By james art 
A backup plan for those looking for reliable comfort amid ever-expanding dining options.
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Small Bites is about exploring the wider world of food and drink in Madison through accessible and specific experiences.
There’s a lot of pressure to be a regular, beloved food columnist. Thousands of people rely on my wise advice to determine their eating habits for the next four weeks. Refining a theme is an important first step, but sorting out the theme itself can be the bulk of the work each month. And God help the writer who just looks at the calendar and declares that since it’s fall, it’s time for a fall food review.
But anyway, it’s autumn and the leaves are starting to fall; there’s a crisp chill in the air and it’s time to cozy up with your favorite fall foods. Okay, okay, wait – hear me out. Yes, it’s a denial, but it’s a denial meant to be a solution. If I can’t decide what to write a column about, I can at least write a column designed to get you to make a dinner decision quickly and efficiently.
The indecision about food torments me a lot. Turning 40, I’m part of that key millennial demographic that’s satirized endlessly about our inability to make dinner choices—just pull up Instagram or TikTok and you’ll see 20 different skits mocking my generation for not being able to make a phone call. time of crisis time.
The reason younger generations are burdened with food is because we live in a time of high expectations and unlimited choices. A not-so-subtle food revolution has taken place in the United States over the past 30 years, and Millennials are the first generation to truly experience food as a culinary experience throughout all parts of the day. Gone are the casseroles and sad turkey sandwiches; gone is the roasted chicken breast with steamed broccoli on the side. White bread for sandwiches from the grocery store is replaced with sourdough from the local bakery, and for takeout dinners, pizza and Chinese food are just some of the many options. Whether it’s the explosion of cooking shows on TV or the democratization of fine dining, we have to face the fact that younger people want big, exciting flavors and are generally unwilling to compromise. That means better takeout and it also means better recipes.
If you’re not quite sure what I mean when I talk about democratizing fine dining, I’d like to point out two amazing fast food alternatives relatively new to Madison. Just south of campus, the owners of Harvey House have opened a palace dedicated to fried chicken: the Butterbird. With a huge arched ceiling and televisions lining the walls, the Butterbird is designed to be a fall sports headquarters for Packers and UW football games. And while dining at Harvey House may not be for everyone, Shaina and Joe Papach’s world-class fine dining experience comes in a $13 chicken sandwich basket — just a few bucks more than a Chicken Big Mac at the McDonald’s next door.
On the east side, Hank’s Burgers and Fish Fry occupies the back corner of the Muskellounge, serving up burgers, fish and a pretty awesome chicken tender basket. Owned by Sean Pharr of Mint Mark, Hank’s ups the ante while keeping the price points affordable, much like the Butterbird. Muskellounge is a mainstay for Monona’s neighboring Packers and Bucks fans, making it a perfect fall destination for sports watching and relatively inexpensive food.
Heading into autumn, however, 2024 appears to be lacking a thematic foothold. Most food sites haven’t updated their soup season features since last September, indicating that the biggest reliable SEO hit for homemade recipes has fallen by the wayside. While I’m a big fan of this chicken noodle soup for its simplicity and depth of flavor, maybe this year is the time to expand outside of soup into stew territory. To me, that means curry. My personal favorite is Swad Indian Restaurant with its Chicken Vindaloo and Aloo Mutter (potatoes and peas). The whole menu is aromatic, rich and delicious, but I have a weakness at lower temperatures for potatoes cooked soft in a spicy sauce, and both dishes hit the spot. The same goes for Alicia in Buraka, Willie Street’s Ethiopian mainstay. Spicy potatoes, cabbage and carrots go great with their Misirwat (lentils, chopped peas and, yes, more potatoes) on injera. I’m also addicted to the cigar buns and Massaman Curry at Monsoon Siam.
The unconventional stew also points to Osteria Papavero’s Cinghiale, a rich red wine ragu with wild boar, onions, carrots and tomatoes. It’s both rustic and sophisticated, perfect for sweater weather and also accessible at home The Osteria Papavero Cookbook. However, if you can’t get your hands on wild boar at Meat People or The Conscious Carnivore, Papavero chef Francesco Mangano also has a great Bolognese sauce recipe in the book (co-authored with Cap Times writer Lindsey Christians).
When it comes to cooking at home, I’m not going to lie: I’m lazy in the fall. This Poached Chicken, Broth Rice, and Coriander Sauce recipe is a simplified version of a Hainanese chicken rice set, but both add strong, bright flavors to a simple broth-based chicken dish. I’m also a big fan of this Buttered Chickpeas recipe by Andrew Janjian Wordloaf bulletin which is a simple combination of butter chicken and chana masala.
For anyone struggling with the onset of fall and the fast-approaching end of the Dane County Saturday Family Market on the Square, Janjigian also has a remedy to keep the spirit of summer with you into spring: a recipe for Stella’s Hot Cheese Bread ( although you’ll need to subscribe to it). You can always go pick up some bread from Stella’s Bakery, but why not challenge yourself with a fall baking project? Who doesn’t love melted cheese and a blast of heat while staring at the bare branches cutting through the sky through your kitchen window?
However, if you’re not ready to let soup season die, my opinion is that the warming spices of pho are your best bet for gray skies and near-freezing nights. There is no shortage of options between Pho Nam, Saigon Noodles, Ha Long Bay (currently located in Little Palace) or Ahan. It’s hard to imagine a soup as light and hearty as pho.
Anyone under 50 will struggle with what to eat as restaurant options expand and home recipes continue to improve. But I have one final recommendation that is dead on target for our generation’s malaise: seasonal coffee drinks. Maybe dinner will forever be a battleground, but at least you can stop by Broken Board for a sweet potato latte while you struggle trying to do your grocery shopping. Go ahead and treat yourself. It’s fall, dammit.