A quick glance back at my files finds me declaring 2015 the Year of the Multi-Tapline Pub and 2016 the Year of the Doughnut in Madison dining. In that spirit, I’m going to dub 2017 “The Year of the Unusual Idea.”
Let’s go crazy!
A number of restaurants broke new ground — in geography, cuisine, or concept — in 2017. Fuego’s on Williamson Street combined a vegan restaurant with a steakhouse and tapas bar. Cuco’s Mexican Fusion tried a Mexican/Japanese hybrid, but it opened and closed in short order. (Two other non-fusion Cuco’s remain open.) Camp Trippalindee brought rooftop firepits and DIY s’mores to the campus area when it replaced the short-lived Madison Blind. Pasture and Plenty, a new concept as a deli/ready-to-eat takeout meal/meal kit subscription service, opened in the former Sushi Box. Another hard-to-categorize new option is DelecTable, which offers reservation-only dinners on Saturday nights; it’s an offshoot of the Shorewood Vom Fass. Ritual replaced Si Cafe to become Madison’s only barber shop/coffeeshop/craft cocktail bar.
Ogden’s on North offered a 21st-century take on diner fare to the underserved Eken Park neighborhood. Bear & Bottle, with its upscale pub fare and extensive list of California and Wisconsin craft beers, was a bright spot for the underserved north side. It’s also Madison’s first Cali beer specialty bar. Good Food Low Carb Cafe brought healthy wraps and zoodle bowls to the underserved Rolling Meadows/Heritage Heights/Elvehjem neighborhoods (and to the underserved low-carb and gluten-free communities). Surya Cafe brought vegan and vegetarian food to the underserved Fitchburg technology park area (and to underserved vegans and vegetarians).
Casetta Kitchen and Counter, which opened in the former Bluephie’s Downtown Deli, isn’t the only Italian deli in town, but it’s the first to transform into a wine bar at night and host prix fixe Friday night dinners. And Taiwan Little Eats opened in the old Mad City Frites, giving Madison its first dedicated Taiwanese street food restaurant.
The flatlining of fine dining?
At the same time, Nostrano closed. The sophisticated Italian bistro was run by Tim Dahl, a veteran of the Chicago kitchen Blackbird, and his wife, James Beard Award-nominated pastry chef Elizabeth. Tim is taking some time off; Elizabeth is now pastry chef at L’Etoile and Graze. Nostrano’s historic space in the Jackman Building was taken over by Canteen, a taqueria and tequila bar.
Speaking of Mexican food...it was everywhere. Gloria’s, Los Atlantes, La Nopalera and Compadres all opened on the west side or in Middleton. Downtown, BelAir Cantina took over the former Francesca’s Al Lago, and on the east side, the venerable Ohio Tavern began serving tacos and elotes. Abbarotes Yuremi in Middleton became Taqueria Gonzalez: different name, same great tacos.
However, new restaurants of Nostrano’s caliber were nowhere to be found. Jardin comes close — the farm-to-table restaurant in Robinia Courtyard replaced southern-themed Julep. The highest-profile opening downtown was the Eno Vino wine bar at the top of the new AC Hotel; it didn’t break new culinary ground, but diners gained a new vantage point on the Capitol.
Madison also lost two great bakeries this year. 4 & 20 closed after the unexpected death of head baker Mandy Puntney, and Dough Baby, a project from former L’Etoile pastry chef Kristine Miller, closed after little more than a year.
New hope arrived in mid-December with the opening of Mint Mark, Chad Vogel’s new coffee bar and “produce-forward” Wisconsin restaurant in the old Mermaid Cafe.
Shifting sands
There’s always some shuffling of restaurants, just to keep people confused. Here’s your cheat sheet: Soga Shabu Shabu moved across State Street to the vacant MiaZa’s. Mr. Robert’s on Atwood got new owners and an upgraded bar menu. Tiki Shack closed (in a deal with the city) so that its owners could open Hail Mary, a sports bar, in the former Bellini. Restaurant Muramoto-downtown moved to the former 43 North space. Mezze on West Gilman closed; Paul’s Pel’meni, formerly on West Gorham, moved in.
After short stints with one concept, these spots reopened with new concepts. Palmyra Mediterranean Grill became Zandru’s, a tapas bar. Cambodian restaurant Angkor Wat became Chili King, focused on Chinese food. Thulasi Kitchen is now Anointed One Soul Food. Mad Boiling Crab opened in early summer, quickly changed its name to Mad Seafood Boiler, and has already shifted its focus from boiled seafood in a bag to add a sushi bar.
North of the Bayou opened in the big pink castle off Cottage Grove Road. It had most recently been home to Lagartos Mexican. North of the Bayou is a reboot of the original Bayou on South Butler Street; that space finally reopened as Blue Agave, a Tex-Mex spot, in December. Noosh, Laila Borokhim’s Jewish eatery with former incarnations on South Park Street and as a food cart, re-opened in brick-and-mortar form on Regent Street.
Brickhouse BBQ closed, but found a new cook in the form of Candy Flowers, who’d previously operated Sweet Tea on State Street. Sweet Tea closed, or sort of: Brickhouse BBQ is re-opening as Sweet Tea at Brickhouse. I told you that you would need a cheat sheet.
Two by two
Bloom Bake Shop opened a second location on Monroe Street; Chocolaterian opened a second spot on University Avenue in Middleton. State Street’s Pizza di Roma opened a west side location. For those who love the thin-crust pies at Buck’s Pizza, there’s just one branch left, on Cottage Grove Road. The west side location closed and has been unable to locate new digs. Two boutique soup chains opened in the Greenway station area: Zoup! and Cafe Zupas.
There was a slowdown in the insane number of new nanobreweries and brewpubs. However, Longtable Beer Cafe opened in Middleton from the owners of Brasserie V. And the Westport nanobrewery The Parched Eagle opened a second taproom on East Washington Avenue. Madison Tap, which rotates Wisconsin craft beers, replaced Barolo wine bar in Robinia Courtyard.
Also new this year: Chutney’s, Monona Bakery and Eatery, LJ’s Sports Tavern & Grill, Koi Sushi, 5 Star Korean, Village Pizza, Ancora-University Avenue, Sumo Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, Sliced Deli and Lola’s Cafe.
So long, old chums
The original New Orleans Takeout on Fordem Avenue closed; it had been serving Creole and Cajun cuisine since 1985. (The Monroe Street location remains open.) Tom’s Red Pepper closed on Gammon Road. The restaurant had operated for years as the Red Pepper at Stoughton Road and East Wash (in the old Golden Rooster!) before opening in the Gammon storefront in 2007. Halverson’s Supper Club, an institution on the way to Stoughton, closed. Ditto Fitzgerald’s in Middleton. Not a good year for supper clubs.
Also closed this year: Opus Lounge, Sophia’s, Hamilton’s on the Square, Jamba Juice, O.S.S., Granite City, 5th Element Coffee, Double S Barbecue (now a food truck) and Las Islas Del Mar.
