Fresco

Short Summary: For a date night out on (and above) the town.

Location: 227 State Street, Madison, WI (enter through the MMoCA lobby)

Fresco sits above the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, so you can't miss it -- just walk past the latest strange sculpture and follow the signs upstairs.  The museum's free, so go ahead and make a two-stop date night out of it if you need one.  (We're not really qualified to review the museum on its artistic merits, but it's about a 30-60 minute stroll though).  If you get your time estimate wrong don't despair -- the Fresco staff kindly seated us (outside, with a good view of the Capitol) 30 minutes before our reservation time.

Simple Successes, Complex Failures

The menu is seasonal, sometimes local, and not too adventurous.  Each dish was meticulously prepared, but only some were really delicious. The scallop appetizer with mascarpone polenta and bacon was very good. So was the cioppino pasta (seafood in a spicy tomato broth). The beet risotto cakes were inoffensive but bland.

Fresco's only real troubles come when they try to get too high-concept.  The prices are on par with other medium- to high-end Madison restaurants, where odd combinations and unusual ingredients are almost required.  Fresco is still struggling to balance innovation and taste -- our experiment, halibut with spicy carrot risotto and cold pea puree, tasted just as odd and disjointed as it sounds.

Whatever the magic touch for making the odd dishes delicious is, Fresco is still struggling to find it.  But stick to the obvious choices (like chocolate-filled beignets for dessert - light, fluffy; deliciously gooey) and you can't go wrong.

Romantic rooftop sculpture garden

Atmosphere sells Fresco in a big way.  $5 cocktails start at 9:00, making it a late-night drink spot with a view as well.  There's outdoor seating all summer -- watch the capitol building through a nice romantic drizzle or during a dazzling sunset, depending on your luck. 

The last time we visited there was a DJ playing downbeat music that complemented the overall mood of the restaurant, though it was a tad too loud where we were sitting.  We enjoyed the music more as we wandered around the sculpture garden after dinner.

Despite an few entrees that fall flat, Fresco remains one of our favorite places to take a date -- or just a friend you want to feel sophisticated with.