Beecher's Cheesers

When it comes to cheese shops, I'm pretty loyal to Murrays, but there's a new guy in town that's offering some interesting competition.  When it comes to straight cheese selection, Murray's still wins out, but when you want a fun meal, Beecher's is the place to go.

When you walk into the Flatiron cheese temple, you'll be in the shop and cafe area.  I immediately walked downstairs into the Cellar where I grabbed the last table and enjoyed the setting while I waited for Amy.  Just as you would assume, the Cellar is dark with tea lights stuffed into bricks and low wooden tables filling up the simple space.  Lucky for us, we arrived in time to take advantage of happy hour, which lasts until 7 PM.  The happy hour specials include $5 glasses of wine, $6 specialty cocktails, and a $7 version of the cheese plate.

Amy went with the wine, but I had to order the specialty cocktail when I realized that for only $6 I would be able to sample one of the bartender's creations that was much more involved than any cocktail found on a typical happy hour menu.  On the night we were there, the cocktail was coffee infused vodka with milk and other things that made it taste like a mudslide.  It was rather strong so all I needed was this one cheap drink to get a nice buzz for the evening.  The last item we took advantage of during happy hour was the cheese plate.  Since it's the happy hour version, it's small, but it's a great way to get a taste of what the shop has to offer.  Our mini plate featured Humble Pie (a cow's milk cheese that oozed all over the place) and the restaurant's own jack cheese.  We wanted to branch out beyond the happy hour specials so we opened up the rest of the menu and picked out one of the six mac and cheese options.  We chose one with balsamic mushrooms and fennel.  I love the addition of fennel in mac and cheese when the fennel has been nice and caramelized like this.  The mushrooms were good but a little salty.  There was the perfect amount, but had there been more, the balsamic vinegar would have taken over, so I'm glad they exercised restraint.  I still recommend, however, going to s'mac if you want the best mac and cheese around.  The last thing we ordered was the Brussels sprouts in duck fat with marco polo cheese (a nutty, salty, firmer cheese) and bread crumbs.  Every item on the menu is made with cheese, but there wasn't so much on this one that you felt like you weren't still eating a vegetable.

Every single item on this menu incorporates cheese - that's pretty much my idea of heaven.  I could eat that type of food anytime, but I recommend making sure you go during happy hour.  The dark cellar setting and shareable food will definitely put you in the mood for a couple glasses of wine so you might as well go when you can drink on the cheap drinks and apps.  Murray's will still remain my go-to when it comes to stocking my fridge, but it's nice to have a restaurant that completely satisfies any cheesy craving.