Plump Door County cherries, Buttermilk Blue Cheese and toasted almonds tossed with mixed greens and brandy vinaigrette. Add grilled chicken $4.95 or salmon* $5.95

Door County Cherry Salad

Spinach and Sarvecchio cheese with sliced hard boiled egg, shaved red onion, sunflower seeds, croutons, deviled egg and hot bacon dressing. Add grilled chicken $4.95 or salmon* $5.95

Spinach Salad

Beer-battered cod, walleye or flour dusted lake perch with poppy seed coleslaw, matchstick fries, house-made lemon caper tartar sauce and rye bread.

Wisconsin Classic Fish Fry

Lightly breaded beef tenderloin* served with house-made sausage gravy using Madison's Fabroni's Italian sausage and matchstick fries.

Chicken Fried Steak

Original Mac & Cheese with Bavaria Kitchen's hickory smoked bacon.

Hickory Smoked Bacon Mac & Cheese

Crispy Pork Schnitzel, lemon, Door County cherry-mustard sauce, German potato salad, braised caraway cabbage. Available after 4pm Nightly

Pork Schnitzel

Creamy, rich and of course oozing with Wisconsin Cheddar & Parmesan cheeses

Mac & Cheese

Pan-seared beef tenderloin*, nightly potato, honey-thyme roasted carrots, Korbel brandy mushroom cream sauce. Available after 4pm Nightly

12 oz. Beef Tenderloin Steak

Deviled Egg Platter

Thin and crispy warm potato chips with house-made onion dip

Chips & Dip

Wisconsin cheese curds mixed with matchstick fries and topped with sausage gravy

Poutine

Warm 10 oz. Milwaukee Pretzel Co. Bavarian pretzel with Hot Honey mustard, creamy cheese dip and Schwartz's sweet gherkin pickles

Authentic Bavarian Pretzel

Thinly sliced in crispy buttermilk batter

Haystack Onion Strings

Featured on the Food Network and Voted #1 Curds in Wisconsin! They don't get any fresher than these folks, no stabilizers or artificial ingredients. Just pure Wisconsin fresh curds from our local farming community. House-made fresh Wisconsin beer battered cheese curds.

Cheese Curds

Crispy Matchstick Fries

Place sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool so they don’t continue to brown in the pan.

Toast almonds

If using fresh Door County cherries, remove pits and halve cherries. If using frozen (thawed) or jarred, drain well and halve if needed. Place cherries in a small bowl and set aside.

Pit and halve cherries

Thinly slice the red onion and crumble the buttermilk blue cheese into small pieces so they distribute evenly through the salad. Chop parsley if using.

Slice onion and crumble cheese

In a small bowl or jar combine white wine vinegar, brandy, Dijon mustard, honey, minced shallot, salt, and black pepper. Whisk or shake until combined.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or honey as desired.

In a large bowl, place the mixed salad greens. Add the halved cherries, thinly sliced red onion, and most of the crumbled buttermilk blue cheese (reserve a small amount for garnish).

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the brandy vinaigrette over the greens (reserve extra dressing to offer at the table). Gently toss the salad with tongs or by hand until the leaves are lightly coated and the cherries and cheese are evenly distributed. Add more dressing to taste, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the tossed salad to individual plates or a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the toasted sliced almonds and remaining blue cheese over the top, and garnish with chopped parsley if using.

If adding grilled chicken: season a boneless skinless chicken breast with salt and pepper (and a light brush of olive oil). Grill over medium-high heat 5–7 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly and arrange over the salad. Adds $4.95 (menu).

Grilled chicken

If adding grilled salmon: season a 4–6 oz salmon fillet with salt, pepper, and a light brush of oil. Grill skin-side down over medium-high heat 4–5 minutes, then flip and cook 2–4 more minutes until opaque and flaky (internal temp ~125–135°F depending on preference). Let rest 2–3 minutes, then flake or slice and place atop the salad. Adds $5.95 (menu).

Grilled salmon

Serve immediately while greens are crisp. Offer extra brandy vinaigrette at the table. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 5 days; keep salad components separate to maintain freshness.

mixed salad greens

Door County cherries (pitted, halved) or other sweet cherries

buttermilk blue cheese (crumbled)

toasted sliced almonds

red onion (thinly sliced)

fresh parsley (optional, chopped)

extra-virgin olive oil

white wine vinegar

brandy

Dijon mustard

honey

shallot (finely minced)

salt

black pepper (freshly ground)

grilled chicken breast (sliced)

grilled salmon fillet (4–6 oz)

Place 5 large eggs (3 for slices + 2 for deviled filling) in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover the pan, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel. Slice three eggs into 1/4-inch rounds and set aside on a plate covered to avoid drying.

Prepare hard-boiled eggs

Halve the remaining two peeled eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl and mash with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon or pipe a small dollop of the deviled yolk mixture back into each of the four egg white halves. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Make deviled egg filling

Place 1/4 cup sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring frequently, 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from heat and cool.

Toast sunflower seeds (if not pre-toasted)

Cook 6 bacon slices in a skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 8–10 minutes), turning occasionally. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and reserve the rendered bacon fat in the skillet (about 2–3 tablespoons). When cool, chop bacon into bite-sized pieces. Reserve one whole crisp slice for garnish if desired.

Prepare bacon

With the skillet containing about 2 tablespoons bacon fat over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and allow to melt. Stir in 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons hot water to loosen the dressing. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. If dressing is too strong, add up to 1 more tablespoon hot water.

Make hot bacon dressing

In a large mixing bowl, place 8 cups fresh baby spinach. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons finely grated SarcVecchio (or Pecorino) over the greens. Add the thinly sliced red onion, toasted sunflower seeds, croutons, and the sliced hard-boiled eggs arranged evenly. Add chopped bacon pieces over the top. Toss gently just to distribute ingredients.

Assemble salad

Pour the hot bacon dressing evenly over the assembled salad and toss briefly to coat — the hot dressing will wilt the spinach slightly and release more flavor. Arrange the prepared deviled egg halves decoratively on the plate or bowl. Top with the reserved crisp bacon slice if desired and grind fresh black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Dress and finish

If adding grilled chicken: slice one cooked grilled chicken breast (approximately 6 oz) and arrange on top of salad before adding dressing. If adding grilled salmon: place a cooked salmon portion (about 5–6 oz) on top of the salad instead. For best results, grill or pan-sear protein seasoned with salt and pepper and rested 3 minutes before slicing.

Optional proteins

fresh baby spinach

SarcVecchio or Pecorino Romano (finely grated)

large eggs (hard-boiled, peeled, sliced)

large eggs (for deviled egg filling)

mayonnaise

white vinegar

salt (for deviled filling)

freshly ground black pepper (for deviled filling)

red onion (small, peeled and very thinly sliced)

sunflower seeds (toasted, shelled)

croutons (your choice, medium size)

bacon

unsalted butter

apple cider vinegar

brown sugar

Dijon mustard (for dressing)

hot water (to loosen dressing)

salt (for dressing)

freshly ground black pepper (for salad)

optional: grilled chicken (sliced)

optional: grilled salmon (portion)

Pat fillets dry with paper towels. If using perch and you prefer a flour dusted finish instead of batter, proceed to the 'Perch Option' section; otherwise portion fillets into 4 equal pieces and season both sides lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Prepare fish

In a mixing bowl whisk together 1.5 cups flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1.5 tsp salt (use the remaining salt), 1 tsp black pepper and cayenne if using. Gradually whisk in cold beer until mostly smooth, then add ice water to reach a thick but pourable consistency (should coat the back of a spoon). Keep batter cold in a bowl set over ice if possible.

Make batter

Pour oil into a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (about 6–8 cups total). Heat to 350–375°F (175–190°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately.

Heat oil

Working in batches, dust fillets lightly with a little flour if desired, then dip each fillet into the beer batter, letting excess drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crisp, about 3–5 minutes for thinner fish and up to 6 minutes for thicker pieces, turning once if needed. The internal temperature should reach 145°F and fish should flake easily. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet tray lined with paper towels to drain and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you finish remaining batches.

Fry fish

If using lake perch and you prefer the traditional flour-dusted style, combine 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a shallow dish. Pat perch dry, dredge both sides in the seasoned flour, shake off excess, and fry in 350°F oil for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain and keep warm.

Peel potatoes if desired and cut into matchstick-size fries (about 1/8" x 1/8" x 3"). Place cut fries in a bowl of cold water and soak at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) to remove starch.

Cut and soak

Drain and thoroughly dry the fries on clean towels. Heat 2 cups oil in a heavy skillet or small fryer to 325°F (160°C). Fry fries in batches for 3–4 minutes until softened but not colored. Remove and drain on paper towels.

First fry (blanch)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched fries in batches until golden and crisp, 1.5–3 minutes. Remove, drain, and immediately season with 1 tsp salt. Serve hot.

Second fry (crisp)

In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp poppy seeds, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth. Add shredded green cabbage, red cabbage and carrot; toss to coat thoroughly. Chill at least 20 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp chopped capers, 2 tbsp minced cornichon or pickle, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon and 1 tbsp chopped parsley. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Stir until smooth and refrigerate at least 15 minutes to blend flavors. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed.

Arrange warm beer-battered fish (or flour-dusted perch) on plates with a generous portion of matchstick fries and a scoop of poppy seed coleslaw. Add a ramekin of lemon caper tartar sauce, 1–2 lemon wedges and a slice of toasted rye bread per person. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately while fish and fries are hot and crisp.

cod, walleye fillets, or lake perch fillets

all-purpose flour (for dusting and batter)

cornstarch

cold beer (lager or pilsner)

ice water

baking powder

salt (for batter and seasoning)

black pepper

optional cayenne pepper

vegetable oil (for frying)

all-purpose flour (for dusting)

russet potatoes

cold water (for soaking)

vegetable oil (for frying fries)

green cabbage, shredded

red cabbage, shredded

carrot, julienned or shredded

granulated sugar

poppy seeds

capers, drained and roughly chopped

lemon zest

lemon juice

minced cornichon or dill pickle

fresh parsley, chopped

rye bread, sliced and lightly toasted

lemon wedges

chopped parsley (optional garnish)

Pat steaks dry with paper towels. If very thick, pound gently to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch using a meat mallet between plastic wrap. Season both sides lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Prep steaks

In a shallow dish combine 1.5 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal (if using), baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. In a second shallow bowl whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup whole milk, and 1/2 cup buttermilk (or use 1 cup milk total if not using buttermilk).

Make dredging stations

Working one at a time: dredge a steak in the flour mixture, shaking off excess; dip into the egg-milk mixture, letting excess drip away; return to the flour mixture and press to adhere for a generous, even coating. Place breaded steaks on a wire rack and let rest 10 minutes to set the crust.

Bread the steaks

In a large skillet (cast iron preferred) heat 2 cups neutral oil over medium-high until it registers 350°F (175°C) or a drop of water sizzles. Add butter if using. Fry steaks 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp, reducing heat as needed to prevent burning; internal beef temperature for beef tenderloin is typically medium-rare to medium — target 130–140°F if preferred (but traditional chicken-fried steak is cooked through). Adjust time if steaks are thicker. Transfer to a paper towel–lined rack to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while making gravy.

Fry the steaks

Leave about 2 tablespoons of the frying oil and browned bits in the skillet; drain off excess if there is more. These drippings will be used to start the sausage gravy for extra flavor.

Reserve pan drippings

In the same skillet with reserved oil/bits over medium heat, add the 12 oz Italian sausage (remove casings and break into small pieces). Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. If the sausage renders a lot of fat, remove all but about 2 tablespoons from the pan.

Cook the sausage

Reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons butter to the pan with the sausage. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour over the meat and fat and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes until the raw flour taste cooks off and the mixture turns a light golden color.

Make the roux

Slowly whisk in 3 cups whole milk (plus 1/4 cup heavy cream if using), a little at a time, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently, until gravy thickens to a pourable but substantial consistency, about 6–8 minutes. Season with 3/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste), and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes if desired. If gravy becomes too thick, whisk in additional milk 1–2 tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency.

Add milk and finish gravy

Reduce heat to low and keep the gravy warm, stirring occasionally until ready to serve.

Keep warm

Peel (optional) and cut potatoes into thin matchstick fries (about 1/8–1/4 inch thick). As you cut, place sticks in a large bowl of cold water to remove starch.

Prep potatoes

Rinse the potatoes in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and dry thoroughly with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Toss dried sticks with 2 tsp cornstarch to lightly coat; this helps crunch.

Rinse and dry

Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 325°F (160°C). Fry potatoes in batches 3–4 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towels and let rest 5 minutes.

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched fries in batches 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels, immediately season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and toss briefly. Keep warm in low oven with steaks if desired.

To serve, place a breaded steak on each plate, spoon a generous amount of warm sausage gravy over the steak (or serve gravy on the side). Add a portion of matchstick fries to the plate. Garnish with chopped parsley and a lemon wedge if using. Serve immediately.

beef tenderloin steaks (center-cut), about 3/4–1 inch thick

all-purpose flour (for dredging)

fine cornmeal (optional, for a slightly crisper crust)

large eggs

whole milk

buttermilk (optional, for tenderizing)

salt (for breading)

freshly ground black pepper (for breading)

garlic powder

onion powder

paprika (sweet or smoked)

neutral oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

unsalted butter (optional, for frying flavor)

Madison's Fabroni's Italian sausage (mild or hot, casing removed)

all-purpose flour

heavy cream (optional, for richness)

salt (to taste)

freshly ground black pepper (generous)

crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

russet potatoes (medium-large)

neutral oil for frying

cornstarch (light coating)

salt (to finish)

freshly ground black pepper (to finish)

lemon wedges (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt (and 1/2 tsp olive oil if desired). Add 1 cup elbow macaroni and cook until very al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions), approximately 6–7 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Cook pasta

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tbs unsalted butter. Whisk in 3 tbs all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture is lightly golden.

Make roux

Gradually whisk in 2 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, adding a small splash at a time to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4–6 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen.

Add milk and cream

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in 2 oz softened cream cheese until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Gradually fold in 1.5 cups sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup medium cheddar, and 1/4 cup gruyère (if using), stirring until melted and the sauce is silky. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Season and finish sauce

Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and gently fold to coat evenly. If the mixture seems too thick, add 1–2 tbs of reserved pasta water until you reach a creamy consistency. Remove from heat and keep warm.