The takeout-only Mac'n Cheese Shop was in the works pre-pandemic but its debut was "expedited" due to COVID-19, said Tom Walton of Fortune Public Relations, who represents the restaurants.
A selection of takeout dishes from the virtual Mac'n Cheese Shop. Photo courtesy Mac'n Cheese Shop.
Virtual restaurants, a fast-growing trend in the Bay Area, operate out of existing restaurant kitchens or ghost kitchens but have no dining room or standalone physical space.
The Mac'n Cheese Shop is available for pickup and delivery from Left Bank in downtown Menlo Park and Meso Modern Mediterranean at Santana Row in San Jose.
The menu includes several mac and cheese variations — including one topped with Spam and a fried egg and a "surf and turf" option with shrimp, bacon and truffle oil — or you can build your own. There are also "mini" entrees such as marinated lamb, steak and roasted salmon.
The virtual restaurant is "open" for orders daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In September, Left Bank Menlo Park added a second virtual eatery: the Kebabery by Meso, available for delivery and pickup only. The menu includes several kinds of kebabs, including beef, chicken, swordfish and plant-based Impossible Meats, available in a lavash wrap, on a salad or over rice pilaf.
