Small Bites: “Fall” into a spiraling cycle of indecision

A backup plan for those seeking reliable comfort amid ever-expanding food options.

“Small Bites” is about exploring the broader world of food and drink in Madison through approachable and specific experiences.

There’s a lot of pressure in being a regular, beloved food columnist. Thousands of people out there are relying on my sage advice to dictate their eating habits for the next four weeks. Honing in on a theme is an important first step, but sorting through that theme itself can be most 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 foods round-up. 

But anyway, it’s fall, 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, hang on—hear me out. Yes, this is a cop-out, but it’s a cop-out designed 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 a dinner decision fast and efficiently. 

Indecision around food plagues me greatly. Pushing 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 lampooning my generation for being unable to make the call during crunch time. 

The reason younger generations are fraught over food is that we’re living in a time of big expectations and unlimited choice. A not-so-subtle food revolution has been roiling under the waves over the last 30 years in the United States, and Millennials are the first generation to really experience food as a culinary experience at all parts of the day. Gone are the casseroles and sad turkey sandwiches; gone are the baked chicken breasts with steamed broccoli on the side. White sandwich loaves from the grocery store are replaced by sourdough from the local bakery, and on take-out nights, pizza and Chinese are just part of the plethora of options. Whether it’s the explosion of cooking shows on TV or the democratization of fine dining experiences, we have to face the fact that younger people want big, exciting flavors and aren’t generally willing to compromise. That means better takeout, and that also means better recipes. 

If you’re not quite sure what I mean when I talk about democratizing fine dining, I’d love to point out two incredible fast food alternatives fairly new to Madison. Just south of campus, the owners of Harvey House opened up a palace dedicated to fried chicken: Butterbird. With a huge arched ceiling and TVs flanking the walls, Butterbird is designed to be a fall sports headquarters for Packers and UW football games. And while dinner at Harvey House might not be accessible to everyone, the world-class fine dining experience of Shaina and Joe Papach is available in a $13 chicken sandwich basket—just a few bucks more than a Chicken Big Mac meal at the McDonald’s right 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 great chicken tender basket. Co-owned by Mint Mark’s Sean Pharr, Hank’s bumps up the execution while keeping price points affordable, similar to Butterbird. Muskellounge is a mainstay for Monona-adjacent Packers and Bucks fans, making it a perfect fall destination for sports watching and relatively cheap eats. 

Leaning further into fall, however, it seems like 2024 is bereft of a thematic mainstay. Most food sites haven’t updated their soup season features since last September, showing that the biggest reliable SEO hit for home recipes has fallen off. While I’m a huge fan of this chicken noodle soup for its simplicity and depth of flavor, maybe this year it’s time to expand outwards from soup into stewed territory. For me, that means curry. My personal go-to is Swad Indian Restaurant for its Chicken Vindaloo and Aloo Mutter (potatoes and peas). The entire menu is fragrant, rich, and delicious, but I’ve got a soft spot in cooler temperatures for potatoes cooked soft in spicy sauce, and both these dishes hit the spot. That also applies to the Alicha at Buraka, Willy Street’s Ethiopian mainstay. Spicy potatoes, cabbage, and carrots go great with their Misirwat (lentils, split peas, and, yes, more potatoes) over injera. I’m also partial to the Cigar Rolls and Massaman Curry at Monsoon Siam.

Unconventional stew also points to Osteria Papavero‘s Cinghiale—a rich red wine ragout with wild boar, onions, carrots, and tomatoes. It’s both rustic and refined, perfect for sweater weather, and also accessible at home with The Osteria Papavero Cookbook. If you can’t get wild boar at Meat People or The Conscious Carnivore, however, Papavero chef Francesco Mangano also has a great Bolognese sauce recipe in the book (co-authored by Cap Times writer Lindsay Christians). 

When it comes to cooking at home, I’m not going to lie: I get lazy in the fall. This recipe for Poached Chicken, Brothy Rice, and Cilantro Scallion sauce is a simple version of a Hainanese Chicken Rice Set, but both bring punchy, bright flavors to a simple broth-based chicken dish. I’m also a huge fan of this Butter Chickpeas recipe from Andrew Janjigian’s Wordloaf newsletter, which is a dead-simple mashup of butter chicken and chana masala. 

For anyone struggling with the onset of fall and the fast-approaching end of the Saturday Dane County Famer’s Market on the Square, Janjigian also has a remedy to keep the spirit of summer with you through spring: a recipe for Stella’s Hot Cheese Bread (though you’ll have to subscribe for that one). You can always go pick up a loaf from Stella’s Bakery, but why not challenge yourself with a fall baking project? Who doesn’t love molten cheese and a hit of heat while staring at the bare branches cutting through the sky out your kitchen window? 

If you’re not ready to let soup season die, however, it’s my opinion that the warming spices of pho are your best bet for gray skies and near-freezing nights. There’s no shortage of options between Pho Nam, Saigon Noodles, Ha Long Bay (currently set up at Little Palace), or Ahan. It’s hard to imagine a soup as light and hearty at the same time as pho. 

Anyone under 50 is going to struggle with figuring out what to eat as restaurant options expand and recipes for home keep improving. But I’ve got one last recommendation that’s dead-aimed at our generational malaise: seasonal coffee drinks. Maybe dinner will forever be a battlefield, but at least you can stop by Broken Board for a Sweet Potato Latte while you flounder trying to shop for groceries. Go on and treat yourself. It’s fall, damnit.