Fratelli's

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Fratelli's Trattoria is a cozy Italian restaurant and bar in Monona that feels like it's been around for decades, even though it opened a few years ago (in the former Angelo's space) ...
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GM Banh Mi

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On a busy stretch of W. Johnson Street sits GM Banh Mi, which opened last fall. It can be tough to find parking nearby, but the bread is worth the effort ...
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Cheba Hut

August 4th, 2013

You certainly don’t have to be high or drunk to eat at Cheba Hut, located on campus, but you’d probably feel right at home if you were, plus there’s beer if you want to keep partying. More on that later.

In following their theme, they sell “toasted” subs here. The three sizes for the sandwiches are Nugs (4″), Pinners (8″) and Blunts (12″), all of which come with the standard veggies and your choice of white, wheat or “herb” bread.

From the Old School list, the Endo (reuben) was fairly standard (8″ for $6.09). I ordered it without all the toppings to keep it pure. My guess is that the bland pastrami was not made in-house, but that wouldn’t be surprising. I probably should have gotten the Dank (pizza), filled with genoa salami, pepperoni, home-grown marinara, provolone cheese and parmesan cheese.

On a cashier’s recommendation, I got the Jamaican Red (4″ for $4.49). It comes with spicy grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, jalapenos and black olives. The chicken itself was tender and tasty, but it didn’t mesh well with the other ingredients–it was like a salad gone wrong. I think I would have preferred the Acapulco Gold, which is chicken breast, home-grown BBQ sauce and swiss cheese.

One I probably won’t order on a future visit but worth mentioning is the Schwag, which is bologna, chopped onions and cheddar cheese and described as “out of stock.” That just conjures up an image of a late-night food binge and you’re slapping together whatever ingredients you have in your fridge.

Besides the sandwiches, you can find salads, soups and “Incredible Munchies” on the menu. From that list, I enjoyed the Goo Ball ($1.99), which is Rice Krispies, peanut butter, honey and cocoa. Others include Sticky Icky (PBJ) and Hemp Brownies.

Cheba Hut is open every day for lunch and dinner and past bar time Thursday-Saturday. It also has happy hour from 4:20-6:20 p.m. at its beer-only bar ($2 taps).

Cheba Hut on Urbanspoon

35 years of Animal House

July 28th, 2013

The movie “Animal House” came out 35 years ago today (July 28). Sundance Cinemas had it playing last week, and the Majestic held a toga party on Saturday.

Since this is a food blog, I thought I’d commemorate the occasion by reminiscing about the cafeteria/food fight scene. How well do you remember it?

1. What song is played to start the scene?
a) “Shout”
b) “Louie Louie”
c) “Wonderful World”
d) “Earth Angel”
 
 
2. What type of ball does Bluto eat?
a) Ping-Pong ball
b) Golf ball
c) Tennis ball
d) Baseball

3. What item doesn’t Bluto put on his tray?
a) Apple
b) Doughnut
c) Banana
d) Fries

4. What actor is sitting to the left of Bluto, in the middle?

5. Finish this sentence. “This is absolutely gross. That boy is a ____.”

6. Bluto responds by pretending to be a what?

Upon re-watching the scene, which was filmed at the University of Oregon, I was surprised that the actual food fight only lasted a couple of seconds. For some reason, I thought it was a lot longer. According to IMDB.com, John Belushi’s performance in the scene was entirely improvised.

Answers: 1- c. 2- b. 3- d. 4- Kevin Bacon, who was making his film debut. 5- P-I-G pig! 6- zit.

Festival of Cheese preview

July 21st, 2013

Photo credit: Marisa L. Chioini-TLG Inc.

I am astonished that the annual Festival of Cheese, taking place from 7-9:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Monona Terrace, will have more than 1,700 cheeses for attendees to try. That’s in addition to the crackers, charcuterie, preserves, honeys and yes, craft beer.

The festival follows the 30th annual American Cheese Society Conference, which starts July 31. Approximately 900 attendees from all over the United States and countries such as France and Australia are expected to descend upon Madison.

“We are excited to bring our event back to Wisconsin, a state with a rich cheesemaking history and home to many exciting young cheesemakers,” Nora Weiser, ACS executive director, said.  “We know we’ll have a great turnout from local cheese lovers, and we look forward to welcoming them at our public events, (including) Saturday night’s Festival of Cheese.”

The cheeses at the festival will be from the 2013 ACS Competition, with the winners highlighted. I looked through photos of last year’s Festival of Cheese in Raleigh, N.C., and they showed an ungodly amount of cheese. I may have to bring a glass of wine with me as I work through the endless displays. I love gruyere and aged cheddar, so I’m looking forward to trying all the varieties.

Tickets cost $55. Assuming I don’t get sick of cheese that evening, I’ll be sure to purchase a grab bag of cheese on my way out.

***

ACS is seeking volunteers (age 18 or older) to support the conference. All volunteers receive an official volunteer T-shirt and a complimentary ticket to the Festival of Cheese.

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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