Nadja Larini
Quesadillas, dressed up with seasoned chicken and sautéed peppers and onions, comes with salsa for dipping.
Mazomanie’s historic main street is cute — clearly it was once a thriving railroad town that has since quieted down. A lot. There are many empty storefronts.
But look closer. Base Camp stands out with its signature purple and green trim, found throughout the interior as well. There’s a lot going on inside, with a book nook up front, a board game area on the side and a piano adjacent to the dining tables. It may seem hard to discern at first if this place is a diner, a counter joint or maybe an ice cream shop.
Their own description of the place as a “stationary food truck” is apt. This is a place for the community to come together to enjoy good food. I realize diner food is something you can get right here in Madison, but Base Camp has put a spin on traditional diner food.
The kitchen dresses up quesadillas with spicy, richly seasoned chicken, sautéed sweet peppers and onions, and with a side of salsa for dipping. Grilled cheese sandwiches are deluxe. The delightful “pizza” version is made with a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese, large slices of Italian sausage, sautéed peppers and onions, and dots of tomato sauce.
But the real winner, a sandwich that I can’t get out of my head, is the meatloaf grilled cheese. Perfectly seasoned meatloaf, topped with a sweet, tangy glaze, is nestled between sharp cheddar and crunchy bread. What ups the ante on this sandwich is a layer of mashed potatoes: just enough to be there, but not enough to overwhelm.
Pizza, given that there’s a 45-minute notice necessary, requires a longer stay, but both the Greek and the barbecue pork are good bets.
As a diner, Base Camp offers plenty in the way of traditional breakfasts. Eggs come cooked any way, of course, but especially good are the omelets. French toast, quiche and pancakes several ways round out the morning fare. The blueberry pancakes, fluffy despite a good amount of blueberries, come with optional lemon sauce. Say yes, you won’t be disappointed.
The true specialty at Base Camp, and what first drew me to stop there initially, is the kitchen’s featured meals. Every weekend in April saw “Slurp Nights,” incorporating various Asian dishes like kimchi jjigae, tom kha and pho into the mix. We were lucky enough to experience the Mother’s Day brunch, which featured chef Izzy Larini’s recipes from her own Moroccan heritage. The spread was incredible.
Meatball tagine in tomato sauce and eggs shakshuka style could have been a meal in themselves. Baisara, a vegan split pea soup, was packed with flavor and spice. Baghrir Moroccan pancakes were thinner and crisper than the pancakes Americans tend to be familiar with, served with a delicate orange blossom syrup that added floral notes — just a hint.
They’re not regularly scheduled, but watch the calendar for the next night devoted to another special cuisine, because it’s worth making the trip when they do happen.
If you feel like a Sunday drive, or are heading into Spring Green, dining at Base Camp is a perfect addition to your travels. The trek to Mazomanie is an easy drive from the west side and an easy trip from the north side, too (via Highway 19). There’s little traffic to encounter west of Middleton, and if you’re planning to catch an APT show, tour Taliesin, or lose yourself in the ultimate bookshop Arcadia Books, consider making a stop first at Base Camp.
Base Camp
18 Brodhead St., Mazomanie; 608-401-1088; facebook.com/pg/basecampmz;
8 am-2 pm Mon., 8 am-2 pm Weds.-Thurs., 8 am-2 pm and
5 pm-8 pm Fri.-Sat., 8 am-2 pm Sun.; $2-$18, cash only.
