Posts Tagged ‘downtown’

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Capital Tap Haus

Sunday, December 12th, 2010

Capital Brewery’s beer has a new home at a brewpub called Capital Tap Haus in the former House of Wisconsin Cheese at the top of State Street. It curiously opened the day before Thanksgiving and with little advanced word–not sure if that was a smart combination.

I love the atmosphere: the big wooden booths and tight space make me think I could be in a bar in Chicago or even Boston. You’ll see a nice mix of business professionals from the Capitol, students and everyone in between.

On a lunch visit I tried the burger, and I was quite disappointed in several ways. I think the hallmark of any brewpub is its burger, but Capital Tap Haus’ was dry (despite ordering it medium) and tasteless. On top of that, toppings cost extra (e.g 50 cents for grilled onions, $1 for bacon) and fries are an extra $3, all of which can add considerable heft to a $6.50 plain burger.

From the appetizer list I tried the fried pickles. I was expecting pickle coins, but instead they were spears and quite salty. However, the ranch dressing dip significantly helped. Meanwhile, the soup of the day–corn chowder–was really watery instead of the normal mushiness that make for a delicious soup.

On top of all of this, the food took a long time (26 min.) to bring out, and it wasn’t crowded at all.

On a dinner visit (this time it took 29 min. for our food to be brought out, though the waitress apologized twice for the unknown delay), I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and loved it. The pork was tender and the sauce was amazing. It included a side cup of BBQ sauce with a dab of mayonnaise, both of which I used as a dip for my fries.

I also tried the pan-fried walleye, which was fine but not an entree I would order again. Capital Tap Haus also has a daily fish fry dish, and I will likely order that next time. All entrees list a suggested beer pairing.

I did join the mug club, which for $35/year you get one free beer and 24-oz beers for the price of 16 oz (does that scream binge drinking or what?), amongst other deals. I think I will definitely get my money’s worth, seeing how much I enjoy the various beers (especially the bocks) from Capital Brewery.

Capital Tap Haus is open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner.

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43 North

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

In less than one month, the space that once held Cafe Continental quickly transformed into 43 North, a Muramoto-backed restaurant that serves contemporary American cuisine. The space is darker with an elegant, yet simple, decor, and I would recommend wearing business casual or better (though you could get away with dressy jeans) and reservations, especially on Friday and Saturday.

Dinner is divided into first course, second course, main course and cheese and desserts. With small portions in each course, you’re supposed to order several plates, but be forewarned of a likely expensive bill (mine was $108).

I tried the foie gras terrine and braised lamb from the first course. I was really impressed by the rich flavor of combining foie gras with blueberries and bread crumbs. The lamb was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and it came with a cauliflower puree that made for a tasty sauce (intentional or not).

I did not order anything from the second course list, but the French onion soup was tempting.

From the main course I ordered the poached lobster and tasted the beef strip loin. The lobster was slightly cold and really small but nonetheless good. I could not stand the celeriac cole slaw it came with (it was probably prepared well, I just don’t like that flavor). After I ate the lobster in five minutes, I was still starving.

Meanwhile, the beef strip loin was very good. The hint of horseradish that was added made for a nice touch. Sadly, the mashed potato-garlic puree also was a bit cold.

The bill came with a few squares of chocolate (awesome) and some packaged dessert cake, which I haven’t tried yet (saving it for later). That made for a pleasant surprise.

Side note: We were the first in the restaurant and of course were seated next to the window facing King Street, though the hostess made up some reason that it was more spacious to sit there (not to attract more customers, which is the real reason). The next group that came in was seated right next to us, despite every other table available.

43 North also has a full bar and an average-sized wine list. It’s open from 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

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No. 1 college sports town

Friday, October 15th, 2010

Saturday will be a big day for UW athletics:

  • ESPN College GameDay will broadcast live from Camp Randall Stadium from 8-11 a.m. (free to the public; Gates 8 and 9 open at 6:30 a.m.).
  • The Sports Illustrated Heisman Nissan Tour will feature autograph sessions with Lee Evans (1-3 p.m.) and Ron Dayne (3:30-5 p.m.) at the north practice field.
  • The UW men’s basketball team will have its first “Wisconsin Basketball Field House Madness,” featuring contests, a scrimmage  and more (2:30 p.m. at the UW Field House)
  • And of course, the UW football team takes on No. 1 Ohio State at 6 p.m.

In anticipation for such a big weekend, I thought it’d be fun to look back on July 12, 2007, when ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt claimed Madison, Wis., as the No. 1 college sports town on the Dan Patrick Show.

Van Pelt had spent a couple days earlier in the week in Madison for the Andy North golf tournament and went  out to the bars at night. Here are the podcasts:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Highlights:

  • “I understand there’s this place called the Essen Haus … (where) you drink out of a boot. The moral of the story in Madison is a cup of booze ain’t enough–you gotta have a boot.”
  • “Any bar where you go up, and when you order your drinks you can get a side of bacon … you eat it and it’s all salty and what do you do? You drink the booze out of a fish bowl. (Madison) is big on putting booze in a container bigger than a cup there.”

UPDATE: Oct. 18, 2010

Scott Van Pelt was in town for the game, and he had this to say about his return trip to Madison.

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