Eastsiders are loving their Mermaid Cafè, and this just in from the Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Ass’n President, Dan Melton, proves it:

Lisa, owner of The Mermaid, on Winnebago, guarantees her Sunday Special this Sunday will ‘knock your socks off’.  A regular at the counter asks, ‘Any kind of socks?  Even wool socks?’. ‘Yes, Lisa assured him, even winter socks. I ask, ‘On Sunday do you have to wear socks?’ ‘Only if you want ‘m knocked off,’ Lisa said.

This sock-off-knocking special, apparently, will be a Singapore Curry, involving local potatoes, mint, and a mango pickle on the side. Atwood area restaurant owners are taking their food creations to a sublime, whole nuther[*] level.

Yaaaaaaa, the sandwiches are supreme. But the espresso drinkies ascend to otherworldly. My über-finicky friend from Milan declared their cappuccino to be superior to any he had ever had anywhere in Italy. Mind you, nothing ever pleases him. So the fact that he’s been singing the praises of Mermaid’s cappuccino ever since should say something about their espresso eminence!

Oh, and, btw, there is no free parking available. Yet the place is packed 7 days a week. Hmmmm. City planners, Transit & Parking Commissioners, Zoning Administrators, Economic Development Gurus, are you taking note? The number one means of access to the shop? Walking. #2? Bike. #3? Probably a tie between bus & deathmobile. Time to wake up to the new possibilities O Ye Powerbrokers of Madison.

*I always wondered how to spell “whole nuther”!!!!!!!!!!!!