Cuda Cafe

Update 11/9/07: Cuda Cafe is closed.

In a word:  Cuda been better, Cuda been worse.

The specs: #0191
Address, hours & details via Isthmus; official web site; myspace page; review by Mom in Madison.

JM ate the grilled ham and cheese with a root beer.
Nichole ate the Chicago hot dog with a decaf.
We split a bowl of tomato soup.
The bill was $17, or $8.50/person, plus tip.
JM and Nichole both gave Cuda Cafe a B (see our grading rubric).

Cuda Cafe's pretty sweet, even on a grey day. It's in the old tobacco row warehouses in Deerfield, attached to Sweet Lips, a playful new art gallery. Right on the Glacial Drumlin bike path, the Cafe would be a great place to stop on a hot day for iced tea. Think: more friendly than Creamery Cafe, and less granola than General Store.

The interior is a comfortable place to wait for your order.

And wait a bit more. (JM has tried to impress - with some success - on Nichole how fast life moves in small Wisconsin towns.)

Sad but true, we ended up eating our lunch in a gov't cafeteria back in Madison. The ambience might have detracted from our experience a bit, but we tried to be objective.

JM found his sandwich tasty but he felt that the marbled rye bread was an odd choice.  No need to get fancy with a solid ham and cheese.  He also acknowledged that getting lunch delivered by your wife is really the way to go, as a trip to Deerfield would have probably lowered his rating.

Nichole found her Chicago hot dog to be an earnest attempt that almost made its goal - but not quite. The wiener and toppings were platonic-perfect (the celery salt didn't go unnoticed), but the grocery-store bun didn't hold up to the brief commute and had gotten all sogged up like no real bakery roll would have.

Likewise, we both found the soup to be on its way to greatness, if only it had been simmered a bit longer to thicken its flavors.

All told, Cuda is well on the right trail to finding its niche.

Comments

[vjthom39]

Unfortunately, the Cuda Cafe announced it had closed the week of 11/5/2007. The shop still remains open for private parties and music events, but the restaurant proper is closed.

[nichole]

Thanks for the update - that is a shame.