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| - Having just moved to Madison from L.A., I am seeking cool spots with vegan options. Alchemy had been recommended to me a number of times so a friend and I checked it out on a recent Tuesday. The atmosphere was great and the host and waiter were both friendly and helpful. I loved the layout of the elevated seating levels. It was packed for a Tuesday probably because of the holiday just a few days away.
The spirit menu had some fun options and the gin/ginger beer cocktail I had was delicious and well mixed. As for the fare, it looked like the menu had one salad, one entree, maybe a soup, and four sides for me to choose from. Okay, not outstanding at first. But then I saw that I could substitute any burger with a tofu walnut burger for a vegan version of any of the three burgers. That made me very excited. The waiter assured me that the cook would prepare a delicious applerum burger vegan-style. I opted for housemade Alchemy fries and asked for a side of pickles too. When the food arrived, my friend's regular applerum burger was dripping with scrumptious toppings. Mine on the other hand looked less than appetizing, just a tofu walnut burger on toasted bread (I think sourdough), lettuce and tomato. The cheese, aioli and "sweet onion rum relish" had to removed with apparently nothing else interesting to possibly replace them. (The relish contains anchovies apparently.) The walnut burger was one of the better substitute burgers I've had in Madison, BUT there were walnut shells IN the burger...oops! Almost cracked a tooth on those, Alchemy.
The fries were outstanding! I couldn't get enough. And though I had to ask twice for the pickles, they were worth the wait. Made to perfection in-house, they were equally delightful on their own or on my sandwich.
Overall, I don't fault Alchemy for having trouble coming up with interesting things to do with vegan renditions, hence the 4 stars for great atmosphere, yummy drinks, dope fries and pickles, and professional staff. However, it was a disappointment to have zero condiments offered to me for my burger. There must be something in that kitchen to spice it up.
I'll definitely be back. Maybe the curry will be a vegan winner. Otherwise, I'll just eat before I get there.
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