FOOD
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Mermaid Cafe's breakfast, lunch go swimmingly
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On two separate visits to Mermaid Cafe, we passed by the popular Williamson Street breakfast and lunch spot Lazy Jane's, where both times the lines stretched out the door.
Mermaid Cafe, also a breakfast- and lunch-only place, opened nearly three years ago on Winnebago Street and serves up food that's easily as good as Lazy Jane's, but without the wait.
Owner Lisa Jacobson first opened the cafe in a space previously occupied by a coin store, on the same block with Operation Fresh Start and TAPIT/new works dance studio. The one-room restaurant was mostly a to-go business with counter seating for five, but in April, Jacobson expanded next door into her husband's office space. Now, the caf has eight tables inside as well as four outside when it's nice out.
It has a real Madison feel, like Amy's Cafe or Mildred's Sandwich Shop. There is no table service; diners order from colorful chalkboard menus above the counter. In addition to the tables, a black leather chair, reading lamp and chalkboard wall provide a cozy spot for kids to play with toys, read books, and draw with sidewalk chalk. A map of Wisconsin with postcards tacked to it decorates one wall, along with a nice mix of 10 different hanging plates. Even the receipts reflect the laid-back, friendly vibe, reading *PEACE*JOY*LOVE*.
The eight lunch sandwiches all sounded amazing, making it hard to choose. You can't go wrong with the Pike Market ($6.75), a grilled sandwich on sourdough bread with turkey, melted provolone cheese and a generous portion of exceptional homemade basil pesto. I could have eaten two of them.
Equally enjoyable was the Uncle Bane ($6.75), a tuna fish sandwich with provolone, tomato, onion and giardiniera, a spicy Italian pepper relish, served hot or cold on rye bread. It's the best tuna sandwich I can remember eating.
Vegetarians will love the Bahn Meatless ($6.95), a variation on the Vietnamese sandwich Bahn Mi, also served at Mermaid Cafe. The long submarine sandwich comes on a chewy French roll with delicious marinated and baked tofu, daikon radish and carrot slaw, cucumber, mayo and a dash of soy sauce.
I wasn't as crazy about the New Delhi Deli ($6.50), a turkey and avocado sandwich layered with tomato, onion and lettuce, served on wheat bread and livened up with a coconut curry aioli. It was less remarkable than the others. Maybe cheese would've helped.
My mom, who was visiting from San Diego, gushed over my carrot soup ($3.50 cup, $4.50 bowl), made with coconut milk, ginger and curry in a chicken broth. The richly textured soup was garnished with cilantro. I liked it just fine, but turned it over to her, taking part of her Uncle Bane in exchange.
"It tantalizes your tongue and stays there," she said. "I would definitely get that again."
The soup of the day, a roasted red pepper tomato, also sounded tempting. On a subsequent visit, I couldn't pass up the roasted eggplant chili, which substituted eggplant for meat but was otherwise a pretty standard chili.
My mom and stepdad had such a good time that they insisted on returning for breakfast the next morning.
Mermaid Cafe doesn't do a standard breakfast with omelettes, hash browns, pancakes and all the rest. Instead, it offers four breakfast sandwiches. Three of the four are served on square pieces of focaccia, while the fourth is served on whole wheat bread. There were six of us at breakfast, and just by chance we covered all four choices.
The O.M.I. ($4.95) with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato and coconut curry aioli tasted nice and fresh, and was steaming hot. But I was still hungry afterward and finished off my daughter's leftover Classic ($3.95), with scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon.
Others in our group tried Schenk's Corners ($4.95), with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, sauted red pepper, onion and basil; and Matt's Early Riser ($4.95) with scrambled eggs, tomato and pesto on whole wheat, and seemed satisfied.
The coffee ($1.50 or $2) is excellent, and a bottomless cup goes for $2.50.
The cafe has an impressive assortment of bakery items. When Mermaid Cafe first opened, its baked goods came from the erstwhile Francois' Bakery on Milwaukee Street. Now it makes all its own bakery in-house, which I find remarkable.
The unconventional flavor of the spicy cocoa shortbread cookie ($1.50) isn't for everybody, nor is the lavender shortbread ($1.50). I preferred the dense peanut butter chocolate chip ($1.50) and the crumbly oatmeal craisin ($1.50).
And I'll be back for the farm muffin ($2.25), a chocolate muffin with cream cheese and chocolate chips that is not overwhelmingly sweet.
Actually, I'll go back for almost any reason.
MERMAID CAFE
Address: 1929 Winnebago St.
Phone: 249-9719
Hours: 6:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturday; 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday
Notes: street parking; wheelchair accessible; cash and personal checks only