Eating BIG in Madison

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Mad City's Fast Growing Food Scene  

Madison is a spot that I get to somewhat often. Although it had been a minute since my most recent trip (covid) I've basically spent more time in Madison than anywhere except Chicago. This can be attributed to my time in college there as I haven't really lived anywhere else save for Tampa one year before four years in Madison. Today's post is a collection of spots visited over a few different trips. My most recent coming just this past August on what was a scorching hot weekend. Madison is still a college town but it's also a booming town being one of the Midwest's largest growing especially with the younger tech work crowd. It's changed dramatically since my time there in the early 2000's and this comes after people often telling me how much it had changed back when I was living there. One benefactor of it's rapid growth is the local food scene. Madison is as good a spot as ever to eat out. Today's post is a nice mix of both old and new and it includes some of the spots I put in a recent list I did for Eater Chicago on where to eat while in town. Click HERE for past Wisconsin posts. 

Sights from Madison 
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Toby's Supper Club 

As I've mentioned many times before if you're in Wisconsin and it's a Friday you have to attend a Friday Fish Fry, I don't make the laws folks but in this case I do follow it. There's lots of spots to get a Fish Fry in Madison (pretty much every bar and then some) but only a few spots where you can grab one daily. Toby's is the spot for lake perch on every day it's not Friday but then also Friday's too. Toby's is one of my old stomping grounds (circa 2004) where I most always got a plate of lake perch with hash browns and cheese for my choice of potato. Plus a soup and relish tray. All for $20 (cheaper back when). A fancy night out for a college kid or a regular old Friday night out if you're an experienced Sconnie. The atmosphere here was just as it’s always been. We had ab hour plus wait with the sun still up and half the patrons were in in red (Badgers gear). Meanwhile behind the bar Old Fashioneds were flying out at a rapid pace. Madison’s best supper club. The steaks are also popular. 

Friday Night Fish Fry (lake perch) at Toby's Supper Club 
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Ahan 

I recently crushed a Laotian feast at the new age Laotian restaurant called Ahan (food in Lao). They’re currently popping up inside The Bur Oak which is a local music venue. They're serving up terrific Lao forward food using local ingredients when possible (Dane County has a world class farmers market completely driven by local butchers and farmers). You can dine on the outside deck or take their food to go. With the outside humidity and 90 degree heat on our August visit it almost felt like we where somewhere in SE Asia and the food was as much a part of that as was the heat. 

Laotian Snack Platter

The Laotian Snack Platter you see sitting pretty up above was one of the more memorable plates of food I’ve had so far this year. I loved every last offering from the housemade Laotian sausage with lemongrass to the ginger garlic beef jerky, and the Laotian play on the scotch egg called a Son In Law Egg made with hard boiled egg filled with pork, cabbage, carrot, scallion, and vermicelli noodles. It’s battered and fried. All that plus sticky rice and Jeow Som dipping sauce. Next up an order of Khao Soi but not the type common in Chiang Mai that I’m more familiar with. Ahan makes a version of Khao Soi similar to the Luang Prabang style of Northern Laos. Clear chicken broth is mixed with ground pork, thin rice noodles, roasted tomato, fermented soybean, chili, cilantro, scallion, bean sprout, and fried garlic. It also comes with lime, a side of chili oil, and a bag of crispy puffed rice for garnish. Excellent.

Khao Soi at Ahan

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Banzo

Banzo is a Madison food cart success story. They stated out slanging falafel as one of the city's first food carts allowed to cook on the cart. They became very popular for their healthy made from scratch Mediterranean flavors. They were successful enough to where they opened a brick and mortar a few years ago. It reminded of a spot I'd find in Austin Texas. It 's off in a newly developing neighborhood on the east side of Lake Mendota. I got the falafel plate and came away very pleased. It was fantastic.

Falafel Plate at Banzo
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Fromagination

Fromagination is located on the capitol square. Back when I was in school I always wondered why the only cheese shops in town were those attached to the gas stations and such. Then Fromagination opened sometime after I left. They're first and foremost cheese monger but they also make sandwiches with high quality local ingredients. I tried a turkey and liked it as snack after walking around the Farmers Market one Sat. morning. But the reason to come here is the local cheese.

Sandwich at Fromagination

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Canteen Taqueria

This spot was new maybe 3 or 4 years ago. Right around the time modern taquerias were taking America by storm. Of course this type of operation is going to be very popular in a big college town like Madison. I was actually surprised by the fried cauliflower taco. Not the tortilla but the pieces of fresh fried cauliflower battered in Tecate and and tossed in a guajillo chile sauce. Not bad at all.

Fried Cauliflower Taco at Canteen Taqueria
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Mediterranean Cafe

This longtime State street resident has a special place in my heart. It's probably the first food spot in Madison that I was a regular at. Over my four year stay many spots became a part of my regular rotation but this was the first. I always got the lamb/beef pita wrap. At something like $5 if not less it was a great deal. While nothing is particularly high quality in it it's all fresh and served with a smile by the family that's here for more than 25 years. It's the type of spot that would be popular on any campus.

Lamb/Beef Pita at Mediterranean Cafe

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Taigu Noodles

I've noticed a large uptick in Chinese spots where noodles and dumplings were the focus. This is no doubt in reaction to the fact the percentage of Chinese students attending American universities continues to rise. Taigu is actually located out in a Middleton strip mall. Nonetheless there's a large Asian community in Madison and many of those families were at Taigu when I visited one Sunday afternoon. With noodles being in the name I had to go with those stir fried with shrimp and beef. It was quite a treat. They reminded me of Katy's in Westmont. College me would've loved these.

Stir Fried Noodles at Taigu Noodles
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Oakcrest Tavern

No trip to Madison is complete without a tavern burger. Today I have five of them to share with you. First stop up is a place of greatness. The Oakcrest Tavern evaded me until about two years ago when I first stopped in. Not sure what took me so long to find this place bc they've been open since the 1950's. Whenever someone asks me why I think Wisconsin is America's best burger state I use the example of what Oakcrest is doing which is what so many other spots in the state mimic. The 1/3 lb patties of beef come from a longtime butcher across the street, it's all steak trimmings. The buns come from the local bakery also down the street and the cheese choices are always on point as this is Wisconsin after all. Burgers are grilled by the burgertender by which I mean the guy who cooks the burgers behind the bar. I'll be damned if this isn't one of the finest bar burgers in the land. Simple yet succulent. Whenever I'm headed to Madison these days I have to give thought to stopping here. 

Cheddar Burger at Oakcrest Tavern
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Alt N Bach's Town Tap (RIP)

Sadly the next stop closed last year as I learned HERE. This is what I had to say when I originally gave my thought over on LTHforum. "Another prototypical Sconnie bar. Personally I cant get enough of them. Heard lots of good stuff about the bacon cheeseburgers from here so that's what I went with. Damn was it good. Maybe not good enough to overtake any spots in the Top 10 in the State Rankings but it was pretty much perfect in that bar burger type of way." It sucks I'll never have another. 

Bacon Cheeseburger from Alt N Bach's Town Tap (CLOSED)
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Slices Bar

I attended a friends bachelor party up in Madison about a year and change ago. I went up there with two new to me burger spots to try. I had been recommended them by two separate posters on LTHforum. Again I was surprised I'd never heard of them but I also wasn't in that Madison might be the best burger city in the States by which I mean the number of good burgers available per capita puts them right there in the discussion. This is a product of the city's bars which also ranks right near the top for cities with the most bars per capita. For every college bar there's a spot like Slices. Here I tried the Cheddar Cheeseburger (1/4 lb) made with fresh ground beef from nearby Jenifer Street Market. Slices is a classic Wisconsin dive sitting amongst a bunch of factories near Madison East. This one had great beef, potent fried onions, and was cooked to perfect medium rare by the bartender.

Cheddar Burger at Slices 

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Licari's Tavern

Next stop is a cool looking old school Italian bar. Though I witnessed something here I've never seen happen in Wisconsin. I watched the bartender grab my burger from the freezer and plop it onto the flattop. Thus I lost interest in Licari's Tavern real quick. I should point out that the burger itself wasn't one of those hockey pucks lots of fast food stops serve. It very well might've been quality beef I was just taken aback by the fact it was frozen. Never seen that out here. Other than that Licari's is a classic Madison tavern (one of it's oldest) that's most always filled with locals. Cool spot for a beer.

Bacon Cheeseburger at Licari's Tavern

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Brothers Three

Ask me where to get the best bar burger in Madison and I would ask whether you want a regular cheeseburger or a bacon cheeseburger. The answer to the latter is Brothers Three. This is the other spot I was rec'd by an LTHforum poster and it was one of the best tips I've received in a minute. Me and another friend who isn't a big red meat nor burger binger were floored by these massive bacon cheeseburgers that were clearly made with care. First of all the bacon itself was super thick and very high quality. It definitely came from one of the many local butchers around town. Same goes for the ground beef which is a full half pound of beef ready to start dripping as soon as it's squeezed. Even the whole sliced onion gets a perfect sear while the bun manages to hold all of this together for about as long as any bun can. It is quite simply the best 1/2 lb burger I've ever had. Just be ready for a nap. 

Bacon Cheeseburger at Brothers Three
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Paul's Pelmeni

This is the first spot I mention when the question of “where should I eat in Madison” gets asked. I’m a day one customer going back to its mini OG location at 505 State St. circa 2003. These days it’s a full fledged bar on Gilman pouring $4 anytime you call it drafts. They do one thing here and they do it really well. Russian Dumplings are stuffed with your choice of beef or potato with the option of half and half being the way to go. “The works” which means everything is a magical combination of butter, curry powder, sweet chili sauce, and cilantro. Plus sour cream. I usually stop for these upon my arrival when visiting Madison and then right before I leave. There’s really nothing else like these, save for some spots out west in Washington and Alaska and they’re all connected in one way or the other. 

Mixed Pelmeni at Paul's Pelmeni

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See ya next time @chibbqking 

Rose Mary

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

Joe Flamm turned his Top Chef Season 15 win into his dream restaurant in Rose Mary. Ever since it's opening in the Spring of 2021 it's been the hottest restaurant in town. It's Fulton market location gives you an idea of the money that was invested in it. Rose Mary is the former Spiaggia chefs debut restaurant. The menu is Italian forward with lots of Croatian influence which comes from his wife's background. It's the hottest reservation in town but I can tell you from personal experience that if you're willing to arrive 15-20 mins ahead of opening you should be able to get seated quickly. It's a large space and there's a nice sized patio out front which sits on one side of the corner location. 

Newly Opened in Fulton Market 

The early reviews on Rose Mary have been quite mixed. From my perspective it seems like the city's socialites and instagram influencer types really like it. But the reviews from the city's dining critics and other food driven types haven't been as hot. We (my wife and I) watch Top Chef so I've been familiar with Flamm since he starred on the popular Bravo TV cooking competition. I looked forward to trying Rose Mary when I first heard about it but at the same time I wasn't in a rush. Reservations have been booked for months out since it's opening and I'm just not the type to plan that far ahead unless I know I'm going to be in a certain place on vacation somewhere overseas or whatever. But we'd heard from a few others that they just got in line before opening and were seated not too long after 5p so that's what we did - an early dinner. If you follow the news and the food worlds news in particular you know that most restaurants are understaffed at the moment. I wont hold anything against Rose Mary for this but service was just so so because of that which may have contributed to some inconsistent timing with the delivery of food to the table. Still that was the least of our problems on this visit. 

Grilled Clams (smoked ramp butter)

We ordered up a few things to split ahead of our entrees since we were each going different ways for that. First up was an order of grilled clams with ramp butter. I thought these were pretty good, but when has the taste of clams and butter ever been bad? The answer is rarely if ever. Next up was a plate of the zucchini fritters which I read have been tweaked over time since Rose Mary first opened. They come served with a refreshing pesto aioli and overall this was my favorite dish of the three starters we tried. I liked the flavor and also the consistency of the zucchini but if there was one minor complaint it seemed like they were a bit oily. Possibly from the fryer oil not being fully heated. 

Zucchini Fritters (pesto aioli, parmigiano, pine nuts)

The pasta part of the menu has some intriguing options. If you too watched Top Chef you may also remember that pasta was a favorite of Chef Joe Flamm when it came to his cooking. So we were intent on trying at least one pasta and ended up choosing his Tortellini Djuvec which was more of a Croatian leaning option than most of the other ones. It was the most interesting to me. This dish suffered from the pasta being a bit too hard in some spots especially where it was folded. 

Tortellini Djuvec (red pepper, eggplant, preserved zucchini, parmigiano, pine)

The current menu features a few different risottos including a Midwest roast corn option described as including gran mugello cheese, pickled peppers, chives. That was for her but I did get a try and I liked it but thought it might have been a bit overdone. By this point some entitled older rich white couple came strolling onto the patio with two large Bernese Mountain Dogs on what was a windy night. They were seated at a table close to ours and it wasnt long before my wife found a dog hair in her drink (those things shed like crazy). I'd later find one on my finished plate of something else and just the fact these dogs were allowed to be there pissed me off. The restaurant didn't care bc half of the employees came over to pet them which I think made for more hair in the air. My wife did get her drink replaced but the whole thing was a total turn off as these dogs were maybe 5-6 feet from us. If there had been others at our table (we were seated at a four top) the dogs would've been all over them. There wasn't a ton of room and they're big dogs who weren't just laying there. Not right. 

Midwest Roast Corn Risotto (gran mugello cheese, pickled peppers, chives)

Maybe if we didn't have to wait more than 30 minutes between receiving her risotto and my cevapi we could've avoided the hair of the dog but for whatever reason it took quite a long time to get the cevapi to our table. I watched as other orders came out (we were the first table to order) so it's possible our waiter forgot. Not a deal breaker for me as he was waiting all 7-10 outside tables with the help of the kitchen staff bringing food out when ready. Anyway I ate a piece of the cevapi there before asking for a to-go container for the rest of it as I didn't want dog hair on it but also bc I was stuffed from the single piece. For each piece of cevapi there's a slice of terrific fresh baked bread called lepinja. The traditional accompaniments of ajvar, kajmak, and diced red onion comes served on the side. It's a nice portion of the popular Balkan snack consisting of a skinless sausage typically made with beef and lamb. The cevapi at Rose Mary was redder than any other I've tried. I'm not sure why that is but it had the look of Argentinean chorizo which isn't a bad thing it's just likely they put their own little touch on a dish that’s typically pretty traditional from spot to spot. My favorite bite of the meal.

Cevapi (lepinja, ajvar, kajmak, red onion) at Rose Mary 

Rose Mary 

932 W Fulton St
Chicago, IL 60607
(872) 260-3921
Website

Banh Mi Lotus Seed

-The Sammy's of Chi

The Banh Mi is without a doubt a global sandwich power house. Top 5 as far as I'm concerned. It's become very popular on a global scale and can be found from Wichita to the Czech Republic. Chicago has some good spots for a Banh Mi but we could always use more. Enter Lotus Seed. 

Locals Favorite in Uptown 

First off this spot is not to be confused with any other Vietnamese restaurants that have 'Lotus' and or 'Seed' in their name. It's it's own place and they do a few other things besides banh mi but it doesn't seem like that stuff is much different from any other Vietnamese spots around the neighborhood. But where Bahn Mi Lotus Seed stands out is in it's prep of their Bahn Mi. They use a sandwich press. 

The Lotus Seed Special at Banh Mi Lotus Seed 

Lotus Seed offers a variety of banh mi including a popular grilled pork version. But I always find it hard to pass on a Banh Mi Dac Biet which is typically going to be listed first on the menu as this is the most popular way to enjoy a Banh Mi sandwich. It's like the Italian of subs / hoagies. The Lotus Seed Special is listed first and consists of roasted jambon and steamed pork with pate, cilantro, mayo, and assorted vegetables. The press warms up the fillings just enough to where it's kind of like a hybrid banh mi / grinder. It's unique but not missing anything that makes a banh mi so good to begin with. 

Banh Mi Dac Biet at Banh Mi Lotus Seed 

Banh Mi Lotus Seed

5100 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 564-9529

Cafe Istanbul

-Grubbing in Chicago  
A Regional Turkish Treat in Wicker Park 

Over the last few years Chicago has seen it's Turkish food scene greatly improve. A 2019 article in the Reader written by Mike Sula describes this boom. One of the spots featured is Cafe Istanbul which sits in a small strip mall in Wicker Park. It's corner location along Division means they have a nice outdoor space as well as a decent amount of indoor seating. From what I could tell on my visits it's a popular spot with anybody who has a Turkish background in not just Chicago but the entire Midwest. 

Locals Favorite in Wicker Park

As Mike Sula details in the linked article this place is ran by a man from Turkey who was talked out of retirement to come here. With him he brought one of Turkey's most iconic spits of meat (Turkey is arguably the spit grilled meat capital of the world). Cag Kebab is a must get menu item from here. So much so that I cant bring myself to try anything else bc I have to have this if I'm eating at Cafe Istanbul. The Cağ kebabı (Cag Kebab) here is arguably Chicago’s best prep of spit grilled meat. It’s a regional specialty consisting of a horizontally grilled cone of lamb meat. Cooked over live fire and sliced “on the skewer” which is inserted into the meat and then sliced off resulting in an extra long piece of spit grilled fatty lamb. An absolute stunner and something that’s pretty rare outside Istanbul and Erzurum, the latter being a city in Eastern Turkey where Cag Kebab is said to have originated. Turkey is near the top of my bucketlist largely due to dishes like this. Having it in Chicago is a treat. 

Cağ kebabı (Cag Kebab) at Cafe Istanbul 

Cafe Istanbul
2014 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 661-9487
 Website 

En Passant

-Grubbing in Chicago  
New to the 'Scene'

I’ve been wanting to try the newest addition to a stretch of Diversey in Logan Square / Avondale quickly becoming its own restaurant row. There’s some critically acclaimed restaurants found over there and En Passant is the newest of a growing bunch. It opened in July after a year long delay.

Newly Opened in Avondale 

It’s a cozy spot from a restaurant vet who comes from Au Cheval amongst other places. It’s got a little European bistro feel going for it and the menu is intriguing (it changes gradually). I'd describe it as having a bit of influence from both Au Chevel and local Euro bistros. For starters we had an interesting order of crudo made with escolar and a platter of their chicken liver mousse served with an orange marmalade and sourdough. Both were pretty good but I cant quite remember exactly what was on the crudo save for some hoisin sauce (it's since been switched up). For an entree she decided on a fresh blueberry salad as this was the middle of blueberry season when we were visiting.

Crudo Escolar

Chicken Liver Mousse at En Passant

Blueberry Salad (baby lettuces, candied walnuts, feta, blueberry vinaigrette)

I didn’t go in expecting to get the burger but I’ve been on a bit of a burger binge and this one sounded pretty damn good. Plus I remember reading something that the chef from here had a hand in the making of the now famous Au Cheval burger. While that's not my favorite burger in town it is a hit and this one sounded like it could be even better by my estimates. It’s called the super smash and it’s a double fresh smashed patty with balsamic onion jam, Marie Rose sauce, brioche bun. Add American cheese if you please and why wouldn’t you? This was a gourmet burger in a way that could be described as fashionable but not over the top. Nothing fancy but not exactly traditional. It was dressed up just enough to not hide what makes a smashed burger so great in the first place. This one gets a yes from me as far as being worth it ($13 with cheese). You should probably add a side of Kennebec fries aka roasties which are worth getting even if you’re not having the burger. They remind me of the chunky puppies at Animale (RIP) which were a favorite. BYOB for the time being but you’ll likely need a reservation due to supply and demand issues. There's potential for a great neighborhood place.

Roasties at En Passant

Super Smash Burger at En Passant

En Passant
3010 W Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 799-8296
Website

Baha Restaurant

-Eating like a Mayan King in the Windy City

There's been a handful of mariscos spots to open up in the last year or so. Most of them serve up a similar menu of Nayarit driven dishes such "Langostinos" and shrimp empanadas and such. Some are better than others but for the most part they all feel the same. But when Baha opened in Belmont Cragin both the name then some of the menu items caught my eye. It's since been in the Tribune.

Recently Opened in Belmont Cragin

What caught my eye about Baha was a specific menu item that's been a hot trend out west for a little while now. Seafood Torres (towers) are a very popular Sinaloan dish at mariscos restaurants and stands in Los Angeles. They're beautiful on instagram and tiktok so that's a big reason why they're in-demand but they can also be decadent and delicious. It's made by taking a few kinds of cooked seafood and maybe some avocado and or fruit such mango and layering it one by one in a mold that holds all of it together after it's removed (standing like a tower). The torres are typically dressed with a combination of umami packing sauces (ex. Maggi) and salsas. Baha is the second spot I've seen doing these in the Chicagoland area so don't be surprised if they start to pop up more. Check the Trib article to get a peek of these social media stars. Baha makes three versions. Try the Sears Torres.

Huachinango (Whole Fried Red Snapper)

I'm just going to come out of the gate and say avoid the fish and shrimp tacos here. After a wonderful whole fried fish (red snapper) on our first visit we returned not too long after. The Huachinango was much better than I remember any other versions around here being and that includes the popular El Barco. Based on that I decided to try one of the fish and shrimp tacos and they were the most uninspiring fried seafood tacos I've ever been served. Flour tortillas with what looked to be pre-breaded fish and shrimp that was chopped up like carne asada. They didn't ask if I preferred corn until they came out and by then it didn't matter bc they were truly a sad sight (just onion and cilantro). But the whole fried fish is really good as were the beans on the side (requested instead of fries). I should note it wasn't as well fried the second time we got one but that's how it goes in the restaurant world. Another nice surprise was the fact their pescado zarandeado is a split whole grilled snapper, as opposed to just a filet which is how other spots around town tend to make one of my favorite preps of fish. The menu just says grilled fish but I asked and was assured it's bone-in snapper. Not bad for the landlocked Midwest (this dish is a Nayarit specialty also popular in Baja and Southern California). Just request corn tortillas bc it was best made into tacos. Service has been warm and welcoming.

Pescado Zarandeado at Baha 

Baha Restaurant
4842 W Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 283-8984
Website