The Old Fashioned is Old News

Why does everyone seem to love this place?  When people come to town they always seem to have heard of The Old Fashioned and suggest going there.  I have personally experienced this with friends and family, and I know others who have as well.  This boggles my mind.  The food is mediocre, and I say that only because I do enjoy their breakfast.  Their menu is scant in my opinion and the service is terrible.  I have just never been impressed by the place.

Exhibit A: The first time I ever visited the Old Fashioned I was not impressed by the menu.  There are not many healthy options on the menu and when I found what I thought sounded amazing and healthy (No. 35 grilled eggplant and portabella sandwich) turned out to have a highly unpleasant texture and zero flavor.

Exhibit B: I arrived at The Old Fashioned for lunch when my sister and mom were in town and we were meeting a friend.  The server got us water and took our drink order which seemed to take a while even though the restaurant was quiet at the time.  After getting our beers my sister asked for some lemons for our beers.  They never came, and we had to ask for them a second time, but by then we had almost finished our first beers.

I ordered their summer sausage sandwich which sounded delicious, and it was okay.  Very greasy, but okay.  However, I left the restaurant feeling sick and crampy - not how I want to end a meal.

Exhibit C:  Now, my husband and I always forget that the Sunprint Cafe is closed on Sundays (which is incredibly silly and feels like a bad business decision to me, but anyways) and we end up walking up to the cafe and realizing this after we arrive.  Therefore, we always end up having to choose another brunch option.  Automatically we think Bradbury's, but then we usually get there and the line is out the door, which means waiting probably another hour before eating.  At this point we probably have considered going to Gotham or heading somewhere down State St., but a couple of times we have made the decision to go to The Old Fashioned.  The first time we made this decision I was very hesitant, but thought I would give them another chance on breakfast.  It went well, the food was good, but again, not very healthy as half of our plate was covered in potatoes.

So, after trying to go to Sunprint again on a Sunday morning we ended up at The Old Fashioned for brunch a second time.  We ordered coffee when we first sat down and our coffee did not arrive before our waiter came to take our food order.  We reminded him and again, our coffee did not arrive until just before our food came out.  We waited probably 15-20 minutes for our coffee....

Exhibit D:  After having an okay experience for breakfast I decided to go to The Old Fashioned with my mom the next time she was in town.  Again we were meeting up with a friend and thought it would be convenient since it was the same place we met the last time we got together.  So, we get our coffee, etc. and are waiting for our food and when it comes out my mom's is cold.  They take the plate from her and apologize, but bring it back a minute later.  She's pretty sure they just threw it in the microwave or something.   NOT IMPRESSED.

I'm done with this place.   I applaud them for using fresh and local products, but their representation of Wisconsin eating is sad.  Some people say, "But what about the cheese curds?" and to that I say, "I prefer the curds at Graze."

Unless I'm going because someone else really wants to or am just going for a drink, forget it.  I'd rather spend my money at Bradbury, Lazy Jane's, or Sunprint Cafe (if they ever decide to  open for Sunday morning brunch)

Horrible service, mediocre food, have left feeling sick more than once.

What’s With all the Sushi??

Madison seems to be turning into quite the sushi hotspot.  Off the top of my head I can name four sushi restaurants within a mile of my house and more are coming!! 
I have not tried them all, I have to admit, but can you blame me?  Restaurant Muramoto has stolen my sushi heart!  And I thought Takara was good…

Here’s the scoop:
The two times we have been here we have gotten the maki combo.  It’s a great deal, and you get a good variety.  It’s especially nice when you go with a lot of people because you can all share.  The thing about the maki combo…you don’t get to pick your rolls, the chef does!  I think that’s awesome, but others might be pickier so keep that in mind.
The maki combo gives you three sushi rolls, one regular, one inside out, and one special for $20.

This was my plate. 
Regular: Tekka Roll (tuna)
Inside out: Spicy Shrimp Roll (shrimp, masago mayo, scallion, seven spice, chili oil)  -  Umm…delicious.
Special: Rainbow Roll (tuna, hamachi, salmon, crab, avocado, cuke)  -  A lot of fish, very filling, but good.  I would try to eat/share most of this first so it doesn’t get too warm.

This was AJ’s plate.
Regular: Salmon Roll
Inside out: Spicy Tuna Roll
Special: Dante Roll (hamachi, cuke, greens, habanero tobikko)  -This one is VERY spicy…just a warning.  I love spicy, but this was ridiculously spicy because of the black roe.  But nonetheless, it was fun to eat.

Everything was great and the atmosphere is awesome too.  We usually sit at the bar so that we can watch the chefs cook.  Sometimes it gets a little intense, but you can thank them directly when its great!
On this trip we splurged and got dessert : ).  We were not sure what to pick since everything sounded great, but here is what our waitress suggested…

The top plate is the black sesame ice cream and below are the chocolate satsuma beignets with miso caramel. 
All of this was amazing.  The beignets were great both with the caramel and with the ice cream. 
The ice cream itself was surprisingly tasty, and the miso caramel I seriously could have eaten by itself it was that good.
A little pricey, but worth it once in a while for a great date night!

Insider tip: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights its $25 for all you can eat sushi.  Just FYI. : ).
Read what others have to say here.

Best Coffee in Town…and Delicious Crepes!

There are so many coffee shops in downtown Madison, but I think I have found the best.  Many of you may know about it already, and I have for a while as well, but have finally found the time to write about it and am so excited to share it with you.  Bradbury’s on N. Hamilton St. has by far the best coffee I’ve had in this city.

Now, let me tell you, I am not really a basic coffee drinker.  I usually get the specialty drinks, like lattes and mochas.  I also drink regular coffee with some delicious creamer in it, but I have to say Bradbury’s pour over coffee goes down so smoothly and tastes amazing with nothing added to it! 

The first time I visited Bradbury’s I had a latte, and I remember wondering, “What’s taking so long?” but when it arrived, I realized it was made with such care, and the flavor and warmth made up for the wait.
At other coffee shops I usually end up getting flavorings in my lattes, but here it is completely unnecessary.  There is a perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness, and it has thick foam that is so yummy I would get coffee here everyday if I had the time and money.

Bradbury’s also serves crepes (for some reason I can’t figure out how to put the accent on the “e”).  They use local, fresh, seasonal ingredients and they are amazing.  I grew up eating crepes a lot.  It was kind of a tradition on my dad’s side of the family, but we would always make dessert crepes and have them for breakfast.  They were filled with fruits, sour cream, brown sugar, whipped cream, etc.  However, I had never had a savory crepe until I had this at Bradbury’s…

This is a ratatouille crepe WITH a dippy egg!!  Mmmmm!  It was so surprisingly good and it was a lot of fun to watch them make the crepes too.

The only complaint I have about Bradbury’s, and some may argue with me on this, is that it is the hole in the wall of all holes in the wall.  It is tiny.

This wouldn’t be so bad, except for the fact the food and coffee is amazing and so there is often a line that extends out the door, and sometimes you may find yourself with nowhere to sit.  On cold Wisconsin days this is especially annoying because of cold air constantly coming in from outside.  Here is a picture of seriously the entire café (ok, it does the accent automatically on café, but not on crepe, hrmph) including the kitchen area, and as you can see it is definitely a tight squeeze.
Overall though, best coffee and one of my top picks for breakfast.

Insider Tip: So busy on the weekends...

Lazy Jane's Cafe

Located on well-known Williamson St. in a very eclectic neighborhood, Lazy Jane's Cafe offers up the homiest eating experience in Madison that I know of.  The cafe is basically a house that was simply converted into a communal eating space by eliminating some walls, adding some more furniture, and creating an ordering/serving area in the entryway.  The kitchen doesn't even seem to be very accommodating for the business they bring in; and I'm always amazed at how they can pump so much good food out of it.  This neighborhood favorite compiles homey furniture, cozy seating, and a mish-mosh of dinnerware to give guests a lovely home-away-from-home experience.

Let's not forget about the food here.  They have a great cafe menu with plenty of options and its a great place to grab lunch during the week, but my favorite time to go to Lazy Jane's Cafe is on Saturday mornings.  On Saturdays the cafe only serves breakfast which at any other restaurant would turn me off (due to my issues with eggs, and recent vegetarianism).  Fortunately, this place has some great surprises on their menu.  The last time I went, here's what I had.

Seitan Hash and Tomato Bisque

Tanya had the Biscuits and Gravy and Melon Soup.

It was all delicious as always, but I was really impressed by how good they made the seitan taste.  It was my first time every having it and it tasted just like any other breakfast sausage or meat (maybe a little spicier, but I didn't mind).

The tomato soup was incredible as well.  There were huge chunks of tomato in it and it was really creamy and seasoned well.

The melon soup was almost like a juice, and was surprisingly refreshing and palate cleansing.

Tanya said the biscuits and gravy were great and I trust her opinion :).  They looked amazing.

Lazy Jane's is one of those neighborhood places where you can tell they put so much love into the cafe and into the food.  It is incredibly inviting, cozy, and delicious; and the staff is fun and friendly.  I recommend Lazy Jane's all the time for visitors looking for a good local place for breakfast or lunch, and I'm recommending it to you now.  Check it out.  You won't be disappointed.

Check out their Yelp page here for more info.

Insider Tip:  The cafe is cash only, but they have an ATM inside.  Get there early on Saturdays to beat the rush for breakfast or go for a late brunch.  If you go later though, you may miss out.  They run out of some dishes quickly.

I scream, You scream, We all scream for Gelato??

It’s that time of year again.  When its just too hot and you need an icy treat to cool your blood.  Head to Paciugo if you’re looking to feed your ice cream cravings.

Everyone will yell at me for saying that though.


It’s Gelato, not ice cream!

But really, who cares because it’s just darn delicious. 

This place boasts an enormous selection of gelato flavors including milk based, water based, soy based, and no-sugar-added options.  Every time I have been there, they have a new flavor(sometimes several new ones).

Not sure what to get?  No problem!  Taste as many flavors as you want before you make a decision. 

Still can’t decide?  That’s ok too.  In their small dish you can get a mix of up to 3 flavors.  Today, I had Cinnamon Coconut, Black Cherry Swirl, and Crème Caramel.  In a medium dish you can get up to 4 flavors, and up to 5 in a large.

To make it even better it’s served to you with a sample spoon, which is very small, and makes you take smaller bites and enjoy the gelato that much longer and that much more.

Located right on the corner of State St. and Gorham this is the perfect place to grab dessert after a dinner downtown.

Picture from here

Insider Tip: you think you can eat more than you really can ;)

Saturday Mornings In Madtown

Check out our treasures from a normal Saturday at the Farmer’s Market. 

Since it is still early in the season there isn’t much produce, and it has been a little slow traffic wise, but I will keep you updated as to what comes in.  I get so excited and love supporting our local farmers. 

Here we have small sweet potatoes (which have made delicious fries), portabella and white button mushrooms, salad greens, a tomato, some beef jerky for AJ, cheese curds, banana bread and a cinnamon roll for breakfast!

Produce wise, this is all that is really at the market right now, so I’ve really been taking advantage of the awesome mushrooms!  They are so delicious!  I made an awesome portabella burger with them.

Also, there are a lot of flowers, plants, honey, syrup, organic and grass-fed meats, and bakery items right now, but soon I will be able to get most of my produce here instead of going to the grocery store.

MmmmmmmMaharaja!

Though I can't claim that Maharaja has the best Indian food in Madison (since it's the only Indian restaurant I've been to in Madison) I will say that it is AMAZING and it is the best Indian food I've ever had.


I have been here twice now, and the last time I was there I got a vegetarian dish and was recommended to have the Navarattan Korma which was mixed vegetables cooked with cream, herbs, and cashews.  

It. Was. Amazing.

I don't even know how else to say it or describe it, but the flavor was so good and I couldn't stop eating it.

Here it is in this picture (it's the closest one).

I went this time with my sister Tanya, my Aunt Dotty, my cousin Clare, and my husband AJ.  We all got something different and then put them in the middle so everyone could share.  Luckily my sister and aunt also got vegetarian dishes.  Everything was awesome and the waiter was so funny.

My cousin is the pickiest eater and she even loved her dish.

The setup of the restaurant is the only thing that I think could be improved, but I think they do ok with the space they have.  I felt however, that there wasn't a lot of privacy.  There are a lot of tables in a small space and there is no separation, booths or much for decor.  They try their best to set the mood, and the space is clean, so it really wasn't that bad.  Plus the waiter really made up for it.  We had a great time here.

And the best part???   Hot towels after dinner!!  Ahhhhh..... Bliss.

I recommend this to anyone who likes, or wants to try Indian Food.  They also have a lunch buffet that I haven't tried yet.

Update: Lunch Buffet = awesome

Kabul Restaurant on State

Hey everyone!  I’m really excited to tell you about an awesome taco joint I ate at today for lunch, but I feel like I need to keep to some sort of order.  I’ve been holding out on you for too long and have a long list of foods and restaurants to talk about.  So, without further ado, I will get cracking on this list.
I may have mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been wanting to try a restaurant on State St. called the Mediterranean Café.  I have seen a line out the door to that place and have been curious about it since.
I confessed this curiosity to my loving husband who then proceeded to take me there.  Unfortunately, it was a Sunday and they were closed.  So, while we were there (on State St. I mean) we decided to work on broadening our palates by having lunch at a place called Kabul Restaurant.
Kabul serves Afghan cuisine and from what I had heard through the grapevine was that it was pretty good.  Neither of us had tasted Afghan food before which made the experience really fun and interesting. 
Let me start with the atmosphere of the place.  It’s pretty small on the inside, maybe 10 tables total.  I’m almost positive that the tables used to be really basic fast-food-type booth tables, but they have nicely covered them in a cushiony material and then put a very decorative textile over the top.  The rest of the place was decorated well with a middle eastern theme to it.  It was quiet, but not too quiet, an atmosphere suited to small groups for lunch or dinner.
Onto the food! 
Ok, I just have to say, this place made me fall in love with chutney!  I had never had chutney before, but it is a simple dip/topping for bread or even to have on your food.  At each table sits 2 bowls of chutney.  One red (pimento) and one green (cilantro).  They were completely different in taste, but both were equally delicious.  The flavors are very strong, so if you don’t like cilantro don’t eat the green one.  I happen to love cilantro though, so I found it amazing.  We ate the chutney with the Afghan bread we were given, which was pretty good too.  Really soft, flat, and moist, had a good chew to it (you can see it in the pics below). 
Each entrée comes with a side of their Mashawa (Soup) or their salad with curry cucumber dressing.  We ordered one of each and then shared.  The soup was great.  it contained:

Chick Peas
Kidney Beans
Split Peas
Rice
and I can’t remember what meat was in it. (Sorry we ate here quite a while ago)

It also had a yogurt mint sauce on top of it.  It reminded me a lot of chili with sour cream, but the yogurt mint sauce really gave it the flavor of the middle east and the chick peas gave it some crunch.  I usually don’t like chick peas, and I hate hummus, but I could handle them in this dish.  The salad wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing.  There isn’t much to expect from a side salad, but the dressing was a little overpowering and there was a lot of it.  That’s not to say it wasn’t good, but I think they used too much.
Ok, onto the Entrees.  I ordered the Beef Korma Chalow which consisted of medallions of beef cooked with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and spices.  It was served over white rice.  It came to me on a plate looking like this..(On the left)     
It was very brown.  It didn’t look as good as it tasted, which is great.  The beef was deliciously tender and everything was seasoned pretty well, but I soon found out that the flavor shot out the roof when you used a little of that chutney on the dish.  Wow!  Both worked well with the dish.  I just put a spoonful on the side of my plate and took a little with each bite.  That added so much more depth to the dish.  I wish someone would have told me sooner because I only realized it once I was almost full. 
The hubby ordered the Lamb Kabobs (On the right).  I only tasted them near the end of our meal, so I can’t say much about them, but I do think that the chunks of lamb were too big, and I’m pretty sure it was a little overcooked.  The sauce that came with it was again, a yogurt/mint sauce, and the kabobs were also served over saffron rice, which I remember him saying was pretty yummy.
We had a great time at Kabul and had a lot of fun experiencing a new cuisine.  That really was the best thing about Kabul.  It opened my mind and my taste buds to something new and provided a chance for me to understand a different culture and their food.  I love to try new things, and Kabul offered a delightful and delicious opportunity.


P.S.  Hopefully soon AJ will be here to guest blog about some of his eating experiences.  He recently ate at a place I’ve been wanting to try called Jamerica!

Hello Wisconsin!

As this is my first post I would love to give you some insight to my vision for this blog. My favorite thing about food is its variety, and I would love to share my experiences with this variety with all of you. Also, as a Wisconsin native, I would like to introduce those who are not, into some of our all time Sconnie favorites.

I am amazed by the way a single food can be prepared. Grilled chicken, roasted chicken, fried chicken, chicken soup, chicken salad, chicken pie....... and on and on and on. On top of that each way of cooking can be changed, transformed, and tweeked by adding more of this, less of that, pair it with pasta, potatoes, rice, veggies, top it with gravy, glaze, salsa etc. Every single combination has a completely different taste, smell, and texture, and leaves me with a different feeling inside. This is why I'm always up for trying new foods, even if they scare me at first.

Growing up in Wisconsin gave my family its set of traditional foods. Some delicious like cottage cheese pancakes, and tater tot casserole, and some not so yummy like sauerkraut noodles, and pickled herring. Ulgh...

Every family has their own traditions passed down from their parents' parents' parents' and I'm sure many have been tweeked as I mentioned before. My intention is to share some of my favorite meals, new inventions, and my opinion of the best and not so great places to dine out.

Enjoy!