Pain Un Chocolat, S'il Vous Plait

Over the weekend, I joined my friends Jill and Ryan for a nice breakfast of patisseries at La Baguette, which recently relocated to Madison from the north woods of Minocqua, and prior to that, France. The bakery is now located in a strip mall near West Town mall on Mineral Point Road. While the owners make a solid effort to create the atmosphere of a French café, the location and strip mall vibe thwart all attempts. But here’s a case in which food trumps atmosphere, and the declisous pastries and breads more than made up for what La Baguette lacks in atmosphere.

I met Jill and Ryan for breakfast on Saturday at 9am. By then, the place was bustling, and there was already a sizable line at the counter, which only continued to grow during our time there. Luckily, Ryan was able to save us one of the 10 or so tables for dining in, and Jill and I stood in line and salivated over the beautiful baguettes, croissants, brioches, ciabatta, and quiches. I decided on an apple turnover for breakfast and a chocolate-chip scone to go. Why is it that I can never decide on just one of something? Jill and Ryan each enjoyed a chocolate croissant and shared a goat cheese quiche.

As I’ve mentioned before, Jill was my roommate my freshman year in college in the dorms, and has been a close friend ever since. Jill studied abroad in Paris her junior year in college (with our mutual friend Emily) and is pretty much obsessed with anything French. She is quite the connosuier of chocolate croissants (I love how she confidently marches up to the counter and orders a “Pain un Chocolat” in a beautiful French accent. I also have to add that when Ryan proposed to Jill a few years ago, he learned a bit of French so he could ask her to marry him in the “language of love”. Now that deserves a drawn-out awwww…

Back to the patisseries. They are wonderful, and from what I’ve been told, very genuine. They’re light and flaky, and very fresh. I was most impressed with the sheer number of options. Prices are also very reasonable. We all agreed, however, that service is still a work in progress. While the staff is attentive and friendly (and very French), they need to come up with a better strategy to get the line moving a bit quicker. It seems like a second cash register would speed things up significantly.

Other than that, I was very impressed, and it’s already clear that La Baguette will be very successful in Madison. Jill and Ryan claim the’ve been there every weekend since it’s openend.

It's Back! Gingerbread Bagel.

Equally as good as Einstein’s seasonal pumpkin bagel is Panera’s seasonal Gingerbread Bagel. As so, as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. Panera’s Gingerbread Bagel is flavored with ginger bits, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses and filled with white chocolate & cinnamon chips. I prefer mine with the Hazelnut cream cheese and mug of piping hot dark roast coffee. Now that's breakfast.

Speaking of Panera, I’m also currently obsessed with their Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich, a somewhat recent addition to the breakfast menu. The sandwich is made with all-natural eggs—freshly cracked every morning—a thick slice of Vermont white cheddar, and Applewood-smoked bacon all grilled between two slices of freshly baked Ciabatta. It’s heaven. There’s just something about that Vermont white cheddar that leaves my mouth watering, even now.

Sometimes I can't decide between the breakfast sandwich and the bagel. If you, too, find yourself in a similar situation, I'd recommend that you do as I've done, and just order both.

Monroe Street Bistro

There’s a new kid on the block. The Monroe Street Bistro recently opened in late summer in the storefront formally occupied by Papa Phil’s, just west of Michael’s Frozen Custard. The Bistro has since drawn comparisons to Brasserie V, also a beer bar/European inspired restaurant located on Monroe Street, less than a mile away. The Monroe Street Bistro serves locally-sourced, European inspired cuisine paired with speciality beer, wine, and spirits. Since the Bistro is only a short walk from my house, it’s been at the top of my “must try restaurant” list since it first opened. From the beginning, the reviews have been stellar and there’s always a crowd. It seemed like the perfect choice for Saturday dinner with my parents.

When we arrived, shortly after 5pm, like eager senior citizens we found ourselves the only customers in the entire bar/restaurant. The staff was welcoming and attentive, but sort of had the “deer in the headlights for the first customers of the night” sort of look. Joseph, the gregarious and apparently well-known French bartender, took us under his wings and ensured that our beers were always filled and frothy. The bar has a great variety of unique beers on tap including Ale Asylum Hopalicious, Bell’s Two Hearted, Dlirium Tremens, Duchesse de Bourgogne, Gulden Draak, Hoegaarden, Kwak, Lagunitas IPA, Lake Louie Scotch Ale, Pilsner Urquell, Tripel Karmeliet, St. Bernardus ABT, Unibroue Maudite, Van-Dieu Grand Cru. Joseph provided us with many samples, always encouraging us to try before committing, and also filled us in on his educational, religious, and personal background. Joseph was indeed a character and very entertaining.

Before we knew it, and just as we started on our second beers, we realized the little bistro’s tables had quickly filled. We moved from the bar to a cozy table near the front window. So far, I was impressed. Great beers, friendly service, a quaint and charming atmosphere, locally sourced menu offerings, and a great neighborhood vibe. For dinner, I chose the Steak Et Frites (a 12oz CAB Flat Iron seared to medium rare, Cabernet pan sauce, grilled asparagus, & frites). At the last minute, I decided to order the steak medium, which ended up being a mistake. My mom opted for the Seasonal Quiche (filled with locally sourced seasonal vegetables) and my dad chose the MSB Burger (Fountain Prairie Farms ground beef, Hook’s white cheddar, fried onions, lettuce, tomato, bistro aioli, on ciabatta, with frites).

I must admit the food was good, but not great. My steak was a little overdone (partly my fault), but the frites with aioli were superb and enough to feed the family. My mom’s quiche was tiny, and next to a single leaf of spinach, seemed to drownd in a background of white china. My dad’s burger was interesting, to say the least. The taste of the beef was a little disconcerting. It was like a combination of a burger and a brat, which is not something you’re necessarily expecting/hoping for when biting into a juicy burger. It was a little disappointing, especially when it was my dad's first burger in over six months.

I’d definitely recommend Monroe Street Bistro, and plan to go back. I’d like to try a few other dishes on the menu, including the mussels and pesto grilled chicken. I’m also interested in a few of the small plates, namely the almond stuffed dates, spinach artichoke dip, crab cake, and cheese plate. The desserts also sound delightful and include cava poached pear, David Bacco truffles, cheesecake and brie and honey.

All in all, a fantastic addition to the neighborhood!

An Culinary Journey

Mom, Kristin, and Dad on the Monona Terrace overlooking Lake Monona

Dinner at Taqueria Guadalajara

Chicken Sopa and la cerveza

Platillo Guadalajara--grilled beef, fried onions, cactus, pico de gallo sauce, a grilled chili, and refried beans with cheese

Torta with grilled steak, fried onions, avocado, and jalapeno peppers

Sucre Patisserie on the Capitol Square

White Chocolate Cloud=muroise cremeux, vanilla biscuit, and berry garnish

Lemon Tart= butter crust, lemon curd, and garnish

Noir de Chocolat=dark chocolate, chocolate cremeux, and ganache glaze

My parents came into Madison yesterday evening on their way back home from a week-long stay at our family’s cabin near Minoqua. They picked me up from work at 3ish, and we immediately headed to the Union Terrace where we enjoyed the warm weather, good conversation, refreshing pink lemonade, and a beautiful view of Lake Mendota.

At 5ish, we drove to Taqueria Guadalajara, a great little hole-in-the wall Mexican restaurant on Park Street. I blogged about it after my first visit last summer. It’s super cheap, and very authentic. I think my parents enjoyed it. Or at the very least, they thought it was an interesting experience.

From there, we drove back downtown and stopped at Sucre, which is a somewhat new addition to the capital square, a posh, European-style Patisserie, where we picked up fantastic little desserts to go. From hole-in-the-wall Mexican to a stuffy Patisserie, I’d say we truly hit both ends of the dining spectrum.

With our beautiful desserts in tote, we walked around the square to the Monona Terrace, where we were hoping to enjoy Mama Digdown’s Brass Band, a New Orleans jazz band that was scheduled to play as part of the Monona Terrace’s Concerts on the Rooftop series (Thursdays in June and July). Alas, big mama never made it onto stage, and I’m assuming the concert was cancelled due to the chance of inclement weather. Bummer. But still, despite the lack of music, we enjoyed our succulent desserts and the evening together.

New Bistro Coming to Monroe Street

A new neighborhood bistro, just blocks from my house, will soon open at 2611 Monroe St. (where the longtime Italian restaurant, Papa Phil's, was formerly housed). The bistro will feature locally sourced European-inspired cuisine along with wine, spirits, and Belgian beer. Check out the menu here. The concept and menu seem strikingly similar to that at Brasserie V, which is located just up the street from the Bistro, but I'm excited nonetheless. I love new restaurants that I can walk to, and I was never very impressed with Papa Phil's. It will be interesting, however, to see if the Bistro can measure up and compete with new Monroe Street standouts like Brasserie V and Pizza Brutta.

Teryaki Tuesday

I very much enjoy Tuesdays. Most importantly, because Monday is over. But secondly, because it's "Teryiaki Tuesday." Teriyaki Tuesday at the Rice Cafe (7005 Tree Lane) is one of the best dinner specials in Madison. $4.99 for a Teriyaki chicken bowl. Great flavor, very filling, casual atmosphere, friendly service, and certainly can't beat that price.

All-Time Favorite Burgers

All this talk of burgers has gotten me very hungry (especially when someone threw away my lunch before I had the opportunity to take a bite at an admitted student event I was hosting this afternoon. Grrr...). Anyhow, here's my take on all-time favorite burgers. I've traveled far and wide and sampled many, many cheeseburgers.

1. Bob's Bad Breath Burger, Weary Traveler
2. Cheeseburger, Kopp's Frozen Custard
3. Cheeseburger, In-N-Out Burger
4. Cheeseburger, Beef-a-Roo
5. Best Cheeseburger, Blue Moon

What do you think? What are your favorites?

Breakfast at Tiffany's

I had a great rendezvous in Chicago with Karen and Kelly last Thursday night/Friday morning. We arrived in the city at ~7:30pm, at which time Kelly was understandably starving. We took a cab from the Sheraton to Pizzzano's on State for dinner. It was such a cute, authentic Italian pizza restaurant with loads of charm and character. The pizza was delicious, too. I would definitely recommend. Apparently, it's also Oprah's favorite thin crust pizza. It was also wonderful to catch up with Kelly and find out more about her new life in Austin, including her new job and boy!

Friday morning, Karen and I started with a 6-mile run on the lake shore path, which because of the strong winds, quickly morphed into a downtown route. Afterwards, we enjoyed breakfast at Tiffany's...err, Fox and Obel, where I ordered a yogurt parfait (pictured, right), a blueberry muffin, and coffee. Very good, as always. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Kelly, Karen, and I from our time together in Chicago, but at least I remembered a picture of my parfait.

From there, Karen and I headed out for some power shopping on Michigan Avenue. I had some luck scoring nice deals, and came home with a new pair of rain boots and a new bikini! Woo hoo. Now I'm ready for Vegas, baby.

Finally, A Decent Burger On State Street

If you call yourself a friend, than you know just how much I enjoy a good burger. That is why I was so thrilled to learn that Five Guys, a great burger chain that originated in the DC metropolitan area, was opening a location in Madison on State Street. Especially after reading about the famed burgers on my friend, Kelsey's blog, which she posted about after a recent trip to Baltimore. I salivated over her burger pictures for a month, and have been plotting a trip to the East coast ever since. But, now, I need only walk a few blocks to get my Five Guys fix.

Five Guys is a fast food joint that specializes in, you guessed it, hamburgers and french fries. All of the food is cooked to order, and the patties are hand packed and never frozen. Five Guys was founded in 1986 in Arlington, Virgina, by Janie and Jerry Murrell and their five sons, the "five guys." What was in 2002 a family business with five locations in Northern Virginia, has rapidly expanded into a franchise of more than 200 locations along the East Coast, from Florida to Connecticut. Besides a restaurant in Missouri, the Madison location is now the most Western location of the chain. Additional locations are in the works for Minnesota, Kansas, Texas, Colorado, and California.

Five Guys has been voted #1 Burger by Washingtonian magazine for 7 years. They've also amassed a pile of other accolades, which they hang proudly from the red and white tiles that cover the walls of the Madison location. The burgers are divided into two classes, the "regular" burger, which consists of two beef patties, and the "little" burger, with only one patty. Both burgers are offered with American cheese and bacon, as well as an extensive selection of free toppings, like veggies and condiments. The fries are fresh-cut and fried in pure peanut oil. There are regular fries, or "Cajun" fries, which are tossed in Old Bay Seasoning. The menu also offers grilled cheese, hot dogs, and veggie sandwiches, as well as free shelled peanuts to eat while you wait.

On Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed a cheeseburger ($4.59) and shared a large fry ($3.79) with friends. The burger was great, and I ordered mine with fried onions and American cheese. The two patties were a little much for me, so I probably could get away with the Little Cheeseburger ($3.39) next time. The large order of fries miraculously contained more fries than I could consume in a month. They were stuffed into an extra large Styrofoam cup, and overflowed into a mountainous pile, which filled half of a large paper bag. I have never seen so many fries. I tried my best, but even with three people sharing, there were still enough fries left over to feed an army.

Love it, but as my mom always said, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Yes mother, lesson learned. Next time I will order the "little" cheeseburger and regular fries. I am a little cheeseburger.

The Underappreciated Crepe Returns!

This morning Karen and I took a break from our usual breakfast routine—Einstein's on State Street (a bagel of some variety and a a small coffee for me. A plain cinnamon raisin bagel and a 32 ounce Diet Coke for Karen. At least I can proudly say that I switch up the bagels and "smears" every now and then.)

Feeling usually adventurous at 6:30am this morning, we decided to try Bradbury's, a new coffee shop and creperie on North Hamilton Street, near the capitol. With a name like Bradburys and a location off the capitol square, I was expecting something more pretentious and pricey. Luckily, it was anything but that. The place was quaint and friendly, and offered a great indie vibe with its fresh ingredients from local farmers, handmade pottery, and the soothing music of Sufjan Stevens from a boom box. This was my kind of place.

The very small menu offers espresso, coffee, tea, crepes, and scones, but they seem to do it all well. The crepes are available in both sweet and savory. Wanting to experience both ends of the spectrum, we shared two crepes—the ham and brie and the featured crepe, which was delectable combination of yogurt, honey, and walnuts on a buckwheat crepe. The ham and brie crepe, a usual suspect on the menu, features fountain prairie farm ham, brie, west star farm winter spinach, and a hint of maple syrup. I also enjoyed a delicious (and beautiful) Americano.

Bottom line—I love this little place. I most certainly will be back for more. Finally, someone has brought the underappreciated crepe back to Madison. And Bradbury's does it with style and grace.

Mini Donut Love

I spent most of the past weekend visiting my brother and his best friend, Ben, who are currently residing at my parent's house (sans parents) in Brookfield, where they are building a Web site, which they hope to launch in the near future. They've been putting in extreme hours, and I thought it might be nice to visit and take them out for a little fun.

When I arrived late in the afternoon on Saturday, we headed to Milwaukee's East side, which offers the area's best and most trendy bars and restaurants. We decided on Pizza Man for dinner, which is a Milwaukee classic and Korevec family favorite. We shared a small basket of garlic bread, which was freshly kissed with fresh garlic and butter, followed by the "Pizza Man Special," a 16-inch thin crust pizza with Cheese, Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Black Olives, Green Peppers, and Onions.

Afterwards, we went to a nearby bowling alley for pints of New Glarus Snowshoe Ale, followed by a game of intense bowling. Kelly was the most terrible bowler I've ever seen. Although he did come back strong in the end with strikes in the last two frames, it was obviously too little, too late, because I still won. For dessert, we hit up Sil's Drive-Thru, which is a tiny take-out mini-donut shop located on the corners of North and Oakland avenues in an architecturally unique bus stop structure. Sil's donuts are made while you wait on a fascinating assembly line fryer contraption. It's your choice of cinnamon sugar or powdered donuts, or the combo bag. We opted for the cinnamon sugar bag and a cup of apple cider. Delicious. Sil's is my new Milwaukee favorite, perfect for the early morning commute or late-night munchies.

It was nice to see Kelly and Ben. I enjoyed catching up and hanging out. I'm also very excited to share their new Web site when it goes live!

Pizza Brutta

Perhaps some would beg to differ, but I believe that Madison is truly lacking in great pizza joints. Sure, there's always Paisan's, Greenbush, and Ian's, but nothing to rave about. (Like I said, some may disagree.) That's why I was so pleasantly surprised to find a new kid on the block. The newest addition to the increasingly vibrant Monroe Street, Pizza Brutta is a charmingly hip pizzeria that specializes in Neapolitan style brick oven pizzas.

So far, I've made two trips to Pizza Brutta since it opened in December. Both times, I've been very impressed by the simple and fresh ingredients, wood-oven taste, crispy crusts, and the quaint and modern atmosphere. I've now ordered the Margherita Pizza ($9) twice, which is topped by tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella (made in-house), basil, and olive oil. Other pizzas include the Pepperoni, Quattro Formaggi, Salami E Funghi, Siciliana, Greco, Prosciutto Arugula, Salsiccia, Caprino, and Gabriel. Salads include the Brutta, Caesar, Gorgonzola, and Greek, which range in price from $4-$7.50. Lots of vino as well, available by both glass and bottle.

As for the service and atmosphere, it's order at the counter, but the pizza is then brought out to your table, which makes for a cheaper and more laid-back dining experience. The restaurant itself seems very quaint, although plenty of comfortable seating exists, and the focal point is certainly the beautiful brick oven in back. The walls are painted in a cheery, subdued orange color and are dotted with large, black-and-white photographs of Neapolitan street scenes.

This place is just another great reason to spend some time on Monroe Street. Now complete with a Trader Joe's and several trendy boutiques and coffee shops, Monroe Street really does have it all. And luckily, I live within walking distance!

Tour de Greasy Spoon

This past weekend, I did a lot of eating out. But then again, I always do a lot of eating out. Maybe the thing that made this weekend’s selections so noteworthy was the fact that most could be described as “greasy spoons.” And we all know ‘tis the season for comfort foods. However, ‘tis always the season of comfort foods in my world. Word.

On Saturday night, prior to candlelight snowshoeing, Karen and I headed to our first greasy spoon selection, The Club Tavern (1915 Branch Street) in Middleton, for 2-for-1 burger baskets (My frugal friend, Karen, had clipped a coupon). I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere in the restaurant part of the tavern, which was originally built between 1860 and 18880 as a boarding house, and was later named the Club Tavern in 1921. The prices were unbeatable. Most of the burgers were under $5, and the fries were only 99 cents. And then there was the whole 2-for-1 deal. What a steal! The food was good, nothing too extraordinary, but decent tavern grub. Definitely worth a stop, especially with a 2-for-1 coupon.

The next morning, following a 13-mile run (around Lake Monona) with our friend Emily, we headed to Cleveland’s Diner (410 East Wilson), which is a tiny hole in the wall near John Nolen Drive. We both ordered eggs and toast, and then shared a short stack of blueberry pancakes. In my opinion, it’s pretty tough to mess up basic breakfast entrees, and the food was accordingly as expected. The prices were also phenomenal, with most breakfast dishes ranging in price from $3-$6. It was definitely a nice, laid-back breakfast in an old-school type of environment, but I must say that I would prefer Mickey's Dairy Bar any day (for the same sort of atmosphere). And I was a bit troubled by all of the dust and random posters/postcards taped on the walls. Just sort of messy/tacky and generally unappetizing.

Taqueria Guadalajara (formerly Morelos)

On Wednesday night, in lieu of the concert on the square since it was postponed, I went to dinner at Taqueria Guadalajara, a tiny, hole-in-the-wall, authentic Mexican restaurant on South Park Street that has enjoyed much recent coverage and a shower of praise in the local Madison papers. It's one of those totally authentic ethnic restaurants that you first walk into and are so obviously uncomfortable, because everyone looks up and stares, and then you panic because you don’t see any menus and don’t know how or what to order. But then everyone smiles, and you get it together, and all is good.

The place is tiny—basically an old rickety home turned steamy lunch counter. Luckily, there’s also an outdoor deck with five or six tables that is perfect for summer dining. The place was pretty busy on Wednesday night, but luckily we snagged an outdoor table. The food, prices, and service were all phenomenal. I ordered a beef taco, beef sopa (which is sort of like an open-faced taco with a softer, chewier shell), chicken sopa, and a diet Pepsi—all for under seven dollars. The food was delicious and fresh, and the taco and sopa shells are made fresh everyday. It was way more food than I needed. So much so, that when my roommate suggested we stop for ice cream at Dairy Cream on the way home, I passed, perhaps for the very first time ever.

Taqueria Guadalajara, truly a mom-and-pop establishment, is owned and operated by Josefina Trejon and Fancisco Vasquez, young entrepreneurs and brilliant cooks, who are quite possibly the most genuinely friendly and hard-working restaurant owners I have ever met. The food comes from all over Mexico, but their specialty is the platillo Guadalajara, which is grilled beef, friend onions, nopal salad, refried beans with cheese and pico de gallo. Please support this amazing local gem!

No Longer Weary

I can pretty much guarantee that if you are an out-of-towner coming to visit me in Madison, I will probably take you to the Weary Traveler for dinner. It is my all-time favorite restaurant, and one that delightfully captures the essence of Madison. Last night, feeling a little weary myself after a long day of work, I dined at the restaurant with my friend Abby and roommate Karen. Abby is one of my most favorite friends, and we share a great love for the Weary. After reading my first blog entry about New Orleans Take-Out and how I strive to try a new local restaurant each week, she sent me an e-mail and said she’d love to try a new one with me. But then at the end of her e-mail, she mentioned that we could always just go to the Weary. And once she threw that one out there, I couldn't get the West of the Andes Sandwich off my mind. I had to go there.

Words cannot capture the true spirit of the Weary. Pictures cannot do it justice. I will humbly try to portray what little I can of this unique haven, but know that you must experience it yourself to really know. The Weary Traveler sits on a corner in the heart of the Marquette Neighborhood on Willy Street. The eclectic décor features kitschy art covering the walls, an intricate tin ceiling, and mismatched wooden furniture. With subdued lighting and lively conversation, the Weary Traveler feels like an intimate coffee shop. There’s often vinyl playing in the background or live acoustic music. The atmosphere is completely low-key and unpretentious—a place where a diverse crowd of hippies and yuppies happily co-mingle. A wall of board games is available for diners, and last night we were surrounded by three tables of patrons who were quietly enthralled in games of scrabble and cards.

While the restaurant always features a few tempting and well-priced gourmet specials, I usually opt for one of my two favorites—the West of the Andes Sandwich or Bob’s Bad Breath Burger. Bob’s Bad Breath Burger ($8.50) is an Angus beef patty topped with cream cheese, green goddess dressing, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. It comes with sides of mixed greens and potatoes. Last night I ordered a Spotted Cow beer and the West of the Andes Sandwich, with a side of potatoes. The West of the Andes Sandwich ($7.50) is available with beef tenderloin, tuna, or roasted veggies. Mine was a tasty combination of succulent beef tenderloin, avocado, Pico de Gallo, and chipotle mayo on a soft roll. The mixed greens on the side were sprinkled with green goddess dressing, and my side of potatoes was heavenly as always—thinly-sliced potato discs baked until crispy and drenched in a simple bath of garlic, olive oil, and rosemary.

What more can I say—I love the Weary Traveler. It is my retreat from the real world and a place where I am made to feel no longer weary. If you visit, oh weary one, I will lead you to this promised place and they will fill your belly with goodness and melt away your troubles.

Eatin' Mo Bettah

Each week I try to sample a Madison restaurant I've never been to. Oftentimes this is difficult, since I tend to be a creature of habit and could easily enjoy the always delicious and comfortable West of the Andes sandwich at the Weary Traveler every night of the week.

This week’s pick was New Orleans Take-Out (1517 Monroe St.). It’s a quaint storefront near the corner of Regent and Monroe, only two doors down from the legendary Mickey’s Dairy Bar. Surprisingly, New Orleans Take-Out has been serving up authentic Creole food in Madison since the mid-1980s. It’s order-at-the-counter, and although most people do opt for take-out as the name suggests, we decided to dine-in and enjoy the early nightfall and bustling intersection perched upon window bar stools. The décor is simple, and not too tacky, made up mostly of a few colorful spray-painted murals and vintage posters. The woman taking our orders was pleasant enough, and the only other employee was a long-haired hippy cook in the back. I was happy to hear Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” playing as I ordered. I love that song. After contemplating between the Gulf Shrimp Po’ Boy and Red Beans and Rice, I opted for the $3.05 half-order of Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage. Cheap and simple. And it was that and so much more. The dish was hearty, perfectly seasoned, and complemented by a substantial piece of sweet cornbread. The sausage was a great touch, and I’m not sure the rice and beans alone would have done it for me. At $3.05, the dish is a great value and I can assure you I will be back for more.