Taking guests for dinner at the Sun Dial Restaurant at the Westin Peachtree Plaza is one of our favorite ways to entertain visitors. And our children are happy to come along because they love the view, but they especially love the creamy macaroni and cheese from the kids menu. I’d love to be able to make it for them at home.
— Suzanne Newman, Atlanta
Rory Bancroft, executive chef for the Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta, was glad to share the recipe.
“At the Sun Dial Restaurant, the kids macaroni and cheese has long been a beloved staple, so much so that parents often found themselves sneaking bites and singing its praises. The dish’s signature cavatappi pasta, with its playful spiral shape, isn’t just fun for little ones. It’s also ideal for soaking up every drop of the velvety, housemade cheese sauce,” Bancroft said.
“What truly sets this mac and cheese apart is the use of locally sourced Thomasville Tomme, a cheese that brings a delicate balance of richness and lightness to the sauce. Its creamy, comforting flavor became such a hit that a few years ago we decided it was time to give this classic a grown-up twist. By adding a luxurious truffle topping and baking it to golden perfection, we’ve transformed our kids’ favorite into a signature side dish worthy of the spotlight.”
The truffle macaroni and cheese on the adult menu includes Sabatino black summer truffle paste and Elle Esse white truffle oil in the sauce and substitutes Parmesan for the colby-Monterey Jack blend.
Thomasville Tomme is a semisoft cow’s milk cheese made by Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville. It can be ordered online from the dairy and is available at Capella Cheese.
The Sun Dial Restaurant’s Kids Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 pound cavatappi
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 8 ounces Thomasville Tomme cheese, cut into cubes
- 8 ounces shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in cream and half-and-half, then add Thomasville Tomme and colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend. Reduce heat to low and cook until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Use an immersion blender to puree mixture, then stir in cooked pasta. Serve hot.
Makes 10 cups.
Per 1-cup serving: 606 calories (percent of calories from fat, 63), 19 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 49 grams total fat (32 grams saturated), 168 milligrams cholesterol, 372 milligrams sodium.
From the menu of … The Sun Dial Restaurant at Westin Peachtree Plaza, 210 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta; 404-589-7506, sundialrestaurant.com.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject
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