Cafe Wonder

Best Mac n Cheese in the city, maybe in the world.

Every Wednesday we dine at the Wonder Café, the unassuming bar/restaurant beneath the Wonder Ballroom on Russell Street in Portland. And every Wednesday, Rob, the resident culinary genius, prepares us our favorite meals exactly the way we love them. My boyfriend has a the steak, medium well with fries and fresh corn cut from the cob, and I have the Uptown Mac with a chicken breast added.

The Uptown Mac is a lethal combination of bacon, garlic and caramelized onion in a rich blue cheese sauce surrounding bites of penne pasta. Additional crumbles of blue cheese dot the surface of this rich indulgence. If you are watching calories, steer clear of this one.

Accompanying this feast is the Ginger Lemon Drop, my favorite drink, created by the Wonder’s former bartender, Nathan. Upon his relocation to New York City last spring, the responsibility of mixing of this delicious cocktail fell on the shoulders of current Wednesday bartender, John. He does a smashing rendition of the original, and I look forward to it with the same zeal as the Uptown Mac itself.

I once asked Rob to divulge his recipe for Uptown Mac to me. Less labor went into building the Great Wall of China. There were steps that I had no inkling as to how to complete, such as a "heavy cream reduction." I soon realized why it is the Wonder charges $10 a plate for this dish and also that the end result is worth every penny.

The restaurant itself is low-key yet upscale, aethetically speaking. The service is always right on, never too rushed, never too slow. This is a great place to take a date, as the candlelight and cozy booths are the perfect setting for a little romance.

Prices are moderate. After ten the menu is truncated, but even the blue cheese burger or the calamari appetizer are worth the price of admission. Don't miss this NoPo gem.