This bowl starts with a base of creamy smoked jalapeño mac and cheese, then gets layered with toppings like brisket, pulled pork, or portobello machaca along with pickled red onions and barbecue sauce. The defining twist is the smoke from both the pit meats and the jalapeño-studded cheese sauce, which gives the macaroni a distinctive barbecue depth. Each bite brings soft pasta, stretchy cheese, and pockets of tender smoked meat, with the acidity of the pickles cutting through the richness. Numerous rankings of Seattle mac and cheese single out this bowl for its bold flavor and the way it eats like a full meal rather than a side.