RED BANK: ‘GOURMET’ MAC ‘N CHEESE? YEP.
The mac-and-cheese at Mac Attack. Abe Elkomey at the griddle, below. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
Mac Attack Gourmet Cheesery blew into Red Bank last month, displacing a short-lived burger joint. So are hamburgers out, and macaroni-and-cheese in?
Could be: the new kid in town is loud, sneaky and completely unexpected.
“I want to make simple food great and relatable – mac-and-cheese, grilled cheese –stuff you eat growing up,” says chef Abe Elkomey, who at the age of 23 is already accomplished in the kitchen. At 19, he came in second in a competition among New Jersey country club chefs, and has worked as sous chef at both the Bayonne Country Club and Satis Bistro in Jersey City.
“Even though we’re quick service, we cook to order,” Elkomey said. “Everything is fresh.”