Catch up!

So...we've had quite a few dinners since the last blog. We ate at The Brocach for March in honor of the IRISH. It was the first time I'd ever had Shepherd's pie. I would definitely recommend it. Although don't think you're going to eat anything else. I was stuffed! We had some wine and a great pineapple vodka drink on the rocks. It's their specialty. I would highly recommend it.

February we visited Africana. The service wasn't great, but the food was interesting. I can say I have never eaten traditional African food, but it was worth it for something different. In the end, we ended up having a spice off competition between two of the people who came to dinner. One of the contestants couldn't talk for about a half hour. So, we'll just leave it at that. All of the dishes had some level of spice to them. Thus, if you don't like spice, it might not be the place for you. I would, however, suggest it if you were looking for something different. All of the food was of good quality and the restaurant brings a different scene to Madison.

Today, we ended up at Samba! Yes, despite the recession, we all opened up our wallets for a more intimate dinner as there were only 5 of us. We all left more than stuffed. I think I heard someone say they may have cracked their diaphragm they were so full. The salad buffet seems to get better and better. At least it had since the first time I was there. Everything is roasted and very fresh. In comparison to some of the churrascaria's in Chicago, the meat selection isn't the best. I have to admit I'm a bit spoiled at the meat selections at these types of restaurants in Chi-town though. For the Madison area, its a nice addition to the restaurant scene. They have some interesting drinks and a WONDERFUL new pineapple surprise. This whole pineapple comes out on a stick and is crusted with cinnamon and sugar. When they cut off a piece of the pineapple, you aren't expecting much, but this pineapple made three of us dance in our seats and one break into some mild showtunes! It is absolutely amazing. There were also garlic mashed potatoes hiding to the side of the veggie bar which were a nice surprise. Keep your eye out for those. By far, the best meat on a stick that came out was the flank steak.

More to come as the months roll on. Next month we are heading to Glass Nickel Pizza. An ol pizza fav in Madison. We're going to try and take up all the seats in the small restaurant on Atwood!