La Crosse, WI is like Madison on the Mississippi. We got the oil changed and the guy asked me my address. I watched him type it into the computer and he spelled Chicago, “C-h-i-n-g-o.” The Waterfront is doing a lot of things right and definitely deserves to be the standard bearing restaurant for La Crosse. We had drinks, olives and nuts at the bar while we waited for a table, about 20 minutes on a Monday night. Girlfriend loved the cocktails and I enjoyed a nonalcoholic beer and the attentiveness and organization of the staff (I’m a restaurant manager). Seated on the heated patio right beside the Mississippi River, we steered directly to the main courses. This being Wisconsin, the main courses were accompanied by a delicious bread course from the pastry chef and the world’s best real butter.
I got a wedge salad with blue cheese and Etta got a cheesy tortilla soup for starters (this being Wisconsin, those are included with the entrees). For dinner, we got a medium rare steak under a gorgonzola blanket, and a pound of king crab legs. Everything was perfect and generous and had me glowing with rich meat energy for the whole week. For dessert we got a key lime pie with white chocolate cream. On the drive home, we saw the huge open flames of a brewery. The radio was tuned to Wisconsin public radio. I was exposed to Swingin’ Down the Lane, a musical memory podcast by David Miller. The best meal of my September!
They feed you real good in that Midwestern sphere UNLESS you abstain from animal products. Then they might not know how to fill the belly. As long as you can dig the animal products, you are full.
Get yourself gone West to California, young man! Even the new fancy donut shop in Highland Park has a vegan donut option. If even the donut shop does it, maybe the Midwest in general will follow suit soon.