Jas McDaniel, Paulius Musteikis, Sharon Vanorny
More than a few pretty restaurants opened in Madison this year. Everybody wanted to hang out at Estrellón, Graft, Barolo, Julep, Tavernakaya, and Gib’s Bar. Notably, they provided gracious gathering spaces as much about comfort, conviviality and community as good food and drink.
The outdoor patio at the heart of the Robinia Courtyard project at 829 E. Washington Ave., which opened in October, is the great outdoor space everyone wanted to be in — or at least, said they will want to be in come next summer. The interiors here (for Barolo, Julep and A-OK Coffee) are also thoughtfully done, beautiful but not flashy. Think Mary Ann, not Ginger. Estrellón, Tory Miller’s Spanish-inflected dining room on West Johnson, was the most “big city” of them all.
The revamped Edgewater Hotel opened, creating several new downtown dining spaces, from the luxe Statehouse, with expansive Lake Mendota views, to the chummy dockside Boathouse. A somewhat hidden snack bar called the Icehouse may get more play during ice skating this winter. If we manage to get any ice this winter.
Taps, part one
More places for comrades to convene arrived in the form of nanobreweries, brewpubs, gastropubs, taprooms and tap-centric beer bars: the Hop Garden in Paoli, the Parched Eagle in Westport, Octopi in Waunakee, Hop Haus in Verona, World of Beer in Middleton, two Mr. Brews Taphouses (downtown and Monona), HopCat downtown, Greenview on the east side, Waypoint Public House in Monona, and Freiburg Gastropub and Cafe Hollander on the west side. Yes, that is just from 2015. More are in the works.
The onslaught of tap lines — HopCat alone has 130 — is proof that craft brewers, statewide and nationally, recognize Madisonians as a savvy audience that knows its beer, and they want in.
Metamorphoses
The long vacant space at 1344 E. Washington Ave. (Fyfe’s Corner Bistro decamped in 2007) was nicely remodeled and is now home to a fourth Pasqual’s Cantina.
The mysterious storefront at 819 S. Park St. that still proclaimed “I’m Here” long after that Vietnamese restaurant was not, in fact, there, finally got a new tenant: the El Rancho Mexican Grill.
1847 at the Stamm House was a thoughtful renovation and reimagining of that historic sandstone farmhouse on Century Avenue in Middleton, featuring James Beard award-nominated chef Nick Johnson.
Max’s Farm Table moved into the space that had been built as a Blue Spoon Cafe at 2831 Parmenter St. in Middleton, empty since 2010. It’s a grass-fed beef burger and pizza restaurant run by Max Harn of Stella’s Bakery fame.
The Dayton Street Grill in the Madison Concourse Hotel was redesigned and reopened as CIRC. The Graduate Madison Hotel, itself a transformation of the old Campus Inn at 601 Langdon, has two new eateries: Portage Pi, a lobby concession with homemade hand pies, and the small-plates restaurant and bar called the Madison Blind.
The Avenue Bar was reborn as the Avenue Club and Bubble Up Bar. Tony Frank’s became the Badger Tavern after some updating, while keeping the classic neighborhood tavern feel.
Joey’s Seafood became North and South Smokehouse — same owners, new name. Jeng’s Asian Kitchen took over the Salad Creations on Monona Drive. Takara 88 moved into the old Pasta Nuovo in Middleton. The Blue Marlin closed and Hamilton’s on the Square opened.
Cosi on State Street closed, and the space remains empty, though there were an exciting few days in late May when a sign in the window announced a barbecue and orchestral strings joint to be called Porkestra. This, however, turned out to be a joke. We think this venue would be ideal for a Native Foods Cafe. Potential franchisees, anyone?
That great street
State Street became home to fast-casual restaurants like Colectivo Coffee, Mooyah, and Naf Naf Mediterranean Grill. Locally owned Forage Kitchen joined them — with a build-your-own-bowl concept and minimalist decor similar to many contemporary chains. Kung Fu Tea, a bubble tea chain with locations worldwide, moved into the old Dobra Tea. Diego’s closed and became Winedown.
Near State Street, a highly regarded gourmet hot dog joint, the Wiener Shop, opened on West Gilman. Longtime favorite Amy’s Cafe became Mezze, with Mediterranean small plates and a focus on craft cocktails. (Thomas Paras, who once owned Amy’s, opened Freska Mediterranean Grill at Greenway Station in Middleton.)
JD’s brick-and-mortar spot at 317. N. Bassett closed, though its late-night food cart can still be found on Frances at University. Madistan, offering Pakistani takeout, burgers and fried chicken, moved into the Bassett location.
Innovators
The Green Life Cafe, which bills itself as “plant to plate,” opened on Monroe Street; Bowl of Heaven, serving fresh juices and acai bowls, opened at Hilldale; Supercharge! Juice Bar, featuring fresh wheatgrass shots, opened on East Washington Avenue.
Noosh, a Middle Eastern/Israeli/Jewish restaurant from Laila Borokhim of Layla’s Persian Food, opened on South Park Street.
Nani, Madison’s only dedicated dim sum spot, opened at 518 Grand Canyon.
And SoHo Gourmet Cuisines became the only food cart to open a restaurant this year, serving salads, dumplings and Asian fusion rice plates at 2990 Cahill Main in Fitchburg.
Taps, part two
Kennedy Manor, the dining room that was unfortunately out-of-sight, out-of-mind in the historic Kennedy Manor apartments, closed. Built in 1929, it was a remnant of an earlier era, when a luxury apartment featured room service from its own dining room and bar.
Another spot that suffered from an offbeat location, the Ironworks Cafe in the Goodman Center, closed. Eight Seasons Grille, on a beaten path (Bassett Street) but not in a restaurant quadrant, shut its doors.
Also closed: Taco Bros., Cupcakes-A-Go-Go, the venerable Friday fish fry at the East Side Club, the Prime Quarter Steak House, Old Chicago, Imperial Garden-East, A-Sakura-Fitchburg.
Harold’s Chicken Shack on East Washington Avenue had the distinction of both opening and closing. The on-again, off-again Chimmie’s South American sub shop in Fitchburg reopened after having closed in 2014. But now it’s closed again.
Years from now (or maybe even days from now), no one will remember 2015 as the year that Schlotzsky’s Deli on East Washington Ave., sparsely patronized for years (did you ever see anyone eating there? I didn’t), finally closed and was torn down. What took so long?
