If you're traveling up to the Midwest this summer, you'll want to know about the tasty places to eat there. Behind the bustling, popular bar area of Elkhart Lake's Lake Street Cafe' is a chic, gastropub dining area. As unpretentious as the restaurant is, I was surprised to find out that they have one of the finest wine collections in the State of Wisconsin. I was glad to have the opportunity to experience it!

I tried a special appetizer of fois gras Benedict: pistachio polenta cake, fois gras terrine, Scotch quail egg and fois gras vinaigrette. The polenta added a mix of savory umami and the slightest touch of sweetness, which was further enhanced on both sides of the flavor spectrum by the pistachios. The quail egg was cooked in a manner that the yolk added creamy richness to the dish when cut open. The vinaigrette I learned also had duck sausage and shallot as its aromatic flavoring.

 

For an entree, I tried the braised oxtail pasta. I would definitely recommend this entree for a cool or rainy evening; it's quite hearty. It's composed of red wine braised oxtail, root veggies, radiatore pasta (shaped like little radiators) and topped with a local product -- LaClaire Farms raw goats milk cheddar. The meat was tender and it's definitely in the realm of comfort food.