Best Comfort Food

The wind zooms cold down Market Street. Your stomach's grumbling, but you know your fridge is empty. It's time to duck into Blue for a hearty dish of pasta and protein, the gourmet mac and cheese your mama never made. Far superior to the gooey glop served by expatriate Middle Americans -- and nowhere near the neon orange concoction that comes in a box -- Blue's blend is one big pile of yum. Chef Jose Torres serves a mix of mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and Parmesan, perfectly melted around moist elbow pasta and topped with Japanese bread crumbs (called panko, they don't burn as easily as regular crumbs). Best of all, it costs just $6.50. For even more of a protein fix, try the new gourmet mac and cheese with chicken; it costs $9.95 and also adds sweet peas on top. Both dishes are so rich and filling that you'll surely take some home -- perfect for the next frigid summer night.