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| - It's kickoff time at the start of the Wisconsin-Nebraska game. Looking for a haunt for a group of 8, I stumble upon The Fountain, nearly deserted despite drink specials and HDTVs showing the Wisconsin domination beginning. Meanwhile, the Tiki Shack next door hopped with a boisterous, sloppy crowd. Was this a bad sign?
Not in the least. The bartenders and waitress took great care of us over the whole game. The smart tap list (all Wisconsin, mostly Madison) is accompanied by a good selection of bottles. We were surprised by the complementary chips and salsa, and at one point the chef even brought out some delicious beef sandwiches for the group to sample. I didn't try any, but I've never seen people react that positively to a beef sandwich before. A few of us ordered cheese curds and fries, which came quickly and were also very good.
Lots of little touches made this place stand out, including a gluten-free beer offering, the aforementioned freebies and the great mural on the wall, which I didn't have much time to study on account of too many Badger touchdowns.
We'll definitely be back. Looking forward to trying sandwiches and the "Beers of our Fathers" list, if only because Blatz has been the punchline of many a joke since I've moved here. Wisconsin Regional cuisine seems to be on the up-and-up in Madison, and this place offers an easy-going, friendly version.
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