I Heart Mac & Cheese is a dairy lover’s dream

In first grade, when asked what my favorite food was, I said macaroni and cheese. Maybe I only chose it so I could stand out from all the other kids who chose pizza, but back then, I couldn’t get enough of the Kraft macaroni. When I attended Michigan State University years later, I was similarly addicted to the Wisconsin mac and cheese at Noodles and Co. So, when a mac-and-cheese-focused eatery like I Heart Mac & Cheese comes to East Lansing, I obviously have to check it out.

Recently opened in the Hannah Plaza on Hagadorn Road, this is the third Michigan location for the franchise — the other two are in Saginaw and Escanaba. The restaurant has an industrial-style feel, with a small seating area in case patrons prefer dining in to taking out. For those who don’t love mac and cheese, the menu also offers grilled cheese and flatbread sandwiches, as well as sides like tater tots, mac and cheese bites and tomato soup for dipping.

Each item is made to order. The staff takes you down the cafeteria line of different bases and toppings so you can customize your dish the way you want before it’s sent to the oven. So, if you’d prefer a gluten-free base that doesn’t involve noodles, you can substitute them with broccoli, cauliflower, tater tots or quinoa. There’s even a dairy-free cheese sauce for vegans. Fittingly, the food is served in a heart-shaped bowl, which is a cute gimmick.

Since it was my first time, I thought I should try more than just the basic mac and cheese. Although I was tempted by the lobster mac, I wound up getting the chicken Parmesan mac and cheese, which was topped with chicken pieces, marinara sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, pesto and breadcrumbs. Yes, that’s a lot of cheese — almost too much for this cheese lover to handle. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious. The different ingredients were mixed well enough that the marinara sauce didn’t overwhelm the cheese. The tots I ordered as a side were small yet crispy.

My mother, not being as adventurous as I am, decided on a regular grilled cheese sandwich with tater tots and tomato soup. She liked it enough, although she thought the soup had a little bit of spice. I tried some as a dipping sauce for my tater tots and didn’t think it was too intense.

I Heart Mac & Cheese puts a delicious spin on my favorite dish. I heard another franchise is in the works in Novi, but I hope the chain doesn’t stop there. A few businesses in downtown Lansing closed recently, and it could sure use a good mac and cheese place.