ROGERS PARK — Satisfying a dire midnight hunger attack can be no small feat, but when an insatiable craving calls, it must be answered.
Beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, the new Midnight Mac and Cheeserie in Rogers Park will open its doors to take on that challenge in a very large way: serving up gooey, decadent macaroni and cheese by the pound.
The store at 6979 N. Sheridan Road replaces The Growling Rabbit's original location and will sling orders until 2 a.m. (midnight on Sundays) available for pick-up or delivery only. GrubHub, Postmates, UberEats and DoorDash will take orders for the restaurant.
Meals start at $6.75 for a small (one pound) and $8.25 for a large (two pounds), and customers get to customize a base of elbow noodles with a sauce and/or 36 additional toppings including eight different types of cheeses, 10 vegetable selections and an assortment of 11 proteins. See the full list below.
Several house combinations also make the list, like Antonia's Decadent Lobster dish, which brings together Gruyere cheese and lobster — or Sam's Sizzling Steak, a spicy recipe that blends pepper jack with Sriracha steak and jalapeños.
Each month a customer-created recipe submitted via social media will be chosen as a featured dish, as well as earn its creator a free month of mac and cheese.
"We're very excited," owner Antony van Zyl said Monday. "I had to go out there yesterday and clean the nose prints off the window from people peering in."
So just what tools does Midnight Mac and Cheeserie have to help paint the perfect portrait of a hunger-inspired masterpiece?
• Sharp Cheddar
• Mozzarella
• Gruyere
• Asiago
• Parmesan
• Pepper jack
• Goat cheese
• Feta
• Broccoli
• Edamame
• Peas
• Spinach
• Roasted mushrooms
• Caramelized onion
• Jalapeños
• Roasted garlic cloves
• Sun-dried tomato
• Fresh chopped tomato
• Grilled steak
• Sriracha grilled steak
• Roast chicken
• Buffalo chicken
• Grilled hot dog bites
• Mini-meatballs
• Lobster
• Crab
• Bacon
• Barbeque pulled pork
• Seitan
• Red pepper and cayenne
• Sriracha
• Basil pesto
• Durban curry
• Truffle oil
• Toasted crumbs
• Butter
