With a multitude of ethnic food options available on State Street, it seemed only a matter of time before Spanish tapas were added to the diverse list. Madison's new restaurant and tapas bar, The Icon, aims to fill the void but does so with mixed results.
Upon arrival, The Icon's fun, hip environment seems promising. An extensive wine collection lines the walls and the red-and-black accents give the room a chic, modern ambiance. Celebrities like Audrey Hepburn, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe gaze down from black and white movie posters and lend their status to the name of the restaurant. Three television screens and a large projector roll classic movies and sports games, but despite their connection to the restaurant's theme, these features distract from its otherwise fashionable atmosphere.
The drink menu is as exciting as the restaurant's décor, though it comes with hefty prices on most drinks ($10-$12). Staying true to its Spanish theme, the wine menu offers both glasses of sangria ($5) and pitchers ($18). After sampling the newly adapted variations, raspberry and peach, you might notice both taste more like mixed drinks than genuine sangria, though they are tasty.
The food menu is lengthy, including options for cold and hot tapas, soups, salads, Spanish flatbreads, entrées and desserts. Two tapas choices are the Roasted Eggplant Salad ($5.50) and the Spanish Tortilla with wild mushrooms and potatoes, served with a garlic aioli ($4.95).
Despite the restaurant's attempts at Spanish tapas, those who seek authentic cuisine are likely to be disappointed. Any knowledgeable patron would recognize that only about one-eighth of the menu's options are actually Spanish. A nearby table expressed understandable dissatisfaction with the portion size-per-price ratio of the Cured Spanish Meats ($9.95), while another heartily recommended the Crab Cake with frisée and pickled vegetables ($8.95). The Chorizo Spanish Flatbread ($9.95) is disappointingly greasy and can be overly cheesy depending on your personal taste, but it was portioned more reasonably for its price.
While one could easily make a meal out of the different tapas options, the restaurant does offer entrées, which range from Slow-Roasted King Salmon with couscous ($14.95) to Crusted Rack of Lamb ($24.95). Desserts (all $2.95) are tapas-sized and vary from a Seasonal Fruit Crisp to a Chocolate Truffle Cake. One option is the Chocolate Espresso Crema Catalana, which is better known by a similar French variation, crà me brà »lée.
Given its atmosphere and menu options, The Icon seems more popular with a post-college crowd, despite its proximity to campus. Its location near the Overture Center makes it an ideal place to splurge on a fancy drink (and maybe an appetizer) before a concert or show. However, for those seeking good or authentic Spanish cuisine, The Icon does not deliver.
In Spain, tapas often come free with a drink at a restaurant or bar. At The Icon, tapas tend to be overpriced given the quality and would be better marketed as traditional appetizers. In addition, the Hollywood theme and attractive atmosphere would blend more naturally with a menu that does not try to be something it is not.
