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If you haven’t made your way down to Kerrisdale yet for The Mac Shack’s excellent assortment of mac ‘n’ cheese, sandwiches, salads and desserts, here’s a few photos of what you’re missing. Earlier this week, media were invited to preview a selection from The Mac Shack’s nearly dozen sorts of mac ‘n’ cheese, as well as a mac ‘n’ cheese sandwich, drinks and desserts.

[The Mac Shack kitchen]

The menu is completely customizable. You can choose one of three size portions, pick between white, whole wheat or gluten-free pasta, a range of sauces, cheeses, veggies, meat/seafood, and even flavour enhancers (roasted garlic, pesto sauce, etc.). In other words, the possibilities are (nearly) endless. The average price for a medium portion is $12.

[Lobster Mac]

Here’s a few of the dishes that I sampled off the regular menu. I hope that The Mac Shack will get a few more locations under their belt. I imagine that Kerrisdale is popular with families, but The Mac Shack would feel right at home in Kitsilano (hint, hint) or even downtown.

[The Veggie]

[The Brooklyn]

[The Ultimate]

The best part about the mac ‘n’ cheese? Those curly, enjoyable-in-the-mouth noodles! I’m tired of the dreadfully plain elbow macaroni used in so many restaurants, further reminding me of that famous boxed student special.

[The Bacon Cheeseburger]

As this was my second visit, my favourite dish (remains) the Bacon Cheese Burger Mac (S $7, M $12, L $19). The gooey mix of Cheddar and Monterey together with seared ground beef and double smoked bacon in a homemade cream sauce is hands down on my list of comfort foods.

[Creamy Pesto Chicken Mac sandwich]

Other tasty dishes for me were the Creamy Pesto Chicken Mac sandwich and the Lobster Mac.

Favourite dessert? The Squish ($4.75), a homemade ice cream sandwich marrying vanilla bean gelato between two double chocolate chip cookies with raspberry coulis thrown in for good measure. I also enjoyed the Skillet Brownie ($5.90), also served with vanilla bean gelato (although we sampled it solo on this occasion).

[The Squish]

[The Skillet Brownie]

Both Granville Island Brewery’s Pale Ale and Honey Lager are available on tap; a selection of red and white wines (as well as reserve wines, all available either by the glass or the bottle) round out the alcoholic drinks.

The interior is designed by Karin Bohne and her team at Moeski Design, a downtown Vancouver based interior consulting firm. The atmosphere created is stylish and the seating is comfortable. I love the round smoked glass lighting, surely a tongue-in-cheek poke at the 70’s, when mac ‘n’ cheese was first crowned a classic.

The Mac Shack is located at 5395 West Boulevard in Kerrisdale, Vancouver. Phone: 604.267.4225.

[The Classic]

Dine-in and take-out options are both available. An online ordering system is in the works; perhaps a smart phone app isn’t too far away.