The center of this open, modern space is a wood-burning hearth, used for everything from bread-baking to roasting meats and fish. High marks for shareable menu items like roasted parsnips, sunflower seed risotto and whole chicken with BBQ carrots. Open for Sat-Sun brunch as well.
When I talked with co-owner Miles Borghgraef by phone a few months before Birch + Butcher’s opening – in Barry Mandel’s North End development on Water Street – the carpentry was finished, light fixtures installed and Borghgraef and his crew were christening the wood- burning hearth at the center of his kitchen.
Entertainment, Friday Fish Fry, Late Night Dining, Outdoor Dining, Sunday Brunch,
Think about dessert first. The pies (honeypie to banana cream), cupcakes and other sweets are all made in-house. Take a seat in a booth under photos of somebody’s relatives and have a pasty, mac and cheese or a Wisconsin grass-fed beef burger. Now back to that other topic – pies.
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Kindred’s opening menu starts in its small but share-able way, with lemongrass mussels, piri piri fried chicken leg, duck confit flatbread, parsnip gnocchi, fontina-stuffed lamb meatballs with spicy tomato sauce and edam cheese croquette. Read more…
A fine-dining, farm-to-table restaurant right on Capitol Square. One of downtown Madison’s most celebrated chefs at the moment is Tory Miller (2012 James Beard Award winner for Best Chef: Midwest) who took over L’Etoile when chef-founder Odessa Piper retired in 2005.
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The best seat in the house is at the kitchen counter, where you can watch your crab cakes, chopped salad and NY strip with Delmonico potatoes being prepared. The leather booths offer a little more privacy, and the bar, live entertainment and a nifty bar menu. Other standouts: fried surf clams and herb crumb-crusted halibut.
Menu of small and large plates, including scallops and a burger. Dim sum cart offers a selection of dumplings.
You’ll find morel mushrooms on occasion. And lots of rich preps of duck, lamb, beef and fish. If you don’t mind a little heat, the few seats at the kitchen counter (in view of the chefs) are the most entertaining spots in the house. Read more…
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Reservations Taken, Sunday Brunch,
Founded by James Beard Award-winning chef Sanford D??Amato; owned by JBA winner Justin Aprahamian. Unsurpassed for service and impeccable food. The global cuisine incorporates products from a long list of Wisconsin farms. The chefs prepare everything in-house, including butchering, preserving and canning. Elk, duck, fresh fish are all good choices. Offers surprise tasting and exploration menus. Desserts (a dozen offerings) is compulsory.
Outdoor Dining, Reservations Taken, Sunday Brunch,
Friday Fish Fry, Reservations Taken,
Entertainment, Friday Fish Fry, Late Night Dining, Outdoor Dining, Reservations Taken,
