Mado

Many of my wine drinking friends have given Mado ample praise for its provision of food that is simply prepared yet interesting. With a $40 Groupon waiting to be used, I decided to give it a go on Saturday night. I checked OpenTable.com that afternoon and reserved a table for 2 at 9 PM.

The Look & Feel
Mado stresses simplicity in its farm to table cooking. This dedication is well reflected in the restaurant's interior. Picture a farmhouse or old one room schoolhouse that's been altered to fit in an urban environment. That's Mado's dining room: large natural wood table in the center, hardwood floors & table tops throughout, gritty exposed brick, and artwork that isn't at all imposing or distracting. Add in comfortable chairs to stress the urban setting and it all mixes well. Of note, they didn't actually have wine glasses but instead served into small glass tumblers.

The Food
The menu here is printed daily, based on what's available fresh from farms in surrounding states. Many pieces reflect snout to tail selection--beef heart was available when I I visited and pighead stew is mentioned on the Mado website. While tempted, I stayed relatively middle of the road. Pictured below is the meat charcuterie platter--a country pate, cured thinly sliced pork shoulder, and a pate made from cheeks & jowels. The latter was absolutely outstanding--meaty, dark, heavier than expected, but still very clearly pork. The grainy mustard served with was excellent as well.
As an entree, we had the pork leg raillard. This was grilled & served with faro on the side. The meat was perfectly prepared and full of flavor. I had a side of gorgonzola polenta, which was a bit too salty on its own but was great with the pork. We took a 1/2 pound of "migas bark" to go. This is dark chocolate bark with some tasty/savory add-ins and very very addicting.

Meat Platter. 

Wine Time
A more experienced wine buddy of mine suggested that if taking 1 bottle, I take Nebbiolo. This is always a safe bet, but I didn't have any on hand. I ended up taking an older Zinfandel and a Riesling. The Zin went great with the grilled pork, while the bold Riesling was able to stand up to the strong mustard and paired quite well with the meat platter.
I could see Pinot doing ok here, but if buying a red I'd go with a Nebbiolo (look for "Langhe" or "Barolo" or "Barbaresco" on a label of Italian wine) or a Syrah (esp if ordering grilled foods) that hasn't seen much oak--ask the folks at the wine shop, there should be plenty of options in these categories.
If planning to order the meat platter, picking up a dry Riesling from Austria or Australia could be a great option. Or ask a wineshop attendant for a bone dry Riesling from Germany or Alsace if you want to spend a few more dollars.

The Whole
I was impressed and will definitely go back. The food is interesting and well-prepared, pairing well with wine. Knowing the menu changes with the season and that any given piece of an animal can be featured is great; I look forward to a vastly different menu when I head back later this summer. Even in my fairly pedestrian ordering, I encountered some new vegetables & flavors I had not tasted before--always worth bonus points in my book. Take some wine, order daringly, and dig in: I don't see many being disappointed with what Mado brings from the farm to your table.

Wines I had:

• 2002 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel Lone Redwood - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (5/15/2010)
  Nose of cedary twigs, dusty red fruits, bits of blackberries, and occasional hints of something in the coffee/bitter chocolate realm of scents. Tasting brings forth dark red strawberries & notable black fruits that still have some juiciness with a coating of dustiness & woody/cedary spices. A touch earthy at times. Transitions to the finish with a pop of tart (pomegranate/unripe raspberry) acidity, little tannin, and slightly clipped length.
  This went great with grilled pork leg raillard, having still enough acidity to stand up to the meat & char, which worked well with the earth/spice tones. (88 pts.)
  

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• 2000 Prager Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner Hollerin - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (5/15/2010)
  Perfumed florals and tropical white fruits present themselves at first, but with time deeper aromas exude--not quite petrol, but a mossy scent comes out that is quite interesting. Hints of white grapefruit in the background give a sense of power. In the mouth this has gorgeous, bold presence; it's the tall beauty pageant contestant winning on determination & class. Rich pineapple, apricot, some citrus hints up front. Back end keeps those going with a well-balanced acid as some mineral, slightly earthen tones flow in beneath the fruit and bits of lemon. Dry. None too heavy, none too delicate, this is a great Riesling.
  This was strong enough to do great with grainy, spicy mustard and a few charcuterie options. (90 pts.)

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