The concept was an Asian restaurant with entrees spanning the Pacific Rim, dishes including Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese flavors. A place where people would not just go out to eat but go out to dinner.
\We wanted a place where you could get a glass of champagne with your spring roll, or a martini with your Pad Thai,"" said the restaurant's general manager Joe Travaski.
But this ""Asia Fusion"" concept remained nameless until Travaski went light shopping in Chicago with the restaurant's owner, Monty Schiro.
""I pointed to one fixture, and the sales rep said, 'That's the ""firefly,'"" Travaski recalled. ""Monty and I looked and said, 'That's it.'""
Firefly, 2701 University Ave., opened last November in Lakepoint Commons across from the UW hospital. It is the newest member of Schiro's Food Fight group, which consists of eight other Madison restaurants, including Ocean Grill, Johnny Delmonico's and Bluephi's.
Behind Firefly's mini-mall front is a comfortable and stylish space with mellow blue walls, paper lanterns hanging over the dining room, sleek red lights over the bar and the silver firefly lights, complete with eyes and antennae, flying over the host desk.
In the kitchen, seasoned Food Fight chef Adam Brousil, formerly of Eldorado Grill, prepares a melting pot of Asian-inspired dishes. The menu, which highlights seafood selections like Ginger Crusted Salmon and Miso Grilled Mahi-Mahi, also includes chicken, pork and beef dishes, and several vegetarian options.
Some of the most popular dishes, Travaski said, are Kung Pao with either chicken or beef, and Pad Thai with tofu or chicken. On the table, three jars of jalape??o and Asian chili sauces allow customers to customize their spice.
The food is well-prepared and presented. The Chicken Satay appetizer is cooked to perfection and comes with a savory peanut dipping sauce. The Catfish in Coconut Curry is also tasty, with an ample portion of fish and a large side of sesame spinach.
The Smoked Chicken Lo Mein, however, is a disappointing east-meets-west experiment, where the liquid smoke overpowers the other flavors.
A tempting dessert list includes a cloud-like mango cheesecake, a dense and decadent flourless chocolate cake, and an exotic Asian pear tartlet served with a star anise sauce.
The wine list is extensive and most of the cocktails have an Asian flair, like the flagship Firefly Martini with ginger-infused vodka, the Lychee Colada and the Wasabi Bloody Mary. Some interesting non-alcoholic drinks include guava, papaya and passion fruit juice and Thai iced tea and coffee.
For its sophisticated atmosphere and cuisine, prices are surprisingly modest. Rice and noodle bowls are $8 to $10 and dinner specials are $15 to $20.
The bar draws a younger, hipper crowd on weekends, Travaski said, but clientele ranges from college students to older suburbanites. Depending on the day, lunch can be as busy as dinner.??
Firefly opens for lunch at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner is served seven days a week starting at 5 p.m., and last seating is at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Friday and Saturday evenings can get crowded, so Travaski recommends reservations for those wanting to dine between 6 and 8 p.m.
For those looking for authentic Asian cuisine, Firefly is not the place, nor does it pretend to be. But for those looking for a pleasant dining room with friendly service, soft jazz in the background and a filling meal at a decent price, Firefly will more than deliver.
