Potbelly Sandwich Shop added special fall menu items on Sept. 13 that will be available until about the end of the year. I accepted a recent invitation to try the Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese, the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and the Pumpkin Pie Cookie.
The mac & cheese ($7.05) is super creamy, and the dish is more filling than I thought it would be. The all-natural chicken is juicy, and the right amount of Frank’s RedHot sauce sauce is added to enhance, not overpower, the flavor. Honestly, Potbelly should serve this year-round.
There’s plenty of grilled chicken in the sandwich ($6) so that each bite includes some. The sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles was a nice touch. The Frank’s RedHot sauce is dulled a bit by the buttermilk ranch, so add spicy peppers if you want more heat.
The pumpkin pie cookie ($1.30) has a soft middle with a slightly crunchy exterior. The nutmeg shines through–there is also a note of cinnamon–and I kept longing for some whipped cream to go along with this tasty treat.
In Madison, you can find Potbelly on State Street, in West Towne and just past East Towne.
There’s really not much beyond housing surrounding Hawks Landing Golf Club, so you have to make a special trip if you’re going to eat at 
Dahmen’s Famous Breadsticks ($4) are warm and fluffy, with a very mild garlic flavor. The marinara sauce needed to be thawed more–it was served as a solid block. Still, they’re a nice way to start the meal. The other apps, such as wings and nachos–are what you expect at a clubhouse restaurant.
I had a chance recently to eat at the original 
My choice of cheeps (chips) was the Vitner’s barbeque, and I had a tiny whiskey-Diet Coke ($6). Oddly, the cashier where you order food took credit cards, but the bar takes cash only. Speaking of the bar, it’s pretty robust, and it seems like many people come here just to drink.
