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Archive for August, 2011

Tropical Cuisine

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Tropical Cuisine opened quietly last month on Broom Street between W. Washington and W. Mifflin. It claims to be the “first authentic Puerto Rican restaurant in Madtown.”

With only a table of four as the only other diners during a recent lunch, I was surprised and annoyed that my order took 34 minutes. It’s probably why the restaurant has flat screens–which would otherwise be out of place–in the corners: so that you have something to do while you wait and wait and wait.

The appetizers list includes stuffed bananas ($1.75), cod fritters ($1.75) and rib tips (8/$4.50 and 16/$9). I tried the meat turnover ($1.75), and while eating it I couldn’t help but think that the meat patty at Jamerica is much more enjoyable than the bland counterpart I was consuming. It probably would have been better if it came with some sort of dipping sauce.

The steak jibarito, which is a sandwich that uses plantains, was better. I liked the creamy sauce and the steak, though as a whole it was pretty messy. Note, if you don’t like plantains, which are much less flavorful than bananas, you may not like jibaritos.

The disappointment continued in my other sandwich, as I ordered the Tripleta ($6.25), which has ham, pork, pastrami and turkey, but instead I was given just a pork sandwich ($5.75). On top of missing several meats, there was very little pork; the sandwich was mostly just bread.

Other menu items include a steam table, which is one meat and two sides from the daily menu for $8.50; stuffed plantains, including one with octopus for $14.95; and soups, salads and a kids menu.

Tropical Cuisine is open Mon-Sat for lunch, dinner and carryout. There are metered spots in front, or you can park in the Metropolitan Place ramp behind it.

Tags: downtown, Puerto Rican
Posted in Restaurant Reviews | 3 Comments »

How to cook a pizza without an oven

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

Over the weekend I found myself in a situation with a frozen pizza and no oven to cook it. I’ll explain how I fried it, but here’s a quick side note on grilling a made-from-scratch pizza.

First, before you put any toppings on, put the crust on the grill for about three minutes–basically long enough so it is firm. Remove the crust from grill and flip it over, adding the toppings on this “cooked” side. Put the pizza back on the grill and cook until done.

Now onto frying. You will need a large, non-stick pot with a cover. The pizza should be defrosted but kept in the fridge so it is somewhat firm. Carefully fold the pizza in half (some of the toppings will fall off) as you are essentially constructing a calzone.

Add vegetable oil to the pot, coating the entire surface. I suggest cutting the pizza into strips, which will help it fit into the pot. Turn the stove to medium-low (e.g. 3-4 on a scale of 1-to-10). Once the oil is hot, add the strips of folded pizza and cover the pot.

After about 8-10 minutes, when the bottom crust is browned, flip the strips over. Cover and fry for another 10 or so minutes, checking that the cheese and toppings are cooked thoroughly. Avoid the temptation of increasing the heat, as that will only burn the crust without cooking the toppings.

I will be as bold to say you will enjoy this pizza/calzone more than if it was baked, simply because of the fried crust.

Tags: pizza
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Stalzy’s Deli

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

Hey Stalzy’s Deli: will you please open a second location downtown? I truly believe there’s a market for your presence around the Capitol. Ever since Jacobson Deli closed its shop across from the Bartell Theatre a few years ago, that deli niche hasn’t been filled yet (sorry Merchant, you don’t quite fit the bill).

In fact, Stalzy’s says on its website that it opened to “buff out Madison’s deli deficiencies.” To that, I say, great job so far.

When I stopped in at Stalzy’s, which took over for the space once occupied by Africana on Atwood Avenue, I was tempted to stock up on some cured meats. Instead, I concentrated on the sandwiches.

Both the Classic Club and the Stalzy’s Triple were quite nice. When Stalzy’s first opened in May, people complained on its Facebook page about the lack of meat on the sandwiches (sounds like Full of Bull). However, that problem has obviously been rectified, as both sandwiches I tried had generous portions.

The latter, which I somehow managed to finish despite its size (see photo), had corned beef, pastrami, turkey pastrami, swiss cheese and coleslaw. I thought it was dynamite, but I wouldn’t order it again only because it cost $15. The Classic Club, which featured turkey, bacon, cheddar, lettuce and tomato, was slightly easier to swallow (pun intended) at $12.

Just for the heck of it, I tried the House Burger ($6) as well, and I thought it was juicy and tasty. You also can double and triple the number of patties, and the sandwich comes with American cheese and fried onions preloaded.

Stalzy’s also serves various sausages, reubens and “the best pastrami in town,” according to my server. You can dine in or carryout, and there’s a parking lot adjacent to the building. Just beware: no credit cards are accepted.

Tags: deli, east side
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Dumpling Haus

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

I hate how so many Chinese restaurants are buffets. First, I feel bad for the owners, because the margins are small. But really, I feel bad for uninformed diners, because they are only eating Americanized Chinese food. That’s why the recently opened Dumpling Haus in Hilldale Mall is refreshing.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that the food isn’t salty or full of MSG. You may even feel the urge to add more soy sauce than already comes on the plates of dumplings and shumai. But trust me, this is way it should be: steaming hot and naturally delicious.

The aforementioned Haus Jiao Zi and Pork Shaomai are served in sets of 10 and eight, respectively, so come with a friend or two so you can order several different dishes and actually finish them. The four main categories of dumplings, noodles, bao zi and sides each had 5-10 subitems from which to choose along with a decent vegetarian selection. Each dish is brought to your table the moment it’s cooked to maximize freshness.

The Haus Noodles also were delightful. The beef that came with mine were perfectly tender (you can also order pork), and the bok choy was quite fresh. I like spicy foods, so I added some Sriracha, which, surprisingly, is not at the station where you get the chopsticks, napkins, soy sauce, etc.–you actually have to ask for it.

Really, the only disappointment of the meal were the Barbecue Bao (buns with slow-roasted pork), as these were just the store-bought, frozen variety that were simply heated up. With everything else on the menu made-from-scratch, why skimp on the buns?

I had heard the Dumping Haus had a rough opening, usually running out of food early in the day (even the dry erase board was asking for patience as they go through growing pains), but I had no hiccups with my meal. The space is not large, but you also can order for carryout.

Tags: Chinese, near west
Posted in Restaurant Reviews | 1 Comment »