz Doritos/Cheetos crumbs, and mild blue cheese crumbles makes for a mouthwatering meal. The chicken was juicy and generously portioned, blending well with the pasta's creaminess. This version of Buffalo Mac & Cheese is a strong contender for the top spot and is definitely worth trying out.. 9.2/10

At Red Heat Tavern in Wilmington, the Buffalo Chicken Mac N' Cheese for $17.95 is a must-try dish. It features crispy fried buffalo chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and a kettle chip crust. The creamy shell pasta mixed well with the mildly cheesy sauce, and the chicken remained crispy. With the right amount of buffalo sauce and an abundance of blue cheese crumbles, this dish was incredibly delicious and definitely worth trying out. 8.5/10

The 99 Restaurant's BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE dish for $16.45 is worth trying out. Skillet baked cavatappi Mac & Cheese, topped with crispy hand-breaded chicken tossed in Buffalo sauce and drizzled with Sriracha ranch sauce and bleu cheese crumbles. Though the chicken was a bit dry, it had a good amount of buffalo sauce. The creamy and cheesy pasta was delightful, and the blue cheese was mild, making it a great choice for those who prefer less overpowering flavors. Don't miss the warm rustic bread! 8/10

Mac-n-Choose in Tyngsboro offers a fantastic Kickin' Chicken Mac & Cheese dish for $17.79.in Tyngsboro. The medium is good for two meals. There was plenty of (white, non-crispy) chicken, and it was both cheesy and creamy with a nice cheese taste. There was also plenty of buffalo sauce in the mix. The promised blue cheese was Ken's Bleu Cheese dressing. This was, in fact, a very good Buffalo Chicken M&C. I don't think it was Pepper Jack on top, as promised, but some cheese with pepper flakes. It was still very enjoyable and really tasted of cheese. 8.5/10

The Macaroni & Cheese dish at Tony C's in Burlington costs $15.50, and adding Crispy Buffalo Chicken costs $19. Although the pasta was cooked well, the wrong pasta was used. It was not as creamy as expected, but the cheese sauce had a good flavor enhanced by the buffalo sauce. The crispy chicken was tender and tasty. However, considering the price, the serving size was relatively small. Overall, it was an average Mac & Cheese dish that may not be worth the high cost.. 8/10

Public Kitchen in Wakefield offers the Pot of Gold Mac and Cheese for $20, which comes with buttered Ritz cracker crumbs, bacon, and peas for an additional $3. Although it was a generous serving, the pasta was overcooked, and the sauce was thin but tasty. The breadcrumbs were seasoned well, and the sauce thickened up slightly after mixing it in. Overall, it was an average dish that could have been priced lower, around $12. It didn't quite hit the mark in terms of texture and flavor. 7/10

Jon Ryan’s Pub in Tewksbury. Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese (17.69). "Deep-fried Buffalo chicken tenderloins layered between our creamy Mac & Cheese topped with panko crumbs and baked to a golden color". The pasta was cooked perfectly, and the chicken was tender, but not very crispy due to the sauce. The buffalo sauce was mild, but the dish was very creamy and enjoyable. However, there were not many panko crumbs on top. Overall, a very pleasant dish worth trying. 8.5/10

Horseshoe Grille in North Reading's Mac N' Cheese (14.95) lacked creaminess but had quality pasta cooked well with a homemade sherry cream sauce. The Buffalo Chicken (+$6) needed more buffalo sauce. The dish had shredded cheese on top but minimal sauce on the bottom. Although it was good, it lacked the creaminess that would qualify it as a good M&C. The new ownership has room for improvement on this dish.7/10
I'll be back for the Irish Nachos.

Sylvan Street Grille's Buffalo Mac & Cheese in Peabody was an excellent choice. The $17.99 dish features creamy cheese sauce, spicy buffalo chicken, penne pasta, and crumbled blue cheese, topped with buttered cracker crumbs. The pasta was cooked well, and the sauce was deliciously creamy and packed with flavor. The blue cheese crumbles were a standout feature, adding an extra layer of richness to the dish. The ample amount of chicken was tender and juicy, and the buttered cracker crumbs provided a satisfying crunch. Overall, it's an enjoyable dish and highly recommended, and this might be my new M&C favorite. 9.2/10 

Failures.

Fat Cat Restaurant Quincy No Parking, Too Expensive. Too far.
Copper Door in Salem, NH. Recommended but not on the menu.
Garrison's in North Billerica is Just a plain version; I didn't try it.
The Yardhouse in Burlington. It wasn't an M&C but a MAC + CHEESE.
Purple Carrot Bread Co. Lowell. Family size for short money. Great! However, the pasta was soo overcooked that it was just mush. Tried it twice, and the same thing happened.
Tremezzo Pizza Wilmington. Recommended, but not really a dine-in place.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

     - Frederick Douglass