Day One for Madison Kitchen

Much-anticipated eatery debuts

Passersby who were paying attention today as they ambled through the business district had the opportunity to experience the newest thing in Madison Park: Madison Kitchen.  The new coffee shop/deli/take-out place (we're undecided on the appropriate category) did a quiet "soft opening" this morning. The lucky ones were those curious enough to come in and check out the space.  For their efforts, they were rewarded with free coffee and a nice selection of complimentary fresh-baked goods (we arrived after there had been quite a run):

Proprietor/Baker/Cook Jim Goodall (that's him below) tells us that he expects Madison Kitchen to be fully functional by next Tuesday. Over the course of the next week he will gradually be introducing the full range of menu items that will ultimately be available to MK's patrons. He hopes to have soups first available, for example, this Wednesday.

Since the announcement of the new eatery was made almost three months ago, many Madison Parkers have been speculating on what the menu would include (we know they have, because a lot of them asked us about it).  So here's the answer: in addition to the baked-on-site-daily goods and the Illy Coffee (previously disclosed),  Madison Kitchen's menu will feature items such as Roasted Beets and Crispy Panko Chicken Breast, Macaroni and Cheese, Turkey Meatloaf,  (all a la carte), as well as made-to-order sandwiches (special takes on Pork Loin, Roasted Eggplant, and BLTTA, among others) and salads (one good example among many: Roasted Butternut Squash with Wild & Brown Rice, Locinato Kale, & Walnuts with Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette).  

All of that and more is available for lunch.  The breakfast menu ranges from oatmeal and granola to an egg sandwich and a daily quiche (MK's full menu is available here).

We hung around the place this afternoon long enough to get a good feel for the neighborhood's reaction. There were a lot of smiles (especially after would-be patrons discovered that everything was free on Day One), and typical was this comment (which we copied down verbatim): "We're so excited to have this in the neighborhood.  We really needed it!."

It was a two-way love fest, with Goodall telling us that just about everyone he met today seemed enthusiastic. "I came here for a reason," he said. "Madison Park is where I wanted to be and so far, everyone has been engaged and welcoming."  Hopefully, this is a good sign of things to come.

Not by way of an aside, we note that the space has been significantly upgraded from what it was in the days of Park Place Deli.  So there's much more new and improved here than just the menu. 

Come on down!