By Rachel Werner
Sail down the West Coast via lower Monroe Street at Everly, a micro diner occupying half the space once used by Bluephies at the same address. Opened in 2016 by the Food Fight Restaurant Group, the open-air restaurant is as much “coastie” as its predecessor was Midwestern. The veg-centric menu is a roll call of fresh and unusual combos like Roasted Carrots and Kimchi that are savory fusions of texture, colors and flavors—and all the more memorable for it.
“Every restaurant we start is a reflection of how we want to be eating right now,” says Food Fight’s Chief Creative Officer Caitlin Suemnicht. “So this menu is refreshingly bold and spice-forward, with a little something for everyone.”
The dining area’s exposed ceilings and indoor-outdoor bar complement the staff’s efforts to ensure that carnivores and vegetarians alike can enjoy the menu—and leave satiated. Which is easy to do when a plate of mushrooms sautéed in marrow butter piled high on grilled toast is brought to the table, or followed up by palatable large plates like the locally sourced Roasted Half Chicken and the earthy Farro Risotto.
Executive chef and restaurant partner Scott Harrell thinks this dining concept translates into enjoying a fast casual meal that guests can also feel good about eating. “To cook healthy dishes that taste unique and delicious isn’t easy and really takes a lot of creativity to make great,” he says. “I’m very proud of the vegan items on our menu, especially when meat eaters choose those over other options.”
And Harrell is a long way from running out of ideas. He divulges, “For the fall, I’ll be creating comfort food using vegetables we all grew up with, but in a way customers haven’t tried yet.” Another reason to look forward to autumn’s arrival. everlymadison.com.
