Wis Tex BBQ has recently opened in Stoughton.  We took a first look at the place within it’s first couple weeks of operation.

Visiting a new place that early is always dicey for us, and perhaps a bit unfair for the restaurant.  It takes time for a new restaurant to get their footing, work out the kinks, train their employees, and really show what they have to offer.

The outing starting out very rocky due to a customer service issue.  We won’t go into the details, because the restaurant acted promptly to resolve the conflict and the situation.  We will, however, go into some details over the food.

The menu is, obviously, BBQ oriented.  And the BBQ was good.  The food is reasonably priced, and the menu is intelligently presented, allowing the diner to choose different plates based on the number of signature meats that you would like to order.  Currently the signature meats include Beef Brisket, Pork Shoulder, Ham and Turkey Breast.  You can also add a side of ribs for $4.00.  Of course, you can also order a straight rib dinner, as wll as a rib tip dinner.

You also get a choice of two sides with your meal.  The sides include French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Baby Red Potato Salad, Corn on the Cobb, Cole Slaw, Pinto Beans, and Onion Rings.

Between the two dinners the following was ordered;  Pork Shoulder, Side of Ribs, Turkey Breast, Beef Brisket, French Fries, Pinto Beans, and Cole Slaw.  The winner of the evening was, surprisingly, the turkey breast.  Smoky and yet still very moist, it stood out from the rest of the signature meats.  Having said that, the rest of the signature meats, as well as the ribs, were good, and will probably improve as the place works out the kinks.  The fries were skin-on, crisp fries, and were very good.

And the pinto beans were a standout for us, though many people may not agree.  Most BBQ joints serve their beans swimming in BBQ sauce, which to us is overkill.  You’re ordering BBQ meats, you DO NOT need BBQ added to the beans as well.  (We know, purists would protest about that).  But the pinto beans had a nice, honest, pinto bean sauce and were a welcome change from what we come to expect from places such as this.

All in all, Wis Tex BBQ shows promise.  With time, the kinks will presumably be worked out with the service.  The food is off to a good start, and is worth a try.

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

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My Buddies Restaurant and Sports Bar has opened on Madison’s far east side.  Located on Lien Road, the building has changed hands often in the last few years, formely housing Damon’s, Tilted Kilt, and Babes.

Featuring the typical sports bar multitude of televisions as well as a full bar and menu, we wish this restaurant more luck than the former establishments.  We’ll give it a try in the upcoming weeks.  In the meantime, have you tried it?  If so, leave a comment and tell us what you think!

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Namio’s Sports Pub

Namio’s Sports Pub has opened in Fitchburg.  Long-time Madison residents may recognize the Namio name as being connected to a very well respected Madison tradition that was around for years.  In fact, this new establishment was opened by distant relatives.

We took a first look recently.  The menu currently features standard Sports Bar fare, and is somewhat limited.  We were told that this was due to the fact that the establisment is newly opened.  The menu will be expanding in the upcoming weeks.  Have you tried it yet?  Let us know what you think!

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Rossi’s the pizzeria in the space underneath Rossario’s will remain open.

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“I’m really excited to start executing a menu with all of the diverseflavors the warmer months have to offer,” said Chef Tim Dahl. The menu features
fresh garden-to-table plates incorporating many ingredients from the Dahl’spersonal garden on Madison’s West side. “It doesn’t really get more local than this,” said Chef Tim Dahl.

Nestled into the corner of the historic Jackman Building at 111 S. Hamilton,Nostrano’s patrons can enjoy lunch inside or choose to dine on Nostrano’s new patio with views of the Capitol and Lake Monona.

Lunch will be served Monday through Friday from 11:00am to 2:30pm. Reservations will be accepted.

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To accompany these fine brews, chefs Patrick O’Halloran and Robert Kulow have crafted a menu that will please foodies and beer enthusiasts alike.  Using high-quality, simple ingredients, the menu is a straight-forward approach to tavern dining.  Here, traditional fare such as burgers and fries are given new life with simple touches.  Menu highlights include white truffle fries, Spotted Cow-battered onion rings and the spicy slaw dog.  These innovative dishes are enhanced by local ingredients including Usinger’s sausages from Milwaukee, Nueske’s bacon from Wittenberg and Whitetail Country Meats ham from Hayward.

Tipsy Cow, operated by Patrick O’Halloran and Michael Banas (co-owners of Lombardino’s Restaurant), along with Sue Kirton, will be open Monday thru Saturday at 11:00 am serving food until 10:00 pm each day with bar service continuing into the night.  It is located at 102 King Street.

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Nostrano is owned by former Chicago Chefs Tim and Elizabeth Dahl, who have honed their skills in some of Chicago’s finest restaurants, such as Blackbird, Boka, Naha, Charlie Trotters and NoMi. Nostrano will offer seasonal, Italian-influenced small plates, entrees and desserts created in-house from local ingredients. Nostrano’s wine list will feature selections from small producers throughout the Mediterranean region, and its unique cocktail list will highlight classic cocktails from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Nostrano will be open Monday through Wednesday from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.

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Chef Nicholas Johnson of Restaurant Magnus has been named a semifinalist in the 2010 James Beard Awards for the category of Midwestern Chef.

The James Beard Foundation recognizes the best and the brightest in the food and beverage industry, and is the most prestigious award recognition program centered around the culinary world.

The semifinalists are selected from thousands of entries, and now compete for a place in the final round, which will be announced on March 22 at the Palace Cafe in the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Five finalists for each category will be selected from a panel of 400 judges.  From that group of finalists, winners for each category will be chosen.  The winners will be announced at a gala and awards ceremony on May 3 in New York.

Madison Dining Online had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Chef Johnson recently.  He is making time in his busy schedule to support and participate in the Flavors of Madison, benefiting the American Liver Foundation.  You can read more about him here!

We wish Chef Johnson the best!

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This year’s Flavors of Madison is being hosted by the Madison Club.  The host chef is Chef Dan Fox.  You can read more about Chef Fox here.  The other participating chefs have years of culinary experience, diverse backgrounds and unique points of views.  Click on the photo of each chef to learn more about them, their backgrounds, and the outstanding dining experiences that they have been providing for Madison diners for years!

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The Madison Club is celebrating its 100th birthday of offering private club services to Madison.  They specialize in incorporating a fine dining feel into both their private dining and their banquet facilities.  Taking pride in being a scratch kitchen, the Madison Club bakes all their breads on the premises, and offers specialty dinners, tastings, and even kids cooking classes.

Chef Fox got his start in culinary arts at the age of fifteen.  After 3 1/2 semesters of traditional college courses, Chef Fox found that his passion was in culinary arts.  He switched to Kendall College, a top-notch Culinary School  in Chicago.  His internship was spent at the world-class Everest Restaurant, also in Chicago, working under Chef Thierry Tristch, who Chef Fox considers to be his mentor.   He then spent time training in Provence and Austria and naturally gravitates towards Northern French, German and Austrian cuisine.  He’s also worked in an Asian-inspired restaurant in Chicago, which brings some Asian influences to his culinary view as well.

Chef Fox has spent the last 3 1/2 years at the Madison Club, bringing his globally inspired cuisine to the diners.  He is passionate about local foods and building a farmer/chef connection.  He feels that the Dane County Farmers’ Market is the best in the country, and he has a seat on the REAP board, an organization dedicated to local, sustainable food. 

This passion has caused Chef Fox to embark on a new, exciting project, and this spring he will be starting an acre plot of produce for the Madison Club at Fountain Prairie Farms.  “We’ve designed down to every row exactly what will be grown,” said Chef Fox, “The produce will go to both the fine dining and banquet menus.”

Chef Fox believes that the most essential ingredient in the kitchen is salt, and, when pressed he will admit to a dislike of deep-fried bar food done badly.

Chef Fox and the Madison Club are generously donating  time and effort to the American Liver Foundation’s Flavor of Madison, and he considers it an honor to be the host this year.  “I 100% support the cause.” said Chef Fox.  “We have been involved with the Liver Foundation for six years, and we are very fortunate to be able to have this event at the Madison Club.”

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