Doug's Soul Food (Madtown) now serving lunch

People in and around Madison WI might be interested in this.  I have it on reasonably good authority (wife's coworker knows the owners) that Doug's Soul Food Cafe is now serving lunch Wednesday through Friday from 11:30 until 2.  Since it's almost within spitting distance of my office I'm going to try to check it out in the near future.
 
Brad

As a confirmed lover of soul food restaurants, I'm looking forward to your report.

Although I'd been meaning to do so for awhile today was my first visit and I chose the brisket meal, which came with slices of brisket in barbecue sauce, mac & cheese and black-eyed peas (2 sides), hush puppies (bread choice), and a dinner roll.

I don't know if the sauce is bottled or homemade but it's great!  It's a thin tomatoey sauce, not sweet, and a bit spicy, and it would be better to get it on the side for those who don't care much for hotter sauces (like my wife).  Next time I'm there I'm going to ask about it because I'd love to take it home and try it on some of my own barbecue.

The brisket slices weren't quite plastic-fork-tender but the plastic knife cut them easily.  It was tough to tell from the sauce but I think they had some nice bark, and while some people probably wouldn't like that they were a touch fatty I had absolutely no problem with that.  It wasn't throughout the meat so it could be cut off and put to the side, which would prompt me to say that if you're not gonna eat it I will.  With sauce.

I think this might've been the first time I ever tried black-eyed peas so I have nothing to compare them to, but I liked them.  They were firm, not mushy nor too hard, with a little bit of pork mixed in and a slightly smoky flavor.

The mac & cheese had a light cheese flavor, not overwhelmingly cheesy like some varieties, and I found that I needed to add a little salt to bring it up to a level I liked.  But that's personal preference.

The hush puppies were crispy outside and moist and crumbly inside, with a light onion flavor.  I remember having hush puppies at the Holiday Inn in Valdosta, Georgia a hotel restaurant somewhere between Illinois and Florida in 1975 that were like onion balls and these were much better.  Not coincidentally, I can count on one hand the number of times I've had hush puppies in the past 34+ years.

I saved the roll for last because I was pretty full and thought I might take it home, but I forced myself to choke it down in the name of completeness.  I don't know if it came from a bakery or a commercial supplier but thankfully it wasn't a boring white cube of Wonder Bread-like nothingness.  Instead it was firm and chewy with a nice texture and while good without butter and would've been really good with.

Finally, the woman who took my order was quite friendly and pleasant.  As Sheriff Buford T. Justice would say, "Thank you, nice lady."

Obviously this is a place I have no desire to ever visit again.  Like to try the southern fried chicken, for example.  Or take pictures.  That would just be a waste.
 
Brad

I love Soul Food too, and this sounds great.

There are few things I find as detestable as soul food. 
 Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , perhaps.
 
Just kidding, of course.
Your restaurant sounds great. Hush puppies are like falafel in that some are so horrible if you were super polite you still couldn't finish bad ones but good ones can be as good  as anything you've ever tasted in your life. And great mac 'n cheese can make you forget your entree. My wife at a Southern meat and three will often order meat and three servings of greens. I can't wait to try this place out as my Madison dwelling sister, her family and my 86 year old mom will demand to come along. Remind me and I'll bring along a squirt gun and hold it to your head and force you to take pictures of you eating Southern fried chicken.
Thanks for the report. When you come to Milwaukee we'll make a run to Henry's Bungalow and compare and contrast.

MilwFoodlovers


There are few things I find as detestable as soul food. 
 Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , perhaps.

MilwFoodlovers


of greens. I can't wait to try this place out as my Madison dwelling sister, her family and my 86 year old mom will demand to come along.

 
I'd definitely like to hear or read the opinion of someone who's more familiar with this kind of food.

As an aside, right across the corridor (it's in a small strip mall with an inside entrance) is Taqueria Marimar, which has gotten some pretty favorable reviews over the past few years.  I've always found it to be pretty decent but haven't eaten there a whole lot and don't claim any expertise as far as Mexican authenticity goes.
 
Brad

Taqueria Marimar
http://www.menupix.com/madison/restaurants.php?id=730406#
 
Brad, if you enjoy Southern cooking, you should love soul food.

The second time I ordered the fried chicken.  It was nice and crispy without being overbattered/overbreaded and I liked it; even the breast (it's a drumstick/thigh/breast combo with no substitutions) was moist.


A hushpuppy awaits its fate.


I dragged a coworker along and he had the brisket sandwich; basically what I had my first visit but on a bun.


The next day I went back and ordered the short ribs and spare ribs ala carte to take back to work and eat at my desk.



The short ribs were cut pretty thin but were tender and had a nice coating of the house barbecue sauce.  They and the spares are listed as "BBQ" on the menu but I don't know for sure if they're cooked in a strictly traditional fashion...regardless, they're good.



It's Friday.  It's Lent.  It's catfish with a crispy cornmeal breading and I'll be back for more.


The lady at the Walgreens photo lab got a good print from this one but I couldn't get it to scan worth a darn.


Mac and cheese and blackeyed peas in a takeout box.  Take a corner a little too fast and the bean juice will spill over...but that's not a bad thing.


Every time I've been in there for lunch I've been the only customer, which is unfortunate.  Hopefully they're doing better at dinner and word of mouth will spread and improve the lunch sales.

Brad

I would love to be on the Madtown food thing. Dougs sound delish.