Forequarter
Coffee Egg Cream – Cold Brew Dogwood Coffee, Cream, Honey, Lemon, Egg White (replaced by Cold Brew Dogwood Coffee)
Goat Sausage with Crispy Baguette, Mustard, and Olives
Galantine of Poussin stuffed with cabbage and almonds – Mustard Greens, Pickles, and Olives
Caramelized Carrot Cavatelli and Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto and Parmigiano Reggiano
Malt Ice Cream with Crushed Potato Chips, Crystalized Kumquats, White Chocolate Crisp, and Hot Fudge
Ostensibly a sequel to the oft-lamented Underground Kitchen with a meat heavy menu featuring daily specials from Madison’s heralded Underground Butcher it was for a few pre-dinner bites that I sat down at a tiny two-top at Forequarter and although my pending reservation at L’Etoile would indeed limit my order I’d be hard pressed to say which experience was more impressive. Without doubt a trendy space, heavily wooded with tiled ceilings and taxidermy, it was just after 5:30 that I entered the dimly lit dining room and with the bar already buzzing as several tables dined on charcuterie it would not be long before a menu was in hand and selections were made, the service proving exemplary in both keeping my water glass full and presenting each plate with ample descriptions of sourcing as well as technique. Unfortunately beginning the night on a sour note, literally, as lemon ruined an otherwise delicious sounding egg cream it was with the beverage stricken from the bill and replaced by cold brew that the meal was reset and although perhaps a bizarre ‘pairing’ for charcuterie I’m happy to say the bitter contrasts surprisingly worked – a board of boldly spiced goat sausage first perfuming my palate with smoky notes only to be followed by tender poultry imbued with earthy aromatics and extremely subtle brine. Realizing coffee would overwhelm my main course and thus cleansing my palate with pickles plus tiny olives that packed some seriously salinity it was onward to a vegetarian-friendly bowl of pasta that my meal progressed and with hues of purple, orange, and green in full effect the flavor was even more impressive than the visual display – each tender noodle rife with natural sweetness while butter-roasted Purple Knights and decisive pesto melded into a nutty, rich sauce. At this point unable – or at least unwilling – to eschew dessert it was between a plate of cookies or a housemade sundae that I was left to decide and deferring to my waitress as to which she preferred I opted for the later, fond childhood memories of the movie-snack “Whopper” brought forth with every bite.
RECOMMENDED: Any of the house charcuterie is likely to impress, but if the cavatelli and pickles are any indication these folks also know their way around produce – the dessert was pretty darn good, too.
AVOID: While your mileage may vary I was personally put off by the coffee egg cream, an otherwise lovely concept ruined by far too much acid – a flavor I dislike in my coffee in any form.
TIP: Currently obscured by construction with limited street parking there is a small lot just up the hill with great views of the lake, the lack of spots otherwise clearly not hurting business though as the restaurant was packed to capacity when I departed at 6:45.
http://forequartermadison.com/
