Cheesetique @ Alexandria

I needed to go to the Mini dealership at Alexandria on Friday, and when I go to Alexandria, I always try to find new food places to eat at.  Just because I only go there once in a blue moon, and there are a lot of good restaurants in Alexandria that I want to explore.  So, the night before, I was trying to find a good lunch place and Cheesetique caught my eyes. 

Cheesetique is really a cheese shop in the front and a small cheese and wine bar in the back of the store.  It features a variety of dishes with cheese as the focus and offers wine pairing for all of their dishes.  If you are a cheese and wine fan (like me), I would recommend you check it out.  I have only had the chance to try one of their dishes, since I was rolling solo, but it was very good, definitely meet my expectations.   

Rioja

This is a Rioja from Spain, it's my first time drinking Rioja, and the reason why I got it was because it is the recommended pairing wine for the entree I ordered.  Of course, like most red wine, the taste of it changes when you drink it by itself and drink it with food.  This Rioja is really good, it is a wine that I won't mind drinking by itself, indeed I drank most of it while waiting for my mac and cheese.

Mac and Cheese with truffle infused bread crumbs

So, out of all the entrees on the menu, I have decided to go with the mac and cheese.  A long long time ago, I was not really a mac and cheese fan, to me it was just cheddar cheese and macaroni, what's so special about it?  Once again, it wasn't until I had a really good one, then it changed my whole perspective of mac and cheese.  It was that one mac and cheese I had at Smith and Wollensky, when I go there, I am actually  looking forward to their mac and cheese more than their steak.  It is just absolutely mouth dropping good. If you do go there for their aged prime ribs, which is what they are famous for, you want to get their mac and cheese as the side. You will not be disappointed.  This mac and cheese from Cheesetique is surprisingly up to par to the one from S&W.  It is prepared the way I like my mac n'cheese - served with truffle infused bread crumbs.  I like my mac and cheese with bread crumbs on top, it makes the texture more interesting, and I LOVE truffle infused bread crumbs, because truffle goes very well with cheese.  This mac was made to order, served really hot, all the cheese were melted, the bread crumbs were still bubbling when it was served.  It is not made with your typical type of cheese, which also make the taste more complex than your usual.  The only downfall about it is...I wish the serving side was bigger! (You can check out the menu on their website - link all the way at the bottom of the post, for the 3 types of cheese they used)
 

Lemon Gus Soda

 

This lemon Gus Soda, I had it after my meal, just to chill a little longer at the bar before I head home.  It is super frizzy, it's not too sweet, it is like a lemonade with frizz, a lot of frizz.  I wanted an Arnold Palmer, but this is the closest thing they can offer me.
 

After my meal, I walked around in their cheese and wine shop.  They gave me a 10% coupon to shop in the store, and I saw that they have a very good selection of foreign wines.  So, I picked up a bottle of French Bordeaux and Argentinian Melbec.  Both were under $15/bottle.  And when I check out, I got a pleasant surprise to get the second bottle for only $1.  Not sure if it was a mistake or if I read the coupon wrong, but it's worth a try next time you go.  No one can reject a bottle of "free" wine right? 

Cheesetique

Coming up: Food extravagant at Loudoun County Virgina