June 3, 2014

"Wisconsin has exercised an inordinate influence on New York dining and drinking of late."

The NYT explains.
Fedora and Perla are part of a downtown collection of restaurants that has been named Little Wisco for the high number of employees who hail from the Badger State, where Gabriel Stulman, one of the partners, attended college. Then there’s the Butterfly, a supper-club-like TriBeCa restaurant from the Wisconsin native Michael White, where diners can get bratwurst sliders, patty melts and old-fashioneds (made with brandy, just as they are in “America’s Dairyland”), and 5 oz. Factory, a Greenwich Village spot that traffics in cheese and frozen custard, two Wisconsin specialties.
We're back in Wisconsin now, but last Saturday, we were wandering around Greenwich Village and we happened upon 5 oz. Factory:

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We had a brunch date elsewhere, so we couldn't buy anything, but we went in anyway to offer greetings from Wisconsin, which seemed like the Wisconsin thing to do.


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There's something about Wisconsin that's appealing to New Yorkers right now — perhaps a conception of wholesomeness and comfort, the absence of edge, abrasiveness, irony. It's funny to arrive in a place that regards the place that you just came from as an antidote to whatever it is that feels toxic to itself.

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19 comments:

Quaestor said...

Now all I think of is toasted cheese, not my favorite summer fare, but it's what I'm eating tonight.

Meade said...

All my favorite New Yorkers come from Wisconsin (or else Ohio).

Original Mike said...

Isn't traveling to New York City to visit Wisconsin-themed establishments an extreme violation of the Althousian thesis that travel is pointless?

Ann Althouse said...

"Isn't traveling to New York City to visit Wisconsin-themed establishments an extreme violation of the Althousian thesis that travel is pointless?"

1. It's proof of the point that there's no place like home.

2. We were not going to that restaurant, but to another restaurant.

3. We would have stayed home if it were not for family members who live in NYC.

Titus said...

You should of drove to Boston! Or at least the cape, gee.

We have tons of restaurants here owned by previous Madison chefs.

One of my faves by work is The Cellar-the chef/owner used to work a Paisans!

tits.

Heartless Aztec said...

Call me when there's a Culver's in Tribeca. I might catch the train up for that.

Quaestor said...

I drove 10 miles to The Fresh Market and bought a wedge of Double Gloucester (man, that stuff's costly) and some Italian bread. I'll split the loaf and cover the insides with thin slices of cheese and a little onion, then into the broiler until the cheese caramelizes a bit. Pour a nice syrah, and tuck in.

Richard Dolan said...

"We would have stayed home if it were not for family members who live in NYC."

Pity, tis. But city living is not for everyone. As for the notion that Wisconsin is having an "inordinate influence" on NYC dining, it's a classic case of drawing large conclusions from a data set too small by several magnitudes to support them.

traditionalguy said...

Maybe this Wisconsin romanticism among Manhattanites explains why Gov. Walker is so much at the head of NYT assigned articles selections.

Guildofcannonballs said...

surfed said...

"Call me when there's a Culver's in Tribeca. I might catch the train up for that."

Good man. My sister worked at the very first Culver's. It took over the location of an A & W Root Beer / Burger place that had terrific frosted glass mugs they served soda in.

But people liked Culver's from day one.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"I'm not saying it's anything to be proud of, but you've got to be good at something," added fellow St.-Patty's-Day-morning celebrant Bobby Maurer as he perched at the end of the bar at Jim Hegarty's Pub on W. Wells St. "I guess it's what we're good at."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/31237904.html

Guildofcannonballs said...

"Nonetheless, we're sensitive enough to the feelings of beverage interests that our laws avoid the conventional terms alcoholic beverages or alcoholic liquors used in the statutes of the great majority of states. In the awkward language of Wisconsin law, they're alcohol beverages."

Who knew?

The "ic" matters.

Unknown said...

Turns out I've bitched the bitch of anti-Jobs because I hate the man's demanding with no nobles obliques or whatever.

He was a leader in a time I disrespect leaders.

He was no Buckley; then or now.

Guildofcannonballs said...

I wish I be gottin' me better.

But I ain't be havin' me no better thing.

So here's my for you:

I got FUll Kid Rock "My Name Is Kid Rock".

I gots it yo.

But internets be lettin' you down B.


I gots it.

MP3 Yo.

But I ani't be uploaded nuting cause I sue from the dyinggggg.

Guildofcannonballs said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm4gczmiUlc

Most 8'th shit I done there yo' in years buth I ain't bde denyin

Guildofcannonballs said...

I guess in the end I can say, again, "Hey Steel Panther was better than you and anything you do but don't hate him, hate things like John Kerry or John McCain and evil bithc-cunts"

Guildofcannonballs said...

So, it's your blog.

Hence, my latitude.


(Thanks for showing me)

southcentralpa said...

Easy, it was beginning to sound like the Garrison Keillor story "Yon" ("It had a twelve foot marquee that said 'Arntcha' Glad Yer a Badger', which tended to keep out the Uptown crowd and lure in Wisconsinites like a magnet...")

who-knew said...

No self respecting supper club serves bratwurst sliders and patty melts. They need prime rib and a Friday fish fry.