Two schools of macaroni-and-cheese philosophy exist: the highbrow, artisanal, gouda-gruyere-gorgonzola kind and the one devoted to the blue box. Yet at the Brooklyn Star, Joaquin Baca's reopened Williamsburg joint dedicated to highly caloric Southern favorites, you can sample the best of both worlds. Its version fills a cast-iron skillet with soft elbow noodles bathing in a bubbling, creamy Velveeta-and-sharp-white-cheddar sauce, freckled with tiny nubs of bacon, and topped with crunchy bread crumbs. Gooey and delicious, and no doubt artery-clogging, but you can wash down this cheesy delight with a mason jar overflowing with electric red Kool-Aid, just like when you were a kid. Or, because you're no longer a kid, a Dr Pepper cocktail. 593 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, 718-599-9899, thebrooklynstar.com (11211)