Homeroom

Homeroom Restaurant Review:

Friends and fellow cooks Erin Wade and Allison Arevalo wanted to open their own restaurant together, but, given their limited experience and budget, decided that it must pretty much serve only one type of dish. They settled on macaroni and cheese. Dressed up (say, with Dungeness crab, smoky Marash pepper, sriracha hot sauce, black truffles, Cypress Grove chèvre, sharp white Vermont cheddar or Niman Ranch bacon) and dressed down (with potato chips and hot dogs, albeit Niman Ranch hot dogs), this easily adaptable retro classic became a hit with local hipsters, who happily wait for tables in the almost-always-crowded, almost-always-deafeningly-loud little space. Ten types of mac, including a vegan version topped with crushed walnuts, are creamy or crispy, take your pick. Gluten-free pasta is available on request. Vegetable sides such as peas, broccoli and Brussels sprouts counterbalance the carbs; house-made root beer and limeade further the retro feel. Smaller-portioned "Little Macs" are great for kids. Area beers, wines and Blue Bottle coffee reinforce a vibrant air of local (and especially Oakland) pride.