Elite Launch Party 2014 @ Heritage Tavern

My tardiness in writing this review is only a reflection of my own poor time management skills, NOT the quality of the event.
Because, of course, this event was amazing! I had never been to Heritage Tavern before, but now that I’ve had a taste of what they have to offer, it’s gone straight to the top of my husband and my «date night» list.
I failed to sample a lot of the food offerings at the event (eat, then talk, Sarah — geez), but what I did try — a delicious soup and beef tartar that puts any other beef tartar I’ve had before to shame. The drinks were fabulous too. The Aviation did not disappoint — totally lived up to the hype, and the off-​menu drink that the bartender so kindly mixed up for me was great. (If only I could remember what it’s called…)
I was also super pumped to have a chance to chat with Chef Dan Fox for a couple minutes — it was so interesting to hear about where they get their food from and his background.
Thanks Heritage Tavern & Unilocal for a great kick-​off to 2014!

What a treat to have Dan Fox there to go into detail about his amazing creations. This is my first Unilocal elite event and I was a little unsure of what to expect, weary, but also excited.
The heritage tavern has a great homey feeling and is very inviting. I got there a little before the event started and was able to take advantage of a happy hour special and there were some small bites for 4 dollars. You can’t beat that! Chef Dan takes a ham sandwich, an ordinary dish to the extraordinary. Also tried the quince doughnuts. I don’t think I could ever go back to Krispy Kreme. He pays close attention to detail! Even the small bowls of nuts laid out for snacks were warmed and seasoned perfectly.
The beer tartare was such a treat! I’m sad that I didn’t manage to snag one of the samples of the soup. I have a friend coming to town soon and I am definitely putting heritage tavern as a place to take her during her stay.

Another fantastic event put on for Unilocal!
I’m not sure how many other Unilocalers out there even knew the location of this place before this event. I seem to have blurred vision in that area around the capital.
Well, now that I have found Heritage Tavern, I’ll definitely be back.
So many «greats» to the evening. From the awesome cocktails, great warm assortment of nuts on the bar, and the the spoonful of tartare. It was a nice little insight to how insanely fresh new food ideas this restaurant has to offer.
I was dreaming of the beet salad all night long. Was that chocolate in that? Well, it was awesome!
Two other things that caught my eye that I really enjoys seeing was the beer tap antlers and the antique plates/​dinner ware. How unique is that, right?
I wish I had stayed for dinner that night, but my plans for the evening all ran into each other. It happens.
It is events like this that make me think to myself on nights when I’m looking for a change of pace… Where can I go tonight?
The Heritage Tavern.

So, I started this review the same night of the event… but then I fell into the biggest food coma I have ever experienced… but here goes…
What the heck, Unilocal Madison crew? I just want to let you guys know that I am really disappointed. Not because the event wasn’t good, but because it was too good. Because things just keep getting better and I feel like you are going to reach a point where things are TOO awesome and we have some sort of tear in both time and space causing our local food scene to be traded with the one in Antarctica. Not. Cool. It’s probably time you take us to McDonald’s or Brother’s for an event to help bring down our expectations.
Ooookay…so for real. It was a really great event. I had eaten at Heritage before and already knew what to expect so I arrived early so I could have a drink and an appetizer. Great beer. Great meatballs. Great way to start out the night.
Then, before I knew it they were slinging mixed drinks at us. And there were appetizers all over the place. And then I ate raw hamburger and I still don’t know how I feel about the fact that it was pretty good. Then I was drinking the most awful liquid I have ever consumed in my life. And then I stayed late with a great group of Unilocalers and helped consume what had to be 5 or 6 pounds of lamb, pork, and potatoes.
What a fantastic night. Seriously. Heritage Tavern is a great spot. Dan Fox is making not only some of the greatest dishes in Madison, but what he is doing with Slo Pig is just fabulous. I can’t wait for my next visit and what is coming next from Dan, Heritage, and the Unilocal crew!

This event was great. I can’t really describe what I was expecting, but this really did put my expectations to shame. To start, the bartenders are absolutely amazing: super personable, understanding of nice liquor, and extremely talented. You tell them the flavors you like, and they will make you something that fits the description. My favorite drink was the Loch Ness Monster, a unique specialty of one of the bartenders, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes gin.
The food: I could not get over it. I had been here once before for food, but I loved having the ability to sample a ton of different options. I will definitely come back with a group to taste everything else. The chef, Dan, came out to talk to us about his mission for the restaurant and how far he’s come to make it happen. I have the utmost respect for the man, and I enjoy his cooking.
Props to Corey, the regional manager, for making this event so spectacular. I will try to attend as many events as possible and engage with all the community members I can.

It’s probably not fair to compare the Elite Launch Party to another special event I attended just the week before at Heritage Tavern — we were celebrating a 30^th birthday, an engagement, AND Chinese New Year all in one dinner — but such was the sequence of events. (Extremely hyperbolic review on Heritage’s page still to come.)
My favorite part of the night was getting to hear Dan talk. On any other normal night, he’s usually running around looking extremely important. But thanks to this launch party, I was able to listen in on others picking his brain and hear about his roots in the northwest ‘burbs (fist bump). I finally grasped why the Asian influence was present in the menu — without context it makes you wonder — and did I taste soy sauce in those brussels? Umami.
When it comes to food, drink, and the intersection between the two, Heritage Tavern has so far in my past and current experience delivered brilliantly. I delighted at the ice shards in my sample of the Aviator, and the version at Heritage is one of my favorites. You can tell in less than two minutes of listening to Dan that this is a labor of love and collaboration with others who are also really good at what they do. If such a thing existed, I would think Dan has a PhD in restauranting. Everything is well-​researched, thought out, marching to the tune of its own horn while remaining culturally relevant, and deliberate.
There are not many places in Madison that really challenge my palate. I like to think I have a high tolerance for things that would make other people squeamish, but Heritage’s menu is the only place in town that has ever risen to that challenge. For example, the beef tartare made me a bit uncomfortable, but in the good «I will be your next conquest» sort of way, and the friendly half-​piece of chex cereal perched on top was all the coaxing I needed, like, «see, I am food from your childhood.» Plus, I could take shots of that Thai coconut curry soup with crunchy vegetable bits all day.
About the wine, it was so nice to have such a knowledgeable and personable sommelier making sure I got a taste of everything. Next time I’m on the square I plan to stop by and pick up a bottle… or three.

I love food.
And I love food that I get to try that I normally wouldn’t want to try at first pass. Having been to Heritage Tavern about a month prior to the event, I was glad I was getting a chance to learn more about the place and the menu. I just wish I didn’t have to duck out early and head to work. The single sip I tried of The Aviation cocktail was glorious; I wanted to drink my entire glass. While I didn’t try try the Wagu Beef Tartar, everything else I sampled brought a smile to my face, my favorite being the Thai soup.
Dan Fox clearly got this place right; from his bar program, to his masterful menu, to his staff and the décor, everything about Heritage Tavern is great. Thanks for giving us an amazing night!

This was my first Unilocal Elite event and it definitely did not disappoint! Corey and Izzy, you guys rock!
I think the rest of the crew has said it all, but it was such a fun time. The food was amazing, that brussel sprout salad is out of this world. The wines from Square Wine were also wonderful. I will definitely be stopping there soon! The drinks were also delicious, and the bartenders are so knowledgeable about craft cocktails. I love it when bartenders can tell you stories about the alcohol you’re drinking.
Staying after the event for dinner was probably my best decision of the night. So so fun! I can’t even remember the names of everything we ate but it was all delectable. I mean where else in Madison can you get a deep fried deviled egg?! Chef Dan Fox has really got it going on with this place, I can’t wait to bring my friends and family here when they’re in town.
Looking forward to the next Elite event! 2014 is off to a fabulous start!

What a way for Unilocal Elite members to start 2014! I am still relatively new to Madison and I just feel so grateful to mingle with a great group of Unilocalers at Madison’s most amazing restaurants and events, including Heritage Tavern!
Heritage Tavern is a gorgeous restaurant with food that is exciting and bursting with flavor! I had the opportunity to try the roasted beet salad, Brussels sprouts dish and a Thai soup that were all phenomenal. My favorite was the Brussels sprouts… sweet, salty, melt in your mouth little bombs of goodness. It was great to hear a bit from Chef Dan Fox about his history and his Midwestern roots-​and I think I heard him correctly say that he had a stint at Burrito Drive? That. Is. Awesome. I was very impressed with how down to earth and laid back he was… plus his connection to local farms and businesses, like Square Wine Company, makes you want to return even more. Square Wine had some impressive samples for us to try and I cannot wait to go on a Friday night for a tasting!
While I wasn’t able to stay with the Unilocal crew to have a family style meal after the event, I really really wish I could have to try more! In other words, I’m coming back and I’ll just have to dream of the Brussels sprouts… and all the other enticing dishes on the menu until then.
Many thanks to Heritage Tavern, Square Wine Company and of course Cory and Izzy for making this happen!

Honestly, I don’t know how Corey and Izzy are able to continue amazing us lucky Madison Elites event after event. This launch party was my favorite event so far, and I have no doubt that I’ll be saying that about some future event if Corey and Izzy keep this up!
I don’t have too much to add that others haven’t already said. My biggest take-​aways from this event were:
1) Madison is super lucky to have Heritage Tavern join the restaurant scene.
2) I need to visit Heritage with everyone I know (for their benefit and mine).
3) The Madison Unilocal Elite crew is one of the most fun and welcoming groups of people I have ever spent time with. Seriously, the community here is amazing and I will be sad when I eventually have to leave it.
Chef Dan Fox really knows what he’s doing. We sampled a warm brussel sprout salad, beet salad, wagyu beef tartar, and tom kha soup. All the food was spectacular. I love brussel sprouts and beets in general, but I was particularly impressed by the originality of the ingredients in both dishes. I’ve never seen, heard, or thought of putting chocolate shavings on a beet salad, but trust me its a winning combination. Raw meat really scares me, but this beef tartar was really tasty! I was also surprised to find that the tom kha soup tasted more authentic than tom kha at some Thai restaurants I’ve been to.
The drinks at Heritage are also delicious. This is definitely a place to come for happy hour cocktails. They do amazing craft cocktails and the bartenders were very knowledgeable and happy to share their secrets. The demonstration of the Aviator cocktail was great, and I loved the detail with which the ingredients and technique were described.
I also really enjoyed the wine samplings courtesy of Square Wine. The Revelry Cabernet Sauvignon was my favorite of the four wines, and I was happy to learn that its under $ 15 for the bottle!
I stayed afterward for dinner with some really fun Unilocalers (#bonecrawl #bloodycurd), and I’m so glad I did! As Ashley said, the family style dishes are totally worth it.
Thanks again, Corey and Izzy, Heritage Tavern, and Square Wine for yet another phenomenal event!

In the words of eBay feedback review… A+++++++++++ would go again, great experience.
Let’s start with Chef Dan Fox, who caused quite a stir in Madison when he announced the opening of Heritage. It does live up to the expectations; not only do you get excellent food, beverage service, but also raises heritage pig breeds for the excellent pork dishes. Upon speaking with him, he clearly has very high expectations for the food and drink, while also welcoming both casual and formal diners.
Thanks to the bartenders, Rafael and Kayla, as well as the head mixologist, Grant Hurless, for the excellent drink options. They were able to whip up both non-​alcoholic cocktails and creative off-​menu drinks. We all loved the demonstrations (Aviator with crème de violet) as well! The bartenders clearly had an eye for detail.
As for food, there were brussel sprouts. Normally when someone tells me «I had some great brussel sprouts!» I would say «oh, that’s nice» but I would never actually order brussel sprouts. I would order these. The caramelization of the vegetables and the delicious lardons were truly delicious. As for the beet salad, a lot of restaurants in Madison offer a beet salad but this was remarkable, with dark chocolate shavings, pears, and Sarvecchio cheese.
And yes, we did stay after for more food and drinks. The family style dishes area a deal! 1 hour wait is well worth it for the tender meat with the contrast of the crisp skin.
I very much appreciated this introduction to Heritage Tavern and I’m looking forward to their special themed dinners at the bar!

Thanks so much to Heritage for hosting and to Unilocal for making it happen.
The restaurant looked lovely, felt comfy and provided great fare. The snacks at the bar were crunchy, slightly salty and fresh. The perfect accompaniment with the Aviation cocktail and the Nitro Milk beer I ordered. I tasted the incredible beet salad (chocolate shavings on top), the Waygu beef tartar and a curry soup. All were excellent but the beets were off the charts. I could eat that. salad as a main course.
Need to go back soon and have a real meal. Thanks again Heritage for being so supportive
This was my first event. I felt welcomed and really enjoyed the company. I look forward to the events to come. I can never remember names so I was particularly appreciative of the name tags!
5 stars to Unilocal

STOP IT, COREY, JUST STOP IT!!!
How you keep raising the freaking bar for each Elite event is downright criminal. If I heard the next event was going to feature Kobe steaks with gold leaf set on a bed of saffron-​infused white truffles served by sea nymphs and unicorns, I wouldn’t be shocked.
(And you too, Izzy, you’re an enabler!)
I’m not going to spend much time recapping the event. «Cyborg» Steve L, with his telepathic smart phone app did a banner job of that before I even made it back to my vehicle after the post-​event dinner.
Instead, you’re going to be subjected to these random ramblings of what I learned from attending Tuesday’s soirée:
* Note to self: Eating the half dinner at Harold’s Fried Chicken Shack a couple hours before an Elite event is a VERY BAD idea. (I lost any semblance of self-​discipline when I saw Harold’s was actually open during their posted hours — my bad) Don’t get me wrong, it was some FINE fried chicken, but a tummy full of grease is not the proper landing spot for ethereal delicacies served up by Chef Dan and his crew. I appreciate all the reviews that raved about the food — I lived vicariously through them. And to the one dish I did consume, the impossibly light Wagyu beef tartare, you have my deepest sympathies. Such culinary cruelty will not be permitted in the future
* While I’m on the topic of velvety-​light, I learned not to let the inclusion of raw egg whites in a craft cocktail scare me away. (OK, if I saw raw eggs in a drink at Whiskey Jacks, I’d be shit-​scared.) The egg whites emulsify when shaken and the result is a silky smooth concoction. The daily Malört Thing special was the best cocktail I ever had, for reals.
* Since I mentioned Malört, mad props to the folks behind the bar for his event, they were consummate professionals. I learned to never underestimate the value of a great bartender. They let me sample the Malört, explained its origins, and adroitly explained the role of each component of the drink. That demo easily doubled my admittedly embryonic mixology knowledge base. While the drink was pricey, but oh so worth it due to the skill and knowledge of the bartending staff.
* Speaking of unexpected value, the family style offerings at Heritage Tavern are a freakishly great deal. After the event ended, about a dozen of us stuck around for dinner. We ordered three appetizers, the family style suckling pig leg and the family style roast leg of lamb and ate like kings and queens. In fact, there was enough food left over for two additional meals (lamb tacos anyone?) and I made a luxuriant stock with the bones. I was expecting my share of the bill to be at least $ 60. The actual charge was $ 33. For what I paid, I’m pretty sure there’s a felony larceny warrant out on me. I implore you to assemble a group of foodie friends and embark on a gastronomic escapade at Heritage Tavern.
* While I’m on the topic of foodie friends, here’s a pro tip: Clear your schedule on the night of an Elite event and stick around for the after-​party. Others touched on this in their reviews, but the Madison Unilocal crew is legit. During our dinner, legends were made and fortunes lost. Fascinating future food crawls were designed and the soon-​to-​be trending hashtags #bonecrawl and #BloodyCurd were born. As an added bonus, we learned Chef Dan’s five favorite Madison restaurants. All are encouraged to join in this new tradition: our clan consisted of first-​timers like Kelsi B to relative newbies like Shruti and myself to grizzled Unilocal veterans like Geeky Steve and Paola M. Good times, good times…
* While I’m on the topic of my fellow Unilocalers, I need to give a quick shout-​out to Italian ex-​pat, #hashcrawl queen and gourmet cook extraordinaire Paola M, who deftly described the more obscure contents of the chaucuterie platter and explained in great detail the finer points of roasting lamb. The following day, I received a recipe for roast leg of lamb from her blog,
After reading that recipe, I decided to go all Julie and Julia on that blog site.
* And finally, while I’m on the topic of great cooks, kudos to Chef Dan Fox, his kitchen staff and all the servers for an incredible evening. My expectation level going into this event was sky high and the event somehow they exceeded those lofty expectations. BRAVO!
* And speaking of exceeding expectations, I’ve rambled on far longer than I intended to. The WaunaKing is OUT.

Gin and curry. Two things I can not stand eating and I could not get enough of them last night.
The Aviation cocktail is light, refreshing beverage. The bartenders concocted a mix of spirits to come out with something that gave you the taste of lemonade. The main liquor in the beverage was Hendrick’s gin. This was mind blowing as I am generally against the existence of gin in general.
The décor and the small touches are really beautiful. You walk in and you feel comfortable and at home. You can see straight into the kitchen from the bar. This makes me feel good because they have confidence in their food and their clean kitchen.
We got there early and tried the Happy Hour beverage menu. For just $ 7.50 my husband and I purchased a beer and a glass of white wine. It was great wine and I could not believe that price.
The food was delicious. I will admit the I did not try the tartar, I am too much of a texture eater. I did try the soup. It was amazing. Then I saw its description: Coconut Curry. And I was really surprised that the combination of flavors was so appetizing. I have to say that Heritage has a really unique way of mixing things up and making them delicious.
The bacon and Brussells sprout salad was hands down the best! It was a warm salad and its fully flavors were delicious. I would recommend this to anyone, whether they like sprouts of not.
I think Heritage has fond new love with me. I can not wait to go back!

What an amazing way to kick off the new Year! Dan and his team at Heritage really outdid themselves. Reserving most of the bar area for fellow Unilocalers, we were able to try some amazing food and drinks. We started off watching a demo of how the «aviation» drink is made. The Crème de Violette makes it blue, the gin makes it tasty, Along with the drink demo, Square Wine also conducted a nice wine tasting. If you haven’t been to their spot on the Capitol Square, you have to check them out. Their wine knowledge is outta this world and the shop focuses on wines from small family growers. I always trust what they recommend.
The food we sampled was served family style… the highlights was the roasted beet salad (which is my all time favorite) as well as the Wagyu Beef Tartare. To be honest, every morsel of food delivered by the kitchen is amazing but these stood out.
Hats off to Corey and team for arranging this. It is great to get together and (re)connect with everyone.

Great event! I got there a tad late, but got a chance to try the food and enjoy the cocktails like everyone else. And everything tasted great.
My favorite was the tartar. I would heartily recommend it to everyone eating there. Chef Dan does some kind of magic with knife and grinder and makes it very delicious with an almost mousse like texture.
Beets salad and Brussels sprouts salad were also good and definitely worth ordering.
We enjoyed the samples so much that we decided to stay for dinner after the event. And by we I mean a dozen awesome Unilocalers and I. And so we went on to stuff ourselves for an additional 2 hours. We rolled home stuffed and very happy.

Corey and Izzy are master party planners for sure. Last night’s Unilocal event was one of the classiest parties I’ve had the pleasure of attending. Having never been to Heritage Tavern, this was a great introduction to some of Madison’s finest locavore dining. Chef Dan explained to us at length where he (responsibly) sources his food from, and talked about how he tries to only use seasonal ingredients in his dishes. His menus are always changing so you will probably get something different every time you go.
The Aviation cocktail demonstration from Rafael (?) was fun. I bet he could whip that up in his sleep. The cocktail is a gin-​based creation that includes crème de violette (fancy!) and it is one of the best mixed drinks I’ve had. Speaking of drinks, Square had four different wines to sample that were all pretty great. They don’t carry any supermarket brands, so if you are looking for something special, Square can find what you need.
The food… oh man. Who knew brussel sprouts could taste so good? If you are trying to get your kid to like veggies then order some of this. The secret is bacon, so hopefully you’re not vegetarian. The wagyu beef tartare was also another one of my favorites. The tartare had a very airy, mousse-​like texture, and the horseradish «whipped cream» provided a nice bite.
I had a great time meeting new people and catching up with old friends. Thanks again to Corey, Izzy, and Heritage Tavern for a great night!

From the aviator cocktail demonstrations (yum!) to the wine tasting (thanks, Square!) to the delicious appetizers and salads (I’ve never eaten brussel sprouts before, but, MAN, that salad was delicious!), the 2014 Elite Launch Party was epic. It was great getting to experience a new joint in town, and even better getting to meet and catch up with some great Elite peeps. Big thanks to everyone at the Heritage Tavern, Square, and, of course, Corey and Izzy for planning yet another fantastic event! I mean, seriously, these Elite events just keep on gettin’ better with their awesomeness!
You know, this event was like that kid in my high school class who always went above and beyond on school projects and set the bar ridiculously high for the rest of us. In the same way that I always compared my school projects — awesome in their own right, of course — to her admittedly outstanding projects, this event is now the bar-​setter against which the rest of 2014’s event will be compared. Corey and Izzy, you’ve certainly made your job tougher for the rest of the year because keeping up with this Launch Party is going to be a challenge :-) Then again, your events just keep getting better, so I have no doubt you’ll somehow make the next event somehow more amazing.
Thanks to everyone involved in this fantastic Launch Party!

This is the BEST kickoff party ever. Feels like a family gathering, seeing so many friends who we missed during holiday season. Wonderful organizers and hosts! Thank you Corey, Izzy, Dan and Andrea!
Everything at Heritage Tavern was AMAZING. Food, drinks, atmosphere — best experience you can get for a gathering in Madison! Felt like we booked the entire bar section of Heritage ;) I was a little disappointed the bartender Grant wasn’t around, but Kayla and the team stepped up and made tons of aviation cocktails and demo-​ed for us curious foodies. These cocktails are amazing in Heritage, and are made to pair with food! If you missed the aviation cocktail, don’t fret! It’s found on the regular menu!
I came in just in time for the last 5 minutes of happy hour, and all domestic drafts are going for $ 3! Such a great deal. And proceeds are going to charity as well! I loved the casual and trendy feel of our launch party. Demos were going on at the bar, and food came out from the kitchen to the tables, and you just move around and make sure you get to try all of the varieties! Also, wine tasting of some amazing wines by Square Wine Co :) Love the Cabernet! The grapes tasted kinda like prunes, very flavorful and rich. Awesome!
Food, was so good. 10 of us stayed for a full dinner. I am not usually a fan of getting salads when I eat out, but man, the brussel sprouts and beet salad are so good I went for seconds. And I would have to get some more when I return next time! And the beef tartare… so amazing! They disappeared in minutes. Very light texture, very flavorful. Every dish was made with class. Complex, rich flavors that all go so well together! I love it.
I’m so excited that so many people enjoyed the food and drinks at Heritage. I hope more of us will visit again! UYE anyone?