No matter what kind of day you’ve had, you can always count on a bowl of macaroni and cheese to cheer you up — after all, it’s called comfort food for a reason.
If you find yourself in need of something along the lines of a mouth-watering, cheesy pick-me-up, you’re in luck. East Lansing is home to several different mac and cheese venues that offer these cheesy noodles in a variety of different recipes and styles.
Sweet Lorraine’s Fabulous Mac n’ Cheez
“I thought (the cheeseburger deluxe) was really good. I like that they have more stuff than just regular mac and cheese.” — Music education senior Elizabeth Kotnik.
Sweet Lorraine’s Fabulous Mac n’ Cheez has only been in business since September, but they’ve had no problems attracting customers.
Shift leader and MSU alumnus Alistair Beerens said the restaurant is still trying to find its place on Grand River Avenue, but has been quickly gaining popularity and already has plenty of returning customers.
Beerens said Sweet Lorraine’s macaroni and cheese is like none other because of the fresh ingredients used.
“I feel like we really try hard to get really good quality food out there,” he said. “(We) use a lot of fresh local ingredients. It’s all made to order (and) we try to make it in front of customers.”
One of the most popular items on the menu is the bacon and cheddar macaroni and cheese. Beerens said it’s simple, but that’s what makes it so good.
Kotnik said she recommends trying the restuarant’s cheeseburger deluxe mac and cheese.
Conrad’s
“(It’s) delicious, deep fried goodness.” — Chemical engineering senior Allison Nekritz.
If deep-fried macaroni and cheese sounds like taste bud heaven to you, look no further than Conrad’s College Town Grill.
Conrad’s menu offers a variety of foods, the most popular being their wraps, but their macaroni and cheese bites have a reputation for being outstanding. Not only do you get a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, but that mouthful is wrapped in deep-fried breading to go with.
Manager Corey Clark said the bites are made simply by breading and then deep frying mac and cheese.
“It’s comfort food and after a hard day at class or work, it’s good to reward yourself with something delicious,” he said.
Clark also said Conrad’s offers wraps with macaroni and cheese bites in them.
Nekritz said macaroni and cheese bites are one of her all-time favorites.
Noodles & Company
“I really like how the cheese is kind of melting while you’re eating it. It’s so good.” — English sophomore Alex Valenti.
Noodles & Company is another option to consider if you’re looking for a macaroni and cheese fix.
Manager Katie Noud said she thinks the cheese sauce, which is a special blend of different cheeses, is what sets their macaroni and cheese apart from others.
Noud said students should check out Noodles & Company if they’re looking for delicious macaroni and cheese but are on a budget.
“(Our mac and cheese is) really popular and we have so many other choices they can choose from too,” she said. “We’re not very expensive, so if (students) are on a budget we can accommodate to them and we have coupons we put out.”
Valenti said Noodles & Company is definitely one of her go-to places when she’s craving macaroni and cheese.
