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Coopers Tavern

January 15th, 2010

The Coopers Tavern opened this week in the spot formerly occupied by Sucre on the Capitol Square. The buzz on this gastro pub has been immense (search “poutine” on Twitter to see what I mean). I’m curious as to how much business it will siphon from Brocach and the Malt House.

It’s so popular that my friend and I came in at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and just beat the rush by less than 10 min. For the next hour that we ate, there were always people waiting for a table. I heard dinner is this way, too, and I’m very happy for the owners of the restaurant.

The food (I had the brisket sandwich and poutine) and beer were good, and I’m looking forward to returning for subsequent meals, especially once it expands its dinner menu (in a month or so). The Coopers Tavern also will add happy hour as early as next Monday.

In the meantime, it does have some kinks to work out. Our poutine (fries with melted cheesecurds and gravy) came at the same time as the entrees, so as we tried to eat both, the fries/gravy/cheesecurds got colder and colder. Also, the bar ran out of one craft beer and blew the keg on another, all within the second day of being open.

I’m eager to sit in the snug, a private room with a window to the bar. The manager told me that it’s first come, first serve, though patrons may call ahead to see if it’s being used.

It’s probably premature to say this, but I think The Coopers Tavern will be successful enough that it should buy the upstairs floor (previously the second floor of McDonald’s), which it could use for more seating (the main restaurant is tiny) and for private events.

Segredo

January 12th, 2010

Segredo, billed as a boutique bowling lounge, is opening this week with several preview parties, and I went to one on Tuesday. After you enter, you head down the stairs to where the three bars, lounge areas and bowling alley are located.

I was instantly flooded with memories of the movie, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” If you recall, the Foot Clan have an underground hangout that includes skateboarding, video games, poker tables, etc. for wayward teens. This was the adult version of that.

As announced, the four bowling lanes are shorter. There’s not much separation between the lanes, which I think will lead to cross-lane bowling by really bad or drunk bowlers. Also, I’m not sure it’s possible to throw a hook with that short of a lane, but I can’t wait to try.

Besides bowling, there are a few Wii stations and other bar games. Again, it’s a clubhouse-type feel, which I admit is really different for Madison, and I’m eager to see how the public reacts.

Otherwise, the bar does try to be a lounge with its variety of seating, but the layout is a bit odd (for example, one group of tables are between a hallway and a half-wall) and generally it’s too spacious. This means that the place needs a lot of people to not seem dead. Plus, the hallway that divides the bar in two seemed unnecessary.

Regarding the preview party itself: I was disappointed no alcoholic drinks were served. For the record, I didn’t expect free drinks (more like drink specials), but NO drinks with alcohol could even be purchased. Instead, the bar offered free “mocktails” (NA martinis) and “faux-jitos” (NA mojitos) and no food–very surprising.

Still, I’m looking forward to returning to Segredo on a Friday or Saturday night and actually getting to sample some drinks and food. It’s open Mon-Fri at 4 p.m. (no happy hour specials, unfortunately) and Sat-Sun at noon.

X-Rated Fusion Liqueur/Thunder From Down Under

December 11th, 2009

EatDrinkMadison.com helped obtain media VIP passes for Holly and Kristin, two regular users of the Web site who submitted this blog entry on Tuesday’s Thunder From Down Under show sponsored by X-Rated Fusion Liqueur:

Holly: I was excited to see Thunder From Down Under at the Majestic Theatre since I had a pretty good time when I saw them in Vegas, but I thought the turnout might be underwhelming given the blizzard warning on Tuesday night. Alas, I was completely wrong. The line to get in to see the Australian male revue extended almost to the corner of King and Pinckney, with people anxious to see them in action.

Kristin: This was my first time, and while I wasn’t completely sure what to expect, I had a pretty good idea. Holly mentioned how much fun she had at the show in Las Vegas, so I was excited. Plus, I was happy to get the VIP pass (surprisingly, there wasn’t a separate line for VIPs).
 
Holly: Once we arrived, we went upstairs to get a prime standing spot for the festivities. There was also a bar featuring three X-Rated Fusion Liqueur drinks:  a martini, a mixed drink and a bomb shot.  I stuck to the X-Rated Passion martinis, which were completely delicious–they were sweet enough, but not cloying like most flavored liqueurs. They were served in glowing pink martini glasses that lit up the entire theatre for the remainder of the evening, which made the show seem even more entertaining. 
 
Kristin: We were pleasantly surprised by the free drinks for VIPs. In fact, we regretted having a drink at Madison’s next door while we were waiting for the line to shrink. I also thought the X-Rated martini was good. Plus, as Holly mentioned, it was served in a souvenir martini glass that glowed in the dark.
 
Holly: Looking down from the balcony, the place was completely packed with people sitting and standing around the periphery anxiously awaiting the start of the show.  Once the montage of the men began, so did the hooting and hollering; the audience was completely randy. With every unbuttoned button and glimpse of flesh there was more and more screaming by the crowd. The show was fun and they did a great job of interacting with the audience, which made it even more exciting. Overall, it was an amazing evening and its proof that people are dedicated enough to trudge through the snow see some sexy men. 

Kristin: I had a big grin on my face the entire time. The revue was really entertaining and funny (not in a bad way). I could not believe the amount of screaming! It was like a Beatles concert or something. One woman brought her boyfriend; I’m still not sure how she convinced/tricked him to come. The audience interaction seemed fun, but since we were up in the balcony we didn’t get a chance to partake. All in all it was a good, high-energy show, and I definitely would see it again.

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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