Jason Joyce
Picking up an order from Mermaid Kitchen is like being in on a very cool secret. After pre-ordering (before Friday, via the website mermaidkitchenmadison.com), customers show up at the rear entry of the Madison Enterprise Center on South Baldwin Street at a predetermined time on Saturday morning, exchanging knowing nods with fellow bagel lovers as they ride a freight elevator up to the second floor industrial kitchen (discreet signs mark the way). Often, chef and owner Lisa Jacobson, who used to run Mermaid Cafe in the Winnebago Street space currently occupied by Mint Mark, will greet you with a treat and tips on how to consume her creations. My favorite is the cacio e pepe bagel, a nod to the staple Italian pasta dish that translates to cheese and pepper. Jacobson’s version has a satisfying crunch on the outside, from the cheese, and a soft-but-chewy interior.
Rules and standards laid down by bagel purists are tiresome, so I ignore them. I’m as likely to enjoy a lightly toasted Mermaid bagel with butter or a slice of ham as I am with one of Jacobson’s flavored cream cheeses (scallion or “Holy Tshili Spicy Everything”) or labneh (a strained yogurt spread). And sometimes I can’t resist biting into one on my way home from the successful pickup.
