City: Madison, WI

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (608) 256-9830

Address: 141 South Butler St.

Description: It’s not the first time a good Madison food cart found a permanent address. Thony “Mango Man” Clarke took his successful Costa Rican fare to this little lower-level cafe just a couple blocks off the Capitol Square. Seating is rather limited both inside and on the small patio outside, but this can be passed off as cozy. Tacos and burritos come with chicken, beef, pork, or tilapia and some Tico staples such as plantains and gallo pinto (beans and rice). Beans might sound boring to some, but Thony’s spices make them stand out. Curried chicken or tilapia sautéed in garlic are fine choices as well. Alcohol, rum in particular, is served and the caipirinhas and mojitos rock while the spectacular mango margarita is made with real mangos. Weekdays the cafe opens about 6 a.m. for pastries and coffee, plus gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, and more thereafter. On weekends they open a couple hours later. On any day they are a good bet for a later dinner when other places have already closed. Not wheelchair accessible though outdoor seating is manageable. The patio stays open into fall thanks to a portable heater. Look for that food cart on Library Mall on campus.