State Street Beat

best slice ever

2008-03-16T12:28:00.004-05:00

I tried a new-to-me slice at Ian's yesterday and it is my new favorite. I am not sure exactly what was on it, but from what the pizza guy told me and from what I could see and taste, it had a kalamata paste for sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic, maybe roasted red peppers, and pecorino romano cheese. Wow. The salty of the pecorino with the meaty kalamata and the juicy diced tomatoes: pizza trifecta.

Everyone at work (and the greater Madison area) is more than sick, so I washed it all down with some vitamin water and was feeling quite healthful by the time my lunch hour was over.

hearty breakfast

2008-02-08T11:08:00.002-06:00

This morning I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Cafe Soleil and it was amazing. I sipped on a big, soupy bowl of latte and crunched down the hearty breakfast sandwich. I am in love. The breakfast sandwich has two fried eggs, ham, bacon, gouda, hearty whole grain bread and is served with a side of sweet salad that contains shaved carrots and apples. mmmm.

Shoppes on the move

2008-02-05T21:31:00.003-06:00

Little Luxuries is vacating their space at 214 State at the end of February and moving down the block to the former home of Puzzlebox at 230 State. That is a great space and I think LL will be a nice fit. I do worry about Patricia Shoppe around the corner at 137 W. Johnson, though, because some of the jewelry lines are the same, I am thinking of La Vie Parisienne in particular. But Patricia Shoppe is more of a boutique and Little Luxuries is more of a gift shop, and I currently visit both and will continue to do so.

What I am really excited about, though, is the new store (possibly called anthology?) at the former space of Twee and Luliloo at 218 State. The windows are covered with beautiful papers and collage art and I have been waiting for a store like this downtown. They plan on selling handcrafted papers, fabrics, art supplies, yarns and potentially artisan goods. Cool! Can't wait.

Sambarific

2008-02-05T20:01:00.000-06:00

Chimichurri part deux: Samba Brazilian Grill. Ole! And then some. As referenced in my Cabana Room review, the remodeled Avol's is stunning. Samba is far more impressive than the Cabana Room (as distinguished as that is), with even more polished wood, colorful draperies and glass accents, a stage with live music, gauchos shaving meat and more magnificently presented sides, salads, cheeses and cured meats than a person can dream up.

I sampled octopus salad (wow!, I wish I had eaten more of that), a marinated shitake salad, seaweed salad with a sesame paste, pasta with cubed meat, heart of palm, delicious cheeses, fresh fruit, olives, and on and on. Too much really. And mashed potatoes. And saffron rice. And Cuban style beans. And cheesy biscuits that I would have compared to a gougère (I ate between 4 and 6; I stopped counting after 3). And meat. As long as your color coated table tower is showing green, the meat just keeps coming. Bacon wrapped sirloin. Parmesan crusted pork. Honey glazed pork. Duck. Lamb. Rack of lamb. More beef. Changes nightly. I may have to go again tomorrow! And the chimichurri. It tastes so divine with the beef. With everything. My mouth waters just thinking about it. I may have to wander down to Gotham to get a bagel with chimichurri cream cheese, for a quick fix. I wonder if there are medicinal uses for chimichurri? If I consumed a tbsp daily, would I ward off any ailments? I would be willing to give it a go...

For an easy chimichurri recipe, please visit Recipezaar. To learn about my new favorite drink, the caipirinha, and cachaça, a national product of Brazil, visit the appropriately named Cocktail Times.

Pour some sugar on me!

2008-01-09T13:11:00.000-06:00

Been scoping out Sucre, the new French patisserie where McDonald's used to be on the square. It is fancy! The stark white interior with a splash of color reminds me of the glass restaurant, fresco, on top of Overture. Can hardly believe it used to be McDonald's. The transformation is complete, and I daresay, miraculous.

On my first visit I ordered a fluffy gibassier pastry infused with orange, anise, almonds and olive oil. I love croissants, and this had the same flaky, eggy, buttery, doughy deliciousness. At $2.95, it wasn't a bargain, but it was a real treat. And looking at the gorgeous tarts and pastries and the menu recommending wine pairings, I wished I could spend the whole afternoon there, sampling and hanging out.

On subsequent visits, I have sampled the carrot cake (very glamorous parchment wrapping and perfectly moist and nutty cake), the Sacher Torte (never been to Vienna, but if there is an entire hotel serving this ganache coated, chocolately masterpiece, I am adding it to my list) and a couple of fair to middling lattes. The lattes are very competitively priced for downtown and the milk is organic, a big bonus in my book, but there are some kinks to be worked out there.

I have noticed in the pastry case that items can be boxed and beribboned "to go" for an especially exquisite presentation gift and some chocolates are making their way into the rotation as well. I anticipate spending a lot of my empty calorie allotment here, and happily.

Read local reviews.

(Not the Copa) Cabana

2007-12-28T13:26:00.000-06:00

I love white bean paste. And I love Brazilian food. It is without surprise then that I love the Cabana Room, the lower level restaurant and bar located in the Samba complex that is the remodeled Avol's Bookstore on Gilman. The space is gorgeous: brightly colored, lots of polished woods - and the food is fantastic. I ordered a grilled mushroom and pepper wrap with goat cheese and white bean paste. It was sweet and savory, full of nutty garlic flavor and delightfully chewy. Add a side salad with crisp greens and a mango vinaigrette, and I was happy as a clam. Even happier when one of my dining companions wished to swap sandwich halves, and I was able to sample the grilled cheese with pesto and tomato Cubano, which is a sandwich brick pressed on a grill, not unlike a panini. It was cheesy and fresh and a perfect complement to the wrap. The only problem is that I would like to have half of each every time I visit and I may not find someone willing to swap! Can't wait to try more.

Maharani à l'ouest

2007-12-01T12:20:00.000-06:00

I did not know that Swagat, at High Point and Old Sauk Road offered the same lunch buffet as Maharani! I knew they were owned by the same folks, so it makes sense. Man, that is a great buffet. The lentil donuts, the chicken tikka masala, the mango sorbet. It's all there. And delicious.

Fair is Fair

2007-11-13T13:18:00.000-06:00

I love Alterra Coffee. I love that their coffee is wind-powered, uber eco-friendly and they are Fair Trade certified. I love the way a latte tastes when made with Alterra Coffe, I love Voltaire's Passion, I love that I can get it at Sentry Hilldale, the best grocery store in town.

But the only place that I know of that sells Alterra downtown is Barriques Market in the old Loraine Hotel at the corner of Fairchild and W. Wash . And that place is kind of a mess. It is not entirely clear where the line to order starts - sometimes it is to the right, sometimes it is down an aisle, the space is entirely too cluttered, and while I can forgive both of those things, it is also SLOOOOOOOOW. But the lattes are awesome, and I love Alterra, and it is convenient, so I will certainly keep going there.

And thank you to EmWi for the gorgeous photo that I lifted from flickr. Isn't it pretty?

Coffee at Cosi

2007-10-31T09:03:00.000-05:00

I had a latte at Cosi and it was delicious! I admit it, I was surprised. I had never ordered any coffee beverages there (I might have ordered milk a couple of times) and I will definitely order a latte again. I have been going through a latte upheaval lately - I really don't like a scorched tasting latte (who does?) and my usual favorite place has been tasting kind of scorchy.

Kudos to the new seasonal menu items at Cosi, as well. The salad bruschetta is just my thing - it is so flavorful, I don't even add the balsamic. I am such a sauce person, this is quite remarkable. The salad consists of grilled chicken, cannellini beans, fresh basil, tomatoes, red onions, cracked pepper, Romano cheese & mixed greens. It is served layered, which is unusual and works really well for a salad like this. Highly recommended.

One last note, the last time I was there, the baker was making a pan of the oatmeal energy cookies that they have in baskets by the cash registers and man, did those look great! They are neatly wrapped in cellophane and I haven't been tempted before, but now that I know they are made fresh in-house, I will certainly give them a try.

Sangria Ya-Ya

2007-10-23T09:44:00.000-05:00

Icon, the new tapas bar on the 200 block looks promising. There is a glossy poster in the window proclaiming authentic Spanish sangria. Who doesn't love sangria? And truthfully, who doesn't love tapas? Everything looks ready to go, I didn't catch an opening date on the window, but I suspect it will open any day now. It looks very sleek, all black and white and silver inside. Add a trench coat and dark red lipstick and you might find yourself the main character in a film noir. Not sure how that fits in with tapas, but I'll play along.

Sucre on the square does not look anywhere near ready to go, though. They are doing a major renovation on that building. There is no trace of the former McDonald's anywhere in sight. I will be dreaming of chocolate croissant a little while longer on that front.

Candinas is Fancy

2007-10-22T11:10:00.000-05:00

Fancy chocolates. Fancy fancy. Candinas chocolates are billed as equal parts artistry, science, and love and I agree. The fancy lies in the artistry; they are so beautiful!

Located now on the Capitol Square (as well as Verona), the Candinas chocolates contain no preservatives, so they must be eaten right. Hell, yeah. I have to eat them right away? I can do that! I believe that Markus Candinas is a swiss-trained confectioner, as opposed to Gail Ambrosius, who is a french-trained confectioner and the chocolates are definitely different, all in a gloriously delicious way. Here is a chart of the types of chocolates Candinas offers. My favorites are the dark caramel, dark hazelnut and ginger.

A Slice of Sal's

2007-10-21T08:38:00.000-05:00

OK, OK. I know it is not Sal's anymore. Or Casa Bianco. But can anyone really keep track? The enormous New York-style slices are the same, the guys working behind the counter are the same, so what if the name keeps changing? If pressed, I could probably come up with the accurate name (Pizza di Roma), but everyone knows which pizza place you mean if you call it Sal's, or if you refer to it as the one on the 300 block, or the one by the Tyme machine, or the one with the big, cheap slices.

The slices are big. And they are inexpensive. And I would describe them as greasy. And delicious. I prefer the plain cheese, the margerita and a slice with fresh mozzarella, spinach and tomato. And anything with feta. The hawaiian is very popular, as well as barbecue chicken, the baked ziti and something my husband refers to as the heart attack. I believe it has at least four kinds of meat including sausage, ham and bacon.

This pizza has taken the place of Rozino's in my heart, soul and stomach. I never thought I would get over the loss of Rozino's on Fairchild when the entire block was torn down to make way for Overture. But a nice, big, greasy slice of cheese from Pizza di Roma, and I am a very happy girl.

A Little Black Velvet

2007-10-20T10:36:00.000-05:00

Went to Brocach, the Irish pub on the Square last night and it was a very busy place. The crowd there is a little weird, maybe a few too many parents and a few too many Badger fans, but the food is usually good and the atmosphere not run of the mill.

I ordered the Black Velvet, which is my favorite beer cocktail - half Guinness then topped off with champagne, but was dismayed to discover that the bartender was unfamiliar with that drink. My companions were lucky enough to order their drinks from the Irish barkeep who not only knew how to pour a Guinness without any head, he also knew how to swirl a shamrock into it!

I was also dismayed to discover that the burgers no longer arrive with the Brocach slaw (purple cabbage with raisins and caraway) and a heaping plate of fries. Now the burger is served with a normal amount of fries and a pickle. Boring. The slaw is something special, and it was sorely missed. According to the menu, it is still served with lunch. (?)

The Dublin City Burger still tastes great, though: eight ounces of certified angus burger with Irish cheddar cheese sauce, double smoked bacon, sautéed crimini mushrooms, onion strings and Guinness Stout sauce. The onion strings are sweet and crisp and more than made up for any lack in slaw. Add a little malt vinegar to the fries and all is well.

If you are in the mood for something decadent after your meal, the chocolate cake is not to be missed. A slice of this layer cake with thick, fudgy icing is best when split between two parties and washed down with some Guinness. The cake warrants a trip all its own.

Maharani Wahoo

2007-10-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

Just a hop, skip and jump from the Downtown library, Maharani's Indian lunch buffet is without a doubt a favorite place for librarians who lunch. Or at least my posse. That joint is flavor-filled to the gills and the hot naan just keeps coming. My favorites include: dahi vadas (lentil donuts in yogurt sauce), dosas (crepes filled with potato and onion), any of the curries, pakoras and samosas, the chicken tikka masala, gulab jamuns (deep-fried dough soaked in syrup), kheer (rice pudding), and of course, the mango ice cream. I always eat until I am feeling rather sicky, and my hair smells like curry for at least 12 hours, but I can't wait to go back and do it all over again.

Located in the original building of Metropolitan Place at the corner of W. Washington and Broom, Maharani also offers free parking. In downtown Madison! That is the greatest wahoo of all.

Reviews:
Daily Page Forum
Madison Magazine
Wisconsin State Journal

Sardine

2007-10-18T10:24:00.000-05:00

How do I love thee, let me count the ways...

Sardine is my favorite place for dinner. Marigold Kitchen is my favorite place for lunch. I spend far too little time dining at either establishment. Here is a recent run-down of what I like about Sardine:

The Steamed Mussels and Frites. (I have ordered this every time I have dined at Sardine and it is amazing.) The mussel are perfectly prepared. The creamy broth with diced tomatoes and onions is flavorful and not cloying. The frites are crisp, hot and twice fried. The homemade mayonnaise is thick and tangy. I will continue to order it EVERY TIME.

The Warm Duck Confit Salad. I don't eat duck. But I eat it at Sardine. The duck is finely shredded, smoked and moist. The salad is crisp and although I don't like frisee per se (too tricky to eat) the sharpness really contributes to the overall taste. Add fresh green beans, tomato, lardon (bacon, bacon, bacon), crispy fried potato medallions and a poached egg and I am in heaven.

Potato Leek Soup. Best my hubby has ever had.

Various Entrees. All of the entrees are superb, but I really don't need anything other than the mussels. And I admit it. I will gladly eat the veal. I enjoy this restaurant so much, that I will eat things that I tell people I would never eat. Namely duck and veal. But I would gladly eat goat cheese stuffed chicken breast with a zucchini carrot cake, grilled pork chop with roasted peaches, or anything that you set in front of me. Because everything is that good.

Cafe Soleil

2007-10-16T09:30:00.001-05:00

This entry veers off State Street two blocks to the east, on the Pinckney side of the square. Cafe Soleil is the breakfast/lunch eatery owned by L'Etoile and home to the remarkable chocolate sand cookie. Their pastries are always fresh and the coffee is a notch above the rest.

After walking to grab some coffee on a quick mid-morning break with some colleagues, I thought I should write this gem up. My latte was perfect and I left dreaming of brioche and the trout salad, even though I wasn't hungry. Here is the menu.

Add to all this goodness: they have recycled coffee cups. Cafe Soleil has gone green and switched all of their disposables to products that are made of either biodegradable/compostable materials, like corn, or 100% recycled content. Amen.

Mad City Crab House

2007-10-11T19:42:00.001-05:00

The lump crab is in the house! I have been reading tons of reviews of The Mad City Crab House and although I did not order wisely when I was there, I will give it another go. I wasn't feeling like fried foods, so I wasted my crab on the Mad City Salad. The chilled Dungeness Blue Crab meat was plentiful and sweet, but the greens were just so so. There were carrots, tomatoes, dried cranberries and a tomato basil vinaigrette, which is close to my perfect salad, but it wasn't spectacular. I have heard over and over again, though, that the crab cakes and sweet potato fries ARE spectacular, so next time I will order that. Lesson learned.

Some reviews:
The Daily Page
Isthmus
Wisconsin State Journal

Contemporary Afghani Cuisine

2007-10-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

I love Maza, where Saz used to be at 558 State. I used to like Saz just fine, the artichoke quesadilla being the only artichoke quesadilla I have seen on a menu before, but I love Maza. And truthfully, I couldn't remember the last time I had been to Saz.

Since Maza's opening this spring, I have been there a 1/2 dozen times and have ordered the same entree each time, mixing up the salad, soup and appetizers for variety. I order the Kofta every time. This is an amazing Afghani meatball dish (more like small seasoned beef patties) with basmati rice and served with a tomato based sauce with chickpeas, leeks and a million other spices that makes for an unbelievably savory combination. I have also sampled the lamb kabuli palow, which is a tender lamb dish served with a basmati rice pilaf with raisins, carrots and onions, as well as the beef and chicken kebobs (watch out, those metal skewers are hot, and the wait staff don't always warn the diners - one of my dining companions got a nasty burn).

The salad is decent - fresh leafy greens with a homemade balsamic dressing and the soup is good, too. A tomato vegetable soup with noodles and a comforting flavor.

The complementary flatbread is fresh and warm, and the Maza sampler is super yum - it comes with buryani (fried potato and leek dumplings), a chunky hummus (I am an afficianado of the creamiest of hummus - that found at Mediterranean Cafe or King of Falafel) but this hummus is excellent, and a giant vegetable fritter - I think with chickpeas, leeks and potato? The sambosa is also excellent - another fried dumpling filled with ground beef, onion, cilantro and chickpeas. All of the dumplings I have tried thus far are served with yogurt sauce and a zesty green chutney. Yum.

At the time of it's opening, there might have been a question of whether or not State Street could support two Afghani restaurants (the other being Maza's parent across the street, Kabul) and I can say with certainty, yes. Even with relatively poor, slow service, the place is always packed and the food consistently good.

fromagination

2007-10-06T09:51:00.000-05:00

I have been waiting for you my whole life! An artisanal cheese store opened on the square on Carroll St. next to Badger Office Supply this week. It is amazing. There are cheeses. There are organic crackers. There are chocolates. Frosted cookies. Chutneys. Mustards. Even some peppy ostrich sticks that quite pleased my hubby. I am in love with a pumpkin spiced cheese spread made with the milk from the happy sheep that graze in Wisconsin's driftless area (this might be Westby). Hidden Springs Creamery makes a Driftless cream spread to rival any spreads I have had since Madison Bagel was making a salsa cream cheese. (RIP Madison Bagel, I still dream of the whole wheat world, even with Gotham just down the block). But happy new day, for fromagination. I wish it all the best.

Mmmm, gelato

2007-10-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

Suddenly, "Madison-Area" is exploding with gelato. Which is fine by me, but I don't spend that much time in America's best suburb (aka Middleton). State Street still only has one premier gelato joint and I am going to focus on that.

Hooray for Paciugo. I am working through all the flavors with my merry band of taste testers (thanks Veronica, Nancy, Kelly and Laura!). I always get the small cup with three flavors and have worked my way through: lavender, rose, violet, panacotta wedding cake, berry white, black pepper olive oil (amazingly fruity and delicious), chocolate almond, black cherry swirl, pistachio, coconut, chocolate coconut, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate turtle, cinnamon, dulce de leche, fondente, tiramisu, rum raisin, watermelon and strawberry balsamic. I draw the line at beer.

At 70% less fat than ice cream, I can eat there almost three times as much as Chocolate Shoppe and not feel guilty! And it is fun and delicious.

Back to the Beat

2007-09-30T12:35:00.001-05:00

There have been so many changes on State St., I can barely keep it all straight. And I have been away from the beat for a year, so I will start with what I can!

The latest buzz is for Za's, which used to be the old Blockbuster. The marinara is just ok, but they have Cheesecake Factory desserts and if you don't want to order from the menu, you can create your own pasta, pizza, salad or panini. Which surely wins the award hands down for best variety.

I highly recommend the Italian Creme Cake and the decaf coffee was freshly brewed, instead of old and nuked, which, sadly, is the norm.

Next up: Maza, Mad City Crab House, Paciugo, and Mad Dog's.

Taste of Madison

2006-09-04T10:07:00.000-05:00

Ok, the Taste of Madison was quite good this year - the weather was mild and not too sunny, the crowds on Sunday weren't too crazy, and most importantly, none of stands had run out of the food that I wanted to try. I do have a couple of complaints, though: why are there stands from Rio? I can see Fitchburg, and Middleton, maybe. But Rio? Why not bring in Janesville restaurants? Or Portage? Rio is 30 miles from Madison. I would also like to complain about the brochures - bring back the small, glossy brochures and have people handing them out! We hunted down the State Journal stand to find some, and were asked at least six times where we had found them. People want the brochures and they were too hard to find.

This is what I ate:
Spicy Beef Skewer with pepper dipping sauce (Kelly's Grill in Fitchburg)
Hand Dipped Halibut (Joey's Seafood)
Coconut Shrimp (Joey's Seafood)
Key Lime Pie (Joey's Seafood)
Berry Panna Cotta (Lombardino's)
Jerk Chicken Nachos (Bluephies)
Spinach Boat (West Side Club/Queen Anne's)

All in all, another fun Taste in Madison.

Import death or dearth

2006-09-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

Yet another hootchie girl clothing store in the (seemingly) endless array of shops owned or masterminded by the import conglomerate that dominates the 100 and 200 blocks of State is "moving" or closing. The signs say "moving sale" but I have my doubts.

Cosi looks close to being done - the workers are going great guns, lots of hammering and drilling. I am looking forward to finding out what they have to offer.

Fancy Make-Up

2006-08-25T09:53:00.000-05:00

There is a new store where Dick and Jane used to be on the 500 block and it is full of fancy make-up. The young woman at the counter said that they sell top brands available at stores like Saks and Neiman Marcus. I recognized Cargo and Bourjois (Oprah's favorite brand of lipstick), but I am a dedicated Sephora fan, and the high end brands I like, like Stila and Nars, are already available there. I wish they had Laura Mercier - then I wouldn't have to stock up on tinted moisturizer when I get to Nordstrom in Chicago. This new store is stocking what looks to be a slider tin of lip gloss like the Village Lip Lickers glosses by Village Bath from my childhood. I will have to do some checking on that.

Cosi

2006-08-19T08:12:00.000-05:00

There is a new restaurant called Cosi opening where Stillwaters used to be. It looks promising - a European bakery/cafe of sorts. They will be serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffees, desserts and are known for their flatbread. They also have a s'mores dessert. Lord knows I love coffee and dessert and we really don't have anything like this in the State St. area. I do enjoy Panera and this seems similar. Marigold is still my all time favorite place for this type of food, but they are only open through lunch and it is still quite a jaunt to get to the King St. neighborhood and back for lunch.

Sayonara Arcade

2006-08-04T08:07:00.000-05:00

The State Street Arcade finally closed. It was about time. That joint has been a blight on the 100 block for as long as I can remember. It was embarrassing to take kids to get popcorn or pizza next door to that skeevy place and explain that it wasn't a "real arcade." I just hope they don't relocate to Midvale Plaza. ha! Or not so ha. Best wishes for a nice new business to fill that space.

Apple Pie

2006-07-30T10:49:00.000-05:00

I am making my first scratch apple pie today. I have made the dough for the crust and it is sitting in the refrigerator doing whatever it needs to do for the next hour or so. I bought galas and pink ladies, for some crunch and flavor. We shall see. The dough did not form a nice ball before I divided it and may have been handled too much for consumption. Will it be as hard as a rock? Hmmm. I have been inspired after reading John T. Edge's Apple Pie book. I am going to add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to the filling. I am not experimenting with Red Hots or green chiles or anything fancy today. Just your basic apple pie. My own american story.

The Great Flood

2006-07-29T10:29:00.000-05:00

Got caught in the great flood 06 near campus. Streets were flooded, the water kept pouring from the sky and up and over anything in its wake. Scary!

Caspian Cafe

2006-07-26T16:59:00.000-05:00

In honor of the greater State St. area, I present the new location of the Caspian Cafe. It is even easier to get to now, the Persian tea is super and I just had a great lunch there. There are three daily specials offered in addition to the regular menu items and everything looks fantastic and tastes even better. Today's specials included enormous meatballs stuffed with peppers, currants, hardboiled eggs and more, served with a rice pilaf, a spinach phyllo entree and an eggplant tagine of sorts that had so many more ingredients I can't remember any. I had the cafe sampler that included falafel, hummus, baba gannouj, tabouli, fluffy bread and yogurt salad. A+++

Opera Rain

2006-07-23T12:48:00.000-05:00

What a bummer. Opera in the Park got rained out. What's a little weather advisory? I had my bag chairs. I had my picnic basket. I had my Quizno's BLT and entertainment magazines. Very disappointing. Rescheduling on a Sunday night doesn't do it for me. Who wants to fight the crowds out of a filled to capacity park at 11:00 pm on a work night? So I went to the movies instead. Go see Wordplay. Cross Swords fun for everyone.

The Plaza

2006-07-22T10:57:00.000-05:00

What could be more perfect than a Plaza burger with an order of fries and extra Plaza sauce on the side? I really do not know. Except maybe the tuna melt on whole wheat with fries and extra sauce. Or an order of fried mushrooms with extra sauce on the side. And a pitcher of Point beer.

Jamba Heaven

2006-07-18T11:20:00.000-05:00

Beat the heat with my new favorite, Jamba Juice. I can't believe that I have never tried this nectar before - it is delicious! I had the Orange Dreamsicle. It was orange juice, soy, protein powder, orange sherbet and some other heroin that makes me want to have it three times a day. I also tried a protein pizza stick. Super yum. A bit spendy, but highly recommended.

Art Fair on the Square

2006-07-09T09:50:00.000-05:00

Festival season! Art Fair, then Maxwell Street, Taste of Madison - the square is bustling and crazy. Art Fair this year seems busier than ever, tons of food stands and music in the streets.
Great weather this year, too.

On other fronts, green tea ice cream has been spotted at the new super-sized Chocolate Shoppe. Hooray.

Holiday Week-end

2006-07-01T10:42:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th of July week-end! Even though the 4th isn't until Tuesday and I have to work Monday. State St. is all torn up and in total chaos, but as much fun and craziness as always. I am sure farmer's market today is just nuts and that there will be tons of events about town. Which is why I am at home, typing away at the computer. ha! Not much to report - except that I had forgotten how nice the Fanny Garver gallery is - needed a "ruby" gift for my parents 40th wedding anniversary and they had a wide variety of very pretty, useable art. Highly recommend.

Ice Tea

2006-06-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

There is nothing more refreshing than ice tea. Michelangelo's does a superb job with this - they serve jasmine tea iced. Delightful. Thirst quenching. Full of antioxidents.

CowParade

2006-06-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

The CowParade is so much fun - I love wandering around during my lunch hours checking out the various downtown cows. The half and half cow is clever! My favorite so far is the mirrored cow on the square, but the chocolate milk cow is a very close second. The bumper cow is hugely popular with the kids. Nothing beats a yellow plastic steering wheel.

Fat Elvis

2006-06-11T11:38:00.001-05:00

In honor of our recent trip to Graceland, I have to address the incomparable Fat Elvis ice cream at the Chocolate Shoppe. It is amazing - banana ice cream with creamy chunks of peanut butter and bitter sweet chocolate. A perfect mix. Not quite the same as a peanut butter and banana sandwich on white bread fried in a stick of butter, but a pleasing alternative.

Library Mall

2006-06-03T09:46:00.000-05:00

Library mall is one of the best restaurants in town. It is so fun to wander down there at noon, where all of the studnets are playing frisby and laying on the grass (as opposed to the drunks laying on the sidewalk up near my neck of the woods) and sample the many food carts. I haven't seen the greek cart lately, but Buraka is there, as well as a jamaican cart, sushi, thai, chinese, soul food and more. Mr. Loose Juice is also back. Hey, Carl, when are you opening the Rye back up? We are still waiting!

Bratfest Revisited

2006-05-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Memorial Day!

This is the first time we have attended the new and super-sized brat fest at Colliseum Island. Eh. So you can buy a $5 cup of beer. And you can sit on the grass and listen to some local bands. I can do that at the Union every Friday night! It was something to do, and it is for a good cause, but it just ain't what it used to be.

Yogurt at the Farmer's Market

2006-05-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

I love the yogurt at the Farmer's Market. I have not tried the Murphy Farms (home of the best cottage cheese on earth) because that is only available at the downtown market, but I have been gobbling up the Sugar River yogurt from the Westside Community Market like crazy. I love the Westside Community Market, otherwise known as the Hilldale defectors market. Murphy Farms, the Sugar River people, the good apple lady and my favorite maple syrup guy are all there. There is plenty of room to run around on the grass and the parking is plentiful. The old Hilldale market had gotten to be a cramped mess. Boo hiss! On other Hilldale defector fronts, the new Chocolate Shoppe at Midvale Plaza is open for business and booming. They have been open one week and we have already been three times. No peppermint stick, though. I am also going to request that they add the green tea ice cream from the State St. store (a special request from downtown patrons when Chocolate Coyote closed). Hooray for ice cream!

Chicks and Gifts

2006-05-26T09:28:00.001-05:00

I ran down to the b-side during my break to buy the new Dixie Chicks album, Taking the Long Way. Here's to free speech! I also stopped in to Twee to pick up some taffy. For $1.50 you can purchase more taffy than you should eat in one setting. The raspberry/lemon and key lime are currently my favorite. But I always end up buying questionable flavors like chocolate chip cookie and buttered popcorn. When I know I like the tangy flavors. Blech. And watch out for the red licorice flavor. It is super stale. Some like the teeth crackin' taffy. I do not. Consider yourself warned.

Other recommendations: the MMoCA gift shop has so many excellent items - cards, jewelry, bags and household accessories. A wonderful place to buy gifts (for yourself) and others.

Mango

2006-05-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

There is a new store opening on the 100 block of State Street called Mango Boutique. I was hoping that it would be related to the sensational international chain Mango, but I am not getting my hopes up. We cannot even support a decent H&M in this state. Still, it is nice to see new development on State Street. I have also heard that the post office from the now defunct U-Square is moving to State, as well as another Starbucks.

La Brioche

2006-05-14T17:10:00.000-05:00

I still remember when La Brioche was on State St. It was in the spot where Ian's is now. My two favorite places! I can't even remember all of the other incarnations after La Brioche left: a coffee shop, a juice bar, a vegetarian restaurant and Madison Masala among others. There is something so magical about their pastries. I always get a black and white cookie and a brownie. If we are picking up pastries for the week-end, I like chocolate croissants and morning buns. Mitch likes fruit danish and mini chocolate chip cookies. But we have tried just about everything and it is all spectacular. We went through a phase where we were obsessed with the macaroons. My sister loves the florentines. Vive la brioche!

Sushi Carts and Sesame Noodles

2006-05-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

The special of the day at the Sushi cart on the square at MLK near Starbucks on Friday was spicy tuna roll for $4.99. This came with avocado and cucumber rolls and was beautifully presented. The guy in line next to me got the tempura and that looked really good, too. And just so I never forget: 10# (or seemingly) of the most delicious cold sesame noodles on earth are just $3.75 from Asian Kitchen under La Bamba and Wasabi. I laugh every time I pass Riley's thinking of our freshman year bank statements being mailed to our parents with numerous Tyme withdrawls from the corner with a "Wines of the World" location indicator. ha.

MMoCa

2006-05-04T08:35:00.000-05:00

The new Museum of Contemporary Art is gorgeous. Some of the art is kinda weird. It always was, but there is more of it to notice now in the bright, shiny new facility. It took several attempts to find the Henry St. gallery with the Frida Kahlo, and the glass stairs are a little scary - I really had to concentrate. It was raining the day we went to visit, so the rooftop garden wasn't much fun to spend time in and I was a little afraid of slipping, but I am excited to have this new facility in our town and plan to take lots of visitors. On the same day we went to MMoCa, my sister and I had dinner at Takara. We each ordered the beef negimaki Bento boxes. They are expensive but worth it. And the presentation is exquisite. Highly recommend.

Mourning the Rye

2006-04-09T10:31:00.000-05:00

A bunch of us are still mourning the Rad Rye. Where can you get a good sandwich and decent soup on State Street? We were walking near Overture last night after having pizza at Sal's/Casa Bianca/Pizza di Roma (who can keep track?) and saw the glassy corner filled with stairs where the Rye used to be and paused for a moment. Then we discussed the possibilities of the new Food Fight restaurant going in and were optimistic, but not placated.

Open on Saturdays

2006-04-02T10:42:00.000-05:00

I have heard over and over again how sad it is that Twee is not open on Saturdays. I agree. Saturday is a big day on State St. and the people should not be deprived of the magnificent bunny petit fours, dark chocolate covered vanilla marshmallows and various taffys. On other fronts, a food fight restaurant is going into Overture. Can't wait!

what's new and makes me blue

2006-03-27T10:08:00.000-06:00

Some things that make me sad:
Where did all the empty storefronts come from? I can't even keep track. dick and jane, Discount Records, the Discount Den, the pelmeini place (although the sign says they are coming back), the import clothing places on the 100 block. And now there's a Fuddrucker's moving in on the 700 block? How on earth will an open topping bar work? I cringe thinking about it. Yucko. And another thing that I want to support, but consistently disappoints - Barriques. I am an Alterra coffee fiend - but even that tastes weird there. What are they up to? Why can't they get it together like Soleil, which is perfect example of what I need in a sandwiches, coffee and pastries, except on our side of the square?

Jamie's Lives On?

2006-03-19T08:59:00.000-06:00

There may be hope for Jamie's, yet. Word on the street is that there is some kind of custody case over the shop and that it is open again, with limited hours. My best wishes for a speedy cookie recovery.

Chin's v. Asian Kitchen

2006-02-09T19:10:00.000-06:00

Where is the best wonton soup on State St.? The wonton soup at Asian Kitchen is generous and comes with hot, greasy little fried crackers. What's not to love? But the wonton soup at Chin's has chicken dumplings instead of the usual pork. Hmmm. Still, the Asian Kitchen lunch special cannot be beat - your choice of entree, soup (hot and sour, egg drop, wonton) and crab rangoon, egg roll or chicken wings. For under $6.00. I can get two meals out of all of the food. And that is a miracle, with my appetite. I highly recommend the hunan chicken and shrimp. Choice is the spice of life.

Candy at Community Pharmacy

2006-02-07T22:27:00.000-06:00

Started buying Valentine presents - new hit is the Green and Black's organic white chocolate candy bar. My brother loves white chocolate. I do not. I usually run from it. But I was buying it for him. When the nice person at the pharmacy told me that this candy bar has reached cult status among the staff there (who also claim to not like white chocolate) because of the full cream milk and BOURBON VANILLA. mmmmmmm.

Chocolate

2006-01-27T08:36:00.000-06:00

Not much new in the world, other than the plethora of Valentine candy available. All of the new Hershey's Kisses are very exciting to me - caramel, cherry, peanut butter and now strawberry. I am putting up a book display featuring chocolates in honor of candy holidays.

Dunn Brothers and Burgers

2006-01-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

Dunn Brothers Coffee closed. I had heard that it was wonderful coffee, but never got a chance to give it a try. My colleagues at Memorial Library were sad to see it go.

On other news fronts, Fuddruckers is opening on the 600 block. I wonder how they will handle the "choose your own toppings" bar with all the students and State St. vagrant population. Maybe not such a grand idea.

The Piano Bar where Dean's used to be is still vacant. Haven't heard anything about that.

Baked Egg Souffle

2006-01-10T11:05:00.000-06:00

Wowee wow wow. This is not on State St. This is not even on campus. But I cannot love the Baked Egg Souffle at Panera enough. I ordered the spinach and artichoke and it is truly my new favorite thing. Imagine if I had ordered the bacon? It is just the right size - warm and fluffy and savory. And approx. $2.99. Which is just the right price, too. I am already planning when I can get one again. Maybe Saturday morning. Mmmm.

Jamie's

2006-01-09T20:15:00.000-06:00

There is a "for lease" sign in the window of Jamie's. No more white chocolate macadamia nut muffins. No more giant chocolate chip cookies. No more Jamie's. That makes me very sad. In the way that Madison Bagel closing made me feel sad. Why on earth can't State St. support a bakery? The baked items at Michelangelo's are very good (many are from La Brioche), but I remember a time when a cookie lover had to stand in line!

Ian's Pizza

2005-12-31T08:56:00.000-06:00

You can order a slice of pizza and a small side salad at Ian's for just over $5.00. The pizza is exciting and the salad is so green it makes you feel healthy just looking at it. Nothing beats a slice of macaroni and cheese pizza and mixed greens salad with tomatoes, pecans, craisins and balsamic. Happy New Year!

Holiday Pie

2005-12-18T16:01:00.000-06:00

Have some holiday pie at Nick's. Have any kind of pie at Nick's. It is absolutely worth it. On a recent afternoon, a delicious variety of pie was available, including coconut cream, pumpkin, pecan, apple and blueberry. Ala mode or with ice cream - it's all pie!

Real Chili

2005-12-14T10:05:00.000-06:00

I love Real Chili. It is a bit of a walk down State, but worth it. You can choose meat or veggie chili, add on beans, onions, cheese, spaghetti...very hearty and delicious. And very comforting on a cold, snowy day. I ordered the medium hot and I think I would go up to hot next time. I will report on chili dogs, etc. some other time.

Power of Whole Grain

2005-11-30T17:57:00.000-06:00

The yogurt parfait at Espresso Royale is quite divine. I estimate the serving size to be 3 servings of delicious granola (if one serving is 1/2 c.), one serving of yogurt and one serving of strawberries. It is quite fulfilling and available with only a block walk in the frigid weather. At this time of the year, State Street Beat is relegated to basically the 100-300 blocks. I will see you in the spring, Mediterranean Cafe! I will be dreaming of the hummus 'til then!

LAZY DAYS

2005-11-29T09:53:00.000-06:00

It is cold again. The forecast for the next week looks bleak, with highs in the mid 20s. Definitely a 4 cup day for coffee. And tea. And anything comforting and warm. I wish that I could just laze about the house, reading and napping. Alas, I need to go to work.

Alphabet Tree

2005-11-28T22:36:00.000-06:00

The alphabet tree is in full swing and amazingly sparkly. Literacy for the masses!

Quiche

2005-11-28T22:31:00.000-06:00

For the love of quiche - I have been obsessing about quiche since reading about the new coffee shop on Sherman that has quiche and marzipan croissant. I am going to make a crab-artichoke quiche tomorrow. With a pre-baked crust, half and half, swiss cheese, canned crab and artichoke. I hope it is delicious. With omega 3 eggs, at least it will be heart healthy. I haven't had decent quiche on State. Maybe at Michelangelos? I am always blinded by the three-cheese and pesto panini there.

Boo Hoo Kate Spade

2005-11-25T17:09:00.000-06:00

Just discovered some appalling news - Kate Spade is available at Sam's Club. What on earth? I have been saving these photos of her sublime library china available at Marshall Fields and other fine department stores. Why did she do it? Will I ever want Kate Spade again? It is a very sad day, indeed.

CANDY TIME

2005-11-22T22:02:00.000-06:00

Chocolate 101 on campus was an incredible class - we learned to make adorable chocolate turtles, swirl crunch bark, dark chocolate covered cherries, truffles and painted chocolate snowflakes. I am not sure I will go as far as painting chocolate, but the turtles were amazing.
My special tip to all beginning candymakers out there: finish your chocolate in the freezer. It gives a most professional looking shine to the chocolate. The taste goes without saying.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2005-11-20T19:13:00.000-06:00

It's getting to be quite freezing outside. I do love bundling up, but worry about the heating costs for this ramshackle mansion.

The countdown is on for family and Thanksgiving. State Street is lit and so are several houses down the block. I do not encourage this behavior until after Thanksgiving, but there is nothing wrong with being ready. After all, I ran out to get my fabulously fake white tree today. Just to be ready. To be prepared! Up next - candy making for the holidays! I am thinking white peppermint bark, dark chocolate thin mints, raspberry, lemon and peanut butter filled candy, turtles and some dipped fortune cookies, because they are festive and lovely! Then on to cookies.

Sparkle

2005-11-18T21:43:00.000-06:00

HELLO WORLD!

I have been trying to add sparkle text.

It is not that easy to bring sparkle to the world. But ultimately, it is worth it.

While we are waiting for me to get my html together, here is a pretty sweater to reflect on.

Birthday Cards and More

2005-11-17T23:38:00.000-06:00

When in need of a quick card fix, where to turn?

Marmalade Skies was the perfect place to buy valentines, birthday cards, stickers, the odd candy, etc. Sadly, Marmalade Skies is no more. So one must search elsewhere for the perfect card.

Here is a list of what I recommend:

Birthday Cards - Little Luxuries. The helpful staff will also point you toward flat items that you can fill the card with, like magnets, fancy confetti and more.

Baby Cards or Birthday Cards for Children - Capitol Kids. They carry one of my favorite lines of greeting cards, Peaceable Kingdom.

Odd Variety Cards - Pop Deluxe. These cards are outrageous, charming, trendy and readily available in the 300 block of State. Need I say more?

Your Garden Variety Card - Badger Office Supply. They also have stamps, which I stop in for more than anything.

Arty Cards - Overture Art Shop. Don't know when this is opening, but I used to like the old Civic Center gift shop for cards and whatnot and have been missing it sorely. But not as bad as I miss the Rad Rye, whose space the new art shop may have obliterated. For shame. And for the love of the veggie rueben, I mourn thee.

Pepi and Tea

2005-11-17T23:26:00.000-06:00

I wore my new J.Crew scottie dog fair isle sweater. It could not be cuter.

Well, maybe a pepi dog in a tea cup could be cuter.

Coffee

2005-11-17T07:59:00.000-06:00

I love coffee. Love the smell of it, love the taste of it, love savoring it. I can make a cup of coffee last a coupla hours. When I order coffee to go, I love carrying it around with me, comforting like a warm hug.

Lattes are for me. Skim milk, little foam. In my frivolous youth, I was a vanilla latte drinker. So you can see, that is still pretty stable. No gingerbread flavoring or caramel mocha choca chai double shot extra foam for me. When I grind my own coffee every night before bed (thank god for the Krup's timer pot!) I choose a straightforward coffee like Alterra's Voltaire's Passion or an Eight O'Clock Columbian. Nothing wrong with Steep and Brew or Victor Allen beans, either. A solid choice. And for a quickie ground coffee - nothing beats Chock Full O'Nuts.

But if I am going to go for the latte - I am not going to take just anything placed in front of me! I have a systematic route for what I am looking for.

If expense is no issue, I am going for Ancora. They create an arty, delicious latte. Michelangelo's, Fair Trade, Espresso, Starbucks follow suite. I generally choose Michelangelo's and Fair Trade while at work because I want to support local business and it is fair trade! Espresso makes a latte with little or no foam, which is the way I prefer it. I certainly enjoy Starbucks and do not really believe they are evil corporate America. Any business that offers part-time employees health insurance is fine with me. Take that Wal-Mart. But they are uniformly heavy on the foam (I thought maybe just on the square but this seems to be true at the top of State and at the University drive-thru - god bless them because I would drive half-way across town to use a drive-thru) and annoying on the non-fat milk front. We call it skim here in Wisconsin. Still, a delicious latte.

Time for Soup!

2005-11-16T18:51:00.000-06:00

It's slushy, it's slippery, it's snowing. It's time for soup! Here is a list of my favorite State St. soups for now and forever:

Tomato Bisque from the Orpheum (chunkier than I normally think of for a bisque, but deliciously so). Thick, red, magnificent.

Dal from Himal Chuli. Hearty. Homey. Comforting.

Wonton Soup from Chin's. Takes a little longer to prepare, but the wontons are delicious, the broth is divine. All in all, a sturdy choice.

Curry Soup from Noodles. This stuff will cure you of any impending cold symptons. A bit on the pricey side for soup, but well worth it. I like the shrimp add-on. A generous portion, too.

Wonton Soup from Asian Kitchen. You need a cart to carry this home takeout. A stunner in its sheer weight and bonus points for the crispy wrapper/crackers. Well done!

RIP - veggie chili from the Rad Rye. I still weep for you.

200 State

2005-11-15T23:21:00.000-06:00

Let's not forget the organic milk available at Noodles! Who knew? Chocolate and Vanilla. So nice with a rustica chicken entree - kalamata olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and parmesan. And I dare say fresh basil?

Pumpkin Truffles

2005-11-15T23:15:00.000-06:00

The pumpkin truffles at Twee and Luliloo = delicious. A bit pricey at $2 a pop, but a substantial piece of elegantly crafted candy. Shiny orange shell with dark chocolate interior - what could be better? Other than a hazelnut praline with crisps. Or chocolate covered gummis. Or rainbow taffy.

My new favorites on the 100 end of State include Twee's sister store, "Ideal for You" - especially the denim quartz and furry Benji scarves. Hanging in the window with arty autumn leaves, you want to walk by just to revel in the fuzziness.

And don't forget the salmon teddy wedgers on Fridays. I am already looking foward to it. And not just because I am wishing my life away waiting for the end of the week.