Nikki and I visited the Kirkland downtown hoping to grab either some ramen or some Mongolian BBQ. (We hadn't made our minds up yet.) But on the way, we saw a new-looking place called Sparrow which had a popular outdoor area with live music. Curious, we gave them a quick Google, and learned that they had Mac and Cheese on the menu. And after seeing that, we knew we had to try it!

One thing that we learned pretty quickly was that this was NOT a cheap restaurant. Many of their entrees were in the $50-60 range, and even though the Mac and Cheese was only a side it was still $22 when ordered with the Italian sausage. That is definitely a spicier price than I'm typically comfortable with... So we ordered a few of their cheaper options, and then got a Mac and Cheese side to split.

The Mac itself was pretty solid! For the sauce, Sparrow used a cream sauce with gruyère and cheddar cheeses, and for the noodles, they used homemade fresh egg gemelli. The cheese flavor was nice - it was prominent but not overpowering, but the Italian sausage really stole the show - it was a phenomenal addition! The gemelli was good, although just a wee bit under-cooked. Initially, Nikki wasn't too convinced by the Mac since the sauce was less flavorful and more runny right out of the kitchen, and was only really giving it a 3 out of 5. However, as the dish cooled, and the sauce thickened up, it really shone! The texture was better, the cheese flavor came out more... Plus, we got to dip our french fries in all the leftover cheese sauce, which is always a treat!

So yeah, a good dish. To be perfectly honest, I don't know how often we'll come back to Sparrow - the price is just a wee bit too steep for my taste. However, their Mac and Cheese was a delight, so maybe we'll visit for some special occasions... :)