Posts Tagged ‘American’

Boomtown Saloon

Sunday, September 4th, 2016

IMG_20160828_123238If you’re driving from Lake Delton toward Wisconsin Dells, following Hwy 12 as it curves to the right, you’ll likely miss Boomtown Saloon, which is just a block beyond that turn. If you want surprisingly good bar food, keep going straight next time.

With far more bar seating than table seating, plus live music, a pool table, darts and pull tabs, it’s definitely more “saloon” than restaurant. However, a two-page menu had many items that exceeded my expectations.

For example, I absolutely loved the Memphis sliders ($7 for four). It’s diced, seasoned chicken with BBQ sauce, pickles and non-creamy cole slaw inside Hawaiian rolls. You’ll encounter lots of different flavors combined with crunchy and tender textures.

IMG_20160828_123650Meanwhile, the Nashville hot chicken ($12 for two, $17 for five) was not at all spicy, but it was still delicious fried chicken. Very crispy skin + moist chicken = satisfying (except for the missing heat). You also will find chicken and waffles ($9) and various fried fish on this portion of the menu.

On my next visit, I’m going to get the Sriracha Bourbon Burger ($12), which is topped with spicy cheese curds and a Sriracha-bourbon sauce. For sides, you may choose between sidewinder fries and Boomtown Hush Puppies ($6 as an appetizer). The latter are really deep-fried cornbread balls. Though quite dry, they were helped a bit by the accompanying butter-syrup cup.

My only disappointment was the southwest chicken wrap ($10). Boomtown puts excellent twists on the menu items, but this wrap was pretty standard, though the jalapeno ranch sauce enhanced the flavor.

Boomtown Saloon is open every day for lunch and dinner.

Boomtown Saloon Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Field Table

Sunday, August 28th, 2016

I’ve gotten to know and respect former Isthmus food writer Andre Darlington through the Madison food event circuit, and thus I was rooting for him when he announced the opening of Field Table on the Capitol Square.

In addition to having a restaurant and full bar, you also can do some light grocery shopping here. Unlike Merchant, which failed miserably in its attempt to sport a mini-market, Field Table sells items that people actually want (including grab-and-go lunch items).

Does this place ever close? There’s no excuse for not having time to come here, since Field Table serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner and late-night.

  • The trout filet ($23) featured an artic char, in this case a wonderful juxtaposition of tender, flaky fish and crispy skin enhanced by mild onions and a garlic-y sauce.
  • The bowl of mussels ($18) hit the spot. The bits of chorizo added a hint of spice, and the broth was extremely tasty, like a tomato bisque. In fact I wish I had a spoon to slurp it up.
  • A great small plate is the pork belly ($14). It’s two big hunks of meat with good flavor and just the right amount of fat. The charred broccolini added a nice contrast.

Wait, there’s a lot more. I’ve made some of the drinks from Darlington’s cocktail recipe book, and my high expectations for the bar at Field Table were met. On the other end of the day, you must stop by for breakfast, too.

  • The La Bella Pellogrina ($12) does a good job of not letting the gin overpower the drink, probably from the Liquore Strega liqueur.
  • Rum, coconut milk and watermelon liqueur are some of the main ingredients that make a refreshing drink in the Rumful Purpose ($10).
  • Get your pastries here: The almond scone ($3) = flaky goodness, the cheese cretzel ($4) deftly balances all the flavor components and the straw-blackberry-glazed doughnut ($2) was perfectly moist and sweet.

Field Table is open as an espresso bar Monday-Saturday and serves lunch on weekdays, dinner and late-night Monday-Saturday and brunch on Saturdays.

***

See more photos in our Field Table Flickr album.

Field Table Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Me & Julio

Sunday, August 21st, 2016

Fitchburg has so few restaurants, especially south of McKee Road, that it’s no surprise Me & Julio has seen big crowds almost every night since opening in May.

When you walk in, it feels like a chain restaurant, perhaps a cross between Texas Roadhouse and Chili’s. An awkwardly positioned host stand is to the left of the entrance, and a giant bar sits in the middle of the restaurant.

Drinks and apps. You could be fine just having some specialty cocktails and eating off of the lengthy appetizer list. Me & Julio crafts its own margaritas, martinis and Bloody Marys.

  • My favorite was the passion fruit margarita. It’s sweet, not too dense and not too tequila-y.
  • The tequila old fashioned is an interesting spin on the classic Wisconsin cocktail. In fact, it really does resemble an old fashioned, though a bit stronger.
  • The walleye fingers ($11.99) were pricey for the portion size, but I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh the fish tasted and the fact that it wasn’t overly breaded.

American and Mexican. You’ll find both American and Mexican cuisines on the lunch/dinner and breakfast menus. While you wait for your food, you can munch on some free popcorn that comes with your table.

  • I enjoyed the heat and multitude of flavors in the Julio Burger ($11.99) coming from the poblano peppers, ghost peppers and chorizo patty.
  • The plate of fish tacos ($12.99) is pretty filling. Unlike the walleye, the cod in the tacos did not taste fresh, but they were semi-saved by the thick, flour tortillas that tasted like grilled pita bread.
  • I look forward to returning for breakfast to try the cajun hash ($11.99), which includes andouille, chicken, shrimp and cajun Hollandaise.

Me & Julio is open for dinner every day, lunch Monday-Friday and brunch on weekends. Tuesdays feature half-price classic margaritas.

Me & Julio Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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