From Lobster to Shrimp to Brisket, Suckerfree Southern Plate & Bar Is Serving up a Flight of Three Drool-Worthy Mac ’n’ Cheeses
Written By: San Diego Food Girl
Photographed By: Kambria Fischer Suckerfree Southern
Every day there’s a new foodie trend sweeping social media, and San Diego is always on top of the next best thing. Cocktail flights are probably most common, but recently, foods are being incorporated into the flight presentation as well—and this mac ‘n’ cheese flight from Suckerfree Southern Plate & Bar is a must try. Mac ‘n’ Cheese is one of the most popular comfort foods in the country, and an integral part of Southern cuisine and culture. Suckerfree offers the best of this classic cheesy dish with a flight that features three different flavor profiles: Smokehouse, Blackened Shrimp, and Lobster and Crab. With indulgent flavors and a whole lot of cheesy goodness, Suckerfree is putting their stamp on a Southern classic.
Chances are when you think of Southern food, you think of fried chicken. While you can find a variety of chicken options on the menu, you’ll have a change of heart once you look over the mac ‘n’ cheese, and especially after you take your first bite of the Smokehouse flavor—the house favorite.
Each mac ‘n’ cheese, while different in taste, has the same base cheese sauce and elbow macaroni. On the flight, you’ll find the same foundation, but with distinct tastes giving it a unique presence on the menu. The smokehouse has barbecue brisket that’s been cooked low and slow in-house for six hours, blanketed in a smoked gouda cheese, a house-made barbecue sauce and cornbread crumbs. The blackened shrimp is made with red shrimp, delicious blackened seasoning and then it’s topped off with pepper jack and parmesan cheese. Last but not least, the lobster and crab mac is made with lump crab, lobster claws and tails, and covered in a white cheddar sauce you’ll want to lick off the bowl.
Executive Chef David Mendiola, a San Diego native, grew up in a family full of cooks and has now been a professional chef for almost 10 years in fine dining. “With all the effort I’ve put into my career, Suckerfree is the place that fits me the best,” says Chef Mendiola.
Located in the Gaslamp Quarter, Suckerfree brings back all the nostalgic feels from the ‘80s and ‘90s with their old school hip-hop vibes in a rustic and urban setting. The art on the walls display movies and characters from those decades and correlates to items on the menu, like The Big Mick and Boogaloo Shrimp N’ Grits. It’s a place that’s all about people and food by making sure that customers leave feeling happy and satisfied, something that Owner Ron Suel has instilled in the restaurant culture.
If you’ve been wondering why the restaurant is called Suckerfree, it’s because the owner wanted to create an environment where there is a “no-nonsense feel” and everyone is welcome. You find that in dishes like the mac ‘n’ cheese flight, where the flavors are familiar, but diverse in their own right. According to Owner Ron Suel, that was no mistake. “Suckerfree to the restaurant means that we stay loyal to the soil and do not allow suckers to penetrate our attitude, space, or time.”
Suckerfree Southern Plate & Bar
751 Fourth Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
619.892.7744
