Archive for October, 2011

Bison Jack’s

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

I eat a lot of protein, but one type that hasn’t made a regular appearance in my rotation is bison. I’m thinking that will change now that I’ve enjoyed a meal at Bison Jack’s, which opened earlier this month in Greenway Station.

According to the USDA, bison has less fat (2.42 g) and fewer calories (143) and about the same protein (28.4 g) per 3.5-oz serving compared to select beef (8.09, 201, 29.89), pork (9.66, 212, 29.27) and even chicken (7.41, 190, 28.93).

That info is comforting since the toppings on each bison dog most likely negates the health benefits. For example, I had the Sonoran ($7.95), which is a bison dog topped heartily with ketchup, cotija cheese, cheddar, green chili and green goddess (a salad dressing). The easy conclusion: delicious but messy (e.g. don’t eat this on a date). In fact, you couldn’t even tell the hot dog wasn’t real.

I also wolfed down the Italian Stallion ($7.95), which is an Italian sausage on an Asiago cheese bun topped with pepperoncini, onion, roasted peppers, marinara and Parmesan. Another supremely messy yet tasty concoction. I accompanied both dogs with a side of sweet potato tots ($2.95).

Outside the nine specialty dogs, you also can build your own. Other menu items include a 1/3 Pounder ($6.95)–which I liked–as well as more sides and a couple of breakfast items.

Bison Jack’s is open for lunch every day and breakfast and Mon-Sat. Catering also is available.

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El Rincon Tico

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

Curiously, Mango Man Thony Clarke opened up his newest restaurant, El Rincon Tico, on Willy Street during its construction this summer. Still, people made the trek, and he told me that business has picked up since the street re-opened.

That’s good, because he’s got some great items on the menu, which consists of Latin soul food. I’ve always enjoyed the empanadas at his other restaurant, Cafe Costa Rica, but honestly, I thought the new versions ($2.99) were even better. The beef empanada has a wonderful, traditional flavor, while its pork counterpart was extremely juicy and tender (I probably could have eaten five in a row). Other fillings include chicken and spinach.

Each day El Rincon Tico has a different special, and the day I was there, I had the pulled pork served over rice ($8.99 for medium-sized). The pork was delicious, though I was a bit disappointed it wasn’t cooked the same way as the filling for the empanada (you can tell I really liked that empanada!). I was impressed that the plantains were perfectly cooked–it’s a difficult task not to make them too soggy or hard. As always, Thony’s accompanying rice and beans were dynamite.

Finally, I tried the fish taco ($2.99). It was a bit bland, but I added Thony’s homemade salsa for flavor. The other choices are chicken, beef, pork and veggie.

If you’re looking for the restaurant, which is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it’s across the street from the gas station. Park anywhere on the street. On nicer days, the small outdoor porch is open.

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Madison Food & Wine Show 2011

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

The 10th annual Madison Food & Wine Show, presented by Madison Magazine, takes place Friday-Sunday at Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center. If you can’t attend, make sure to follow me on Twitter (@EatDrinkMadison), as I’ll be live-tweeting all weekend from the event.

As usual, I’m looking forward to sampling some of the 300 wines and taste some of the gourmet food. I even re-watched “Sideways” this week to get me in the wine mood. Here’s some more info on the event:

Tickets

A one-day pass is $37/advance, $42/door, while a weekend pass is $60/advance, $70/door. Order online or at outlets throughout the city. Note: no one under the age of 21 is allowed–no exceptions.

Friday, 5-9 p.m.

Events include “How to Host a Wine Party” ($10) and a beer and chocolate pairing ($10). Also, see the first two rounds of the dueling chefs competition.

Saturday, noon-5 p.m.

Check out the port and bleu cheese tasting ($10), Madison College’s pastry arts cake decorating and a Chef Showcase with Rod Ladson of Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse.

Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

The finalists of the Big Cheese Cook-off will compete to make the best grilled cheese sandwich. In addition, catch the finals of the dueling chefs competition.

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The Egg and I

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

The Egg and I opened last month in the same development where Bonfyre is, near American TV. The chain restaurant is similar to a Denny’s or Perkin’s, except it only serves breakfast and lunch.

While the food was good, the terrible service left a bitter taste in my mouth. For some reason, the Egg and I had four hostesses at the entrance (plus the manager), yet I only counted three waitresses. We sat at our table for almost 10 minutes without any contact, which forced me to tell a hostess that we hadn’t been visited by a waitress yet.

Our waitress apologized to us without a decent excuse; I heard her apologize to her other tables as well. During the meal, which took a staggering 25 minutes to arrive (it’s just eggs, after all), two other waitresses dropped trays of dishes. I’m recommending that you wait another 3-4 months (if this place is even still open) to give the staff more time to train.

Now, on to the food. The corned beef hash ($8.79) was very good and definitely not out of a can. It was served with two eggs and a side of Hollandaise sauce, which surprisingly complemented the corned beef hash quite well. I added a side of bacon, and it was perfectly cooked in the seemingly hard-to-reach medium between too crispy and too soggy.

The waffles also were good–moist and tasty. In addition, I was pleased that there were a few flavors of coffee, all freshly ground and bottomless. I enjoyed my seasonal blend.

I would not recommend the Wisconsin Scramble ($7.29), which was three eggs scrambled with Swiss, Monterey Jack, Cheddar and cream cheese. It may sound good in theory, but in actuality, the dish is too soupy. Other skillets and scrambles include the Texas (includes steak) and the Athena (includes feta cheese and spinach).

The rest of the breakfast menu consists of omelettes, frittatas, pancakes/waffles/french toast, benedicts and “Smarter Choices” (aka healthier).

The Egg and I is open every day. It also has a free meeting room and WiFi.

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Madtown Pizza

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

At the request of an individual who emailed me, I checked out Madtown Pizza, which opened this summer in the space once occupied by Supreme Pizza on the near east side. Location, however, is where the similarities end between the two establishments.

While I always thought Supreme Pizza served a flavorless, cardboard-like pie, Madtown Pizza’s version is much better. It comes down to a simple formula: better ingredients, better … uh, maybe I can’t finish that line because it’s trademarked, but you get my drift.

The Wisconsin Bacon Burger pizza has ground beef, bacon, onions, “cheese and more cheese.” I actually didn’t think it had that much cheese on it, but it still was flavorful. You can order it, along with three other specialty pizzas, in 12″ ($12.59), 16″ ($18.59) or 20″ ($24.59).

You also can build your own pizza, with toppings varying from $1.25 to $2.25, depending on the size of the pizza.

I also tried the Bountiful Recipe Spaghetti ($6.69), which came with sausage and black olives. This also was a departure from Supreme’s terribly bland spaghetti; this one is definitely worth ordering, though it could use more sausage.

Lastly, you can get sandwiches ($4.99) and calzones ($2.25 for a mini, $4.50 for regular).

Madtown Pizza is open for dinner, carryout and delivery every day. The sign still says to be patient with them through its soft-opening–it was evident to me based on how many times I had to call until someone finally picked up the phone, and that one of the employees didn’t know how to work the cash register and so he just walked away without saying anything.

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Porktropolis

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

From downtown Madison, head 20 minutes east on 151 and exit Bristol Street in Sun Prairie, where you will find a hidden gem called Porktropolis. It’s a meat-lover’s paradise, complete with brisket, chicken, salmon and of course, ribs and pulled pork.

I loved the Exploding Pig ($8.50), which is pork, ham, bacon, cheddar and chipotle mayo on dark rye. The real explosion here is the flavor, which makes puts this sandwich on my must-get-again list for future visits.

The ribs ($12.50 for a half rack) are served naked so that you can add whichever of the sauces you prefer. For the less adventurous crowd, try the Sweet Memphis Blues, which is your typical sweet (and delicious) BBQ sauce.

On the topic of sauces, choices include Door County Cherry, Chipotle Horseradish and Carolina Vinegar, amongst others. You can sample all of them right when you walk in. I thought the NOLA (similar to Buffalo) went well with TC’s Beef Brisket ($7.50), another excellent sandwich.

I’m not a huge fan of mac & cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the Red Pepper Mac Cheese was. In fact, that was the best of the sides. The Creamy Cole Slaw was not that creamy, and the skillet fried potatoes were just so-so. I would have preferred to see fries on the menu, just as another vessel for the sauces.

Porktropolis is open Monday-Saturday and also caters. While there are a few tables, it’s a place you should call ahead for carryout.

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