Madison got its first Bonefish Grill in November, opening near Shopko by West Towne Mall. I accepted my invitation to sample some dishes and drinks, and I returned later to check out more of the menu. I’m usually weary of seafood restaurants in non-coastal states, but Bonefish pleasantly surprised me with its dishes.

Overall I enjoyed most of the menu items, but the service needs improvement. Take for example what happened during dinner. From the time we sat down, the waiter didn’t take our order until 17 minutes later, he didn’t serve our bread for another 17 minutes and the food arrived 37 minutes after we ordered it. That is slooooooow. Other friends I’ve talked to have had similar experiences during lunch and dinner.

Since I ate so many different things, let me just blurt them all out:

• The Bang Bang shrimp ($10.40) is a must-order appetizer. Great crunch to the battered shrimp, which is tossed in a semi-spicy Asian sauce.
• The roasted mushroom flatbread ($9.40) is complemented by a pleasing truffle aioli.
• The cilantro shrimp salad ($13.30) is brightly flavored and colored with the vinaigrette, feta, tortilla strips and other toppings.
• The thick cut of ahi tuna steak ($17.30) goes very well with the pan Asian sauce, one of five signature sauces.
• The Chilean sea bass ($25.40) was flaky and tender on the inside with a delightful grilled texture on the outside. Try it with the mango salsa.
• While the lobster-stuffed shrimp ($10.90) is tasty, it’s not very filling, as you just get four pieces of shrimp.
• Kate’s Wild North Atlantic Haddock ($20.90) is mild as expected but enhanced with the butter sauce and garlic crumb crust.
• The filet mignon ($19.90) was my only disappointment. Parts of the meat were overcooked, and overall the filet lacked flavor and tenderness. Even the white truffle butter didn’t help.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but my favorite dish at Bonefish was the creme brulee ($6.90). I have no sweet tooth and would pick something salty over sweet 99 times out of 100, but this was decadent, creamy and perfectly rich. I cannot believe this is a seasonal item–it should be on the menu year-round!

Last but not least team are the excellent cocktails (I look forward to sitting at the outdoor bar next summer). Of note are the Winter White Cosmopolitan ($7.90), which includes St. Germain Elderflower liqueur and is not overly sweet, and the Cold Snap Cocktail – Blackberry Frost ($8.50), made with Reyka vodka, Solerno blood orange liqueur, muddled blackberries and fresh lemon juice and served in a glass made of ice. An accompanying sleeve holds the ice glass together–just make sure to drink it quickly!

Bonefish Grill is open every day for lunch and dinner, with brunch on the weekends.

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See more photos in our Bonefish Grill Flickr album.