Grass Bone - MYSTIC
Grass Bone
Description
Quaint Mystic eatery balances standout crowd-pleasers—rotisserie chicken, tacos, cornbread and an acclaimed bread pudding—with uneven execution and pricing. Small portions and occasional overzealous upselling contrast with friendly staff, a deli counter, cozy indoor seating and a small outdoor area. Many praise flavorful meats and creative small plates, while others report bland mac & cheese, greasy or rubbery sandwiches and inconsistent portion/quality. An undisclosed peanut in a marinade caused a serious allergy scare, so allergy-prone diners should exercise caution.
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This dish is missing the essential elements that define macaroni and cheese: it lacks both cheese and flavor. Instead, it comes across as dry, bland, oily, and flat. The only strong taste is from the overpowering garlic. While garlic can be a delightful aromatic ingredient, it should never overshadow the cheese in a cheese dish. Honestly, this macaroni and cheese is not worth the $8 price point. In fact, I would argue that KFC offers better tasting macaroni and cheese – at least theirs has some flavor. It's important to note that not all cheeses blend well in macaroni and cheese. Not all cheddar varieties work either, unless they are combined with creamier cheeses like Fontina to create a proper cheese sauce. Regardless of whether you're using cheese from Mystic Cheese Company or not, this dish simply lacks flavor and is not worth $8 a serving. A price of $5 would be much more appropriate.
I immediately ordered a side of mac and cheese because I was really hungry. Unfortunately, the waiter seemed to miss that and brought my side along with the main courses. The G&B burger was fine, but nothing special that I would recommend to someone. The OG roast beef was quite tasty, although it was somewhat overwhelmed by the fresh cheese. The mac and cheese was nice, not overly cheesy, but I found the breadcrumb topping to be a bit too light for my liking. We didn’t have masks, so they offered us two. We literally put them on just to turn around and be seated, only to immediately take them off again.
Absolutely fantastic! The atmosphere is lovely, and the food is exceptional.
Before I get started...I am an avid fan of this restaurant and a repeat customer. Question. What about your macaroni and cheese do you think is worthy enough for you to charge $8 for it? It's a sincere question. Is it the type of cheese, or is it because it comes from the Mystic Cheese Company? I can assure you, if it's the type of cheese? It's not worth it and if it's because it comes from the Mystic Cheese Company? It should be better. This dish lacks the quintessential element that makes the dish what it is: Cheese and flavor! It's dry, bland, oily and flat. It's basically tasteless, except for the overpowering taste of garlic. Garlic is a wonderful aromatic vegetable...it is NOT a spice or a seasoning and it most certainly shouldn't be the main performer of a cheese dish. This macaroni and cheese is not worth $8. Not at all. I'm a chef. I cook it all. KFC has better tasting macaroni and cheese. At least it has a decent taste. What I purchased last night does not. A reminder: Not all cheeses work cohesively well with the macaroni and cheese dish. All cheddar cheeses don't do well either, unless they're melted down with smoother cheeses, like Fontina and made into a cheese sauce. Mystic Cheese Company brand cheese being used or not...this dish lacks flavor and it shouldn't be $8 per order. That is most certainly pushing it and $5 is more than sufficient.
We really enjoyed their small plates. We ordered 4 things, and potato fries and smoked cabbage were our favorites. We also asked for ketchup to go with fries, which later we found out also made in house, great quality.