Partaking in KC's Mac & Cheese

This is probably the cheesiest post I’ve written, but I’m 100% okay with that. If you’ve kept up with the Kansas City food scene then you may have heard of an organization called Give and Partake. If you’re unfamiliar with Give and Partake, it’s a local organization started by Ashley Judy. She’s worked with local restaurants to curate a series of books that allow consumers to partake in awesome meals while a portion of the proceeds are given back to a local nonprofit.

The most recent edition is the Mac and Cheese book. Personally, I had no idea there was so much mac and cheese in KC, but I am here for it! With this book, you can buy an entree at any of the 29 participating restaurants and get a free order of their signature mac! The book only costs $50, and half the proceeds to go KC Pet Project, making it that much better.

This book makes an incredible gift for the foodie in your life. The boyfriend and I have given a handful for the holiday season. This book is the perfect opportunity to explore new restaurants, try new dishes, or plan a date night!

Keep reading to check out all the places the boyfriend and I have been (so far!). We’ve been cheesin’ our way through KC’s Mac and Cheese Book and keeping track along the way!

Brunch lovers may want to check out the Give and Partake Brunch Book!

Bier Station: Buffalo Chicken Mac

Bier Station was so kind as to host the official launch of this edition! To celebrate, they added a speciality mac to their menu for one night only: chicken pesto mac! This special was in addition to their book item, the buffalo chicken mac. We didn’t try out any other menu items this go around, but we did pick up a couple cans from the fridge. We easily devoured the pesto mac, but the buffalo chicken had a little too much heat for the boyfriend. This one is definitely good for those who like a little heat!

Brew Lab: Mac-n-Jack

This is one I was really excited for as Brew Lab is right in our neighborhood of downtown Overland Park. This book was the perfect opportunity to explore the area! Brew Lab is known for their beer but also their classes and community events where people can come brew their own beer or learn about the process.

Obviously we had to start with drinks, including a flight. I’m kicking myself for not taking a picture or making note of all the beers/mead we tried. However, a quick glance at their website has me craving some of their holiday-inspired stouts! We also enjoyed parmesan truffle fries and a pulled pork sandwich. The star of the show, however, was the mac-n-jack. I would describe it as queso in the form of mac and cheese. It’s got the perfect kick from the chipotle crema but is still deliciously creamy and cheesy.

Zocalo: Chorizo Mac

Our trip to Zocalo lined up perfectly with National Sangria Day! I may or may not have coordinated that ;). Everything about our trip to Zocalo was perfect from the service to the food – I have to give a shoutout to our server Mitch! We started with a couple of drinks – Boulevard Tank 7 for him and a Señorita for me (I had to celebrate with sangria). The drinks paired well with queso fundido, and some bomb tortilla chips.

For our entree, we split the Mexico City Trio enchiladas, which included a chicken, a seafood, and a carnitas enchilada topped with a fried egg. The boyfriend loved the addition of the egg and the seafood enchilada, while I favored the carnitas. There was no question about whether we enjoyed the chorizo mac. It was cheesy, peppery, goodness. The chorizo gave it the perfect hint of spice without making it too overwhelming. It made for an incredible meal!