Mac & Cheese at Wilde

If you've tried the Mac and cheese at Wilde (3130 N. Broadway, Chicago) you probably dreamed about recreating it.
Has anyone tried? I milked the waitstaff for info and nearly bust down the doors to the kitchen to bribe the chef. So far, I know it's a blend of diced tomatoes, caramelized onions, irish bacon and twirly pasta in a sauce of irish cheddar topped with garlic panko breadcrumbs.
Can anyone fill me in on other secret ingredients?

I made a batch last night and tried a mixture of milk, cottage cheese and light sourcream pureed with dry mustard and dijon, cayenne, black pepper, dash or worcestershire, and salt. I used cherry tomatoes but not enough. Poured the concoction over the uncooked pasta with about 13 oz. of cheddar and cooked it for 30 min. covered at 375...added panko sauteed in garlic and butter for about another 40 minutes uncovered till brown. Sadly, the mac was dryer than Wilde's version and did not have the fabulous flavor I was after. Their caramalized onions had body and were so good. I also sauteed a clove of garlic cut in half so as not to ovedrpower the dish but I think it needs more garlic too...maybe that's where to start when I make a redo batch. I am single so lord knows I sure don't need to be eating trays of high fat pasta!!
Help!

I've never heard of the restaurant. But usually when you make a baked pasta dish, you boil the pasta first and then add it to your cheese mixture. Then bake. Search on-line for some recipes to use as a guide. Alton Brown (from Good Eats) has one.

I'm not familiar with the dish you are trying to re-create, but there are threads on mac and cheese here and here.

Thanks guys. I wasn't too impressed with the rest of my meal at Wilde but that mac and cheese. If you go for one thing go for that. man...

BaconButt wrote:If you've tried the Mac and cheese at Wilde (3130 N. Broadway, Chicago) you probably dreamed about recreating it.
Has anyone tried? I milked the waitstaff...

Interesting approach. I would have guessed that the recipe used standard cow milk, but I'm curious how this turned out.

Kennyz wrote:Interesting approach.

What a great mental image.

nr706 wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Interesting approach.

What a great mental image.

I'll grow up eventually.

hee hee...i've milked holsteins literally...
I only wish I were that clever.
Maybe I'm "gourmand" in disguise?!

ps,
speaking to the food obsessed, I know that no explanation is necessary...but I feel compelled to tell you WHY I want to make that friggin mac dish.
I have been double-dog dared to recreate the dish for a friend's birthday party saturday. I do not back down from the double dog!
i'm thinking I'll whip together Ina Garten's High fat version that got rave reviews and throw in the maple-crusted bacon, tomatoes, possible tumeric and call it a day!