La Crosse Distilling Co. — Restaurant in La Crosse

La Crosse Distilling Co. - The Quintessential Dining Oasis. When you enter the La Crosse Distilling Co., you're instantly enveloped by an ambiance that can only be described as a "whole vibe." In a city that is trying to up its culinary game—with noteworthy mentions like Meringue Bakery and The Pearl Ice Cream Parlor—this establishment stands as a beacon for food enthusiasts. It's the kind of place that makes you want to traverse long distances and pays off that commitment with an unparalleled dining experience. It's not just a restaurant; it's a gastronomic mirage in what one might consider a foodie desert. As someone willing to travel far and wide for an exceptional meal, I knew I was in the right place as soon as I glanced at the menu. Among the selections, the Papas Machas immediately caught my attention. The dish arrived as a masterful compilation of textures and flavors: crunchy potatoes, perfectly creamy at the center, were drizzled with a tantalizing chile-peanut sauce. But the pièce de résistance was the whipped ricotta that added a sublime, soft texture, perfectly contrasting the crunch of the pepitas. Each bite was a symphony of culinary delight, flawlessly executed down to the last note. But, the culinary journey had just begun. The Smoked Trout Dip arrived as an encore performance that carried the gastronomic symphony to a new crescendo. For context, one of my favorite Sunday quick meals is lox on an everything bagel with red onion and capers. This dip took those familiar, flavors and elevated them to an entirely new level. The smoked trout alongside the cucumber, dill, and chives, all brought together by the smoothness of the seasoned cream cheese. As I relished every bite, I found myself already scheming future trips from Seattle to La Crosse just to revisit this extraordinary culinary experience. Just when I thought the experience had reached its pinnacle, the Stillhouse Salad was served. If ever a dish could capture the essence of life itself, this salad would be it. A sublime assembly of roasted beets, arugula, goat cheese, and shaved fennel all married together with a delicate citrus vinaigrette. The flavors were such that I'm going to threw down a culinary gauntlet: If anyone thinks they can find a better salad in town, bring it and prepare for a duel at dusk.

While the meal itself was impeccable, there are facets where La Crosse Distilling Co. could further amplify their brand. Their social media, for instance, needs a bit more pizzazz. Seasonal and staple food items, cocktails, and spirit-based recipes could greatly benefit from more visual representation, expanding the restaurant's reach and engaging a wider audience. Finally, a selection of curated desserts and artisanal chocolates could round out the meal, perfectly complementing their spirits and elevating the entire dining experience with more complex flavor profiles.

La Crosse Distilling Co. offers more than just a meal; it's an experience that lingers long after the last bite. It's the consummate night-out spot for anyone seeking a meal that caters not just to the stomach, but also to the soul. Whether you're a local or someone pondering a culinary pilgrimage, let it be known: this is a gastronomic journey...

The food here is great. I’ve been a couple times, got the papas machas both times and the texture and flavors are great. The beets were better the first time, but still amazing. First time getting the stuffed mushrooms, aren’t really my bag, but they were okay, and the only meat out of the things I’ve listed so far. Last, but certainly not least, the Brussel sprouts were awesome, first time getting them tonight and they are amazing. The crispy leaves and flavorful oils, yum.

Sorry to Tim, the two day fast didn’t last.

I also had the burger on my first visit; it was juicy and saucy, went down really fast being a testament to the flavor. My friend had the seitan chorizo enchiladas on our first visit, they were okay.

Then, the drinks. They have a fun graph that places the drink based on four characteristics so you can pick visually. 9 LCDC classics and 10 seasonal cocktails (19 in total) based on

1. sweet
2. spiritous
3. dry
4. refreshing

As well as a hand full of house spirits, seltzers, beers, and non alcoholic drinks.

They partner with local organic farms and you can really taste the love in their dishes.

Speaking of their dishes, the one thing my friend said was their actual plates didn’t really have a rhyme or reason and I never noticed it til they said something. Their glasses and ice cubes are classy. As well as the sweet LCDC water bottles, served without ice, which I personally like.

The setting is industrial chic casual, would be something you’d find in a bigger city in a gentrified neighborhood, also meant with the best intentions, an old warehouse neighborhood setting where a chain restaurant wouldn’t just open up. The music was good and lighting was definitely mood during dinner and light and casual today for a late lunch.

The bread pudding was awesome, even to go, I tried a couple bites, and now I’m starting the fast.

I never used the bathrooms, but I’m sure they’re nice. Tshirts and stuff for sale...

Holy moly. Where to start..

We stopped in on a rare date night and am so glad we choose to try here. We lucked out and were sat at the window high top right away. Started with the Saturday special the shareable smokehouse platter. Which, for the low price, I thought was going to be small and unimpressive. Boy was I wrong. Everything on it was awesome and it was much more than I expected. Every single thing on the platter was delicious.

Because I thought the platter was going to be small we also ordered the Cubano to share. Again, amazing! Cubano is something I order everywhere I go...often disappointed. This was definitely one of the top ones I've have.

We left with all of our leftovers.

I love that they are actually out back smoking their meats and you can smell it walking up.

The cocktails.

I'm usually a bourbon and cola guy so I ordered a couple wisco old fashions. They were awesome. Perfectly balanced.

My wife ordered two different ones the corpus vivificantis which she enjoyed and the offbeet which stole the show. She plans on trying to create it at home and has already looked how to make beet syrup and fig infused rye. Feel free to shoot me the recipe. 😁

If you couldn't tell I highly...