Dobra brings a leisurely approach to beautiful tea Linda Falkenstein on Thursday 01/01/2009, (3) Recommendations Kakuzo Okakura, author of The Book of Tea, writes that "The cult of tea is founded on the adoration of beautiful things among the sordid facts of everyday existence." That's a guiding philosophy for State Street's Dobra Tea, which opened in September, transforming the former Real Chili into a passable slice of what used to be called "The Orient" (i.e., "everything that is not the West"). Plush rugs and rattan chairs evoke India or the Middle East; couches and a few raised seating areas where footwear is left behind prompt visitors to settle in to a celebration of tea. Don't expect to run in for a quick cup to go. >More2008 brings many changes to Madison kitchens Revolving door Linda Falkenstein on Thursday 12/25/2008, (2) Recommendations Toward the end of the year, there were more than the usual number of restaurant closings. Yet openings, closings, revamps and site shufflings are common in the normally fluid world of food service. This felt particularly unsettling, though, because everything else felt so unsettled. >More
Read it and eat Books to whet the appetite Terese Allen on Friday 12/19/2008 When I was a kid we never put up the holiday tree until Dec. 24. No doubt that seems absurdly late to people who string their porches with Christmas lights at the same time they're removing the Halloween ones. But I bet even those eager beavers have a few last-minute gifts to scramble for. Food books to the rescue. I can recommend the following, all published in 2008. >More
BEER
New fall beers from Wisconsin breweries Robin Shepard on Friday 11/21/2008 There's a reassuring feeling seeing the medium-bodied brown beers appear in the fall. Just as the leaves change, so do my tastes in beer, as I look for slightly heavier and sweeter brews. >More
DINING
Dinner and a movie We pair terrific takeout with flick picks Kyle Nabilcy on Tuesday 04/22/2008, (2) Comments, (44) Recommendations No one likes a chewer at the movies. It boggles the mind that theaters sell nachos. Of all the possible snack foods, why choose one of the loudest? >MoreTavern time Small burger-and-fry grills shall not perish from the earth Linda Falkenstein on Tuesday 04/22/2008, (43) Recommendations To a certain segment of the population, there's nothing more alluring than a vintage sign for Pabst Blue Ribbon hanging outside a converted farmhouse or an old hotel. The house-turned-tavern is as old as the concept of the public house itself — Madison's first pioneer residents, Rosaline and Eben Peck, were tavern- and innkeepers. >More
Group plans fundraiser, more meetings to address Café Zoma's future Sarah White on Monday 01/05/2009 10:57 am, (4) Recommendations Sarah White attended and commented on developments from the first two community meetings addressing the future of Café Zoma, a popular neighborhood coffee shop and gathering spot on Atwood Avenue. TDP asked her to report on this past Saturday's planning meeting as well. As should be obvious from the following report, she is an active participant in the process. >MoreMadison beer makes for big smiles in 2008 A look at more than a dozen of the best local brews this year Robin Shepard on Tuesday 12/30/2008 12:00 pm, (19) Recommendations Another year has passed, and looking back at the beers released by breweries around Madison and further afield in Wisconsin can't help but encourage a smile. >MoreMy top ten Madison food finds of 2008 A look back at a year of cheap eats Linda Falkenstein on Monday 12/29/2008 12:00 pm, (9) Recommendations Sadly, some of my favorite food finds for 2008 are already gone with the wind. El Corral, a good South American restaurant on the north side, turned in terrific Peruvian dishes like ahi de gallina. Here's a recap of some other of my favorites from the last 365 days in frugal foraging. >MoreOur favorite eats of 2008 A look at some of the standout dishes around Madison this year Linda Falkenstein on Sunday 12/28/2008 8:00 am, (5) Recommendations Anyone's diet can use dishes both untried-and-new and tried-and-true. Here are 10 of our favorite foods from the course of a year's restaurant reviews, in alphabetical order. >MoreCafé Zoma closes with a call for help Sunday meeting may lead to reopening David Medaris on Tuesday 12/23/2008 3:28 pm, (5) Comments, (3) Recommendations An announcement that Cafe Zoma would be closing for good on Tuesday leaves open the possibility of a renaissance. In an email sent early Tuesday, owner Ann Freiwald explains that she is convening a brain-storming session on Sunday to bat around ideas that might sustain the location as a neighborhood gathering place in some form. >More
Gotham Bagels: Holy cream cheese, Batman! Raphael Kadushin on Friday 07/04/2008, (1) Comment, (21) Recommendations We were heading to Mount Horeb for lunch when one of those oddly apocalyptic summer storms whipped up, the kind that seems to have become, suddenly, freakishly routine. The radio was making noises about running for cover, and we decided maybe it wasn't worth the broken bones and twisted neck, and that long, tempting tunnel of light, even for a really good lunch. So we turned back to Madison, and that's how we ended up, drenched, at Gotham Bagels for lunch instead. >MoreWelcoming the gastropub The concept is taking hold here -- maybe Kyle Nabilcy on Friday 07/18/2008, (12) Recommendations Those who dine on the isthmus and in parts adjacent have become aware of certain trends at neighborhood restaurants. Some might notice an upgrade in beer offerings. Others might recognize a more sophisticated -- but not pretentious -- feel to the menu or the atmosphere. >More
BEER
New Glarus Brewing: The brewhaus the Careys built With a new facility, New Glarus looks to the future Robin Shepard on Thursday 07/10/2008, (25) Recommendations When we're enjoying a cold pint of beer, we may not think much about the next one. But lately Deb and Dan Carey, owners of the New Glarus Brewing Company, have indeed been contemplating the beer coming down the line. >More
FRINGE FOODS
Fringe Foods: A Summer Olympics meal at Hong Kong Wok Celebrating the Beijing Games with traditional Chinese fare -- chicken feet, congee, and century egg Kyle Nabilcy on Monday 08/18/2008 3:34 pm, (7) Comments, (39) Recommendations It's fair to say that the Beijing Olympics are the water cooler topic of the week. Even cynics can't help themselves. Go ahead. Hum the anthem. Anyone with a TV knows either the "Olympic Fanfare and Theme" by John Williams or "Bugler's Dream" by Leo Arnaud. So hum away, because it's been in my head now since the Games started on August 8. >MoreFringe Foods: The Madison Mallards version of the Luther Burger Go whole doughnut with the Glazer Bacon Cheeseburger at the Duck Pond Kyle Nabilcy on Tuesday 07/15/2008 1:27 pm, (4) Comments, (65) Recommendations Men of prodigious appetites often become known for their favorite foodstuffs. Elvis Presley had his fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. John Madden enjoys a good turducken when the season is right. "Joliet" Jake Blues famously ordered "four fried chickens and a Coke." And now, Luther Vandross has, as part of his legacy, the Luther Burger. >More
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