Pink Heifer

Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon

After opening in Monticello a few years ago, Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon expanded to State Street this year. However, the new location doesn't have the full menu, full bar, ample dining space and charm of a historic building as the ...
Crazylegs race

The Weekend Ahead April 24-26, 2026

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Beach Cocktails

Beach Cocktails: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites

I recently vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands and enjoyed drinking fun, fruity cocktails throughout the week. Thus, I was happy to accept an offer to review Beach Cocktails: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites ($21.99, Gibbs Smith), edited by Allyson ...
Midwest Horse Fair

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New, spicy items at KFC, Wendy’s, BK

April 17th, 2016

Earlier this year, KFC released the limited-time Nashville Hot Chicken in bone-in and tender form. This red-orange-colored, extra-crispy chicken is actually spicy (maybe a 6 out of 10), unlike KFC’s hot wings. The restaurant claims “you are about to taste the best spicy chicken you’ve ever had,” and I don’t totally disagree. That’s because the Nashville recipe isn’t just spicy, it also has a touch of sweetness to give the chicken more depth.

Each order comes with a slice of pickle, which is meant to be a lozenge, according to KFC. You should note that the chicken is immensely greasy; I mean, it’s bathing in a pool of grease, so have 2-3 napkins ready. Although I didn’t do this, you could always sop up the grease with your cornbread or biscuit if you liked it that much.

***

I had low expectations for the Jalapeno Fresco Spicy Chicken Sandwich at Wendy’s, only because its Spicy Chicken Sandwich is a joke. It turns out, I actually like this new entry, which is around for a limited time. The fresh, diced jalapenos are the only thing that makes the sandwich spicy, but it’s an enjoyable heat.

The crispy chicken holds up well under a blanket of tasty, gooey ghost pepper sauce and pepper jack cheese, all inside an jalapeno bun (no discernible spice in the bun). The sliced red onion was superfluous in this otherwise enjoyable sandwich.

***

Burger King is coloring its buns again, and this time they’re bright red. The Angriest Whopper has hot sauce baked into the bun; however, similar to black buns in the A.1. Halloween Whopper, the red buns taste like any regular bun.

In fact, the entire sandwich is a disappointment. The spicy angry sauce is more like a tangy BBQ sauce, the sliced jalapenos (likely from a can) were flavorless and both the angry onion petals and bacon were soggy from the sauce. On a spice level, I’d give the Angriest Whopper 2 out of 10.

Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar

April 10th, 2016

The Avenue Club and the Bubble Up Bar is Food Fight’s second reboot of the Avenue Bar. I heard many loyalists weren’t happy with the changes, but in my opinion, version 3.0 is an upgrade in decor, atmosphere and food.

Gone are all the adornments (I was at the auction for said adornments). Now you have a darker, more modern-looking space that I wouldn’t consider a supper club.

If you’re just hanging out in the bar area, you’ll find a nice cocktail selection. The Original Avenue Bar Brandy Old Fashioned ($7) is finally made-from-scratch (the old Avenue Bar used a mix). I also was pleasantly surprised by the Manhattan on Tap ($8). It’s a kegged cocktail, and they are now all the rage in Madison.

The overhauled food menu has a sizable shareable list, including tempura calamari ($11) and confit chicken wings ($11). You will need 3-4 people to finish the massive serving of thick-cut potato chips you get with the smoked onion dip ($6), which was mild and a bit lumpy.

Lunch includes the expected soups, salads and sandwiches. I appreciated that the French onion soup (served as a side to my lunch order) had a generous portion of cheese and the onions were actually cooked long enough. Meanwhile, the Pastrami and Challah ($11) was a nice find. Tender meat is paired with crunchy and sweet pickles, and the toasted challah bread holds them all together nicely.

Entrees run from $16-$30. I would not hesitate to order again the short rib stroganoff ($20). The fresh tagliatelle pasta is perfectly al dente, and the short rib is full of flavor. I also enjoyed the roasted shiitake mushrooms scattered throughout the dish.

Of course, the popular fish fry remains. The fried walleye ($20) may have been my favorite dish. This gigantic fillet is moist and flaky and battered with Spotted Cow beer. You also can get the walleye pan-seared; baked and fried cod also are options.

The Avenue Club is open every day for lunch and dinner with a late-night menu. Brunch is served on weekends.

***

See more photos in our Avenue Club Flickr album.

Avenue Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

The Madison Blind

April 3rd, 2016

Right in the heart of campus, just a block off State Street, sits a restaurant with a gorgeous view of the city, an outdoor rooftop sitting area and appealing cocktail menu. It’s The Madison Blind, located inside the Graduate Hotel, and it’s easy to miss.

For those in the know, you’re quaffing some outstanding concoctions, such as the Apple Cinnamon Old Fashioned ($8) and the Bourbonic Plague ($8; bourbon, mint, lemon and soda) while glancing at Lake Mendota.

Dinner is served every day. Your first course may come from the Snacks section of the menu. The crispy shrimp ($9) is addicting with its blanket of sweet chili glaze. That contrasts with the very dry and dense turkey meatballs ($9), which didn’t get any help in flavor from the thin sauce in which they were resting.

I tried two of the four items from the Small Plates section. The roasted butternut squash puree ($7) is livened by the sweetness of the pieces of maple bacon walnut brittle and bits of apple swimming about. But it seems for every hit, there’s a miss, and in this round it’s the crispy chicken ($12), which was bland chicken in a thin and non-crispy breading. It was simply dying for either crispier breading or some honey mustard sauce to make it palatable.

The Blind Burger ($14) really activates your taste buds, as it’s topped with bacon, onion, jalapeno jam and smoked gouda on a pretzel bun. It also comes with a side of duck-fat fries. Other Large Plates items include the quinoa veggie burger ($10) and the winter whitefish ($14).

The Madison Blind opens at 4:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 3 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Look for street/meter parking on Langdon Street or park in the ramp on Frances Street.

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

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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