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Chick-Fil-A

Saturday, January 31st, 2015

My goodness, the crazy popularity of Madison’s first Chick-Fil-A reminds me of when Sonic first opened and cars would be backed up on University Avenue. At one point in December, I counted at least 14 cars in a row in the drive-thru at Chick-Fil-A, plus others in the adjacent lot waiting for their order.

I’ve had Chick-Fil-A before in Florida, but I thought I’d go over some of the items for those who aren’t familiar with the menu.

Breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m. every day and includes items such as the sausage, egg and cheese biscuit and the chicken breakfast burrito. While I like the biscuits, I was intrigued by the chicken, egg and cheese on sunflower multigrain bagel ($3.55). There’s nothing like fried chicken to get your day started. The bagel was good but too crumbly; I may as well have just eaten a biscuit.

The rest of the menu is served all day, even during breakfast.  If you’ve never eaten here, you should probably start with the classic chicken sandwich. For me, I wanted to try the Spicy Chicken Deluxe Sandwich ($4.05), which comes with pepperjack cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. I liked this a lot, and despite it not being that spicy, the sandwich was still spicier than Wendy’s version.

I also enjoyed the Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich ($5.95), topped with bacon and Colby-Jack cheese. The chicken was moist and well-seasoned. I was actually surprised Chick-Fil-A could do grilled chicken as well as it does fried chicken.

On that thought, let’s talk about the chicken nuggets. My 12-piece order ($4.69) was a mixed batch of mega-dry pieces and tender pieces. Plus, they didn’t carry the flavor of the fried chicken, and for those reasons, I wouldn’t order the nuggets again. Note: you also may order the nuggets in grilled form.

The rest of the menu is comprised of salads, wraps, desserts and even soups.

Chick-Fil-A is open Monday-Saturday. It has a big indoor playground and free wifi.

Chick-Fil-A on Urbanspoon

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Jason’s Deli

Sunday, January 25th, 2015

Jason’s Deli opened in December next door to Bonefish Grill in essentially the parking lot of Shopko at West Towne Mall. The chain restaurant has most of its locations in the south; Madison is the first in Wisconsin. The menu is massive, but the good news is it’s hard to go wrong: Basically everything is satisfying, and it’s easy to find something specific to your individual tastes.

Like meat? Any of the “Famous Favorites” is the way to go. For example, the Beefeater ($7.99) is a hearty French dip sandwich. The shaved beef is bursting with flavor, and I’m not convinced it requires the au jus. On my next visit, I’ll probably order the New York Yankee ($9.09), which comes with corned beef and pastrami.

Heading over to the specialty sandwiches, I picked out the Meataballa ($6.99), which is stocked full of small, tasty meatballs. I appreciate that it wasn’t drowned in marinara sauce, as you typically find at other restaurants. The specialty sandwiches, clubs, paninis and Famous Favorites all come with a bag of chips and a pickle.

Of course, a deli is going to have wraps. The turkey wrap ($6.59) didn’t have much turkey in it, but it did include a welcomed combination of guacamole and ranch dressing. You can get fruit, steamed vegetables, chips and salsa or chips and guacamole along with your wrap.

The rest of the menu is comprised of “Meatless Eats,” muffalettas, pasta dishes, soups and salads (I told you the menu was huge!). The Mighty Salmon Salad ($9.69) scared me at first, as it was so full of beans, beets and nuts that I didn’t initially see any salmon (a big chunk was indeed there). The whole ensemble was a bit bland for me, but it is a supremely healthy salad.

Jason’s Deli is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout. It offers catering and delivery, and it has a drive-thru.

Jason's Deli on Urbanspoon

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Banned Foods

Sunday, January 18th, 2015

About a week ago, a federal judge overturned a two-year ban of the sale of foie gras in California. I remember thinking when the law first took effect in 2012–it actually passed the state legislature in 2004–isn’t this a minor issue? Aren’t there much more important animal rights issues to tackle?

(For a great perspective, read this NY Times column, “Let Them Eat Foie Gras.”)

I also thought, it’s odd that we can live in a society in which certain foods are banned, both here and abroad. So, let’s take a look at some of those items:

  • Ketchup: In 2011, France installed a semi-ban on ketchup in elementary schools. Students have french fries once per week, and only then are they allowed to have ketchup. The condiment is thought to mask the flavor of French dishes, hence the ban.
  • Unpasteurized milk: Despite the benefits of raw milk, and the fact that people in many countries worldwide drink it, its sale is banned in several states, including Iowa and Indiana. In Wisconsin, you can buy unpasteurized milk legally from licensed farmers.
  • Margarine. The dairy lobby is very, very powerful. This ban takes place in–where else–Wisconsin. Here are parts of the law: “The serving of colored oleomargarine or margarine at a public eating place as a substitute for table butter is prohibited unless it is ordered by the customer” and “The serving of oleomargarine or margarine to students, patients or inmates of any state institutions as a substitute for table butter is prohibited.”
  • Bottled water. It is illegal to sell bottled water of 1 liter size or smaller in Concord, Mass. Retailers can get fined up to $50!
  • Four Loko. The original version was banned in several states for its combination of alcohol and caffeine. At the time I had wondered, have people ever heard of a rum-and-coke or vodka-Red Bull? The new formula doesn’t include caffeine.

Lastly, in researching for this blog post, I learned that Mississippi passed a law in 2013 that bans food bans. I find that amusing, especially for a state that ranks No. 1 for obesity. At the time, Mississippi Poultry Association President Mark Leggett said, “Don’t mess with the buffet.”

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