Talula Has Opened

Madison’s Far East side should be brimming with dining hope.  Talula has opened, and we’re excited.

First, by way of explanation, I am a Madisonian, born and bred.  I grew up on the North side.  Having said that, I’ve lived on the East Side for my entire adult life.  Most people who aren’t from around these parts don’t understand that there is a difference between the North side and the East side of Madison.  But that’s neither here nor there.  My real point is that I know this building and the restaurants that it has housed very well, and long before it was pink.   I knew it when it was The Pig’s Ear.  I knew it when it was CJ’s.  I knew it when it was, briefly, Mexicali Rose (who left the pinkness as a lingering mark on the landscape).

But enough reminiscing.  Now it is Talula, and we hope that it stays Talula for a very long time.  Co-owned by a former co-owner of Fyfes Corner Bistro, that fact alone has us watching this new place closely.  We’ve been to Talula three times now.  The first time was to stop in for a drink and check it out.  Unfortunately it was far too busy for the drink, but we still checked out some of the changes. 

The next time we went, we chose a Sunday evening in hopes of avoiding any large crowds.  We were successful in that endeavor.  While the restaurant was busy, it wasn’t packed to the gills.  We settled into our booth after the hostess graciously agreed to our request that we be seated next to a window rather than tucked away next to the bar area where we were initially lead.  Special seating requests didn’t seem to create the least bit of turmoil.

Talula's Menu

The dinner menu is small but varied.  Those familiar with Fyfes will immediately recognize the very strong influence that it had on Talula’s menu.  Appetizers range from Atlas Crab Cakes ($12.95) to Spicy Edamame ($4.95).  There’s also a noteworthy Artichoke Crostini ($9.95) and a Talula Snack Platter ($11.95), consisting of assorted cheeses, fruits, crackers and Deviled Eggs.

The Round of Drinks

But we ordered drinks, skipped the appetizers and went right to the meal. 

Selections include salads, pasta dishes, a hefty selection of sandwiches and a rather small selection of entrees.  Entrees include Filet Mignon in a Pink Peppercorn Cognac sauce ($25.95), Marinated Skirt Steak with a Citrus Beurre Blanc ($20.95), Tenderloin Kabobs ($19.95), Chicken Breast with Teriyaki Mushroom Sauce ($13.95), Cioppini (Fish Stew) ($19.95), Pork Loin with Cranberry Port Sauce ($13.95), and Salmon with Raspberry Coule ($17.95).

Each entree comes with a choice of a house salad, a wedge salad, or soup.  They are also served with the seasonal vegetables or “Spiced Corn”.  We chose to order the Tenderloin Kabob and the Sunday Evening special, Roasted Chicken ($10.95).

I firmly believe that the way to test a restaurant is to order their chicken dish.  Things can go spectacularly wrong when a restaurant attempts to prepare chicken.  It is with pleasure that we report that the chicken was very good and Talula passed the “Chicken Test”.  Well prepared, moist, tender, and filling, this special was very “down home basic”, but it hit the spot.  The Tenderloin Kabob was a very good cut of beef, and it was also moist and tender.  The grilled zucchini and squash was perfectly, crisply cooked.

Talula's Chandalier

As we dined we were entertained to see that some things will probably never change.  The extremely awful chandelier which has been there since The Pig’s Ear days was still in service, and still as awful as ever.  But at this point it must be considered kitschy tradition.

We left Talula happy, and eager to return to try out the patio for lunch.

And so we did.

Talula Patio Seating

The patio is a pleasant place to relax on a nice day.  It doesn’t have the best view, facing a large expanse of blacktop parking lot to the front, and a busy Highway 51 to the side.  But still, in a city surprisingly void of outdoor dining, we’ll take it.

There are many sandwiches and salads on the lunch menu.  It would be hard to not find something you would like to order.  We chose to start with chips and salsa ($4.95) while we waited in the bar for a table to open up outside.  It didn’t take long, and we moved outdoors to enjoy our Applewood Smoked Bacon Cheeseburger ($8.95) and our Basil-Marinated Chicken Sandwich ($8.95).

 The sandwiches were substantial, served on a ciabatta-style bun, with a mound of perfectly cooked French Fries (a side salad was another option).  Both sandwiches were served piled high with grated cheese, which was a refreshing change from a traditional slice.  If possible, there was perhaps too much cheese.  Is that possible?  We’ve never been faced with making that call before.

With the solid menu, the good food, and smooth and efficient servce, we’ll be making Talula a routine stop in our dining repertoire.  We hope that the East Side adopts this restaurant as a new neighborhood tradition.  It beats most of the alternatives within many miles.

Talula
802 Atlas Ave. (off Cottage Grove Road)
Madison  608-441-1977
Hours: 11 am-10 pm Mon.-Fri., 4 pm-10 pm Sat.-Sun.

You might also like this:

• 1855 Saloon and Grill Restaurant Review
• Lazy Jane’s Cafe - Quick Byte Review
• Erin’s Snug Irish Pub Gives Up Liquor License?
• Talula Opens on Madison’s East Side
• Mad City Crab House Quick Byte Review
• Quivey’s Grove Celebrates Oktoberfest
• Samba Brazilian Grill Review
• Sushi Muramoto - Quick Byte Review
• Taste of Madison 2008 in Pictures
• Dane County Farmers Market in the Spring