Maison Marcel (on Broadway), Chicago, IL

["Can you give me a hand?"]

[Who doesn't love a plethora of spider plants cleaning your air?]

We might as well get this out of the way now - this place is French. Which means French-style drinks, sandwiches, breads, and best of all - pastries!!!

I've already been in 3 times and will be going back as able. Why? Well, they check off a few boxes for me when thinking about a midday break, like - 1. Coffee drinks 2. Wi-Fi 3. Actual food available 4. Music not too loud 5. Seating is generally plentiful (on weekdays) and 6. Did I mention pastries!!!

The folks behind the counter are also French. They speak it to each other. I presume that's what makes the food so good! And how about some more of that...

How about an Apple Danish? (But French-style, not American-style)...

Or maybe you have an affinity for the cocoa bean? Let's try the Chocolate-Almond Croissant...

Or if you're real fancy before 12noon, why not try a macaron?

Ok fine, I have to eat "real food" before my desserts... just grab a nice breakfast offering or even this simple baguette sandwich (but be ready to gnaw through all that crusty bread!)...

...and then have your macarons!!! (Raspberry, Pistachio, and Hazelnut (aka, "Nutella"))

They have a rather robust hot breakfast menu, including a simple egg plate that includes a selection of their breads. When I ordered it I received half slices of four breads with my eggs - Sourdough, Baguette, Croissant, and Chocolate Croissant. You also get butter and jam. It was a good sample of most things, and then you can just take some macarons home.

This is also a breakfast / brunch-only spot. It closes each day in the late afternoon - don't plan on going after work, for dinner, or late-night pastries. It is all wrapped in a very cozy French-styled space, with enough room to find a nook and hunker down for the winter - the entire Chicago winter! I just might. 

If you don't already want to go from the images above, there's not much else I could say to convince you. But, I know I enjoy the experience here and will be going back.

Kibbitz Nest, Chicago, IL

 From the dictionary:

If you didn't know this Yiddish word before, you do now. I don't know if this business added their own second letter "b" on purpose or accident, but I presume now having been inside, they mean this definition.

I found this place as I was walking out of a pub from dinner and noticed their building signage around the location on Clybourne. It drew me in... plus the info about offering ice cream (I mean, I only had a light dinner). 

And as it turns out, they do offer ice cream and the chance to kibitz. But it's so much more than that too. They suggest a Wi-Fi free zone as you enter, but I still saw folks on their phones. I presume they don't offer a Wi-Fi- signal, because they want us to interreact with others or paper books (see below). You know, converse and interact with the live people in front of us... what people used to do back in the 1900's. 

So, they have large group spaces, a live event space in back, a small room for group reservation, an open bar and lounge area in front... and books everywhere. Plus, games and all other kinds of things to look at and do (like foosball).

They also have a really generous offering in the food and drink area - plenty of eats and snacks, beers, wines, coffee drinks, alcohol coffee drinks, desserts, etc. As was my charge upon entering, I went with a cookie sundae. It did not disappoint and hit the spot. I'm going to have to go back because I feel I didn't get a chance to try enough things or spend enough time in the spaces. Simply put, it's a fun place to visit.

I'll be going back as soon as I can get a small group to join me.

Northside Cutlery, Chicago, IL

Some of you, ok, none of you, may recall a story some years back while I was in MN about me having some old scissors from my Grandfather sharpened. I went to a very small mom n' pop store and the product I got back was amazing and still going strong.

Prior to my latest move, I noticed my very first pocketknife, which was a big deal for me as a young boy, was in pretty bad shape. The finish was tarnished and the blade was sharpened by me incorrectly years prior and needed some major TLC to bring it back. 

I was able to handle the finish with a friend's tip to try Flitz (that's really how it's spelled). It worked very well and very easily, making the pocketknife look like new on the handles ("scales") and even the decent part of the blade. 

I attempted to have the blade fully corrected in Madison WI, but to no avail. So, when I made it to Chicago, I sought out a proper spot. I happened to find a well-reviewed place in the North Center neighborhood, called Northside Cutlery. 

They had such good reviews, website and backstory that I was feeling quite lucky to have stumbled on their store. I went in with full confidence and was surprised not only by their expert level of sharpening skills (mostly for kitchen cutlery), but also their very cool retail storefront.

Great finishes, displays, and product offerings for the home chef. Their labor rates seemed more than fair, especially after getting my lil' knife back. It looks brand new and will safely be put away for many more years, now in fine finish and a new case. 

I wish I had more cutlery to bring in and will be going back whenever I need something sharpened. Thanks again, Northside!

Sardine Bistro & Bar, Madison, WI

Well, after a number of years living in Madison (over two separate stints), I think I've finally found my favorite restaurant. This is a big deal as I almost never choose favorites... and even saying that, I still have some caveats, but this is it for me in Madison. I might even be done looking (not least of which due to me moving back to CHI).

First, this place is right on Lake Monona. You can sit inside a very nice old-school warehouse space that's been updated to a French bistro theme, or even out on the deck, overlooking the lake (and some parking). 

Second, they do drinks right and have a happy hour everyday (at the bar, 4-6pm). I'd been in once before but didn't stay to eat or drink anything. It was a snowy spring day and with the happy hour bar seats all taken, I didn't think I'd get in very quickly. So, I left that day and made a mental note to return - boy am I glad I did.

Third, the menu is really well done and easy to find something. Take your pick... 

Finally, this staff is the real star and one of the main drivers of me anointing it with "favorite" status. Now don't get me wrong... there are many good restaurants in Madison. I've already written about some here on this site, like A Pig In A Fur Coat... but Sardine is hands down the best staff I've come across in all my time in Madison (though a few others come very close too).

I think, in general, restaurant staff service has gone down since the pandemic began, and who can blame these workers? But, it's noticeable now that we're coming out of it. And an all-star staff like the one at Sardine stands out like a beacon of light.

They helped me from the jump, even though I was dining solo at the bar. Water, drink, salad and main, plus dessert with decaf espresso (who even orders that?!). As one example, there is a fantastic woman clearing plates behind the bar who's not much taller than the bar. She literally has to get on her tip-toes to see if you're done with your food. But, every time I cleaned a plate (and I cleaned them!) or got to halfway on my water, she was right there to clear it away or refill. 

The rest of the folks behind the bar were equally great in their own ways. Friendly, talkative, willing to explain things. It was great. I even mentioned this to one of the bartenders before I left and they mentioned that they all love working there. It shows. I loved being a guest too.

For those curious about my meal choices, I did the House Greens to start - delicious and seemingly so simple. Then I went all-in on a Ribeye with their Steak Frites. I asked them to sub the Frites out for Fingerling potatoes and they obliged (though did have to check with the kitchen). The steak was cooked to my order and served with my side and a mustard sauce (didn't need that!). 

Something about those fingerlings too. Take a good look. I can only presume they were placed raw into a very hot skillet or pan and roasted off in an oven. They outsides were very crisp and the insides perfectly tender. Now how many times have you noticed the potato enough to think about and comment on it?!

To be fair, I wasn't planning to go in and have a 3-4 course meal, with a drink and coffee, but the place makes you want to stay longer & order more. It's genius really.

So, I wound up getting something with chocolate for dessert in the form of their Opera Cake. It was not too big or not too small, but just right. Delicious too... and went very well with that decaf espresso I'd ordered.

To say I would go back is an understatement. I am trying to think of reasons to go back now. I'm sure a happy hour burger visit is in my future before too long. And I think folks in Madison and the surrounding area should check this place out for yourselves - now!

Wisconsin’s Supper Club Culture: Ishnala Supper Club & The Del Bar, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Have you heard of the concept of a supper club? If you're not from the Midwest, I think the chances are decent that you have not. Not only that, but you've probably never been to one either. One of the benefits of living in the state of Wisconsin is that these supper clubs are still prevalent and one can visit one relatively easily.

A quick Google of the history of supper clubs tells us that these places essentially transitioned from speak-easys to supper clubs soon after Prohibition ended. They morphed into legal establishments where one could enjoy a great meal, with people you knew from your town, for an evening of lively conversation & entertainment. They often had music or comedy during the evening as well. And when you decided to attend a supper club for dinner, this was usually the whole evening. You weren't getting up after the food to go to another place, you were in one place for the night. Part of that, I suspect is the car culture also starting to blossom around this time. Many of the clubs were a "drive" from a suburban area and once you arrived, you were not going to go back out driving. Plus, you'd probably had one, two, three plus Old Fashioneds by that point (also a distinctly Wisconsin thing). Better sit tight, let the hooch wear off by the time you and your group want to head home.

Today, they're often well-run dinner establishments with a focus on high quality meats, service, and cocktails. Often located on a picturesque piece of land or in a historic building, with the décor to match the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Think timber structures and lots of knotty pine inside.

To that end, I went to visit a couple in the Wisconsin Dells area, specifically the Ishnala Supper Club on Mirror Lake and The Del Bar, on a main thoroughfare in The Dells. I only went to check out the former spot, taking pictures all from the outside and the surrounding grounds. And I went into and had dinner at the latter. 

Take a look and see if you'd like to have an evening like these...

...Ishnala to start, simply in order of how I walked around...

Imagine if you were waiting for your table on a balmy summer night, had a drink in hand, and got to sit out here for a spell with your special someone or a larger group/family...

Even a somewhat out-of-the-way beach and what looked like a cool place to rent out...

The dining room is two stories, which I presume is to seat more people with views of the lake out back...

Kinda cool you could get some history as you were there wandering too... (this canoe is original Native American, found at the bottom of the lake, weighed down with large stones. The Native Americans used to "hide" their water craft before moving away for the winter, then come back in warmer weather and get the canoes back out - genius)...

And now for The Del Bar, which I believe was designed by a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple and is a great place to hunker down for some dinner & drinks...

People line up out here each day before opening to score a good seat at the bar, for their happy hour specials

Cool Prairie-like style in many of the furnishings of the place too... 

While they are one of the 2% or less of restaurants in the USA to serve USDAS Prime Beef, I went with their Pork Chop. It was delicious. I do want to go back for an appropriate occasion and have a steak though they also looked pretty awesome.

They're not always easy to find or easy to get to, but I think you should seek out supper clubs near or far from you and check 'em out. I know you'll be glad you did.

Cadre, Madison, WI

I don't know about you, but it feels like we're all a little more comfortable venturing out and doing things we used to do without thinking about it too much. If you follow this blog, you know that for me that's trying new places. I did just that this weekend and had a new-to-me place all picked out... but when I arrived it was too busy to seat me in a timely manner (I can get hangry).

So, I checked Google and recalled a few places I'd seen on the way to the first choice. Cadre happened to be about 1/2 a block away and Google told me it was a "French-inspired" bistro and rated at 4.5/5.0 stars, a good sign in my general experience. I popped in and easily grabbed a seat at their well-appointed bar, yet another good sign.

They convinced me further with a good selection of NA (non-alcoholic) beers, which is not that common in most places in WI, as you can probably imagine. And once I chose a new beer and got a look at the menu, I knew I would be staying for a full meal.   

Athletic Brewing's All Out Stout... (yeah, I'm "athletic"...)

Since it was a crisp night in the single digits, I thought the Beef Bourguignon looked perfect. And frankly, it was. It's not a huge plate of food like a typical American place, but it was so delicious and well-done, I didn't mind. Plus, that leaves room for dessert!

Slow-braised Beef (like a short rib), Brussel Sprouts, kale, Lion's Mane mushrooms, carrots, and beauty heart radishes on a bed of Pomme Puree...

After wolfing that down, I took a look at their compact dessert menu and chose the warm-spiced cake. It was also flavor-full, but not ginormous like you'd get at the Cheese Cake Factory or something. Perfect for me...

Going out on this night was a great little taste (pun intended) of feeling normal again. While their service was quite slow and they are now adding 20% to all checks for their staff, it was still a very good place to be on a cold winter's night. I would most-assuredly go back. 

Note: I don't know many places restaurant or not, that have perfect staff levels and no issues with service. Maybe A Pig in a Fur Coat if I had to choose one. This general service issue seems like something we're all going to get used to pretty quickly, whether we want to or not.