This time of year, there isn't much to look forward to in Madison; the mile-long line at the bookstore, new apartments sans air conditioning and the hellish reconstruction of Johnson Street.??But do not fret-our great city has once again prepared a hearty \welcome back"" party for hungry, perspiring Madisonians like yourself.
The 21st annual Taste of Madison festival begins on Saturday and promises to be Madison's greatest festival yet. Sixty-six area restaurants will be there to offer their eats, and the spread is impressive. Look for traditional Madison pleasures such as Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co.'s, 468 State St., ice cream and root beer floats, as well as often-forgotten ethnic favorites like the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant, 100 Sixth Ave., which features the best of Swiss cuisine.
In order to show you the best time at this year's festival, The Daily Cardinal has done some of the grunt work for you; below are the highlights of the tantalizing provisions to come.
u Bid the folks at Nutcracker Sweet, 5218 Shorecrest Drive, bonjour and order some of the best crepes around.??The raspberry crepes are tasty, but order them smothered in Nutella for chocolate-hazelnut luxury that is to die for.?? At $3 a pop, these treats are a bit pricey, but well worth the cash.
u If you yearn for a sturdy American favorite, look no further than Dog Eat Dog, 106 King St.?? Their $3 Chicago-style hot dog is near perfect-tender, juicy and perched atop a steamed poppy seed bun. Dog Eat Dog offers a vegetarian hot dog for the same price.
u The largest and most impressive menu at the festival comes from Bluefin, 1291 N. Sherman Ave. Saturday, in addition to crab rangoon and edemame, Bluefin will feature croquette, a combination of meat and white sauce dipped in egg and bread crumbs and fried to a crispy brown. All of these items, and Sunday's sushi roll and sweet and sour chicken, are available for only $3 each-a steal for one of the greatest spreads at the festival.
u It was only last year that Curry N' Hurry, 6 University Square, stepped onto Madison's restaurant scene, but this fast-food Indian eatery has made its mark on the palates of many UW-Madison students. Try the very popular chicken tikka masala curry with rice, and for $3 you will receive tender chunks of curry-smothered chicken on a bed of long-grain rice. Vegetarians will enjoy the mixed vegetable curry with rice, also for $3.
u Bluephies, 2701 Monroe St., is best known for its contemporary d??cor and the art on its walls. Now, they're bringing the funk and fare outdoors to show off their unique cuisine. Bluephies shows off its eclectic mix of southwestern dishes and homestyle cooking with jerk chicken nachos and Thai baby vegetable tacos, each for $3. Perhaps the most anticipated menu item of the entire Taste of Madison also comes from Bluephies-the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Egg Roll. This combo of an Asian staple and everybody's favorite indulgence is sure to be a standout of the festival.
u In 2000, India Garden, 6119 Odana Road, won the Taste of Madison's Best Food Award last year, and now they are back to give Madison even more of their remarkable Tibetan menu. Sample the chicken labab dar ($3), and enjoy the combination of broiled chicken and a tomato-coriander sauce. Or try the Beef Momo (a kind of dumpling), also for $3. Traditionally, momo are made using yak meat, but beef should satisfy the hunger of festival-goers and show them why India Garden's cuisine is award-winning.
u What would a food fest be without a pie-eating contest? Check out country radio Q106's challenge of gluttony on Sunday at 12:25 p.m. at the Q106 Stage on East Washington Avenue.
Perhaps the only downside to this year's Taste of Madison is the liquor selection.??This weekend's festival features only Miller brewing products, whereas last year's event included Capitol Brewery products as well as Wollersheim Winery wines to quench the thirst of visitors.
In addition to being a fabulous place to pig out, the Taste of Madison is also Wisconsin's largest free music festival. This year, the Taste of Madison is hosting four stages of live music, each dedicated to a different genre. Perhaps the most anticipated act of this year's celebration is '70s soul band War , appearing on Sunday on the Alliant Energy Stage on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
For the entire menu and music lineup of this year's Taste of Madison, check out the Web site at http://www.madfest.org/taste.
If all of this fun and fare sounds appetizing to you, join all of Madison on the Capitol Square on Saturday from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.?? The Taste of Madison is a great way to jump back into the Madison lifestyle, where school is important, but good food, good beer and good friends take the cake.
