Cast Iron Cafe & Catering: Anatomy Of A Perfect Dish

Foodie that I am, I am constantly grabbing whatever local freebie magazine and newspapers that cross my path because there are usually ads for local places I may not have discovered yet. This happened a few days ago when I was perusing the NEIGHBOR NEWS and saw an ad for Cast Iron Cafe & Catering in Denville. And, from the moment I saw it. I was on a mission.

For there was a photo and a caption. The caption read BBQ IN A BOWL. Immediately, I was hooked. The photo showed a tantalizing picture of a bowl (Duh!) and a delicious looking dish within it. Beneath the photo were the words .... Corn Bread .... Cole Slaw .... Macaroni & Cheese ..... BBQ (Your Choice of Meat) Sweet or Hot Sauce ......

Um ... Hello? Hell, YES! I was born in Virginia and spent a great number of years south of the Mason/Dixon Line. There are somethings I hold sacredly religous in my life. 4 of them are BBQ, corn bread, cole slaw and macaroni & cheese. OK, what can I say? In the words of the great Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers, "It's a Southern thing". Southerners really take weird things pretty seriously. 

Anyway, within 30 minutes of seeing the ad for the Cast Iron Cafe on Broadway in Denville, I was standing inside it. I didn't even hesitate when asked what I would like. "BBQ In A Bowl. Pulled Pork. Large. Combo sweet & hot sauce." My hands trembling with anticipation. A mere 10 minutes later I was leaving with my lunch and the anticipation of what I was about to experience. The cafe itself is small but warm and comfortable if you choose to eat there.

Once back at my office, I removed the top of the take-out container that felt like it weighed a good 7 or 8 pounds and gazed within. I swear an angelic choir of Southern trumpets and golden gospel music swelled in the background as I sunk fork into it. Yes. Yes, indeed. It was so sexy, I wanted to take it to Aruba for the weekend.

At the base, is a warm and airy layer of cornbread in which you can taste the sunshine that grew the stalks and ears of corn. Next, a creamy and crunchy latticework of cole slaw. The cabbage and carrots nestled in a smooth and lightly sweet dressing.

On top of the slaw, the real secret of this dish: the macaroni & cheese. There is way that macaroni & cheese can be made that is true perfection. It's all about the interplay between the macaroni and the cheese. It has to be just perfectly right. Well, Cast Iron Cafe gets it perfectly right. The macaroni are big soft and exactly what you need to hold all that cheesey creamy goodness of the sauce. Every so often, with each bite, you would be treated to a soft moment of M&C goodness in the midst of the crunch of the coleslaw and the richness of the BBQ.

And, oh my. The BBQ. Given the choice of chicken, beef brisket or pulled pork for my first BBQIAB Experience, I knew immediately it would have to be the pork. Hate me all you want, Vegetarians. I worship the meat. Anyway, what seemed to be 4 inches of quality pulled pork bathed in a sauce that was all and everything anyone could want. 

I look forward to many, many more visits to Cast Iron Cafe & Catering. Not only for more moments of BBQ In A Bowl but in trying the other choices on their menu. 

Cast Iron Cafe & Catering is located at 45 1/2 Broadway in Denville and are open Monday thru Saturday. 

www.castironcafeandcatering.com