One Barrel Brewing Company, a small-batch "nanobrewery," is slated to open July 6 at 2001 Atwood Ave., in Schenk's Corners. As owner-brewer Peter Gentry can brew only one barrel at a time, turnover of styles should be brisk and the beer list will change daily.
At opening, there will be "at least" two of One Barrel's own beers on tap, says Gentry: Definitely the Commuter, a Kölsch, and he's "99% sure" he'll have his Strong Ale #2, a Belgian-style brew. Eventually there will be up to nine house beers, but Gentry plans on saving a couple of taps for other small, unique Wisconsin beers. Hours will be Tues.-Wed. 4-11 p.m., Thurs.-Fri. 4 p.m.-1 a.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-1 a.m. and Sun. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Foods will include a Wisconsin cheese board, Fraboni's pizzas and Stalzy's hot soft pretzels.
Longtime Madison eaters/drinkers will probably remember the Brat und Brau, a German/Wisconsin pub whose original location was at 1421 Regent St. (now the Oakcrest) and which later expanded to locations on South Stoughton Road, Mineral Point Road, and the East and West Towne food courts. The last location closed in 2001, but a son of one of the original owners, Patrick Hiebing, along with partner Paul Winkel, is fulfilling a longstanding dream and reopening the restaurant. Hiebing was a manger there in the early '90s, and "always wanted to get back to it."
The new Brat und Brau is in Mazomanie's historic downtown at 18 Brodhead St. (608-257-2186), and open for the time being only Friday-Sunday. "We're playing it by ear right now," says Hiebing, who was just three when the original B & B opened in 1969.
The restaurant will serve much the same menu - the brats are the original house recipe, and "really big, they're supposed to be 1/4 lb. each, but our supplier made them more like 1/3 lb.," says Hiebing. Back also are the Brauburger, the steak sandwich, homemade onion rings and a Friday fish fry.
Mayor Paul Soglin's wish to have a neighborhood-building event in Meadowood centered on the city's food carts ("Good Food = Good Neighborhoods," 3/16/2012) has been fulfilled. The first Madison Meet & Eat will take place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the parking lot adjacent to the Meadowood Shopping Center on July 12, and thereafter on July 19, 26, and Aug. 2. Vendors will include Banzo, Caracas Empanadas, Luangprabang, Teriyaki Samurai, Electric Earth, Ernie's Kettle Korn, Natural Juice, Wei's Food to Go and FIBs.
The Sugarbomb Dessert Company will be vending cupcakes and other goodness at the Vintage Flea & Finds Pop-Up Market at the East Side Club, 3735 Monona Dr., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 8. Word is there will be at least 10 flavors of cupcakes.
After months of a sign lingering in the window at 15 N. Butler St. indicating that Naples 15 was coming, the time is here: The new restaurant should open next week, according to chef and owner Salvatore DiScala.
DiScala, a native of Naples and sometimes-resident of the island of Ischia, first came to Madison as a UW student in 1984, and his restaurant will feature true Neapolitan recipes with many ingredients imported from Italy. The space's existing wood oven has been modified - only the floor is the same, says DiScala - and he's brought in a $25,000 espresso machine for a new espresso bar and a Berto dough mixer, which will properly oxygenate the dough. He's also redecorated with Naples-themed tiles.
In addition to pizzas, the menu features a few meat and seafood dishes and authentic pasta dishes, like spaghetti with tomato and basil, spaghetti with clams, linguini puttanesca, ragu alla genovese, ragu napoletano, gnocchi and risotto. The 15 pizzas start with the margherita and move on to the Ischian special of arugula with Parmesan; photos of all the pizzas, paired with proper Italian song, can be seen at the Naples 15 website, naples15.com, along with more about the history of DiScala's native cuisine.
Forequarter, the new venture from Underground Food Collective, is now officially open at 708 1/4 E. Johnson St., with food service from 5 to 10 p.m. Mon.-Sat., and then drinks until midnight.
