If you’re coming down from the high of our non-stop cheese curd bracket coverage as hard as we are, then have we got a list for you. We love the standard fried cheese curd in all its gooey simplicity — shoutout to curd champion Curd Girl — but sometimes you just gotta change things up, you know? Lucky for Madisonians, there are plenty of restaurants practicing alternative cheese curd love. And who knew we love poutine so much, eh?
Buffalo curds: There are two spots that serve cheese curds buffalo style: OSS and Merchant. At OSS, you get their tasty curds with side of blue cheese and creamy buffalo sauce. At Merchant, your curds come tossed in a classic hot sauce with blue cheese dressing for dipping, just like wings. Both are great, so choose your own buffalo adventure.
Goat cheese curds at Tipsy Cow: Casually following the fried cheese curds on Tipsy’s menu is what looks like an afterthought: local goat cheese curds. It’s hard to branch out from their amazing regular curds, but give the goat cheese version a shot. They’re a little creamier and larger than the regular curds, not to mention more tangy. That makes them, well, cheesier, than their counterpart.
Tempura bacon-wrapped curds at Heritage Tavern: What could possibly make cheese curds better? Bacon, clearly. They wrap curds in bacon and then fry them in a super thin, crispy tempura batter. They’re served with three dipping sauces and some sweet potato fries so you won’t get bored. They’re also served on comically large skewers so fellow diners can frown upon you when you use one to pick your teeth.
Curd burger at State Street Brats: This “Wisconsin experience!” is topped with cheddar, onion ring and curds. If a curd-topped burger is “the Wisconsin experience,” this is one of the only places you can get it. I’m dubious. (But really, put more curds on top of burgers, restaurants!)
Poutines
HopCat: The poutine here is on steroids. Beer battered “crack fries” are topped with potato and cheese pierogis for some sort of carb-on-carb thing, then topped with curds, caramelized onions, bacon and spicy sausage gravy. Who’s got the Rolaids?
The Flying Hound Alehouse: This version is topped with fresh curds, aged provolone and fresh herbs. Onion gravy is served on the side to prevent total sog out of the fries. Smart.
The Coopers Tavern: Poutine here is kept simple and classic: fries, curds, and beef gravy. If all the components are done well, you don’t need extra meat on top.
Next Door Brewing: Beef brisket, beef gravy and scallions all top this one, but it’s the muenster cheese curds that make it unique. Muenster is a very underrated cheese.
Great Dane: The old dog shakes up their poutine with garlic dill flavored curds, with gravy and chives over pub fries. (Does putting “pub” in front of “fries” make them fancy?)
Madison’s: Madison’s is going highfalutin with “herb frites,” curds, gravy, and a one-two punch of brisket and bacon.
The Waypoint Public House: In case you ever wanted a steak on your poutine, this is your place. Fries are topped with sliced seared beef tenderloin, curds, parmesan and smoked gravy. It’s an appetizer, but it sounds like a meal to me.
A Pig in a Fur Coat: This is the baddest mack daddy of all poutines ever. Duck fat fries, curds, gravy, and foie gras. It’s a vegetarian’s nightmare, or carnivore’s wet dream, whichever way you want to look at it.
Cafe Hollander: If there’s one thing Hollander does well, it’s fries. So top them with braised short ribs, curds, 4-cheese sauce and gravy, and you’ve got a good thing going on.
There are plenty more poutine options not on this list. Poutine just might be your preferred way of eating cheese curds, Madison. When did that happen?
Comments