What do you get when you convert an old closet to a latin inspired walk-up kitchen? Heavenly goodness. Use the window at the sidewalk or step inside the Cardinal and order at the kitchen window. Either way, the outcome will be tremendous. After burning some calories \"Riding the Drive\" (where they close certain Madison streets to all car traffic and open it up to bicyclists and pedestrians), we thought we should replace (and add more) calories by stopping in. The staff is super friendly and when we heard how they baked My girlfriend and I ordered the appetizer sampler along with the chicken sandwich-the dirty bird. The appetizer sampler is a great value if you wish to try a few things on their menu. For just over $11, you get an offering of ceviche, freshly made guacamole, chips and two croquettes of two kinds-potato and meat served with a side of delicious aioli. The ceviche was nicely prepared-you could taste the freshness of the fish balanced by the acidity of the citrus it has been marinated in. The guacamole also was well done although scooping it out in the narrow serving dish was a tad difficult. I think the croquettes, however, stole the show. Biting through the brown crispy shell allows you access to the warm, soft potatoey gooey-ness on the inside. Dipping them into the aioli was a decadent treat. The Dirty Bird sandwich is also noteworthy. Served on a cuban roll baked that morning, it is an exciting blend of shredded and marinated chicken, chipotle, jicama, roasted corn, sweet potato, and cilantro with a harisa aoili dressing. It is something I could eat every week and never get bored of.\nSince the kitchen is located within the Cardinal, there isn't any dedicated seating per-se. Rather, have a seat wherever you like in (or at) the bar and they will bring the food out to you. Since I was already over-caffeinated up from an earlier stop, I did not try any of their coffee offerings but if they are even half as good as their food, I will be a big fan. And with it being open until 3 am on the weekend, I may also be a frequent fan as the food would go well with a few cocktails consumed beforehand.\nA great find!
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