I_Know_Good_Eats

 

Overall, this is the finest dining experience I have ever had. The food, of course, was exquisite – no surprise there. However, in addition to the incredible taste, you can actually feel that everyone working in the kitchen is a master at his/her craft. Every detail, from arrangment and presentation, to timing, to wine pairing is done with love for the art of cooking, and deep respect for the fact that most people visit such restaurants for a special occasion. The servers look like perfectly synchronized dancers as they place the plates for everyone at the table at EXACTLY the same time. Something they clearly practice. There is also the comfort of knowing that pretty much any request – even if it’s not explicitly stated on the menu, will be fulfilled.
As a quick example – I actually forgot to bring enough cash to tip the valet. Very absentminded of me, but there was nothing I could do about it in the middle of dinner. So, feeling very foolish, I nervously asked our waiter if I could include the valet tip on my credit card. He calmly nodded his head with a smile, and immediatly put me at ease. These little things are just part of what sets a 5-star establishment apart from any other run of the mill eatery. Nobody had to go “check with the manager”, my request was their pleasure to fulfill.
TRU is the kind of place that shows us how grand life can really be. It should be almost a religious experience for those of us caught up in the muck and toil that can overpower our lives sometimes. Thus, TRU gets my highest recommendation as a place you simply can’t afford to miss.

 

According to Zagat ratings, Arun’s is the only 5-star Thai restaurant in the United States. How lucky we are to have this magnificent restaurant in our fair city. Chef Sampanthavivat pretty much created the concept of “Haute Thai”. In doing so, he put it in a beautiful ethnically decorated setting with the friendliest and most attentive servers I have ever had the pleasure of dining with. Although I never even noticed our waitress during the meal, she observed the way we reacted to our food, and every course was increasingly refined to match our prefernces of spice.

It would be impossible to have a 5-star restaurant with a less pretentious air about it (but that still means you shoud wear a tie and jacket to dinner, gentlemen). With wine, expect to pay between $250-$300 for two people, and it’s worth every penny.

 

L’etoile makes me wish this website allowed half star ratings because they really deserve 4 1/2 stars. The service is on par with any 5 star restaurant I have experienced, and the waitstaff is incredibly friendly and courteous. The setting is very elegant because the main dining room is upstairs (away from street noise) with big windows looking out onto Madison’s beautiful capital building and its surrounding park. For dinner, I had a duck confit in a reduced sherry sauce. Most of you will appreciate how difficult it is to get perfectly done duck, and if this is the case, come to l’etoile. Categorizing the pricing as “fair” would be a gross understatement – especially coming from Chicago. For those of you who want a fabulous meal for a price that might get you past the appetizer dish in a comparable Chicago establishment, check out one of Madison’s finest…l’etoile.

 

Spring is a fine dining experience for New American cuisine with a Japanese flair mixed in. Although everything is delicious, do focus on the seafood as that is their specialty. One thing that really blew me away was the wine list. Even with an ever changing food menu, Spring still manages to keep a perfect wine list. The wine pairing was the best I have ever had at any restaurant – including Tru and Arun’s! Listen to your waiter for help in selecting your wine – even if you know a lot on your own. The decor is modern and very cool, but still comfortable. Expect to pay between $65-$100 per person with wine. Gentlemen – tuck in a dressy button up shirt into nice pants. No tie required, but that still means you should avoid being the guy with “nice” jeans and a golf shirt.

 

Chic modern decor just steps away from the Steppenwolf theater. Ambitious menu with a premium placed on plate presentation. Stick with a red meat for your dinner entrée – especially with new chef Giuseppe Tentori (of Charlie Trotter’s fame), and be adventurous with the seafood appetizers. The chocolate crème brule was the best I’ve ever had. Service is friendly and unobtrusive. Expect to pay $85 – $100 per person with wine.