Recommend “things to eat and do” in Madison, WI

[echappist]

And all this time I thought it was a town I passed through on the interstate on my way from Minneapolis to Chicago to see my gf in college.

IIRC, you were in undergraduate in the 80's? If so, Madison back then probably not much more than than a big town, with a population of ~170k.

In some ways, it's still somewhat provincial. No restaurant here serves paella; no real Japanese food (other than ramen) until one gets to either MSP or CHI; and no Italian place serving osso buco. The supposedly most authentic Italian place at least had bronzino back in 2019, but that's no longer on the menu. Most places close by 10 PM (if not 9 PM).

Overall, my wife and I consider the lack of fancier amenities to be ultra first world problems, and we like it for other things offered (extensive bike trails being one of them).

[vertical_doug]

Japanese food is overrated.

Says the man that had Chestnut Rice, Miso and a pork dish tonight.

[echappist]

Japanese food is overrated.

Says the man that had Chestnut Rice, Miso and a pork dish tonight.

Did you know there's a proper* Kaiseki place in your old haunts? I don't think there even is one in Chicago, but MSP has one. We are actually thinking of making a drive over, given that my wife isn't allowed enough time off to make a trip over to Japan (we'll have to act upon your trip suggestions a few years in the future).

*Proper as in opened by a chef who received accolades from Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. Doubtful if he can source everything needed.