Here To Eat: Ace Eats America 10 Plates at a Time

Price: $2.50
Rating: **** / *****

Sometimes you just want a hug. Yes, I'm talking to you specifically. But sometimes I want a hug as well. Being barely legal(yes, that is really how I like describing my age. No, I don't think it's weird at all) and in a large college, it is not always possible to find one. Often times I feel that I am leading a life among peers who are as broken and listless as I am, only finding solace in their high-tech phones but dying on the inside with the tapping of every text message. Damn those phones, with their silly foody names: Chocolate and Blackberry?! That sounds like a dessert I should be reviewing! Alas, all of the ranting against expensive technology takes a toll on me.

So I look to food for my hugging needs. This used to burn my chest and stain my clothes, but I stopped taking my approach literally and started enjoying the food by eating it. I eventually found Stouffer's Cheese Lasagna. It is a hug in a bowl. The tender layers of pasta swim in a decadent, velvety, and damn near molten cream/parmesan sauce that has a rich yet mild flavor. Within the layers are a hearty combination of spinach, carrots, onions, and broccoli that manage to hold on to their texture and flavors. The panko-style bread crumbs on top are a welcome addition, giving the lasagna an extra layer of texture and a makeshift crust. I know it looks terrible in the picture I took, but trust me, it's really good!

However, it isn't without its flaws. The sauce, while extremely smooth and comforting, is a bit too lightly seasoned for my taste. This is remedied with a dash of garlic salt, but not everybody has a bottle of garlic salt implanted in their left arm like I do. And for those of you hoping for a healthy alternative to regular lasagna, you can just keep on looking. Though it is littered with vegetables, it is also covered in a sauce that is heavy on the fat. It's kind of like broccoli in cheese sauce...seems like a good way to get your broccoli until you realize that you finished a bottle of cheese whiz in one sitting. Not that I've ever done that. Stop looking at me with your accusing eyes. Okay, you got me, but I swear it was an accident.

Posted by Anthony Nguyen on Saturday, November 18, 2006 at 10:12 PM | Permalink