The Avenue club and bubble up bar – Madison WI – 1128 E Washington Ave
My husband and I haven’t visited the Avenue in years. Probably because we were not impressed the first time we went. (Old, a bit tired, food was not impressive) We knew that Food Fight Restaurant took it over. At first we heard they didn’t change much, then reports came in the revamped the menu, then remodeled.
Tonight we stopped on the way home from the airport. So glad we did!
The inside is modern and contemporary. The menu is a refreshing and eclectic. From upscale burgers and sandwiches to higher end dinner selections.
We started with a “Shareable” (which is just a cute name for an appetizer) Marinated Beets and Goat Cheese. Described on the menu as: colorful marinated beets served with whipped goat cheese, toasted almonds, arugula, red wine and beet gastrique and grilled ciabatta bread.
Trust me on this. This one is NOT to be missed! Tender beets, creamy goat cheese, slight bite of arugula. Be sure to use the toasted ciabatta to “clean the plate”. Tiny misstep it was peanuts and not almonds. … It so didn’t matter. This dish was amazing.
Entrees. We had the Cioppino and Short Rib Stroganoff.
The menu describes them as…
Cioppino: Gulf Shrimp, PEI mussels, calamari, and cod served in a smoky tomato broth with with grilled ciabatta.
Short Rib Stroganoff: Fresh tagliatelle pasta with braised short ribs, roasted shiitake mushrooms, peas, red wine sauce and horseradish sour cream.
The Cioppino was not lacking seafood or flavor. Chocked full of seafood in a rich tomato broth. The only criticism would be the calamari was a tiny bit over cooked. However it was so incredibly tasty it was very easy to overlook the error.
The Short Rib Stroganoff was flavorful. The meat was fork tender. The peas were bright green. (They way they should be, not that odd color that most restaurants serve them in a dish like this)
A note about the service. Spot on. Prompt, attentive and knowledgeable.
We will be back. Maybe an after Farmers Market for breakfast. For sure another dinner, probably with friends.
(Previously Posted to Trip Advisor)