Restaurant Review: Madison Sourdough

Name: Madison Sourdough

Location: 916 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703

Ambiance: Casual, brunch/lunch place

Price: $$

Best Dish: Loaded Grilled Cheese

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I'm not generally someone who seeks out sandwiches when I go out to eat, but on this day, I needed a quick lunch before driving a friend to the airport. We accidentally ended up in Madison Sourdough after we discovered that the Mexican place we wanted to go to had moved, and it was the tastiest accident of my life. Madison Sourdough is tucked away on Williamson, and is terrible to find parking around - but it is definitely worth the trip.

They do standard brunch fare, however, since we were there for lunch, we went with their sandwiches. My friend ordered the Ruben (and for non-vegetarians, he said it was one of the best Rubens he's had), and I went with the half and half combo of one of their soups (which change by the day) and the loaded grilled cheese. The cream of tomato was was surprisingly light, with just the right amount of tang from the tomato to cut through the cream. The loaded grilled cheese was really unique - although I wouldn't really classify it as a grilled cheese. Stuffed with cauliflowers (a surprising choice that added a nice texture) and mushrooms, the combination of whipped cream cheese and smoked fontina added a unique texture to the cheese holding the sandwich together. The herbed aioli added a lot of flavor, and added a sharpness to the sandwich. However, what was especially unique was how good the salad was. Generally, a side of salad tends to be limp and overdressed, but Madison Sourdough nailed the exact ratio of greens to dressing, making it a salad that I actually wanted to eat. The one thing I was disappointed by was their pickle - it was sweet, and lacked the tartness that I love about pickles.

Madison Sourdough also has a patisserie, and their cookies are delicious. I had the chocolate chip espresso cookie, and it was crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. My friend ordered their Americano, and their coffee was rich and flavorful. The rest of their display is incredibly tempting, filled with cheesecakes and macarons and eclairs. I will definitely be making a trip back to try those - but just the sandwiches are enough to bring me back for a second time.