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| - The first time I ventured into the Madison Club was for SloPig 2013. As a result of housing an event where I found myself mowing down on salted caramel Sassy Cow ice cream with piggy-inspired toppings on a Sunday night, I'm officially a fan. By the way, clicking your sparkly red heels as you say "lard funnel cake toppings" will transport you no place but home. If you've yet to fork up the $100 a ticket for this event, give in to those pork fantasies and live...or bask in the glory of your elite Yelper friend who wins free tickets and invites you along.
6 chefs and 6 cocktail masters compete for the SloPig title in their respective categories while a number of other charcuterie, beer, condiment, cheese and seafood artisans dish out their best samplings throughout the tasting rooms. With this in mind, prepping for the night out meant I only allowed myself a serving of cottage cheese and a piece of toast before 6pm the day of. I actually intended to pick up a pizza afterwards because sample sizes...really? Looking back, I wouldn't have even eaten anything at all beforehand seeing as I found myself almost [gracefully] coma tucked into a corner of one of the space's very charming rooms an hour and a half in.
Chef Andrew Wilson of the Madison Club was one of the competitors with a menu that featured items like Country Ham and Miso Cured Vegetable Creme Brûlée, Schlitz Battered Pickled Porkbelly and Cheese Curds, Kobe Beef Tartare Tacos, Goat Brats and Bacon Baklava. The baklava was a bit dry but this really didn't stop me from getting seconds. The creme brûlée was a pleasant surprise with its salty, sweet and creamy goodness. Even though Wilson did not win the SloPig title, I found his menu to be one of the most adventurous with the way he transformed the pig, beef and goat portions he was given.
My one complaint about this locale would have to be the shallow stairs. Mixing these with irresponsible cocktail management WILL lead to an unintentional view of the beautiful light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. This became clear when a loud thud from a woman taking the trip downwards lead my friends and I to glance over the banister and make sympathy faces. Maybe I won't entirely blame the stairs though because, as my one friend commented in order to make the drunk tumbler feel better, "gravity sucks".
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