YUBA — AND MORE UNEXPECTED FARE AT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD SPOT
Before it closed at the end of 2023, Oxalis in Prospect Heights was known for its tasting menu, which made it, for most people, more of a special occasion spot than a casual weeknight joint. With Oxalis set to eventually reopen in a different location in the neighborhood, Redwood Hospitality — also behind Places des Fêtes and Laurel Bakery — has opened Cafe Mado in its place (791 Washington Avenue, near Lincoln Place), an all-day cafe with French, Italian, and Californian influences. In the morning, you can stop by for baked goods and coffee; later in the day, you can sit down for lunch or dinner. In the back room, a violet-leafed oxalis plant on the bar nods to the restaurant’s previous identity.
Some things haven’t changed much — the food, much of it produce, is just as precise and elegant. Some things are different, like the espresso station in what used to be the main dining room, or the entirely a la carte menu. Where Oxalis was more of a destination, Cafe Mado is suited for any time: You could go all-out and order everything, or you could stop by for a last-minute glass of wine, fries, and a Caesar salad. As it stands, it’s pretty easy to get a reservation without too much forethought, and the restaurant notes that it saves seats for walk-ins. Here’s what the scene was like on a recent Sunday night.
The vibe: Low-key, casual, not crowded: Walk past the open kitchen and the coffee shop-style seating to what used to be Oxalis’s back atrium, which is now Cafe Mado’s dining room. It’s tucked away and peaceful, a getaway from the city. A skylight lends brightness to the space, which is especially nice on a summer night with a sunset. While I could register the music — it was pleasant enough that I remarked on it to my dining partner but obscure enough that I couldn’t identify it — it was easy to converse at normal speaking levels. At least for now, it seems to be a good spot for people who don’t like dark, loud restaurants. Beyond the dining room, there are garden seats, too.
With its last seating at 8 p.m., this place is for early diners. Given the praise Cafe Mado has gotten so far, the restaurant was less busy than I expected, though this might have been due to the holiday weekend or my relatively late reservation. Perhaps because of that, the pacing of the meal was chill, free from that ticking time limit that looms at so many buzzy restaurants. It’s a neighborhood spot that’s also worth the trip.
The service: It’s similar to my memory of the tasting menu experience at Oxalis, almost unusually friendly and attentive for such a comparatively casual spot.
What to drink: The bar offers a good balance of wine, cocktails, and thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks (it has a generous collection of Seedlip’s NA spirits). Though I chose to stick with water, the vibes called out for a spritz or a crisp glass of white. Next time!
What to eat: The menu is broken into four sections: a bread course, all of which come from Laurel Bakery; vegetable dishes, two of which were cold preparations; mains; and desserts. The menu leans heaviest on vegetable small plates, and you’ll want to order several since they’re definitely a strong spot. Vegetarians will eat happily here, for sure.
The most unexpected dish was the wild spinach. It looked like a pile of barely cooked leaves and stems, but brown butter and bergamot took it from an unassuming side dish to an underdog favorite. The Sungold tomatoes were another example of seasonal produce done well: about a pint of them, blistered and served with arbol chile oil and a tart broth; I regretted not having gotten a baguette to sop it up. The yuba, pleasantly chewy and topped with tomato sauce, might be the city’s hottest new yuba dish.
The mains are limited by comparison: on this night, fish, meat, and pasta. Almost every table seemed to have ordered the crispy hake with sauce ravigote (made with chopped eggs) and the server-recommended side of fries (crispy, shoestring, dusted with herbes de Provence). It was like fancy fish and chips. The desserts were distinctly seasonal, featuring strawberries, currants, and gooseberries; I suspect these touches, and the specific vegetables, will change often.
The prices are typical for new restaurants of this kind, with mains around $30 and smaller plates around $20. Seven dishes, which included dessert, left my table of two full but not bursting and came to $125 before tax and tip. A satisfying meal for less would certainly be possible: You see the argument for coming back more often, especially when the caliber of food and service is what it is.