Joe Leute
Asparagus salad also stars bacon, poached egg yolk and arugula.
“Now it feels more like a restaurant than an extension of the HotelRED lobby,” says chef Jesse Kloskey of the Wise, the restaurant in the hotel that sits across the street from Camp Randall Stadium at the corner of Monroe and Regent streets. Kloskey, who oversaw the three-month-long makeover this spring, arrived at the Wise in April 2014.
Gone are the marble-top tables, awkward chairs and red-and-white color scheme that blended with the HotelRED theme. Today, the space features repurposed wood tables and other wood design elements that contribute to an airy, contemporary vibe.
Perhaps more importantly, Kloskey has revamped the menu. Raised in Cambridge, Wis., he trained in Chicago and Spain and worked as a chef in California before returning to the Madison area. He specializes in what he calls Wisconsin-Spanish fusion cuisine.
“The Spanish tradition and the Wisconsin tradition are very similar in how they embrace food, family and drink,” Kloskey says. “So it’s a natural connection to make.”
Even the restaurant’s name is a nod to Spanish history. King Alfonso X, the 13th-century king of Castile, was also referred to as “the Wise” and is commonly credited with originating the idea of tapas — appetizers designed to encourage conversation while drinking.
At the Wise, tapas include pintxos, appetizers skewered on bamboo sticks. Options include Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese and figs with a touch of maple syrup, or summer sausage and Carr Valley cheddar.
Menu items range from a chicken and waffle combo to the more traditional tapas plate of patatas bravas (fingerling potato fries tossed with green garlic, smoked chicken and smoked gouda cheese). Also on the menu: deep-fried beef chicharrones (a Wisconsin twist on a Spanish fried pork dish, with a “French onion soup” dip) and olive oil-poached prawns served with fennel ragout, fingerling potatoes, olives and saffron jus. “People want to eat what makes them feel comfortable,” Kloskey says. “But they don’t mind if it’s tweaked a bit.”
Kloskey obtains many ingredients from local and regional sources, but imports a few select items from Spain, including jamón ibérico de bellota — one of the most expensive hams in the world. He also grows many of his own ingredients (predominantly varieties of peppers) with a special soil mix, in 250 fabric pots that are part of the garden at his Cambridge home.
Regular menus will change every two or three weeks. Game-day menus, however, will include brats and wings. No tweaking necessary.
