7 Dishes in Madison, Wisconsin you need to try.
And where to find them all yourself
Its been a darn good month of eating let me tell you! Having been overseas for almost all 2019 and just returning mid December, it seems I have missed out on some big and small dining scene changes here in my native Mad-town. Now I got my fare share of amazing eats over in NE Italy and Europe as a whole don’t get me wrong, I ate very well there too but at the same time, you always come to miss those familiar places, dishes and flavors of home and for me that’s Madison.
In the past 4 weeks and change since my return, I made sure to get out and make up for any lost time and to quell any burning cravings I’ve had for local fare both new and familiar alike. These 7 spots/dishes deserve to be on any Madisonian’s list of places to try if not yet done so as of this reading.
In no particular order or ranking, these are the 7 spots I have been since returning to the states. I highly suggest you get out and try these exact dishes yourself. Thank me later. Happy eats!
Mickie’s Dairy Bar (corner of Monroe and Regent)
This has been and still is my all time favorite diner to hit up for breakfast fare that’s simple, delicious, cheap, big portioned and consistent. The staff are awesome, the place is a true 50’s throwback and you get every walk of life possible from across the city and campus in here. I have had many items from the menu on my countless visits but this visit being my first in over a year had one item only as my mission…pancakes! Big, fat, thick, plate sized pancakes second to none. They offer 6 flavors of hotcakes in stacks of 2, more than enough for anyone. Think hockey puck thick yet soft, pillow-like, moist and delicious. Oatmeal-raisin and cornmeal are my favorites but none of them have I ever disliked (I have had all 6). I opted for cornmeal hotcakes this time as its a nice change up from anywhere else or any other kind of pancake you find most places. Real cornmeal mixed into the batter so you smell and taste that “corny” flavor and aroma with each bite. Cost for 2 manhole sized hotcakes with tax: $7.50 (cash only folks!)
In place of the old Bluphies’ Diner, this was my debut visit on a Friday night at 815pm sans any reservation….took a chance doing so but really wanted to try these folks out. It was meant to be as there was one spot left at the bar for first come first serve and I nabbed it. The place itself is pretty dope! Really cool decor and vibe going on inside. Captures a true SoCal feel and I should know as I lived there for 5 years. Besides the ambiance , the menu also reflects a SoCal flare just the same. For a really busy night I got served pretty quick I felt. They churn out dishes like a well oiled machine here that is for sure. My main dish pick was the bourbon half roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes in a light lemon honey sauce. My side dishes were roasted sprouts and charred broccoli. All three picks were hits in my book. Chicken skin was crispy and caramelized, chicken meat was moist, tender and flavorful. The lemon-honey sauce made the soft potatoes and roasted carrots taste like little candy morsels. Broccoli when charred just right takes on a whole new flavor profile I just love and they nailed it. The sprouts were awesome as well but as can happen many times with roasted/glazed sprouts, just a tad too much oil can render the bottom of the dish oily and soggy and too rich/heavy to finish. Minor infraction in the grand scheme of things. Total meal cost with tax: $33.36
Ian’s Pizza (Garver Feed Mill)
Only been to this location a twice before and got the BYO salads which are great in their own right but this was the first time I got a slice of famed “pizza”. On Saturdays during the indoor Madison Market from 8am-11am Ian’s serves up its breakfast pizza line. Being a lactose intolerant that I am I opted for a pizza unlike I had ever seen (remember that I spent last year in NE too!) A sweet breakfast pizza called “jam berry jam” that sold me just by looking at it let alone its description of ingredients. Light vanilla yogurt base, pistachio ricotta honey cream, whole blue and raspberries, berry compote drizzle and honey roasted granola. Wham-bam thank you ma’am! So glad I tried this, it’s good… really good! I was curious how a typical pizza dough would mesh with its toppings but it sure did. You gotta try this pizza if you want something, quick, cheap and relatively healthy for a quick bite while hitting the market. Cost per slice with tax: $4.50
Ha Long Bay (Willy St.)
First time back in here in well over a year actually. Twice prior was also for lunch just like this visit was. A weekday lunch strolling in at noon, I came in with my folks as I quickly turned them onto this place as well, not hard to do really. An extensive menu of Lao, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine done equally well across the board. I have had countless items from the huge menu they offer here but this time I went lighter with some basics that never disappoint. My picks were chicken satay, fresh shrimp spring rolls, veggie soup and a side of steamed veggies. I made a meal from appetizers and soups really but you know what….I can do that if I want to! Vegetarians and vegans gotta love this place I’m sure of it. Total cost for my selections with tax: $21.20.
Mad Seafood Boiler (near Capitol)
Never having tried anything from this place before, I figured now was the time do so when the craving for a good old poke’ bowl came a calling. Not sure which to try since you can pick signature designs or build you own bowl…I went with a fan favorite according to Yelp, the King salmon poke’ bowl. This was a take out order I admit but I hear that’s half the business they do here is take out orders. Even after getting the bowl home and unpacking it, it still looks appealing in design with its color spread I admit. The salmon was super fresh as were all the ingredients, packed with their inherent flavors. The salmon was melt in your mouth soft and darn good to say it simply. Portion is a wee bit small IMO but hey that’s just me. Price for the bowl with tax: $13.55.
Another first time visit to this not even year old establishment in Madison off Broadway. Two locations exist with the other in Sun Prairie. I went for the Chipotle pork tenderloin (medium) with sauteed mushrooms and cauliflower mash plus a second side of roasted Brussels sprouts. An amazing simple dish wonderfully done. Pork was tender and flavorful and well seasoned. Cauliflower mash actually had some great flavor to it with what I think was just some herbs and Parmesan. The sprouts however were pure veggie crack! Perfectly roasted/charred with a caramelized balsamic glaze and sprinkle of Parmesan. Good portions, good quality, good service. Meal cost with tax: $26.50
Having seen Chef Dan Fox on a food for through episode about the Sitka Salmon Shares partnership they have, I was impressed by what this place does, how they do it and why they do it. I checked out the website and menu and saw they did weekend brunch with some unique menu items. I had to go see for myself. So once again me and my folks ventured out on a cold wintery Saturday morning to arrive just after they opened for quick seating. Again, way cool interior I must say. Got to sit next to the open kitchen to see our dishes and every other spectacular looking/smelling dish being sent out as well. My pick was the beef sirloin, frites & eggs. It landed a solid 10 in my book. Superb job on the medium rare sirloin steak mark. The fried, poached eggs are truly delicious but at first a mystery, posing first as two small fried potatoes but then upon first bite, explode with the goodness of a soft boiled egg, gushing its yellowee goodness into your mouth. A simple market side salad with light citrus dressing and side of house cut fries seasoned just right round off the plate. The whole-grain toast with berry preserves is all worth sampling as well to see how real artisan bread and real, pure, berry fruit spread should taste. Oh and I must note, the Heritage bloody Mary is not to be missed! Cost of entree, toast and bloody with tax: $30.17
So there you have them, 7 local food-finds to go out and try for yourself now. As for me, having been back for just over 4 weeks now its early yet, I have many more regular favorites to go visit again as well as several new spots to check out also. Madison is and has been a city really coming into its own on the dining scene with top chefs driving innovation, expanding farm-to-table concepts and local food sourcing, focusing on regional ingredient uses and still maintaining a careful navigation to keep things traditional and authentic. Get out there Madison and taste what your city has to offer you! Happy eats!
