Go long for the onion dip: Super Bowl foods in playbook terms
"Mid-Wexican" wontons from Burrito Drive.
On Super Bowl Sunday, roughly 100 million people will tune into the big game, many in the midst of eating and drinking the day away. The majority know little to nothing about the teams or game, and will be looking first to nosh instead of talk shop. But a little knowledge is never a bad thing. The A.V. Club paired some common football terms with pertinent take-out and delivery items, so you can at least sound smart while filling your face.
Slobber-knocker: A bone-crushing hit can leave you woozy, but so can a grinder from Fat Sandwich Company (555 State St., 608-819-8119). If a cheese steak, chicken finger, mozzarella stick, bacon, mayo, and ketchup combo won’t make you sick, having to say “I’ll take the Fat Milf” when you order it probably will.
Coffin corner: It can be a punter’s best friend, or in the case of Harmony Bar (2201 Atwood Ave., 608-249-4333), it’s a take-out order of homemade hot chips and blue cheese dip. Deep-fried fat dipped in more fat may put you in a pine box before your time, but it’s oh so worth it.
Option play: More than a few Asian restaurants in town would fit this bill. With nearly 200 menu items—not including daily specials—Wah Kee Noodle (600 Williamson St., 608-255-5580) stands out for its dizzying menu as well as its nuanced takes on Chinese noodle dishes.
West Coast offense: Super Bowl Sunday is a great day to guiltlessly eat anything that falls under the rubric of “meat,” but sometimes contrarianism is fun. Green Owl Café (1970 Atwood Ave., 608-285-5290) is a vegetarian-only haven, and it has plenty of menu items that (mostly) look and taste like red-blooded real stuff.
Direct snap: This play is all about subversion of the norm. For example: The ball is snapped to an offensive player other than the quarterback. The crispy "Mid-Wexican" wontons from Burrito Drive (310 South Brearly St., 608-260-8586) do the same, giving your taste buds a run-around when the chorizo and bleu cheese hit the cranberry salsa.
Double wing: A double order of chicken wings from Buffalo Wild Wings (529 State St., 608-255-9464) sets the tongue afire and the belly a-firm. Cayenne pepper and melted butter are applied to the chicken wings, which are then deep-fried. Administer beer to cool off.
Nose tackle: The fragrant tom ka kai soup at Bahn Thai (944 Williamson St., 608-256-0202) isn't likely to show up at anyone's Super Bowl party. That said, its aromatic coconut milk, lemon grass, galanga, chili paste, and lime juice produce flared nostrils, a spurt of anticipatory saliva, and a heightened state of awareness. A multiplier effect can be achieved in conjunction with a high-def television.
Pooch kick: Eating an entire "Meatzzza" pie from Supreme Pizza (912 E. Johnson St., 608-255-2200) will kick out that pooch a belt notch or three. It's topped with sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, bacon, ham, beef, and two cheeses. Limbering up will help avoid finding yourself carried out of the living room in a stretcher.
