Amy Stocklein
107 State
Even since the pandemic hit, new restaurants have been opening. These capsule reviews represent the new eateries our reviewers dined at from April 2019 until mid-March, 2020: brewpubs, tasting rooms, pizzerias, bistros, taquerias — updated in late August 2020 with each site's pandemic dine-in, patio, delivery and takeout options. Original reviewers were Linda Falkenstein, Allison Geyer, Kelly Green, Kyle Nabilcy, Nigel O’Shea, Candice Wagener and Michelle Wildgen.
The dining room is woodsy and modern, with cool-toned wood planks on the walls, a long bar, comfy-looking deep booths. The 107 Butter Burger is damn near unseemly in its juiciness and brawny flavor. In a thoughtful touch, every wine is available by the glass. Pandemic menu has shifted largely to burgers and pasta. Patio seating available, takeout, delivery. — M.W.
A worthy Italian specialty market and carryout sandwich shop from the team behind A Pig in a Fur Coat. Italian beef, meatball, mortadella, prosciutto, porchetta — they’re all the essence of everything that’s good in a deli sandwich. Takeout, delivery. — C.W.
The menu is expansive (note, the pandemic menu is more limited), with the expected tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas and enchiladas. There’s also a wide-ranging roster of margaritas, sangria, tequilas, Latin American-inflected cocktails and wine. The taco board is fun and contains slots for 14 tacos. Takeout, delivery, dine-in and patio seating. — C.W.
The Audrey is the new dining space inside the Monona Terrace Hilton. The menu has been put together thoughtfully. The kitchen shows a sure hand in its treatment of wild-caught halibut, plated with a broth and boiled new potato, and a dish of sautéed shrimp with green curry sauce and a fun coconut scallion rice cake. The Audrey is newly re-opened as of mid-August with a limited seasonal menu Thursday-Saturday evenings, with bar service from 3-11 p.m. and dinner service from 5-10 p.m. Dine-in. — L.F.
Chris Hynes
Bar Corallini
It’s easy to feel you’ve suddenly jetted to Italy and are lazing at a chic bar on the Gulf of Naples, sipping a Venetian spritz. White walls, exposed brick, light wood — there’s a tremendous sense of joie de vivre. The highlight here is the Neapolitan-style pizzas, but there are also plenty of pasta dishes and gluten-free pasta is available. Dine-in, patio, takeout, delivery. — L.F.
Buck & Honey’s - Monona
The spacious, deep violet dining room boasts a freestanding fireplace and enough curved lines and half walls to create the sensation of expansiveness without echoes. Warm, thoughtful service; large menus. A plate of pan-fried walleye showcases what this kitchen does best: takes an old school dish and skips reinventing it in favor of rendering it straightforward and delicious. Dine-in, takeout, delivery. — M.W.
Amy Stocklein
Cadre
Chef Evan Dannells’ food and wine menus lean French, but not slavishly (the kitchen nods toward Wisconsin too). Classic preparations include steak frites, moules frites, bouillabaisse and beef bourguignon, while the brunch/lunch menu features a croque madame, beignets and crepes. There is an expansive tap beer menu and a few inventive non-alcoholic options as well. Note: the menu during the pandemic has shifted to prix fixe with changing seasonal dishes. Reservations are requested. Limited indoor seating; patio seating. — M.W.
Hand-crafted ciders made from antique cider apples grown near Mineral Point are paired with small bites and a few larger plates. The tasting room is comfortable, with a beautiful wood bar and garage-door style windows raised on pleasant days. Ingredients are extremely fresh and prepared in a way that allows the flavor of each to shine. — C.W.
The basis for the majority of dishes is a tortilla wrap with tater tots and other fillings. The specialty wraps are the most innovative. The wraps in general are a hefty meal. My pick from the sides menu is the fried pickle spears — nice and hot with a crust of herbed breading and a side of ranch dressing. Dine-in, takeout, delivery. — N.O.
The coffeehouse occupies a bright rectangular space in a stretch of Rimrock Road at the Novation Campus. The room feels light but cozy, dotted with rich azure blue tiles and pendant lamps as well as a glowing fireplace. In addition to Salvadoran, direct-relationship coffee, dishes include Salvadoran quesadillas (petite, lightly sweetened cakes), pupusas, Mexican quesadillas and burritos. Takeout, dine-in, patio seating. — M.W.
Forage Kitchen checks off more than the usual boxes when it comes to what the average diner is looking for in a fast-casual dining experience. Locally sourced ingredients. Eco-friendly packaging. Fresh. Low carb. Creative vegetarian options. The grain bowls are thoughtfully crafted and use savory ingredients in a way that is both complementary and innovative. Online ordering, takeout, delivery. Hilldale and Monona dining rooms are open for dine-in at limited capacity. — C.W.
Dishes like the pan-seared salmon, the fried perch sandwich, the pork loin sandwich and steak tacos are all good. Hearty Germanic beer styles are a specialty. Dine-in, patio seating, takeout, delivery. — K.N.
Familiar fare in downtown Sun Prairie — tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tortas — and a basket of chips and salsa, just the way everyone likes it. Pambazo, torta, tacos or the decadent Maria’s Platter are all good choices. Dine-in, takeout, delivery. — K.N.
A modest quick-serve food counter in the back of Monona’s Viet Hoa Market is tops in grab-and-go. Fried sesame balls, Lao sausage, banh mi, pad thai, banh cuon and other noodle dishes are an embarrassment of riches. Takeout, delivery. — K.N.
Nawabi Hyderabad House Biryani Place
There are 23 different kinds of biryani on the menu, with more on the weekend. The large menu also features Indo-Chinese dishes, tandoori and dosa. Dine-in, takeout, delivery. — K.G.
Carolyn Fath Ashby
Ian's at Garver Feed Mill
Ian’s at Garver Feed Mill
Reliably good pizza with many memorable signature slices, not just mac ’n cheese. Salads are typically fresh and flavorful, not to mention quite large. The Southwest salad will deliver sunny vibes year-round with kernels of corn and a spicy green chile ranch dressing. Seating outside at the Garver patio, takeout, delivery.— K.N.
Breathe easy, Team Free Chips and Salsa. Stoughton’s La Cantina is on your side. The menu is long, seven very full pages. And the plates are as full of food as those pages are of content. Chile relleno, fajitas and enchiladas are good picks. Dine in, takeout. — K.N.
Little Tibet pulls dishes from Himalyan, Tibetan, Nepali and Bhutanese cuisines. Momos are available in beef, chicken or vegetable varieties and sometimes as a daily special. Rustic curries and stir-fried noodle dishes are joined by several flavors of Bhutanese datshi, soupy cheese stews with extremely hot peppers. Takeout, delivery. — L.F.
Amy Stocklein
Marie's Soul Food
The menu is modest: four meats (ham, fried chicken, baked chicken and ribs) and five sides (baked macaroni and cheese, dressing, collard greens, yams and corn on the cob). A meal means receiving a sizable portion of meat, two sides, a corn muffin and a beverage. Fried chicken and ham are both very popular. Takeout only. — C.W.
The space has been nicely renovated with red accent lighting, a birch tree motif and decorative Korean pottery. It’s casual but upscale, priced a bit below Madison’s version of fine dining. Traditional dishes are joined by more fusion-y appetizers like Korean fried chicken wings. Ssam plates, or lettuce wraps, are healthy yet deliver complex and deeply satisfying flavors. Dine-in, takeout, delivery, patio seating. — A.G.
The kitchen has moved inside from the food truck, and delights include pork belly tacos and a perfect smashburger. Octopi’s tap list is never boring; it gravitates to audacious brews, like sours, big barrel-aged sweet stouts and milkshake IPAs. To-go beer sales and food to-go Fridays and Saturdays only. Order online only. — L.F.
Laura Zastrow
Palette Bar & Grill
In the Hotel Indigo, Palette has sleek leather booths and big windows that let in an abundance of natural light. The kitchen is fully exposed to the dining room and offers a focused entree menu of steaks and seafood. Try the 16-ounce New York strip or a big burger. Breakfast is also served. ** As of mid-August, Palette is once again closed, temporarily, according to its website, and hopes to resume takeout soon. — C.W.
Farm-to-table is the focus. The kitchen team has a knack for dressing up a simple dish. Eggs benedict, avocado toast, granola, grain bowls, sandwiches, even grilled cheese is something special. Meal kits, dinners. Pickup and delivery; subscription service. — C.W.
Up north here, we occasionally don’t mind eating a Chicago dog instead of a brat. Portillo’s Chicago dog is classic, nestled in a poppy seed bun with layers of neon green relish, diced onions, tomato wedges, and hot sport peppers, drizzled with mustard. The Italian beef sandwich is very thinly shaved, slow-roasted beef piled extremely high on Chicago’s own Turano french rolls. Dine-in, drive-through, delivery. — C.W.
Red Lion Singapore Grill and Japanese Cuisine
Familiar Japanese dishes join Singaporean dishes not often seen in Madison. Hainanese chicken rice, Singapore’s national dish, is typically prepared only Wednesday and Thursday nights. It is supremely tender chicken served with ginger and scallion sauces. Saucy curries, dense gyoza and chewy, hearty yaki udon are good options on other nights. Online ordering. — K.N.
Small menu focusing on barbecue mixes and matches basic elements to create rich, snacky bar appetizers and a few sandwich baskets, but beer remains the focus. Pandemic menu is somewhat abbreviated. Beer to-go in growlers and howlers, too. Order online or on the phone. Takeout, curbside delivery. — L.F.
Amy Stocklein
Royal Indian
At first glance, the menu can be overwhelming, with more than 50 options for entrees alone. There are ample options for vegetarians, and there’s a big selection of stuffed naan. Much of the menu represents Indian comfort food at its best. Order online, dine-in, takeout, delivery. — C.W.
The restaurant is named for its signature menu offering — a deluxe, extra-long quesadilla the shape of a machete blade. It’s as amazing as it sounds, and so is everything else on the menu. And the handmade tortillas are among the best in town. Gorditas, sopes and huaraches — all variations on the same concept — also make use of the handmade tortillas, and all are excellent. Patio service, curbside pickup, takeout.— A.G.
The menu offers two kinds of ramen, pork and vegetarian, plus a kids’ ramen, and more than a dozen sushi rolls and nigiri or sashimi options. The sushi rolls are artfully composed and anchor the menu. Dine-in, delivery and takeout; online ordering.— M.W.
The lunch special bento box has many good Chinese options as well as some American Chinese favorites. Fish fillet with pickled pepper is hot and spicy; a rich twice cooked sliced pork comes with fried peppers and onions. Online ordering and delivery. — L.F.
Ryan Wisniewski
Union Corners Brewery
Spacious, comfortable new space. The tap list is a pint deep and a mile wide; the small brewing system can turn out new batches of different styles nimbly. Good burgers, porchetta sandwich, Buffalo chicken sandwich and crisp fries. Serving at a few tables inside, but spacious patio outside, plus online ordering and takeout. — K.N.
[Editor's note: This story was originally written to publish in the Isthmus Dining special section in April. Restaurant details have been updated to correspond with each restaurant's current status during the COVID-19 restrictions.]
