Spent Memorial Day in St. Germain up in the northwoods with friends, and after four days of eating at supper clubs for dinner and greasy spoons for breakfast (our friends don't cook) we were jonesing for some decent non-fried seafood while driving back. Monroe St. Bistro was thankfully open, and came to the rescue with my fave, their mussels and frites (pound-plus of perfectly plump garlic mussels with a huge paper cone of crispy frites) for just $15 -- Barb had a flavorful tilapia in parchment which was cooked to still be juicy, along with their homemade red cabbage slaw, for $17. They're south of campus by Wingra Park and well worth the five minute drive out of the way.
Monroe St. Bistro
2611 Monroe St.
Madison, WI 53711
608.441.5444
http://www.monroestbistro.com
"Yankee bean soup, cole slaw and tuna surprise."