Tonight we grabbed some food at an old favorite, Friends and Company, This Madison eatery has been serving up good eats since 1980. They clearly know what they’re doing. Aptly named, Friends is an old friend. A comfort spot. You’ll find meatloaf on the menu. Need I say more.
We seated ourselves at the bar. Warm and woody, it has always been our preference. The dining room is a bit dated and dull. It can do with a redo!
Tonight, we reminisced about the old days at Friends when a seed tray was standard accoutrement; when Steve, the bartender, cured my hiccups with a concoction of oj and bitters; when the manager found time to challenge me to a round of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Separation. Smile.
For starters, Michael ordered Noank Blue Point Oysters. They were fresh and briney, and wonderful. The cocktail sauce, sadly, was a disappointment. A mignonette would have been a lovely addition.
Next up, the Mains. We went with two specials, Smoked Chicken tacos with avocado, cotija cheese, radishes, and crema lime aioli, and Tequila Lime Shrimp tacos with a crunchy slaw, mango salsa, pickled onions and cilantro aioli. The chicken tacos were overfilled and hard to handle. A lot of “shtuff”, but not a lot of savor. The Shrimp Tacos were fabulous. Fresh, flavorful, texturally on target.
For dessert, we opted for the charcuterie board as we so often do. “A cheese plate is a cheese plate” doesn’t apply here. Friends’ offering was skillfully composed. Filling the board was a tasteful selection of cured meats, Arethussa Farms cheese featuring Tapping Reeve (cheddar), Camembert (Brie), Great Hill (Bleu), alongside honeycomb, dried fruit, tomato jam, and grilled French bread. Just what we were craving. Sometimes the yen meets the yum.
Looking for unpretentious, welcoming, casual and consistent? Friends is your favorite old sweater.
https://friendsandcompanyrestaurant.com
