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!

A Pig In A Fur Coat, Madison, WI

Frankly, I'm surprised I'd waited this long to try this well-regarded restaurant. In the back of my mind, I believe I was saving it for some sort of special occasion or persons that never materialized. Well, that's no way to live. So, on a pretty blustery winter evening, I headed out on foot with this warm space and food in mind. Plus, I'd been reminded of it that week on a PBS show. So, what did I find when I arrived and plunked my tookis down on one of their six bar seats? Let's see…

- Fun, rotating, inventive, seasonal menu, both drinks & eats

- Competent & knowledgeable staff

- Warm guests, the kind that will even chat with a solo fellow diner

On a whim, I went with a fall theme - squash. I chose the Fall Harvest Salad and a pasta dish they call Agnolini. They were both delicious. Very well-prepared and seasoned. The pasta might have seemed like a "small plate", but if you were having apps, salad, pasta and main (or sharing all these in a group) it would be the perfect size. I also barely had enough room for salad and pasta + dessert. It took me a while to get all the dessert down... more on that later.

Yeah - those are pomegranate seeds on the pasta!!! Once I had my pasta, I wanted something bready to eat with it, maybe soak up some of the extra sauce too. They had a "milk bread" option on their menu - that will have to do. It was easily one of the nicest "bread basket" offerings I've had in some time, served warm with fresh butter.

Now, back to dessert. I don't know about you, but my mind often turns to chocolate for dessert, but that also means I had to forego an excellent sounding fall dessert - a crumb cake with Granny Smith and Jonagold apple compote (I can only presume cinnamon was also used). None-the-less, I went with their "budino", which I would call a small chocolate pudding or custard. Perhaps another accurate description would be a slightly thicker chocolate mousse. It was very very good. And those are pears and hazelnuts on top.

See that creamy chocolate goodness?!?! 

I would be very happy to go back to A Pig In A Fur Coat any chance I get. If you're in the 'hood and have the time, definitely dine here.

Italian Eatery, Minneapolis, MN

Being back in the Twin Cities for a weekend afforded me an opportunity to not only try some restaurants that I'd not been to before, but more importantly to meet up with old friends, like we used to - eating out at our favorite places.

With that theme in mind, two of my favorite female friends and I decided to meet-up at Italian Eatery on the near-southside of Minneapolis. We decided to tackle the menu by ordering some small plates & salads to share, then got our own pasta entrees if desired (uhhh, yes!). Drinks are available and well done - beers, wines, etc. Get what you like.

The three of us started "al fresco" on their gorgeous patio... but the storm coming in would not relent. Around the time our entrees arrived, and with prodding from the staff, we decided it would be best if we were whisked inside to our new waiting table. It was pretty seamless, and much drier.

Here's what we shared that night:

- Goat Ricotta with Honey

- IE Classic Meatballs

- Roasted Asparagus, with soft-boiled egg and Parmesan

- Shaved Root Salad

- House-made Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage crumbles

Though we were full, we also had a sweet treat in mind, and the waiter mentioned gelato. While we each didn't need our own desserts, we did want to try a few the waiter had mentioned. The waiter wound up making us a small "tasting menu" from all their frozen desserts. Again, this was maybe 2-3 spoonfuls of each flavor, so we each could get a taste. It was really nice of them, quite a perfect end.

Clockwise from upper right - Nutella, Pistachio, Raspberry Sorbet, Fresh Milk, Vanilla.

I still feel bad that this was my first visit to this restaurant, as it was in business before I moved out of MN. It was very very good, and I would love to back there, right now even! It's now on my list for when I go back or for when anyone in the areas needs a new go-to spot. Please visit if you're up there and haven't been.

Grampa’s Pizzeria, Madison, WI

Despite the somewhat confounding spelling of the word I would presume to be “grandpa”, the pizzas this place is pulling out of their oven are not confusing at all, in fact, it’s crystal clear they’re delicious. On a recent Saturday evening, I spent a lovely couple of hours on their patio enjoying not one, but four of their popular Neapolitan-style preset pizza options. 

We chose to get two pizzas and 1/2 a preset on each  so, 4 x 0.5 = 2. Get it? You may not, but my stomach did. We went with these four - Brassacre (cute name), Carbeniri, Peperoni and classic Cheese. 

Cracker like and slightly charred crust, excellent toppings with some kick (where appropriate), and great cheese - I mean, I'm in Wisconsin after all. I do like a box-cut (yes, that's what that's called) on a thin crust pizza, which makes it easier to fold pieces over on each other and make a little sandwich.

Fair to say, I thought the pizzas were really good, and we even saved a little room for dessert. Hard to pass up Chocolate Mousse…  

It looked really thick, heavy, and rich, but it was light, almost fluffy, chilled and perfect after the pizza.

Service, which is always a bit of a pain in a college town, was excellent. Our waitress, Amy, helped us the whole night, even when I pestered her about free sugar cookies I spied on the kitchen pass through when I put in my name. They came with the check (and I took that and the leftovers home - bam!).

I would like to go back almost as soon as I can. Don’t miss it if you find yourself in the neighborhood. 

Ella’s at the Airport, Watsonville, CA

Who knew there was a pretty happening restaurant & lounge right next to the municipal airport. You actually walk into part of the airport building to get the the place. When I walked it in was alive with people and live music too.

Busy bar top, but I sat down and made my way through my dinner. Grab an 805 from the bar and then time to peruse the menu and see what I wanted. They have a full list of salads, pastas, and even wood-fired pizzas, but I wasn't feeling any of that this visit.

So the pages above are not the whole menu, but does show the pages I chose from for my meal - a burger and a dessert. I went with the fresh green salad on the side and "Chocolate Love" for dessert. Burger was very good, no complaints here.

The torte came out of the kitchen looking like it got into a brawl back there, but my mouth sure didn't care what it looked like. It is delicious.

Now that I know where this place is, I'll be back. These folks also have a location in the downtown area, that I would presume is as good as this one.

Revival Ice Cream, Monterey, CA

After a decent length ride on the Monterey Peninsula earlier in the day and a great meal at Alvarado Brewing across the street, I felt I could splurge a little and get some ice cream. I saw both a froyo store and this ice cream store on my walk to dinner, so I made a mental note for after dinner. 

This one looked the most intriguing, and it had a short line out the door. Surely, something must be going on here. I waited patiently in line, with only a t-shirt on in 55 degree weather (my fault), but I think it was worth it. They put out a great retail environment for ice cream, and from what my mouth tasted, a very good product.

They do have a unique take on flavors too, but my tastebuds normally gravitate toward traditional ice cream flavors. When I crave or am buying ice cream, I find I don't often want something that tastes like tea or flowers or even fruit really. I can see the appeal, but it's not for me, broadly. Looking at the menu below, I also axed all flavors that were dairy-free. Why? Well, dairy doesn't bother me and I want the real-deal if I'm buying ice cream. Could I be missing out on an amazing non-dairy ice cream? Possibly, but it's a risk I'm willing to take... Chocolate Praline does keep me up at night though now.

Due to some conversation in line (which helped me forget how cold I was), I was pretty sure I wanted Bee's Knees and a chocolate variant for my double scoop dish (never cones, too inconsistent and slow of an eating experience). So, that's what I got... and I paid an extra $1 to add some waffle cones crumble on top (genius-level!).

Note: They had a "Smoked Chocolate" flavor on the menu while I stood in line, which I would have chosen, but it sold out during the wait and I went with normal Chocolate. I know, boo-hoo.

When I'm back in Monterey, you can bet I'll be heading to Alvarado and Revival again - recommended!

Las Delicias Ice Cream y Botanitas, Morgan Hill, CA

I felt like we needed another post about ice creams. So, this one takes a new approach thanks to the town I now live in. This is a Mexican ice cream shop, that also serves a wide range of juices and smoothie-type concoctions. First, the ice cream bins...

It's a pretty unique ice ream offering, from my eyes. They have many of the "normal" flavors, plus many other fruit-based options, as well as a selection of what I would call Mexican-based flavors, i.e. Arroz con Leche, Bananas and Nutella, and an orange hued Vanilla (below).

Now, let's get to some money shots. These are the three trips I've made so far, but will definitely be going back soon...

Arroz con Leche (like Rice Pudding) + Chocolate

 Pistachio + Chocolate

Bananas&Nutella + Galleta (Cookies n Cream, aka Oreos n Cream)

The service is always easy as I've never seen anymore people than one other customer in when I've gone. Pricing seems fair for the area. Servings are appropriate. And the ice cream seems to be kept at the right temp and has a lovely melty, creamy, rich quality that all ice cream should possess.

Il Massimo del Gelato, Milan, Italy

As a dessert on top of this Milan coverage, I give you, gelato!! And Mama Mia!!! THIS is THE place in Milan, possibly all of Italy for gelato.

I believe there name could have two meanings:
1. The owner's name.
2. Massimo also seems to translate to "maximum" or "highest", which I'd say is fitting here.

Tucked down a quiet street in the northwest side of town, it's an amazing place to taste and try all the gelato flavors you've never thought you could have:

Pera / Pear
Giandua / Nutella
Stracciatella / Chocolate Chip
Fleur di Latte / Flower of Milk
Mango
Pistacchio
Chocolate-Rum (Jamaican)
Spicy Chocolate (Azteco)
and so many more.

Just look...

I was only able to hit this place up three times during the week-long trip. Partly due to finding it late, and partly due to not planning properly. I would have gone everyday if I could have, and tried new flavors each day... still, I did alright...

Azteco (Spicy) Chocolate & Pistacchio

Straciatella & Giandua

Selfless selfie with my gelato "dealer" (she mans their register)...

I must also point out, like a Classic American, I went into this gelateria and placed my order without having Euros on me. Bonehead. I asked this nice older lady (mostly with visuals), "Can I use credit card?" No. "Can I use American dollars?" No. So, they actually let me take the first taste of their gelato without paying for it and told me to pay them the next time I came in. I went back the next day before dinner with some Euros and paid them. How about that though?!

And finally...

 Pera Williams / Cannella (Cinnamon)