bartaco
Not pronounced like “portico”: bartaco, a lower-cased taco emporium at Hilldale (say “bar taco”), is now open. It seems to have its finger on the pulse of mix-and-match dining. Tacos are also available as lettuce wraps, and there’s even a poke bowl on the menu, plus salads and rice bowls. There’s also a distinct Asian twist to many menu items, including a slaw and a spicy cucumber salad.
Fibbies, rejoice: Portillo’s, which brings fast-casual to the Chicago-style hot dog joint, will open at 4505 East Towne Blvd. on March 4. Chicago-centric eateries are way down in the Mad City — there’s just Sweet Home Wisconsin on Regent Street (A Wisco/Illini fusion spot) after the 2018 demise of the FIBs cart. Portillo’s has a much more wide-ranging menu than just Chicago dogs and Italian beef, however: ribs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, a grilled tuna sandwich, chicken noodle soup and even tamales. No poke bowls, though.
What a feeling: An app called Flashfood has partnered with all three Madison-area Hy-Vee grocery stores to inform users as to what food items are heading to their “best-by” dates. Those purchasing them through the app get a discount. Items are picked up from a “Flashfood zone” in the store. The app will help counteract the problem of waste food.
Recent items on the docket have included a lot of milk and bread, Lindt’s sea salt dark chocolate bars, Entenmann’s doughnuts, some brie, pre-made deli sub sandwiches, and a lot of protein powder.
Flashfood is currently the only app of its kind and was developed in Canada. Hy-Vee’s three Madison stores are working with the app on a trial basis and are its first U.S. partners. Its other grocery clients are stores in Ontario and Quebec.
