Archive for the ‘Restaurant and Bar Reviews’ Category

Sugar River Pizza Company

Sunday, June 12th, 2016

When UW SWAP moved from near the Madison College Truax Campus to Verona, I remember driving out to the new location thinking I was in the middle of nowhere. Since then, Wisconsin Brewing Co. opened nearby, and now Sugar River Pizza Company recently launched its third location, on the other side of County M.

The menu is not unlike other pizza places, as you’ll find pasta dishes, appetizers such as bread sticks and cheese bread, salads and sandwiches. Sugar River also has a full bar in its large space.

Lots of specialty pizzas: It’ll take you a long time to eat your way through the list of 19 specialty pizzas served here. You may order them in 10″, 12″, 14″ or 16″ sizes, with your choice of thin, hand-tossed or whole-wheat crusts. Prices range from $13.20-$22.95. I loved the pizzas I tried, and I can’t wait to come back for more.

  • The Kicking Horse Four Alarm is topped generously with pepperoni, sausage, jalapenos and red onions. I couldn’t discern much spice from the habanero cheese, but there was still a nice spice level from the jalapenos.
  • The Concord Chicken Bacon is a like a chicken club sandwich on a pizza. You’ll like the bacon and ranch sauce that goes with the tender pieces of chicken.
  • In future visits, I’ve got my eye on the steak pizza (chunks of T-bone and porterhouse with steak sauce) and the MacDaddy (ground beef, pickles and Big Mac-like sauce).

Hope you like carbs:

  • The calzone ($9.95 with two toppings) is moist, packed with flavor (especially the buttery, soft crust) and exploding with cheese. However, after several bites of the calzone, I could have used some marinara sauce, which the staff forgot to give me in my carryout order.
  • The Po River Italian sandwich ($9.95) may remind you of an Italian hoagie combined with a Cuban sandwich, with its Usinger’s salami, ham and pepperoni topped with honey mustard.

Sugar River Pizza Company is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout. Delivery is available, too.

Sugar River Pizza Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Treads

Sunday, June 5th, 2016

MT Treads opened last October in Verona only to close a month later. The restaurant that took the space that held Michael’s Frozen Custard for 20 years reopened in February as Treads.

It’s got a 50s feel with the decor, but I would classify this as a bar over a restaurant. That’s because of the limited amount of tables inside (lots outside in the patio, though) and the townie-bar games such as pull tabs and dice. Each bar seat faces at least two TVs.

A diner-like menu: Treads features melts, burgers, wraps and breakfast items. It also has a fish fry on Fridays and ribeye (not prime rib) on Saturdays.

  • The SuperBird melt ($8.99) is grilled or crispy chicken topped with bacon and cheddar cheese on a ciabatta bun, for some reason. The crispy chicken had thick breading that is well-seasoned–one or two bites reminded me of KFC original recipe–meaning you don’t have to use the side of ranch (although it adds a nice touch).
  • The Cadillac burger ($8.99) is topped with ham, bacon, onion, cheese and a fried egg. Despite the egg being cooked over-hard instead of over-easy as requested, I enjoyed the ensemble of breakfast items on the fresh beef patty.
  • The clam chowder ($2.95 cup, $3.99 bowl), which is served on Fridays, was surprisingly dense and a little on the salty side, but it was still enjoyable, especially for its unique flavor. I actually wanted the chili ($3.99 cup, $4.99 bowl), which on the menu says it is supposed to be served “everyday [sic],” except it’s not offered on Fridays.

Bar appetizers, too: Since Treads is a bar and not a diner, you’ll find the expected wings, nachos and mozzarella sticks.

  • The cheese curds ($7.99 or $1.50 as a side) are the kind that are super greasy with very little cheese yet are still so tasty.
  • The onion rings ($3.99 half, $4.99 full or $1.50 as a side) were fairly standard.

Treads is open for lunch and dinner every day and breakfast Friday-Sunday.

Treads Bar and Grill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Comparing value meals

Sunday, May 22nd, 2016

This year has become the year in which you can eat very cheaply at fast food restaurants, as several of them have enhanced their value meal offerings. Let’s take a look at each of them. You’ll see that KFC offers the most choices (five), while Hardee’s offers the most calories for each dollar you spend.

DQ: $5 Buck lunch

  • What you get: Regular order of fries, medium drink and small sundae, along with either two crispy chicken wraps, three chicken strips or a deluxe cheeseburger.
  • Calories: 290 (fries) + 300 (sundae) + 650 (wraps) or 360 (strips) or 460 (burger) = 1,240 or 950 or  1,050.
  • Calories per dollar: 190 to 248

Wendy’s: 4 for $4

  • What you get: Four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries and small drink, along with either a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger or Crispy Chicken BLT
  • Calories: 180 (nuggets) + 320 (fries) + 390 (Jr.) or 440 (chicken) = 890 or 940
  • Calories per dollar: 222.5 to 235

KFC: $5 Fill ups

  • What you get (excluding the pot pie and Famous Bowl versions): Cookie, biscuit, “larger” mashed potatoes and medium drink, along with either three chicken tenders, chicken breast, or drumstick and thigh
  • Calories: 170 (cookie) + 180 (biscuit) + 150 (estimate for “larger” mashed potatoes) + 410 (tenders)  or 320 (Original Recipe breast) or 420 (Original Recipe drumstick and thigh) = 910 or 820 or 920
  • Calories per dollar: 164 to 184

Burger King: 5 for $4

  • What you get: Cookie, four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries, small drink and bacon cheeseburger
  • Calories: 160 (cookie) + 190 (nuggets) + 340 (fries) + 290 (burger) = 980
  • Calories per dollar: 245

Hardee’s (Carl’s Jr.): $4 Real Deal

  • What you get: Small fries, 16-oz. drink, spicy chicken sandwich and double cheeseburger
  • Calories: 300 (fries) + 490 (chicken) + 850 (estimate for burger) = 1,640
  • Calories per dollar: 410

Note: McDonald’s just ended its McPick 2 (was two for $2, then became two for $5).

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