Nikki and I stayed a couple of nights in downtown Philly, and we decided to try out a local restaurant called The Dandelion. We went here for a few reasons:
- They have good gluten-friendly options. (We were with our friend who has a gluten sensitivity.)
- The Mac and Cheese!
First things first, the restaurant's logo is a lion in fancy garb, so extra kudos to The Dandelion for the top-tier pun! The interior of the restaurant was old-school and rustic, and captured the feeling of a small-town British public house. We grabbed a seat in the downstairs area, near the bar, and ordered up a communal pot of tea, a few shepherd's pies, and of course, the Mac and Cheese!
The Mac was served in a piping hot dish, and was absolutely LOADED with cheddar. They used aged Quickes English Cheddar, and boy did this dish show off that artisan cheese! The surface was firm and toasty, and gave off a deeply funky (almost tangy) cheesy bite. The sauce was also full of cheddar flavor, and had a consistency that reminded me of a pot-pie filling. (Like, I wouldn't have been surprised to find peas in there.) This dish also had some braised ham hock mixed into it, and was a solid addition! The texture was pulled-pork-ish, but the flavor actually reminded me of a quality pot roast.
So yeah, if you're in Philly, be sure to grab a Philly Cheese Steak! (Nikki and I got a sandwich from Cleaver's and it was a pound of meat and cheese, boy was THAT an experience!) But once you've done that, The Dandelion is a delight!