{"id":2258848,"date":"2026-01-30T22:05:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2258848"},"modified":"2026-01-30T22:05:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:05:07","slug":"himal-chuli-reborn-a-willy-street-bar-update-and-theater-worth-driving-for-entertainment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/himal-chuli-reborn-a-willy-street-bar-update-and-theater-worth-driving-for-entertainment\/","title":{"rendered":"Himal Chuli reborn, a Willy Street bar update and theater worth driving for | Entertainment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Editor’s note: Below is the Thursday, Jan. 29 edition of the Food & Culture newsletter. If you want to receive it in your email inbox every Thursday (it’s free!), subscribe at\u00a0captimes.com\/newsletters<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

How to have more fun in Madison \ud83d\udc83<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By Lindsay Christians, food and culture editor<\/em><\/p>\n

Hello!\u00a0<\/strong>Welcome to the new Food & Culture newsletter. I\u2019m\u00a0Lindsay<\/a>, and I am delighted you\u2019re here.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each week, this newsletter will highlight\u00a0fun events going on<\/a>\u00a0around Madison<\/a> \u2014 expect a lot of theater, since that\u2019s my first love \u2014 and keep you up to date on the restaurant scene in and around the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Find recommendations for\u00a0what to read, watch, listen and eat<\/strong>. We have a \u201cdine out for $20\u201d series, written by features reporter Ashley Rodriguez (an exclusive for newsletter readers). We\u2019ll also have mini restaurant reviews, starting next week.<\/p>\n

Do you need ideas for what to do this weekend?<\/strong>\u00a0Would you like to find your new favorite restaurant, bar or bakery? Find the answers here.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

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Nate Burger, left, and Neil Brookshire play explorers in Two Crows Theatre’s spine-chilling “Before the Mountains of Madness,” a world premiere by David Daniel.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n HANNAH JO ANDERSON<\/span>
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What I\u2019m watching:<\/strong>\u00a0Epic bioplays and epic adventures. Last weekend I drove four hours to catch first\u00a0\u201cThe Lehman Trilogy,<\/strong>\u201d a fascinating 3 1\/2 -hour drama about the founders of the investment banking company at Milwaukee Rep. What a story, and what a feat for three actors! Later that night, I gripped my spiked cocoa at Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret in Spring Green. Two Crows Theatre\u2019s harrowing Lovecraft-based premiere, \u201cBefore the Mountains of Madness<\/strong><\/a>,\u201d takes a journey into the Antarctic. (Mild spoiler\/warning:\u00a0yes<\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

After a powerful reading this week at Winter Words, I hope American Players Theatre takes Brendan Pelsue\u2019s adaptation of \u201cA Tale of Two Cities<\/strong>\u201d to a wider stage. It so fits the times we\u2019re in. \u201cThe assembly are lawyers and judges, rich men who delude themselves they are the people. What does a constitution matter when there is no bread?\u201d one character says.\u00a0 Also: \u201cThe law is about what you can make people believe.\u201d (Shudder.)<\/p>\n

Finally, I loved playwright Martyna Majok\u2019s \u201cSanctuary City\u201d and \u201cCost of Living,\u201d so I\u2019m excited to review Forward Theater\u2019s \u201cIronbound<\/strong>\u201d this weekend. Get a crash course on Forward\u2019s production with Victoria Davis\u2019\u00a0preview<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

What we’re reading<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Weekly reading recommendations from Lindsay Christians and\u00a0Beck Henreckson<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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My first impression of Madison 20 years ago came from Ann Packer\u2019s exceptional 2002 novel of love and betrayal, \u201cThe Dive From Clausen\u2019s Pier.\u201d Her latest, \u201cSome Bright Nowhere<\/strong><\/a>,\u201d has similar themes. Claire, dying of cancer, makes a request of her husband, Eliot, that feels inexplicable and cruel after 40 years of marriage. Packer follows Eliot in his confusion and anger as he examines, maybe for the first time, what he can and cannot be for the person he loves most. \u2014\u00a0Lindsay<\/em><\/p>\n

I know \u201c1984\u201d would be a relevant read right now, but my first venture into George Orwell\u2019s writing is nonfiction, with \u201cA Collection of Essays<\/a><\/strong>.\u201d The topics range from Dickens to Ghandi to the author\u2019s reminiscences from his school days. Regardless of my familiarity going in, each one is enthralling. \u2014\u00a0Beck<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n

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Elena Terry (left), the Ho-Chunk chef and founder of Wild Bearies, will lead Tall Grass at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n ILANA BAR-AV<\/span>
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Restaurant news<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Elena Terry (above) will be the executive chef at\u00a0Tall Grass<\/strong><\/a>, a new restaurant opening at 227 State St. in the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Terry said Tall Grass will begin as a caf\u00e9 and bar starting in early summer and eventually add dinner service.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After a challenging year,\u00a0Kavanaugh\u2019s Esquire Club<\/strong>\u00a0on the north side\u00a0has closed for good<\/a>. Owner John Kavanaugh, whose parents bought the restaurant in 1947, passed away two weeks ago. The restaurant\u00a0changed hands<\/a>\u00a0in 2024 and reverted to Kavanaugh again in 2025. \u201cWe\u2019ve been a part of the community forever \u2026 but unfortunately, with everything, it\u2019s just time for us to go,\u201d said \u201cLittle John\u201d Kavanaugh, who owns LJ\u2019s Sports Tavern & Grill.<\/p>\n

Madison\u2019s best thick-crust pizza now offers delivery!\u00a0Molten Monkey<\/strong>\u00a0is working with DoorDash. Get the Avo Maria or keep it simple with the What Up Dough \u2014 that cup pepperoni is the best.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Himal Chuli\u00a0closed Dec. 31<\/a>\u00a0at 318 State St. The State Journal reports this week that a new Nepalese restaurant,\u00a0Himali Chulo<\/strong>, will take its place, run by the grandson of the previous owners. According to\u00a0that story<\/a>, \u201cAshim Malla, 39, who owns two other restaurants (The Globe, Ashirwad) and a convenience store (Triangle Market) nearby, said he hopes to have the former Himal Chuli reopened in about a month.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ba Lao<\/strong>, the highly anticipated bar from the owners of Ahan, is set to open in February at 811 Williamson St., the former location of Taco Local and Underground Butcher. Follow along at\u00a0@balao.madison<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Miss\u00a0A Pig in a Fur Coat<\/strong>? Chef Dan Bonanno resurrects\u00a0dishes<\/a>\u00a0from the Willy Street fine dining restaurant this weekend at Seven Acre Dairy Co.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Recent obsessions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Netflix dropped the first four episodes of “Bridgerton” season 4 on Jan. 29.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Recent obsessions was a feature in our former arts and entertainment publication 77 Square that ran from 2008-2013. I\u2019m bringing it back.<\/em><\/p>\n

I want all my winter socks to be Solmates<\/strong><\/a>. Made in Portland, Oregon, these delightful mismatched recycled cotton socks are super cute and warm without making my feet sweat. Look for them at Little Luxuries<\/a> on State Street.<\/p>\n

The new season of \u201cBridgerton<\/strong>\u201d starts this week on Netflix. This season is a Cinderella story with upstairs\/downstairs vibes. Gentle reader, I am ready.<\/p>\n

I love the dark chocolate sorbetto from Baron\u2019s Gelato<\/strong> in Sheboygan, and I believe you can find it by the pint at Alimentari<\/a> on Monroe. (NB: Owner Dan Bonnano said the deli does still plan to return to the east side, to the Pig in a Fur Coat building. Timeline tbd).<\/p>\n

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NEWSLETTER EXCLUSIVE: Ashley Rodriguez visits Taigu Noodles for the first installment of Dining Out for $20. Find these features and reviews only in the Cap Times Food & Culture newsletter<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
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