Captain Blacks

Captain Blacks sits quietly next to Half Price Books on Belmont Ave on Capitol Hill. I walked up to meet Susanna and her Granfran. It took a moment to locate it. On a quiet weekday evening at 8:00, you could blink and miss it. It's a cozy little spot with two enormous decks - one in front, one in back. The interior is warm - wood, soft lighting. The back deck has a spectacular view west. It beckoned us to sit there. We were able to gaze gently at the sun playing peak-a-boo behind a marine layer, and ivy growing up a brick building nearby.

We started with a bottle of bubbly. Sigura Viduras runs $30 ($7/glass), perfect for the three of us to split. The waitress brought it out in a Corona ice bucket.

She apologized for not having stemware. In our shared opinion, the little tumblers fit in perfectly with the atmosphere.

There was a coolness in the air as we waited for the main event - a white cheddar side of macaroni and cheese for $6. Of course, these adventures are often more about the company and the conversation than the mac 'n' cheese. Susanna's Granfran is simply delightful.

Inspirational. Meeting her is knowing Susanna on a deeper level. We talked about books, love, life, careers, ambitions, food, land, travel, holidays - the kind of conversation the flows effortlessly and is interspersed with laughter.

The mac 'n' cheese itself was perfect. Fresh out of the oven. Mine was literally still bubbling! Thank goodness for the cool bubbly to wash it down. Mine also, for whatever reason, had lots of bacon in it. But Granfran and Susanna's did not. Odd? Perhaps. Or maybe the cook was just psychic and knew I would adore the savory surprise. I do love some bacon.

Traditional elbow macaroni. Cheesy, but not overly so. Perfect portion and price. Served hot. Garnished lightly.

As lovers of cheese, we also split one order of Beecher's deep fried cheese curds. I'd have them again, although prefer them in their uncooked state. Cooked, the consistency reminded me of mozzarella. The batter they used was super garlicky too. This would be a welcome snack after a long night of drinking.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Captain Blacks and would happily go back. It's in a great location and might have some of the coolest decks in the city. I'm excited to try other items on their menu as well.

More pictures can be found here.