YOU KNOW THE SPOT. Mac and cheese on wheels is officially here thanks to a local food truck, The Spot. (Submitted images)

Gooey cheese and al dente noodles: What else could you need? Hannah Wild and Daniel Kuehl, owners of new local mac and cheese food truck called The Spot, are proving that there’s a lot more deliciousness that can be incorporated into the comfort dish. 

Along with their classic recipe, Kuehl has been perfecting his mac and cheese variations for the past two years, which has culminated in The Spot’s current menu: Chicken Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Pulled Pork, and Garden Mac. They also offer a build-your-own option with nine total veggie and meat options to add to your entre. 

Each dish is a sizable portion, with 12 oz. of noodles and 10 oz. of sauce, all packed into an oven-safe container for any leftovers you may have (or not, no judgement here). Pricing on Macs range from $13.99 to $18.99 and you can make it a full meal for $23, which includes a breadstick and a drink.

The Spot had its official first day on May 18 and while Wild and Kuehl are still getting their feet under them, they have sold out of mac and cheese nearly every single day they’ve been open.

The idea to start their own food truck came several years earlier when they were traveling in California with a couple of friends. Though the idea seemed far-fetched at the time, it stuck with them until they decided to get serious about it two years ago, saving up all they could to purchase the truck.

“We are passionate about traveling, and we wanted to create a job that would be able to give us enough profit to be able to have a good life and also be able to achieve our dreams to travel the world,” Wild said.

“Cooking is also a passion of mine,” Kuehl continued. “So the idea was, how can I pursue a passion that can help us pursue our other passion?”

Why the focus on the cheesy comfort dish, you may ask? Kuehl has been passionate about cooking for the last 15 years, and his favorite things to cook are American classics such as burgers and mac and cheese, but he really enjoys kicking those classics up a notch.

“It just seemed like Eau Claire lacked a restaurant with a business model focusing on mac and cheese, which was wild to me because we live in Wisconsin,” Kuehl laughed. “I wanted to focus on something that was pretty simple, something that people don’t really think about too much, and make it the absolute top tier.”

While the menu is set for now, Wild says she would love to also implement vegan and gluten free options in the future as well as Brazilian Cheese Bread made of tapioca flour and marinara sauce, since she was born and raised in Brazil.

You can find out where The Spot will be on Facebook as they announce their weekly and monthly schedules each Monday. Look out for them at Eau Claire’s Fall Festival, the Eau Claire County Fair, the Mayo Clinic Health System parking lot, The Brewing Projekt, and more area locations.

“This wouldn't be possible if it was in a community support,” Wild said. “I come from a different country, I have lived in many different places and have traveled a lot, and I don’t think I have ever seen such a powerful community like Eau Claire. It really feels like we have each other’s backs. People have been more than helpful in sharing where we’re going to be, sharing with others, talking about it. There is a very powerful magic in Eau Claire that brings people together and I am just very grateful for it.”

Learn more about The Spot and see their full schedule on their Facebook page.