Posts Tagged ‘American’

Waypoint Public House

Sunday, January 3rd, 2016

Waypoint Public House is part of a growing number of restaurants located in apartment buildings in the Madison area, an almost unheard concept just a few years ago. This particular one is located in Treysta on the Water in Monona, right on the Yahara River. In fact, Waypoint fronts the water (and is easily visible from the Beltline) at the expense of being close to the parking lot.

The bar is huge and boasts an impressive list of spirits and beers. I tried three of the nine specialty cocktails, beginning with the Jim Beam rye-based Blinker ($8). This drink wakes up your taste buds, due to the bitterness of the grapefruit liqueur and sourness of the lemon. Meanwhile, I liked the Journeyman Featherbone bourbon-based Boulevardier ($10.50) for its resemblance to a Manhattan (though a bit steep in price) and the rum punch ($8.50) for its refreshing, but strong, taste.

As for the fare, you should be able to find something for every person in your party. For example, appetizers range from Waypoint nachos ($11) to tenderloin poutine ($14). I recommend the satisfying deviled eggs ($8), which are drizzled with sriracha and come with a piece of bacon in each egg.

The rest of the menu is comprised of soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and a few dinner-only entrees, one of which includes the pulled pork mac & cheese ($15.5). The pulled pork is tender and has the perfect amount of BBQ sauce, and all of it sits atop big-shelled and creamy macaroni. The sprinkles of bread crumbs adds a nice little crunch to the dish.

Of the five burgers, I took a stab at the Brie Burger ($11). The house raspberry preserves were almost non-existent, and overall this burger, despite the brie and crispy prosciutto, was surprisingly bland. At least the bun from Batch Bakehouse was tasty.

I’m on the fence about the Walleye Po Boy ($13). The fried walleye is flaky and exactly the level of crispy it should be, but the terrible citrus slaw so overwhelms the flavor of the walleye that I ended up scraping all of it off. If it weren’t for the wonderful Batch Bakehouse baguette, I would have preferred the fish served by itself.

Waypoint serves lunch and dinner every day, plus brunch on Sundays. From the parking lot, head to the right side of the building as you’re facing it to find the restaurant.

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See more photos in our Waypoint Public House Flickr album.

Waypoint Public House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Madison Cuisine

Sunday, November 29th, 2015

I’ve heard Madison Cuisine, located in the Lucky building, described as a food court, but it’s actually more of a cafeteria. You grab a tray when you walk in, and then you are met with a sushi bar, Chinese dishes and American dishes (including breakfast).

So, if you’re looking to eat pancakes, General Tso’s chicken and pepperoni pizza in one meal, this is your place.

Note, the layout is weird. For example, the cups and the soda fountain are not located near each other (the former is located by the Chinese food). Meanwhile, you need to flag down a cook to take your order at the American station.

The sushi is made fresh, on the spot, and then put in those to-go containers you see at grocery stores. My Ocean Sampler ($9.99) had two pieces each of salmon, tuna, eel and shrimp. They were super heavy on the rice, and I wish the wasabi was stronger.

The noodle bowls ($8.95) aren’t on the printed menu. You can choose noodles such as rice, thick or ramen, and then top it with meat such as beef or duck. Don’t mistake the broth for pho; this version is basically tasteless, making the noodles bland as well. At least you get a lot of meat, which in my case was tasty pieces of Peking duck.

I fell for the Best Philly Cheesesteak in Madison ($8.95). It’s got some merits–the sandwich is cooked right on the spot, comes with a generous helping of toppings and includes lightly grilled bread. However, the two slices of cheese were inadequate for the size of the sandwich, and the green peppers and onions needed to be sauteed longer.

As I alluded, the rest of the varied menu includes items like burgers, omelettes, French toast, chicken wings and Teriyaki shrimp.

Madison Cuisine is open every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and carryout. Park in the ramp underneath (enter from Lake Street).

Madison Cuisine Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Cafe Hollander

Sunday, November 1st, 2015

With two locations in the Milwaukee area, Cafe Hollander expanded west and opened at Hilldale Mall in mid-October. First thought: this place is huge! Two stories with a second-floor outdoor eating area and bay doors for walls–it’s just too bad Cafe Hollander didn’t open in the warmer, summer months. Still, I’m sure the robust menu and bright atmosphere should draw plenty of new and repeat business.

It’s hard not to order an appetizer with such an appealing list. During my first visit, the Sriracha cider wings ($10.95) called my name. I enjoyed the hint of smokiness and Sriracha flavor and appreciated that the wings weren’t too messy. I thought the accompanying Sriracha ranch sauce had way too much fennel, so I didn’t use much of it. I also wish the order came with more than just six wings, making it close to $2 per wing.

The Dutch Bitterballen ($8.95) also is a tasty app. The cooks did an impressive job with these croquettes, maintaining a fried, crispy exterior with the soft, gooey interior of cheese mashed potatoes, leek, red pepper and sausage. You won’t need to use either of the two accompanying sauces, as the curry ketchup overpowered the flavor and the aioli was incredibly bland.

I’m a fan of duck, so I couldn’t resist ordering the Duck Duck Egg Burger ($14.95). The juicy patty, the duck-fat fried egg (over-easy, of course), the nicely portioned duck confit and the chewy duck bacon (which resembled turkey bacon) made for quite an ensemble. Although I typically prefer chewy bacon over crispy bacon, with this burger, crispy bacon would have provided some needed contrast in texture.

In addition to the long list of burgers, there’s a sizable number of sandwiches, most of which are quite creative. Take for example the BBQ Boar ($11.95). The shredded boar, which strongly resembles pork, is made with a unique Sriracha ginger BBQ sauce. I appreciated the crunch and slight sweetness provided by the sweet pepper relish and the crispy onion straws.

Many of the entrees, known as Grand Cafe Plates, are priced similarly to the burgers and sandwiches. Of course, that didn’t stop me from ordering the second-most expensive dish, the crab- and brie-stuffed salmon ($17.95). The salmon was tender and flaky, but the brie was on the verge of being too rich and the crab was nearly non-existent (I actually received a few pieces of baby shrimp).

I look forward to returning for breakfast or brunch (the menus are similar), especially for items like the Maker’s Mark Bourbon Butter Waffle ($8.95) and the Pretzel Breakfast Sammy ($10.95). Plus, any of the specialty Bloody Marys, including the Frenchie ($8.50, comes with Dijon mustard and haricot vert), seem like a great way to start the day.

Cafe Hollander is open for lunch and dinner every day, breakfast on weekdays and brunch on the weekends.

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See more photos in our Cafe Hollander Flick album.

Cafe Hollander Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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