Posts Tagged ‘downtown’

Get Some Burritos

Sunday, December 8th, 2013

There’s yet another place on campus to get your burrito fix, and that’s Get Some Burritos, located near the Plaza where Mad Dog’s used to be. I was invited to check out the place.

Nick Baertschy, formerly of 8 Seasons Grille and Aura in Cambridge, Wis., said he was approached by some people in California to run this operation and bring SoCal cuisine to Madison. Their goal is to have locations at all Big Ten campuses, with Ann Arbor slated to open in early 2014.

That means Get Some Burritos is geared toward the college crowd, but I think non-undergrads will like the place as well. Either the carne asada ($8.11 with tax) or chicken burrito ($7.06) is the place to start. Both are filled with diced onion, tomato, lettuce and guacamole, all of which complement the juicy and flavorful chicken. I’m so used to eating the oft-over-grilled chicken found at Qdoba that this was a welcome change of pace, plus I’m a big fan of diced onion in tacos and burritos.

You also can’t go wrong with the well-seasoned and tender carne asada, which I had atop an order of fries, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream ($6). Two or three people could share this large appetizer/side.

The third meat on the menu was beef, and I was pleased it was pulled, not ground. I must admit that it was a bit bland, especially compared to the chicken and carne asada. I had the beef in a what turned out to be an average-tasting flauta ($3.89), topped with a generous helping of cheese and sour cream.

The tacos (2 for $4.95) were nice and crunchy, full of meat instead of filler vegetables. You can choose chicken or beef, and I would recommend the chicken for the reasons above.

My main disappointment in the meal was the sauces (hot and green chile). Both had little flavor and were too watery.

Get Some Burritos is open every day, including late-night Thursday-Saturday. The space is small so you should probably order to go (expect up to 10 minutes for your order). You’ll find meter parking across the street.

Get Some Burritos on Urbanspoon

Cheba Hut

Sunday, August 4th, 2013

You certainly don’t have to be high or drunk to eat at Cheba Hut, located on campus, but you’d probably feel right at home if you were, plus there’s beer if you want to keep partying. More on that later.

In following their theme, they sell “toasted” subs here. The three sizes for the sandwiches are Nugs (4″), Pinners (8″) and Blunts (12″), all of which come with the standard veggies and your choice of white, wheat or “herb” bread.

From the Old School list, the Endo (reuben) was fairly standard (8″ for $6.09). I ordered it without all the toppings to keep it pure. My guess is that the bland pastrami was not made in-house, but that wouldn’t be surprising. I probably should have gotten the Dank (pizza), filled with genoa salami, pepperoni, home-grown marinara, provolone cheese and parmesan cheese.

On a cashier’s recommendation, I got the Jamaican Red (4″ for $4.49). It comes with spicy grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, jalapenos and black olives. The chicken itself was tender and tasty, but it didn’t mesh well with the other ingredients–it was like a salad gone wrong. I think I would have preferred the Acapulco Gold, which is chicken breast, home-grown BBQ sauce and swiss cheese.

One I probably won’t order on a future visit but worth mentioning is the Schwag, which is bologna, chopped onions and cheddar cheese and described as “out of stock.” That just conjures up an image of a late-night food binge and you’re slapping together whatever ingredients you have in your fridge.

Besides the sandwiches, you can find salads, soups and “Incredible Munchies” on the menu. From that list, I enjoyed the Goo Ball ($1.99), which is Rice Krispies, peanut butter, honey and cocoa. Others include Sticky Icky (PBJ) and Hemp Brownies.

Cheba Hut is open every day for lunch and dinner and past bar time Thursday-Saturday. It also has happy hour from 4:20-6:20 p.m. at its beer-only bar ($2 taps).

Cheba Hut on Urbanspoon

Bars at Dragon I, Osaka House

Sunday, June 2nd, 2013

Just a block from one another on State Street, Dragon I and Osaka House each offer two different experiences, depending on what time of day you arrive.

Both offer lunch and dinner during the day. Dragon I is a sister restaurant to Nam’s Noodle and offers mainly Vietnamese dishes, while Osaka House serves Japanese primarily through carryout and delivery, since its capacity is only 19.

By night, however, both become popular bars. Like Nam’s Noodle, Dragon I offers private karaoke rooms, which are located upstairs. From Sunday through Wednesday, the hourly rental fee is $25 before 9 p.m. and $30 after; Thursday through Saturday is $30/$35. The rooms come in various sizes to accommodate different-sized groups. You get unlimited songs–Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and American–during the time in your room. If you like karaoke, you’ll love this experience, especially since it’s among your close friends, meaning you can pick songs you wouldn’t have the courage to do otherwise.

I have read how bad the service is during dining hours at Dragon I, and I see that it’s just as bad at night. A staff member may occasionally stop by to see if you need more drinks, but you’ll likely have to go all the way downstairs to order. Plus, no one seems to know how to make any of the featured cocktails And while the rooms are mostly soundproof, you can hear other singers through the vents.

From singing we go to dancing at Osaka House. The entrance to the bar is on Gilman Street, not State Street, which sort of gives you the feeling you’re going to a secret club. I’ve heard it called the “sake lounge,” but the manager told me it really has no name.

Inside you’ll find just a handful of bar stools, a nightly DJ and a small dance floor. From 9-10:30 p.m. the place is dead, but then suddenly the entire place reaches its 49-person capacity, and a line quickly forms to get in. Not surprisingly, it’s mostly a college-aged crowd, and even the drinks are aimed at them (shot menu includes Patron, Jose Cuervo, SoCo and Absolut–totally for students who don’t know any better).

    North Italia Urban Air

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