Madison Graze-ing

There is a new restaurant on the Capital Square and my parents, Joe and I made a first-time visit this past Saturday. It's called "Graze" and it is the second gastropub to open its doors on the Square this year (the other being Coopers Tavern). I wish I had my camera to take pictures of the food but instead I will attempt to describe our experience. In a nut shell, it was fantastic!

Before I begin talking about Graze I really must back up because this wonderful evening truly began at the Memorial Union Terrace. Dad, Mom and I scouted a great table to the left of the bandstand with a great view of Lake Mendota. We celebrated the Badger's defeat and continued possession of Paul Bunyan's axe (or I did seeing lack of Badger spirit from them seen in this picture... ahem!) and another great family get-together  with a few pitchers of Octoberfest. Joe was able to escape for the night from his medical school rotations in La Crosse and join us for the evening. He met up with us here and after a long happy hour we strolled up to the Capital.

Papa and Mama Nuss
Union Terrace

Graze was opened late summer and is a sister restaurant of the Madison-famous, L'Etoile. According to one of my friends who got to speak to the owners, L'Etoile wanted to extend their farm-to-table enthusiasm to the general public through a more casual and affordable menu. With Chef Tori Miller as the star of the kitchen and sister/co-owner Traci Miller as the brains, the US-Bank building resembling clear legos (and frankly very ugly) was transformed into a locavore hub that houses both L'Etoile and Graze.

Our party of four arrived a little after 8:00pm and we hung out at the bar for almost another hour sipping St. German margaritas and Tyranena "Bitter Woman IPA", grappling over which appetizers to order until our table was ready. The atmosphere was unique in that the glow of the room came mostly from stray light reflecting off the Capital building across the street. There are so few places where history and dining mingle so intimately.

Onto THE GRAZING! We ended up deciding on three appetizers: Fried Sassy Cow Cheese Curds, Pork Buns, and Potato Fondu. The cheese curds were out of this world! Large cheddar curds were dipped into vodka batter, deep-fried to crispy perfection, and served with homemade ranch. The Pork Buns were a bit small and the bread was soggy in my opinion, but tasty. The Potato Fondu were croquettes, which to me tasted like fried mashed potato balls, and served with goat cheese dipping sauce. Between the curds and fondu I could have gone home happy right then and there! 

Dinner came and I ordered the Artesian Rainbow Trout served with butternut squash cubes, lemon butter and fried capers. I saw it reviewed in the Isthmus magazine and decided to give it a whirl myself. There was a balsamic vinegar reduction that encircled the trout and made for an excellent matrimony of flavors as a whole. Joe ordered the Pub Burger, which I have to admit I will probably order next time we visit. It was served on a english muffin with a hearty side of frites and aioli. We talked later and as it turns out he was eyeing my dinner the whole night. I guess we could have swapped! Mom ordered the steamed mussels that came in a large white bowl that collected butter broth at the bottom. She said it was so good she wish they would have served it with a spoon. I dared her to drink it out of the bowl because the bowl did have handles! What my Dad ordered has escaped me! It was a meet and cheese sandwich fixed with frites but I can't match it to anything on the menu. I need to remember to ask him next time we chat but I'm guessing it was the Pork Charcurterie. 

We are grazing, and grazing, and well by this point in the evening we are just pigging out! Just when we finishing our meals and stuffed to the brim, the waitress offers the dessert options. What do we do? We accept! A round of hazelnut pie a la mode and "sea-spray" flavored snow cone. 

Final grading of Graze: "A"

I plan on visiting again for the Mac 'N Cheese and drinks out on the patio some crisp autumn afternoon to come. They also serve Brunch and Lunch.  

Visit their website here.