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| - I ventured out to Dane to visit Tootsie's a few weeks ago, and it was well worth the trip. When I told my friends where I was going for dinner, I was met with furrowed brows of confusion. "Dane? Like the Great Dane?" Admittedly, I was not familiar with the city or its citizens either, but I had heard great things about this little bar called Tootsie's and their inventive, and at times risky cuisine. I found out quickly that this little hometown gem was worth the back-country trek.
From the outside, this place looks like your standard dive bar, and honestly, it's appearance on the inside does too. There are several tables set up for dining and a singular pool table lurking in the corner. All of these things are fairly standard, but what makes Tootsie's special is the proprietor, employees, and patrons. We were there on a weekday night and the place was just banging. Each person sitting at the bar was friendly and inviting. Drinks were flowing and the party was on. The owner was walking around and talking to everyone and the bartender and chef were equally amiable.
What was even more impressive was the food. Tootsie's surprisingly houses a full kitchen in the back of the bar, making it possible to provide high end daily specials to patrons. The night we were there the special was roasted quail and smoked pork belly. We had the choice of picking either of the options or a combination of both. My dining partner and I opted for one of each. Usually I'm very critical of the way restaurants cook each of these proteins. Pork belly is one of those foods, along with duck breast, that is ruined for me without proper rendering. At Tootsie's it was cooked perfectly, and was served in a large meaty portion. Yum. The quail was cooked to perfection, boasting moist morsels of meat.
Wait....hold on...I forgot one major thing: the ranch.
Some people (my husband included) look down on me for my love of ranch dressing, but I stand proud with my obsession. I will eat anything dipped in this herbed mayonnaise sauce. The chef at Tootsie's brought me out TWO different kinds of ranch to use on my salad and side dishes, and I was in heaven. For me, the ranch alone is worth the trip.
Overall, go to Tootsie's with your expectations in check. This small bar will most likely win you over the same way it wooed me. It was a fun trip out to the country for this city girl, and I plan on making it many many more times.
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