A few months ago Fuddruckers opened in appleton close to the Fox River Mall.  I had not previously heard of Fuddruckers and was sparked by the interesting name.  After looking at the website, I discovered that Wisconsin has only two other Fuddruckers throughout the state.  One in Janesville and one in Brookfield.  Since I am new to the Fuddruckers experience, I thought what a great selection for a review as I am sure other Fox Valley residents will be interested in hearing about what this new restaurant has to offer.  I dined with Fudd’s on two seperate occassions so I could have a more well rounded opinion.

Atmosphere: I have to say that I was impressed with the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. Both visits were on a Sunday afternoon for lunch with my wife and two kids. When you enter Fuddruckers you immediately get in line to order.  This was not what I was expecting.  I had anticipated that I would be seated and that a waiter or waitress would take our order.  So the ordering at the counter was a bit fast food like.  After placing your order you are given a pager, drink glasses and you are welcome to head off and find a table.  Patrons can choose to sit in either a booth or at a table.  On the walls were large painted murals, movie posters, album covers and flat screen tv’s with the Brewer game playing through out the place.  The colorful atmosphere was enough to keep even our 2 year old entertained.

While we were sitting at our booth eating lunch I made sure to take a close look around. The first thing I noticed was how clean the place was and how fast the staff cleared the tables.  We needed to use the baby changing station and we were pleased that it was very tidy and user friendly.  The Fuddruckers staff was very friendly and stopped by to ensure that you had plenty to drink and that you were enjoying your meal.

Food: When your pager goes off you pick up your burger at a designated pickup booth. My basket had my steak fries, and a grilled open faced bun with a plain burger in it. There are also specialty burgers you can order with toppings like sauces, sautéed onions or guacamole.  My wife ordered a turkey burger and the kids got the traditional kids meals, hot dog and mac and cheese.  It was now up to me to hit the build your own toppings bar and load up the burger to my liking. There are actually two stations available,  station 1 consist of the lettuce, onions and a good list of other toppings such as salsa, banana peppers, and pickels to name a few.   The second bar consists of the ketchup, mustard, mayo, and other interesting sauces.  They claim that all the toppings are fresh and the buns are baked that day at the restaurant. I thought the toppings looked great.  Here is a picture of my burger and my youngest daughters kids meal.  (click to enlarge).

I was suprised at how good this burger was, a good size slab of meat with a fresh soft bun and because you dress it yourself it is exactly as you like it.  My wife loaded her turkey burger up with banana peppers, onions, salsa and pickels.  For those of you that are not interested in a burger Fuddruckers also offers fish&chips, chicken sandwichs, grilled steak sandwich’s, and salads.  Our bill for our family of 4 was approximently $30.00 which did include two kids meals.  The kids can pick up a special cookie on the way out which is included in the meal price.

Conclusion: Overall Fuddruckers was a good experience. It is a step up for the traditional fast food burger place and with their excellent service and clean facilities, we were very pleased.  We will be going back soon.

Fuddruckers information:
Website - http://www.fuddruckers.com
Location - Locations
Menu - menu on website
Address - 110 S. Nicolet Rd, Appleton, WI 54913
Phone Number - (920) 997-8060
Contact - Online Form
Google Map

Brian $9-$15, Casual

The Fox Cities Beer Festival will be held on Saturday at The Bar on Lynndale.

Tickets are $30.00 each which will include the opportunity to sample over 200 beers.  Price includes a commemorative pint glass and live music throughout the event.

Tickets for this event are available at Stone Cellar Brewpub, Homebrew Market, The Bar on Lynndale, The Bar on the Ave, The Bar on Lime Kiln (Green Bay), The Bar in Oshkosh, Festival Foods on Calumet Street, Festival Foods on Northland Avenue and Festival Foods in Oshkosh.

When:
Saturday April 25, 2009
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tickets $30

Where:
The Bar on Lynndale
2435 W. Nordale Avenue
Appleton, Wisconsin 54913
phone: (920) 954-0888
google map
website: http://www.newbeerfest.com/

Brian Event

My wife and I have frequented The Village Hearthstone the past few years.  It is a bit out of the way (19 miles from Menasha), but the experience is well worth the trip.  You could say it is off the beaten bath as it is located in Hilbert, WI.  Since it is not well known in the valley, Village Hearthstone is a bit of a gem.

Atmosphere: The exterior of the establishment consists of an attractive brick and green awning decor.  The east side of  the building features a large outdoor seating area.  This is a particular draw during the summertime.  There is nothing quite like having dinner and drinks while enjoying the warm weather.  Village Hearthstone is a charming addition to the quiet town of Hilbert.

As quoted from the Hearthstone website, ”the Village Hearthstone is  built to reflect an era gone by, the beautiful décor takes us back in time, when people were less hurried and willing to take a moment to catch up.”  We would have to agree!    The atmosphere is very relaxing and draws a wide variety of people such as couples, families, and groups celebrating occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries.  Upon entering,  you are greeted with the dining room with accents as wood floors, a black metal ceiling and pictures of  historic Hilbert.  There are large windows along the wall facing the outdoor seating area, which brings in a great deal of natural light.   On the opposite side of the room has booth style seating and  tables of varying sizes are located throughout the center of the dining room area.  There is a small and inviting bar area located in the back of the dining room which boasts a wood fired pizza oven.  We enjoy the bar as the bartender is always friendly and knows how to make a cocktail.  My wife enjoys the spicy mix to munch on while we wait for our table.  As I mentioned previously, behind the bar is a brick wall and built in wood fire pizza oven.  It is entertaining to watch the chef’ come out from the kitchen and make the pizza’s.  The ambiance is enhanced with the smell of pizza baking throughout the dining area.

Food: I have been lucky enough to sample and enjoy several of the menu options.  Their menu offers the traditional supper club food, steaks, chicken, ribs a few seafood options as well as a large selection of sandwiches.  One thing that Village Hearthstone offers that most supper clubs do not is stone fire pizzas.  Pizza and supper club foods do generally not go together, but Village Hearthstone is able to pull it off.  If you are interested in ordering the wood fired pizza,  be aware they are only made during the weekends;  however, you can order pizza any time of the week if you do not mind it prepared in the traditional oven.

This past Friday, I ordered the shrimp gumbo and my wife had the lemon pepper chicken. While awaiting our entree’s, we were served ciabatta bread accompanied by olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a whole garlic clove.  The garlic is a nice touch, as it is baked and soft and you are able to spread it just as you would butter.   The next course is a traditional salad topped with a homemade dressing of your choice.  The shrimp gumbo was very tasty with a good amount of shrimp and a nice sweet sauce over a bed of wild rice.  The leftovers were good for breakfast the next morning. My wife had the lemon pepper chicken with a side of garlic mashed potato’s and green beans. Other then there being very little chicken on the plate she enjoyed the meal. Click the pictures below to enlarge them.

Conclusion: Even though we enjoyed ourselves, this trip was definitely not one of our best visits.  We were laughing with each other because the time we are going to write a review it was probably our least favorite trip to Village Hearthstone.  This is exactly why you really need to try a restaurant more than once.  Generally we have great service, excellent food and walk out very satisfied .  This past Friday, we experienced a few hiccups.  Before dinner we had a few drinks at the bar, both of which were on the weak side. The first time I mentioned it to the bartender, the second time was my last drink.  As we were getting started with our bread I saw a waitress dump a entire platter of water onto a customers lap, luckily the customer had no hard feelings. When we got our food my wife was wondering where the chicken was in her lemon pepper chicken, only a few small bites were to be found.   Our joke was the she ordered the lemon pepper chicken, hold the chicken  : )

Normally you are never dissapointed with the Village Hearthstone.  With its great atmosphere, reasonable prices and great food its another must try.  It is an excellent choice when you want a nice atmosphere but do not feel like paying 100.00 for dinner for two.

Village Hearthstone information:
Address - 326 West Main Street, Hilbert, Wisconsin
Phone Number - 920.853.3013
Hours - Tues-Sat 11-9 / Sun 9-12 Breakfast / Sunday 11-8 entire menu
Menu - menu
Website - villagehearthstone.com
Map - google map

Brian $16-$22, $9-$15, Supper Club

Sorry for the late update, but I wanted to let everyone know about Flanagan’s 19th annual beer and wine festival happening Saturday, April 18.  It is being hosted at Monarch Gardens from 5-9 PM.

A beer and wine tasting event featuring over 200 beers and 75 wines from Wisconsin and around the world.

Tickets are $25.00 in advance or $30.00 at the door.  No at the door tickets until 5:30.  Tickets include a commemorative tasting glass.

Google Map
2311 W. Spencer St. Appleton, WI

Brian Event

Welcome back to tasteofthefoxvalley.com. This week my wife and I revisited what is becoming one of our favorite new locations, Bogarts Fine Spirits & Cigars.  Bogarts is a fairly new bar located downtown Neenah in the Marketplace.  We  visited Bogarts previously and each time we go back we seem to enjoy it more and more.  For us this is the perfect after dinner place to sit, relax and enjoy what they have to offer.

Atmosphere: Bogarts has the ambiance that we are looking for when we are out with just each other or meeting friends.  As  you  enter you are instantly impressed by the beautiful old fashioned sign hanging above the door.  The windows located on both sides of the entrance showcase the fine Wilmer’s Chocolates, beautiful bottles of scotch, wine and other spirits they offer. You can view these photos below to get an idea of the atmosphere of Bogarts.

As you walk into the establishment, you enter the main seating area. Bogarts is dimly lit, with gold painted walls and a light wood floor which maintain that rich elegance that greeted you at the front door. There area few seats at the bar but mostly small pub style tables.

If you would like a little more privacy there is a small lounge just off the main  area with seating for 5. As I was sipping on my scotch,  I admired the nice details surrounding me.  Some old cigar boxes, a cognac book, a bottle of wine, and nostalgic pictures on the wall from Casablanca.  I particularly enjoyed the music of Frank Sinatra playing in the background.

The bar is beautiful, if only the pictures could do it justice.   I tried explaining to my wife that we need to redo our basement to look like this, but she gave me a quick eye roll and we moved on. Behind the bar is a display of whiskeys, scotches, cognac and other spirits they offer as well as available beers. Next to the bar is a nice sized display humidor showing off a very thorough selection of cigars. Its is a shame that Bogarts is smoke free because I could have easily been swayed to light up a VSG or a MX2. The cigar prices were very fair so it never hurts to pick up one more for your humidor.

Spirits: I could not find a menu on Bogart’s website but did take this this quote from the web page. We specialize in serving a unique selection of wine, cognac, champagne, imported beer, single malt scotch whiskey, artisan cheese, chocolate truffles and premium cigars. While we were there I had a glass of 12 year old Aberlour scotch and my wife had few pieces of Chocolate Truffle. The chocolates they offer come from Wilmar chocolates in Appleton.

Conclusion: Bogarts is definitely a must try. With a collection of some of the best spirits,  a rich atmosphere and friendly service you won’t be disappointed.

Bogarts Information:
Address: 124 W. Wisconsin Ave. suite 135 Neenah, WI 54952
Hours: Wed.Thur.Fri - 3:30-close  /  Sat. 5-close  /  Sun.Mon.Tues. - private parties only
Phone Number: 920.915.6771 or 920.886.0696
email address: Online form
map: Google map

Brian Wine Bar

About: Holidays Pub and Grill opened December of 2007  on the corner of CB and American Drive just off hwy 441/10.  Holidays has some features which make its sports bar atmosphere unique.   You will find a two tiered building with a roof top patio.  They have a full menu with the luxury of serving Stucs Pizza as they are located right next door.

Atmosphere: Holidays has a great atmosphere both inside and out.  As you enter the main door, you are greeted with a luxurious color scheme and a large main bar area.  To the right of the bar area is the main dining area equipted with more TV’s than a sports fan can watch!  Whatever is hot in sports is playing for your enjoyment.  To top off the entertainment is the stadium style seating that gives you the “Vegas” feel.   The bar has plenty of seating for socializing or for ordering some delicious wings.  If you are planning to dine, there is plenty of space to choose whether to eat in the bar or dining area.  From any spot in this bar you have a great view of any of the current sports action.   See pictures below that I borrowed from Holidays Web Site.

You are probably thinking this is awesome, well it gets better.  Feel free to step up the the 2nd floor (Bears Den) to enjoy a view of the patio or just to hang out at the upstairs bar.  In addition to the large bar area, all  Chicago Cubs and Bears game are played on one of the many televisions.  This is also the spot where live music is available for no cover most weekend nights.  We have been to a few private parties in this area and it was great for accomodating various groups.

From the Bears Den you can stop outside to the rooftop patio, otherwise known as the Parrot Porch. This is my favorite area to hang out when the weather is nice. There is an old boat they converted into a small bar, plenty of seating and usually has some great music like Jimmy Buffet playing.

Food: Holidays menu offers the traditional bar food like burgers and fries but also available are salads, wraps, chili and fish dinners. If there is one thing I have to order every time I visit Holidays it is the wings. I am a huge fan of wings and in my opinion Holidays has some of the best. I have to be honest and tell you that I do not have experience with much of their menu because I usually order  pizza.   Holidays has a relationship with neighbors next door, which just happens to be Stucs Pizza.  The full Stuc’s menu is available at Holidays!  If you follow this blog you know that Stucs is one of my favorite pizza restaurants in the Fox Valley area. I have enjoyed a Holidays burger and it was very good.   Holidays has  daily beer specials and a wide selection of domestic and import beer and spirits. Last time I was at Holidays for happy hour, they have Schlitz on tap.  I have not seen too many other restaurants in the area that offer this “vintage draft”.

Conclusion: My wife and I have visited Holidays many times for happy hour with friends, lunch with our kids and even for a private parties. It is definitely a must try if you just want to watch the game or if your looking for a place to eat and have a few drinks.

Holidays Information:
Hours - Doors open daily at 11:00am
Phone Number - 920.886.0069
Address - 1395 West American Dr. Neenah, WI 54956
Email - holidayspub@yahoo.com
Menu - Full Menu / Daily Specials
Google Map

Brian $9-$15, Pub and Grill

Luigis is one of the restaurants that I have never been attracted to, but I am not sure why. Maybe its the location, or the fact that I have never heard much about them, either good or bad. A few weekends ago my brother in law got engaged and they decided to have a party at Luigis to celebrate.   I thought to myself great, a perfect excuse to give this place a try, maybe I will find a gem close to home.

Atmosphere:As I drove up to Luigis I was not overly impressed but I have learned from past experiences to not let that sway me, food is king! When I walked into  Luigis,  I was surprised by how much larger it looked on the inside then it looks from the outside. I noticed a nice fireplace, a tile floor and overall the place looked clean. There is a large bar and plenty of seating. You can see the bar as well as a standard table setup from the pictures below.

Since we had a party of about 20 we grabbed a large table and began studying the menu. Quickly we came to the conclusion that we were going to order pizza and the largest size available was a 30 incher! My wife and I do not tolerate poor service when we dine out.  As a matter of fact, if a restaurant has excellent food, but poor service we will not go back.   This experience was starting out to be the same. After waiting too long for someone to take our drink order I decided to walk up to the bar.  This turned out to be a mistake as I stood there and waited forever to place a drink order.  There were no more then 6 people sitting at the bar so I was not sure why they were unable to fill a drink request.  Since this was our first time visiting Luigis I will let it slide, any place can have an off night.

Food: Lets move on to the good stuff, the food! The menu is quite extensive, including hot italian sandwiches, italian pasta dishes, seafood and pizza.  Below  is a link to the menu and location information. Everyone in our party decided to order pizza so that is  what I am going to talk about. Pizza’s can be ordered with traditional toppings or more creative items such as peppercinnis, fresh garlic, shrimp, and anchovies. We ordered two of the 30 inch football pizzas which easily was enough for our entire party. They had no problem with us customizing the pizzas to individual likings.  This time the wait was not too long before the pizza was delivered and to our surprise it was delicious! The toppings tasted fresh, the cheese was good and everyone at the table was very happy. I myself was thrilled to find another pizza place in the area that I thought was really good! Normally if my family wants pizza we always hit our current favorite , Stuc’s. Below you can see a picture of the pizza that I was working on, obviously I had to sample a few slices before I got my camera out.

(click pic to enlarge)

Conclusion: Overall we were very happy with the food,  but are still on the fence with the service. Since this was only our first visit I would like to go back again and try some of the other entrees. I did notice that there were many tables that filled up as we spent the evening there.  I would  like to see Luigis publish a web site that is a little easier to find and has more information then this one. Not even a google search could find that page, I had to call the restaurant and ask before I could find it.

Luigis information:
Hours - Sun-Thur 9am-9pm / Fri-Sat 9am-10pm
Phone Number - (920) 722-8000
Fax - (920) 722-8002
Address - 332 Ahnaip St, Menasha, WI.
Google Map
menu’s - Pizza / Italian Dinners / Salad & sandwich
Coupon - $2.00 off a meal of $20.oo

Brian $9-$15, Italian