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| - Our server was quite lovely; our dinners were pretty meh, especially considering the price. Caveat here- I feel like a lot of the reviews I've read about this place are comparing the classic Avenue Bar to this new Food Fight iteration- I don't have a dog in that fight as I never really cared for the Avenue Bar food that much. But I will say that the decor and atmosphere here are great. Very comfortable (we were seated in a cushy booth) and really relaxed, calm, and quiet.
We ordered the tempura calamari as an appetizer, which I totally recommend- it was the best thing we ate. Lightly flash fried in sweet chili sauce, with a side of Napa cabbage, topped with peanuts and cilantro- this was perfectly balanced and tasty. Unfortunately our entrees were .... well, I have to say that the closest thing I could compare them to is cafeteria food. I ordered the steak. A 12-ounce strip for $30. The menu said it came with red wine sauce, maître d'hôtel butter, and duchess potatoes loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream. I asked for no sour cream. I got a steak with the maître d'hôtel butter as described, but it was also smothered in a thick, tomato based sauce. Almost like a marinara. and there was a lot of it. It made the steak, which was already swimming in melted butter, pretty unappealing. Just a really weird flavor. And the potatoes were basically mashed potatoes pressed into a ramekin and baked. No cheese- no bacon- no chives. Again- weird. My boyfriend's burger was supposed to come on a "house-made cornmeal kaiser roll." It came on a standard hamburger bun. And for $11, it was a burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, and soft cheese spread (which lent the burger a strange gritty texture). He only ate half of it due to the excessive char on the burger. His fries were unremarkable and undercooked. There are plenty of spots in Madison where a better burger and fries could be had for 7-10 bucks. Step it up, Avenue.
We liked our server and she bought me a birthday dessert partially due to the food issue- both the desserts were yummy (chocolate layer cake with berry sauce and creme brulee) but we noticed that all of the service staff looked pretty unprofessional- jeans/tshirts/etc etc which was an awkward standout in the classy space.
Will probably go back for drinks/apps in the bar in the future, but not likely we'll get dinner again.
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