We ventured out on a snowy evening about a week ago on a Friday evening in search of a restaurant that was not participating in restaurant week. Before we made it to our dinner spot we stopped by our favorite distillery - Old Sugar Distillery to have a Queen Jennie Old Fashion. If you have not been to OSD it is one of the hottest micro distilleries in the Midwest. Check it out here http://www.madisondistillery.com/
We finally landed at Nostrano - despite not participating in restaurant week the dining room was full with a smart looking crowd of Madisonians. We decided to dive right into one of the best meals we have had in the last few months. Since the first week they opened over a year ago they have continued to deliver some of the most professional service and top notch food in Madison. We often say a trip to Nostrano is like going to a restaurant in Chicago - simply a complete experience! We had a wonderful bottle of a French Cabernet that got better with food. Here is what we had from the menu - we tend to share a lot so we can taste a lot.
Dinner
Marinated Olives
Sourdough Focaccia 5 - these are always fresh and tasty and the Focaccia is a great foil for the marinating oil of the olives. It really gives your palette a nice jumpstart.
Celery Salad
Heirloom Apple Chickories Parmesan Pistachio Vinaigrette 10 - fresh and vibrant the flavors took a quote "Waldorf salad" idea and spun it into something new and exciting. The crunch and crisp greens were a great lead into the next course.
Charcuterie Board
Pâté Salsiccia Salame Grain Mustard Pickles 17 - sounds simple but the combination of flavors and textures are a symphony for the mouth! If you don't order this board here you are missing out on some of the finest Charcuterie anywhere. And they will pickle anything and it is delicous
Orecchiette
Fennel Sausage Brussels sprouts Parsnips Fiore Sardo 21 - wow another amazing combination of flavors, the pasta was perfectly cooked and tender combined with the caramelized parsnips, slight bitterness of the greens and the house made sausage delivered a flavor explosion that had so many layers. Each layer of flavor was easily identified as we enjoyed every savory bite of this dish.
Dessert
Tortino
Chestnut Crumble Cake Bourbon Gelato Moonglow Pears Fior di Latte 10 - you have to order dessert here it is a must - both the chef owners have very deep pastry backgrounds. The flavors of the crumble cake with the Bourbon gelato were simply sublime.
Linda and I look forward to more frequent dining at Nostrano this year - it is one of our new "go to" places to share with fellow chefs when they are in town. And the gang at Nostrano also deliver the most underrated and overlooked lunch in town. Same quality and care at about 40% the price of the dinner menu which is a steal and would be a lot pricier if the restaurant was located 122 miles further south.
Cheers!
Jim
Showing posts with label nostrano. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nostrano. Show all posts
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Madison Hot Spots
Where do we think is the best place to eat and drink in Madison right now! In no particular order here it goes
Nostrano- if you have not been here you are missing some of the best food and cocktails in the city. Just had lunch today and the meal was amazing. The head cheese and country pate with the assorted pickled goodies was a great way to start the meal for the four of us. Then I moved onto the smoked pork shank sandwich…an open face beauty! It was served with some delightful greens. The pork is succulent and moist with crisp pops of a spice gardinera. We have had cocktails here on several occasions – one of the best sazaracs any place as well as the cognac old fashion both incredibly well crafted cocktails. And since Nostrano is owned by two pastry chefs, dessert is not to be missed. Trouble is deciding which of the 5 mind blowing ones to try – give the Afogado a whirl – tender pillowy donuts with caramel gelato melting in rich warm espresso. So if you only want dessert this is the place, but it is great anytime for any meal and the service is crisp and professional unlike some of the other spots around town.
Coppers Tavern – looking for the best Rueben in town – it is here – house made corn beef, dark marbled rye topped with in-house braised sauerkraut (cabbage slow cooked in Lake Louie Scotch Ale) it is off the hook. Great selection of beers on tap as well as a stellar selection of Whiskies and a fine bloody mary
Green Bush Bar– like thin crust pizza – here is the best in Madison. The wine selections are updated on a regular basis with the "by the glass" program always yielding something new and different. Ask for a taste before you buy it – they are always happy to provide that special service. Looking for the most comprehensive selections of scotch, bourbon and assorted whiskies, Green Bush delivers without breaking the bank. And recently they added flights of whiskies for a reasonable price with 3 – half shots to compare and enjoy
Lombardinos – what can I say winter is a great season for enjoying all things porky that Patrick has on the menu and specials list. There are too many great things to mention. If you are not eating here on a weekly basis you do not know what you are missing. Get in and say hi to Matt, Patrick and the whole gang.
Umami – looking for a great food experience this is it. There are some really unique dishes off a tightly focused menu that is executed well. The pork bun, the tuna poke and the arugula salad are all stars from the starter menu. They are known for their dumplings (very good ) and ramen something we have not had yet. Only issue is the inconsistent service we have had on all occasions
Hopefully that tempts you to get out and check out what is happening in the local scene in Madison, one of the best food towns around with some of the most talented people dishing up tasty treats!
Cheers
Nostrano- if you have not been here you are missing some of the best food and cocktails in the city. Just had lunch today and the meal was amazing. The head cheese and country pate with the assorted pickled goodies was a great way to start the meal for the four of us. Then I moved onto the smoked pork shank sandwich…an open face beauty! It was served with some delightful greens. The pork is succulent and moist with crisp pops of a spice gardinera. We have had cocktails here on several occasions – one of the best sazaracs any place as well as the cognac old fashion both incredibly well crafted cocktails. And since Nostrano is owned by two pastry chefs, dessert is not to be missed. Trouble is deciding which of the 5 mind blowing ones to try – give the Afogado a whirl – tender pillowy donuts with caramel gelato melting in rich warm espresso. So if you only want dessert this is the place, but it is great anytime for any meal and the service is crisp and professional unlike some of the other spots around town.
Coppers Tavern – looking for the best Rueben in town – it is here – house made corn beef, dark marbled rye topped with in-house braised sauerkraut (cabbage slow cooked in Lake Louie Scotch Ale) it is off the hook. Great selection of beers on tap as well as a stellar selection of Whiskies and a fine bloody mary
Green Bush Bar– like thin crust pizza – here is the best in Madison. The wine selections are updated on a regular basis with the "by the glass" program always yielding something new and different. Ask for a taste before you buy it – they are always happy to provide that special service. Looking for the most comprehensive selections of scotch, bourbon and assorted whiskies, Green Bush delivers without breaking the bank. And recently they added flights of whiskies for a reasonable price with 3 – half shots to compare and enjoy
Lombardinos – what can I say winter is a great season for enjoying all things porky that Patrick has on the menu and specials list. There are too many great things to mention. If you are not eating here on a weekly basis you do not know what you are missing. Get in and say hi to Matt, Patrick and the whole gang.
Umami – looking for a great food experience this is it. There are some really unique dishes off a tightly focused menu that is executed well. The pork bun, the tuna poke and the arugula salad are all stars from the starter menu. They are known for their dumplings (very good ) and ramen something we have not had yet. Only issue is the inconsistent service we have had on all occasions
Hopefully that tempts you to get out and check out what is happening in the local scene in Madison, one of the best food towns around with some of the most talented people dishing up tasty treats!
Cheers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
