DiningExtra_TOC.indd 2
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_TOC.indd 1
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_TOC.indd 2
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_TOC.indd 3
DINE OUT
10 KARL RATZSCH A modern chef melds tradition and a contemporary aesthetic at this Downtown institution. 15 C-VICHE The bold, biting flavors of Latin America are at home on Bay View’s vibrant South Kinnickinnic Avenue. 18 PASTICHE at the METRO With Pastiche bistro in the house, is the 18-year-old Hotel Metro poised for a rebirth?
22 TOFTE’S TABLE A longtime steakhouse chef trades in fine dining for laidback, something-for-everyone small plates. 27 DANDAN Chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Photos on this page and cover by Adam Ryan Morris
22 Van Rite have pooled their skills and love of Asian food at the Third Ward’s offbeat American Chinese restaurant. 30 TRE RIVALI The Third Ward’s Kimpton Journeyman Hotel is home to Tre Rivali, which is Italian for palate-pleasing plates in a stylish atmosphere.
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
3
3/2/17 7:4
DiningExtra_TOC.indd 4
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_TOC.indd 5
and of a beachcomber’s Caribbean paradise. 42 EASY TYGER As the dining turnover piles up on Brady Street, restaurants like this playfully named one stay the course, balancing a dynamic look with well-executed plates.
42 35 I.D. The best gastronomic reason to live near downtown Delafield is this utterly charming, modern hotel restaurant. 39 IRIE ZULU The Wauwatosa restaurant offers a fascinating, exhilarating journey through the cuisines of the world’s second-largest continent Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
47 IRON GRATE BBQ This South Side restaurant within a coffeehouse is working to put this town on the BBQ map with a creation called the Milwaukee rib. 50 MERRIMENT SOCIAL The evolving menu served at this old warehouse venue is the antidote for ennui. 52 WY’EAST Portland, Oregon’s loss is Washington Heights’ gain with this pie maker that treats its oven like a newborn babe.
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
5
3/2/17 7:4
DiningExtra_Editors Letter.indd 6
3/2/17 6:3
DiningExtra_Editors Letter.indd 7
3/2/17 6:3
A GOOD PALATE
N
obody will or should ever show empathy for the plight of the dining critic, “forced” to consume steady diets of steak au poivre, whatever fried chicken, eggs Benedict — the assignment dictates. Eating is just one part of the job; cooking, traveling, reading and nonstop learning also help inform the work I do at Milwaukee Magazine, whether I’m writing or editing a column. Trust me, I know I’ve got a “nice work if you can get it” kind of gig. EDITORIAL OFFICES And my work got a great deal more interesting 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 100 over the last 15 years or so (yes, I’ve been doing this Milwaukee, WI 53202 for a long time!), as developments have transformed 414-273-1101 milwaukeemag.com our neighborhoods and skyline. Fresh living and work spaces lure in people, while people draw new SUBSCRIPTIONS: 414-287-4333; 800-662-4818 restaurants. Keeping up with the culinary growth is my subscriptions@milwaukee ongoing challenge, and the latest restaurants routinely mag.com have a prominent position in my monthly column. ADVERTISING INFORMATION: For the first time ever, we’ve culled the best 414-287-4396 new restaurants in a greatest hits edition called DINE OUT. It features reviews of 12 major openings, such as Third Ward American-Chinese joint Dandan, Waukesha small-plates haven Tofte’s Table, Latin-inspired Bay Viewer C-viche, and storied German establishment Karl Ratzsch, blossoming under different ownership. The pocket-guide format of Dine Out is an exciting departure for us. It’s the perfect size to carry in a handbag or your glove compartment to pull out when searching for the place you want to eat right now. Augmenting the coverage of dining and culinary culture that you look for every month in the magazine, consider Dine Out your planning resource! Ann Christenson Senior Editor/Dining Critic
8
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Editors Letter.indd 8
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 6:3
DiningExtra_Editors Letter.indd 9
3/2/17 6:3
GERMAN
KARL RATZSCH A modern chef melds tradition and a contemporary aesthetic at this Downtown institution. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
PERHAPS NO OPENING in the first half of 2016 was as highly anticipated as the revamping of the German institution that dates to 1904. When c.1880’s Thomas Hauck bought Karl Ratzsch, he also found himself knee-deep in tchotchkes, priceless and otherwise. While Patrick and Libby Castro of Milwaukee’s LP/w Design Studios worked on streamlining the interior, keeping the aura of tradition, Hauck was poring over old menus and recipes and deciding just how traditional to be – well, quite. It’s great to see a new owner-chef holding the reins, and one who doesn’t want to stray too far from established custom. Sauerbraten, liver dumpling soup, Wiener schnitzel, Usinger sausages – these are the specialties Deutschlanders want back. They get those classics here and untraditional dishes like scallops with roasted corn and cremini mushrooms and maybe a funky meatless mix of roasted butternut squash, rutabaga, celeriac, potato dumplings and charred rapini. But for diners expecting the artful combinations
10
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Karl Ratzsch.indd 10
KARL RATZSCH 320 E. Mason St. HOURS: Lunch Mon-Fri. Dinner Mon-Sat. PRICES: Mains $16-$42. of c.1880, Ratzsch’s is simply a different style of restaurant – harkening back yet also moving forward. Uneven service brought down my earliest visits. But the front of the house has had time to learn the ropes. Ratzsch’s has also added everything from a Friday night fish fry (not for purists! But I love the silky applesauce and a crunchy slaw bathed lightly in vinaigrette) to weekday lunch. Just like the open-face sandwiches my mom used to make when I came home from school for lunch, Hauck is doing “saxon” sandwiches that have no “top coat.” And they put my mom’s sandwiches to shame. I endorse the quark, pickled onion and chives on pumpernickel. Whatever time you go, soak up the
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:4
Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki/PLATE
DiningExtra_Review_Karl Ratzsch.indd 11
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
11
3/2/17 5:4
lingering energy of so many diners, famous and not, who’ve inked deals, gotten engaged, played piano (Liberace), had arguments, drunk Spaten and eaten sausage over decades past. Lead off dinner with smoked salmon, potato pancakes and sour cream followed by crackling pork shank with spaetzli, pork schnitzel with capers and egg, and goose shank, wild rice and pickled cabbage. Dessert is easy! Get Bienenstich (bee-sting cake), a chewy, old-world creation with a creamy custard filling and nutty topping. ◆
12
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Karl Ratzsch.indd 12
DINE OUT 2017 Photos by Kevin J. Miyazaki/PLATE
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_Review_Karl Ratzsch.indd 13
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_Review_C-viche.indd 14
3/2/17 5:4
LATIN FUSION
C-VICHE The bold, biting flavors of Latin America are at home on Bay View’s vibrant South Kinnickinnic Avenue. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
THE MILD LITTLE FILETS in the Peruvian ceviche we’ve ordered are “cooked” in citrus marinade and laid on cold slices of cooked sweet potato, a traditional ingredient. In Peru, the marinade of lime, yellow chili and ginger is called leche de tigre (“tiger’s milk”). Natives drink the residual marinade, though diners at Bay View’s C-viche are not exhibiting such boldness. A venture named for ceviche – whose preparations vary in coastal Latin America – should excel at making that creation. C-viche offers at least five bright, flavorful versions of the seafood specialty, but cured seafood is not the only thing this boisterous, urbane venue does well. Owners Jose “Paco” Villar and Karlos Soriano pooled over two decades of service industry experience to build this homage to Ibero-America. They performed much of the remodeling of this former hair salon themselves, including a wall made of bleached, mismatched wood. Warm lighting softens the sharp surfaces, and Latin music adds to the animated mood that begins at the
DiningExtra_Review_C-viche.indd 15
C-VICHE 2165 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., 414-800-7329. HOURS: Lunch/Dinner Tues-Sun. Brunch Sat-Sun. PRICES: Ceviches $8-$16; \entrées $11-$28. 16-seat bar. The Peruvian-born Soriano’s background includes managing the bar at Cubanitas, known for its well-muddled mojito. C-viche’s version is sweet and minty, but the cocktail leading the pack here is the pisco sour, a potent, tart drink with a foamy egg white topping. It’s a worthy partner for any of the ceviches, maybe best of all the classic Peruvian rendition, which pairs herring-like whitefish with sweet potatoes, red onion and choclo (Andean corn). Stylistically similar is the ceviche mixto, which builds on the marinated fish with seafood. The Mexican shrimp ceviche is served on tostadas, the lime juice-
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
15
3/6/17 3:3
preserved shrimp tossed with tomatoes, onions, cucumber, cilantro and assertive serrano pepper. As well-rounded as the ceviches are, the main courses are substantial – important if you’re drinking pisco sours or mezcal mules. Of the entrees, best are lomo saltado, a beef stir-fry with potatoes and lots of garlic and cilantro; grilled salmon with black botija olives,
16
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_C-viche.indd 16
boiled egg, sweet onions and the spicy, creamy chimichurri; and Peruvian tallarin verde. This fusion dish, which translates to “green noodles,” features a creamy spinach-basil pesto. It’s eaten with chicken or beef, and here it goes smashingly with the grilled sirloin. This bold cuisine is anything but bland, with the ceviches offering the fresh appeal of an exotic getaway. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Chris Kessler
3/6/17 3:3
DiningExtra_Review_C-viche.indd 17
3/2/17 5:4
FRENCH
PASTICHE at the METRO With Pastiche bistro in the house, is the 18-year-old Hotel Metro poised for a rebirth? BY ANN CHRISTENSON
IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME since a buzz hummed around Hotel Metro’s restaurant. Maybe not since 1998, when the art deco lodging – bolstering the corner of what would become “Restaurant Row” (Milwaukee Street) – opened its doors. But with Pastiche now running the dining operations – relocating from its longtime base in Bay View – this corner of Mason and Milwaukee might well be on the path to rebirth. Even with service snafus and bumps on the culinary road since its late summer 2016 opening, Pastiche at the Metro is a big improvement over the hotel’s previous kitchen management. At the hotel, owner Mike Engel – whose connection to Metro goes back to its very early years, when he was the restaurant’s head chef – handed the executive chef reins to Rachael Karr, a Pastiche staffer since its Bay View opening in 2010. Meanwhile, Engel is keeping the sister Brown Deer operation running smoothly.
18
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Pastiche_1.indd 18
PASTICHE AT THE METRO 411 E. Mason St., 414-225-3270 HOURS: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat-Sun. PRICES: Dinner entrées $14-$32. The most challenging part of transitioning from a small kitchen serving dinner to the frenetic pace of a large kitchen is keeping the operation optimally staffed and “figuring out I’m not Superman,” Karr says. Service and food gaffes on my dining visits may be alleviated by time and practice. The good news is that the French specialties on the dinner menu – overall, the restaurant is still calibrated to Francophiles – are still quite good. The croque madame and quiche Lorraine were breakfast standouts: the bread on the former well-toasted and the broiled ham-and-cheese veiled in a creamy, wellexecuted Mornay sauce before being topped with a fried egg; the latter, a rich bacon-cheese-egg filling over a flaky
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_Review_Pastiche_1.indd 19
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
19
3/2/17 5:4
crust. (Never mind that my order was mixed up and we’d finished the madame before the quiche arrived.) The lunch menu combines casual – Reuben, burger – with fancier entrées like confit duck leg with French olives and sautéed skate wing, an underrated, delectable fish. Transitioning to dinner, the appetizer menu’s frog’s legs are a nicely done Pastiche trademark and yes, they do kind of taste like chicken: mild and flaky. They come four to a battered, deep-fried appetizer order, each leg enhanced by the tangy remoulade. Also good: pan-seared scallops with orange Pernod gastrique, orange sections and pomegranate seeds. To follow, there’s a respectable coq au vin (chicken in wine sauce) served, surprisingly and deliciously, with good crisp spaetzli; beef filet rossini topped with seared foie gras; double-cut lamb chops in a fig-sherry demi-glace that allows the sweet, pulpy fruit to shine through; and cassoulet, a thick, rich stew of pork shoulder and belly, duck confit, smoked pork shank, lamb, sausage and the classic white beans. As it has continued to settle into its hotel digs, Pastiche has added some things that will ring familiar to its Bay View fans, such as Mussels Monday and happy hour drinks and tapas specials. And the dining room is slowly undergoing its own cosmetic transformation. A slow and steady transition may just be the best way for this landmark. ◆
20
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Pastiche_1.indd 20
DINE OUT 2017
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:4
SMALL PLATES
TOFTE’S TABLE A longtime steakhouse chef trades in fine dining for laid-back, something-for-everyone tapas. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
WHEN JASON TOFTE helmed the kitchen of Eddie Martini’s, he suited up in a white chef’s coat, cooked on the line and rarely ventured out to chat with patrons. That changed when the 18-year Tosa steakhouse vet left to run Waukesha’s The Steaming Cup with his wife, Cristina. The Cup came with a sizable built-in clientele, and serving up lattes with hummus wraps required interaction with customers. The trepidation of being visible evaporated over time, so that when Jason and Cristina looked at a vacant restaurant storefront near the Cup (thinking it might benefit their small cafe to have more space), they started considering another venture – one with the informality of a cafe but a more elevated tone, where both owners work the front of the house. A venue where plates are shareable, service is casual and convivial. That’s the premise of Tofte’s Table. In recent years, businesses like People’s Park restaurant and the Steaming Cup have fueled talk of a renaissance in
22
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Tofte’s Table.indd 22
TOFTE’S TABLE 331 Riverfront Street, Waukesha, 262-408-5633. HOURS: Dinner Tues-Sat. PRICES: $2.50-$21.
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:4
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
DiningExtra_Review_Tofte’s Table.indd 23
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
23
3/2/17 5:4
the quiet Waukesha downtown. Tofte’s inviting, affordable theme has added kindling to that fire. The menu is sagely constructed to appeal to everyone from the diner who’s conservative (meatloaf and mashed potatoes) to the one who is dauntless (tuna tartare). The memory of two plates remains in my mind: the succulent fried chicken drumstick with maple drizzle and coarse-grain mustard, and seared sweet potatoes with spicy apricot compote and a jiggly blob of creamy burrata cheese. Overall, the menu leans on “comfort” (fine by me). The braised short ribs melt into Yukon mashed potatoes and honey-glazed carrots like an elevated pot roast; links of kielbasa with pickled red cabbage, pepper-potato hash and mustard aioli are a dynamic Germanic nod. Like the chicken leg and sweet potato-burrata successes, I’d revisit the plump grilled octopus with lemon-mustard vinaigrette, and duck confit tostadas – puffy fried wontons topped with the rich confit, shiitake mushrooms, sesame tomatoes and sweet hoisin. These are economical, satisfying bites. The Toftes are happy to help lead the charge to commercially re-energize downtown Waukesha. Business is “good but could be better,” Jason says, sounding like the pragmatic restaurateur he is. Tofte’s Table reflects a personal evolution. For the diner, that means comforting fare in a warm, sincere setting. ◆
24
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Tofte’s Table.indd 24
DINE OUT 2017
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_Review_Tofte’s Table.indd 25
3/2/17 5:4
CHINESE
DANDAN Chefs Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite have pooled their skills and love of Asian food at the Third Ward’s offbeat restaurant. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
WHEN TWO LOCAL CHEFS – Dan Jacobs, whose skills have graced Odd Duck and Wolf Peach; and Dan Van Rite, the kitchen backbone at Hinterland – announced they were partnering up for a venture completely new to each of them, they did their homework. To prepare for the “inauthentic” American-Chinese restaurant called, well, Dandan, they traveled around Chicago and New York, eating for inspiration. While local company Design 360 was transforming the Third Ward building into a synthesis of Asian street culture and traditional design, the chefs were deciding which dishes to make in a straightforward way or to put a twist on. They mulled over beverages, enlisting their then-bar manager to build a list of unconventional, seasonal cocktails to complement the somewhat nonconformist menu. Unsurprising to diners who’ve eaten the chefs’ cooking, the menu excels where enough time was devoted to experimenting in the kitchen. Over time, staff has seemed more comfortable with the menu, and therefore better able to Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki/PLATE
DiningExtra_Review_Dandan.indd 27
DANDAN 360 E. Erie St., 414-488-8036. HOURS: Lunch Tues-Fri. Dinner Tues-Sat. PRICES: Pancakes, noodles, rice, entrées $10-$69.
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
27
3/2/17 5:4
describe the food. For almost every dish – plates categorized as dim sum, noodles and the like – Jacobs and Van Rite can relate a story about how it came about, whether it’s the seafood pancake or the sausage-edamame schmaltz fried rice (a Jacobs childhood fave that gets extra richness from rendered fat). The Crispy Mushroom 3 Cup riffs deliciously on a dish Jacobs made at Odd Duck. The golden tempura oyster mushrooms are crisp and sweet; the marinated wood-ear mushrooms, sweet/ sour and salty. The multi-dimensional dish offers assertive flavors and contrasting textures – bold comfort. The menu is really on the money
28
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Dandan.indd 28
with dishes like the chewy pot stickers filled with decadent, earthy foie gras and short ribs; the tender seafood pancake (mussels, squid and shrimp drizzled with Japanese Kewpie mayo and chili-laced “XO” seafood sauce – a savory wallop); the brilliant charred sour sausage with crispy fried rice cakes and romaine-cashew salad; and cumin lamb, whose chewy flat noodles are just as good eaten cold out of a takeout box the next day. Since the summer 2016 opening, Dandan has added lunch service, delivery and the “restaurant-within-a-restaurant” called EsterEv, which offers a completely different prix fixe tasting menu each week. That all sounds like more Dandan to lovelove. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki/PLATE
3/2/17 5:4
DiningExtra_Review_Dandan.indd 29
3/2/17 5:4
MEDITERRANEAN ECLECTIC
TRE RIVALI The Third Ward’s Kimpton Journeyman Hotel is home to Tre Rivali, which is Italian for palate-pleasing plates in a stylish atmosphere. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
THE ARRIVAL OF A SWANKY BOUTIQUE hotel to the Milwaukee market – San Francisco-based Kimpton, which opened its Journeyman Hotel in late June 2016 – came with great expectations. It is home to Tre Rivali, a showboat of Carrara marble, reclaimed wood and Spanish porcelain tile. Chicago chef and “Top Chef” contestant Heather Terhune signed on to run the kitchen. Add a fetching 5,000-square-foot rooftop lounge, featuring its own cocktail and light food menus, and the build-up to a visit here is heady. Make no mistake, the Journeyman is polished. After some inevitable shakiness at the start, the restaurant has found its footing with bold-flavored dishes like coriander-crusted whole branzino and Moroccan-spiced lamb ragout. (The servers, however friendly, are not seasoned.) The wood-burning oven turns out a handful of pre-built pizzas for both Tre Rivali and the rooftop lounge named The Outsider. A pie consumed during an early visit didn’t skimp on flavorful toppings –
30
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Tre Rivali.indd 30
KIMPTON JOURNEYMAN HOTEL 200 N. Broadway, Suite 100, 414291-3971 HOURS: Breakfast, lunch Mon-Fri. Dinner daily. Brunch Sat-Sun. PRICES: Pizzas, pastas, entrées $16-$32. green garlic pesto, goat cheese and lemon, but the crust was spongy and doughy. But Tre Rivali – which translates, in Italian, to “Three Rivals,” referring to Milwaukee’s founding fathers – did score some hits, particularly with simple preps like scallops crudo – thin-sliced sashimi with sweet, juicy pink grapefruit, fresh mint and chili oil – and the piquillo peppers with sweet, savory, meaty notes. Offering ample flavor without overwhelming richness, the al dente pappardelle with braised pork neck ragout and ricotta salata was a standout. (It helped dislodge the memory of mushy shrimp in spaghetti with mussels and spicy tomato sauce from my
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:4
Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
DiningExtra_Review_Tre Rivali.indd 31
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
31
3/2/17 5:4
mind – a dish that has since been removed from the menu.) A Berkshire hog is the source of my favorite dish here – a thick, tender, bone-in pork chop partnered with pork confit, Parmesan polenta and roasted fennel. Rich and satisfying. Some of the dinner menu carries into lunch, namely pastas and pizzas. If your hankering is not for a fussy-but-delicious large plate like the steamed clams in smoked paprika butter with hominy, chorizo, salt-roasted potatoes and grilled bread, then the lamb burger with feta and tahini yogurt sauce is a Mediterranean flavor tour de force. And if you are night-capping in the
32
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Tre Rivali.indd 32
Third Ward, the rooftop bar – and in the summer, outdoor patio – is a must stop. Spending any time in that warm, bright, ninth-floor space is a welcome dose of vitamin D. The Outsider serves spendy but tasty bites (Italian sausage sliders, tuna tartare micro cones!), pizzas, jarred spreads like eggplant caponata and frozen push pops – a perfect fun, refreshing dessert come summer. Once the summer 2017 festival season kicks off, diners and imbibers will thread through the door, queuing up outside the elevator to The Outsider and making Tre Rivali a modern-hacienda destination for sophisticated, but approachable dining. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:4
SMALL PLATES
I.D. at the DELAFIELD HOTEL The best gastronomic reason to live near downtown Delafield is this charming, modern hotel restaurant. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
THE 10-YEAR-OLD Delafield Hotel’s sale to a new owner in 2015 preceded – and prompted – a complete aesthetic and culinary overhaul of the restaurant formerly known as Andrew’s. Where it was once separated into quiet, antiques-laden rooms, the new incarnation named I.d. is modern, lofty and lively, with seating options that include a counter facing the open kitchen. Head chef Jonna Froelich, who held the reins of Andrew’s kitchen for the last three-plus years of its life, led the collaborative effort to transform the menu to a crack mix of snacks (roasted stuffed dates, Cuban fritters) and small plates. Froelich’s varied interests – she holds a master’s degree in British lit – led her to work in restaurants from Telluride, Colo., to Evanston, Ill. She has no intention of letting I.d.’s menu languish and plans to change it often and not according to a schedule, thus giving the menu its tagline “randomly inspired.” There are plenty of spirited choices here, along with
DiningExtra_Review_I.d..indd 35
I.D. AT THE DELAFIELD HOTEL 415 Genesee St., 262-646-1600 HOURS: Dinner daily. Brunch Sun. PRICES: $4-$20. bright flavors and seasonal touches. And while the inspiration and choices may be random, there’s nothing haphazard about their renderings. Froelich runs an orderly kitchen but isn’t afraid to have fun. The plates reflect that. And while the menu isn’t your traditional three-course affair, it’s simple to create a “meal” from I.d.’s grouping of “Snacks and Spreads,” and plates listed under vegetable-, seafood- and meat-based headings. Start off with bites like chicken liver paté or Cuban fritters with ham, Gruyere and house pickles before venturing down the road of roughage – a wilted spinach and wild rice salad with hazelnuts, grapes, wood-grilled mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Or the wonderful Moroccan baby kale and wood-grilled carrots with quinoa,
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
35
3/2/17 5:5
apricots, cashews, chickpea fritters and cooling yogurt. Craving more heft? I am. For that, there’s a wood-grilled, grass-fed Niman Ranch flat-iron steak, and the more exotic wood-grilled Kauai shrimp with broccolini, black rice and romesco sauce – both
36
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_I.d..indd 36
delicious in their own right. The requisite ending at I.d. is the butterscotch pot, a dessert that makes chocolate, peanut butter, banana and potato chips seem celestial. I.d.’s playful culinary message is resoundingly, and delectably, clear in Lake Country. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:5
AFRICAN/JAMAICAN
IRIE ZULU The Wauwatosa restaurant offers a fascinating, exhilarating journey through the cuisines of the world’s second-largest continent and of a beachcomber’s Caribbean paradise. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
YOLLANDE DEACON’S SISTERS, Fanny and Pierre, welcome guests into the glowing, intimate dining room of Irie Zulu, Deacon’s Wauwatosa restaurant. The patterned lampshades, bright walls and striking artwork make the small space feel animated. The sisters all dress in striking batik-like garments and headpieces from their home country, Cameroon. Deacon, who came to Milwaukee in 2001 to pursue a master’s degree in business administration at Marquette University, considers herself “credible” as a gastronomic teacher, not because she was born in Africa, but because “I research it and know what I’m talking about.” She says it with the same gumption she brings to her other business, Afro Fusion Cuisine. “I want people to eat and think about the meaning behind the food.” In 2012, Afro Fusion – purveyor of African and Jamaican spices, sauces and sausages – grew out of Deacon’s work
DiningExtra_Review_Irie Zulu.indd 39
IRIE ZULU 7237 W. North Ave., Tosa, 414-509-6014. HOURS: Dinner Tues-Sat. PRICES: Entrées $17-$25.
organizing food stands for local festivals. And the stands grew out of her interest in sharing the cuisines of Africa in a city where she’d long struggled to find ingredients needed to make the dishes she missed from her homeland. Irie Zulu (the first word is Jamaican for “cool,” while “Zulu” refers to a specific African tribe) originally was intended to be home base for the growing needs of Afro Fusion. From a tasting room for the spices and their companion wares, the business plan evolved into a restaurant – a multiplatform enterprise where customers can also buy Afro Fusion products and take cooking classes. (Deacon also caters events and sells products at venues like Milwaukee
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
39
3/2/17 6:0
County Winter Farmer’s Market.) A complicating factor is Deacon’s approach to the menu. More than 50 countries make up the African continent. Every week since the restaurant’s opening in November 2015, she has
is the featured attraction, we start with flaky, tender West African hand pies, brilliant little pastries we dunk in tomato-based joloff sauce. Glasses of fresh ginger juice half-drained, we move on to peanut butter stew with chicken,
IRIE ZULU GREW OUT OF THE OWNER’S INTEREST IN SHARING THE CUISINES OF AFRICA IN A CITY WHERE SHE’D STRUGGLED TO FIND INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE DISHES SHE MISSED FROM HER HOMELAND.
featured the cuisines of particular parts of the continent. On Fridays and Saturdays, the menu is Jamaican, the nationality of Deacon’s husband. The content of the menu isn’t set until the night before it’s served, she says. The cookbook aficionado is a voracious reader who administers several African social media cooking forums, which she uses for feedback and ideas. It’s a provocative menu for diners who like to explore and “open themselves up to be surprised,” Deacon says. And it’s a remarkable menu for people who appreciate flavor. Wisco ingredients and seasonal considerations play their role, too. On a night when West African food
40
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Irie Zulu.indd 40
the creamy, mellow sauce absorbing the delicate grains of coconut rice. Poulet DG (which stands for “Directeur Général”) is sister Fanny’s favorite dish. The dish fuses chicken, plantains, carrots, tomatoes and onions in a mild, soothing stew. Another king of thick sauces – served here with foo foo (a mash made from cassava flour) or jasmine rice – is the West African stew called egusi (melon or pumpkin seeds used as a thickener), with its chunky spinach-tomato sauce masking shrimp and pieces of grass-fed beef. Deacon’s frequent presence in the dining room, chatting amiably with diners, is one of the ways she’s helping cement Irie Zulu’s presence on this melting pot of North Avenue. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 7:4
DiningExtra_Review_Irie Zulu.indd 41
3/2/17 6:0
SMALL PLATES
EASY TYGER As the restaurant turnover piles up on Brady Street, dining establishments like this playfully named one stay the course, balancing a dynamic look with well-executed plates. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
IT’S A CLEVER NAME: Easy Tyger. So clever that my dining companion repeats it over and over again when the server visits our table, and not just the words, but the intonation of the expression. The food arrives swiftly – “Easy, Tyger,” my friend says as the server places the first couple of plates before us. Fortunately, my friend loses interest in trying to be funny here at the restaurant named Easy Tyger, and we both grow engaged in putting our forks to work. And much good work these utensils are put
42
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Easy Tyger.indd 42
EASY TYGER 1230 E. Brady St., 414-226-6640. HOURS: Dinner daily. Brunch Sat-Sun. PRICES: $9-$16.
to, at this Brady Street venture focused on small plates. The cuisine is a thematic departure for owners Nini Buranabunyut and Dear Panyasopa, who run the Thai-namite locations (including one near Easy Tyger). Some plates have an Asian
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 7:4
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
DiningExtra_Review_Easy Tyger.indd 43
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
43
3/2/17 6:0
focus, but head chef Evan Greenhalgh is more interested in thinking globally, spinning traditional dishes of all kinds by incorporating unlikely ingredients, like farro instead of rice in a boldly flavored Korean bibimbap – a dish that was offered on an early menu. Greenhalgh’s motto is not to let the menu stagnate with the same choices. So expect plenty of flow. On any given day, you can build an international smorgasbord – for instance, with pork belly, ginger basmati rice and Thai peanut curry on one plate, salt and pepper calamari on another, and Jamaican jerk wings bringing up the rear. The problem with small plates is that they’re, well, small, and become pasttense quickly. But these dishes are worth slowing down for. Among the best is fried pig ear nachos, the crispy ears tossed with sliced radish, pickled chilies, cilantro, lime crema and grated cotija cheese. Two others that are wowing from a flavor standpoint: Korean pancake with fried oyster mushrooms and sake-glazed rutabaga; and tempura-ed shishito peppers and broccolini with kabayaki sauce, yuzu salt and fresh lime. The beef steamed buns – brisket char siu with oi-sabagi (cucumber kimchi), daikon and spicy radish – are a great, lick-your-fingers treat. They are excellent in tandem with the goat cheese gnudi (dumpling) with butternut squash puree, roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted tomato and brown-butter vinaigrette. The gnudi
44
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Easy Tyger.indd 44
– along with plates like cider-soy braised beef short ribs with broccolini and Asian pear – raise these “small plates” to moderately priced entrée level. Generally, two plates are plenty to satisfy one diner. The dishes we tried showed zeal coming from the kitchen. What’s more: A major interior overhaul after the former occupant – Mai Thai – moved out removed the island spa motif, opening up the kitchen, moving the bar and brightening the colors and lighting system. (The one caveat was the decibel level – fun for singing along with the bartender, but not for chatting with your dining companions.) Brady Street offers another good smallplates restaurant, Balzac, just a few blocks away. Still, there’s always room for good food. And that, coupled with the energy of this place, may help Easy Tyger carve its own niche in the neighborhood. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 6:0
46
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Iron Grate BBQ.indd 46
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:5
BARBECUE
IRON GRATE BBQ This South Side restaurant within a coffeehouse is working to put this town on the BBQ map with a creation called the Milwaukee rib. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
THE AROMA EMITTED by Edna cannot be denied. “She” perfumes Iron Grate BBQ Co., overriding the smell of roasted coffee beans. Edna’s 10-foot-long, 500-gallon, mostly recycled self is the force behind half of this unusual business model. Iron Grate shares 8,000 square feet of real estate with roaster-café Hawthorne Coffee. It’s a warm, inviting alloy of crusty meats piled on plastic trays, wet naps at the ready, and mugs of Colombian coffee at the U-shaped counter. Or BBQ at the counter and a latte while reading at a communal table. Iron Grate, open since January 2016, and Hawthorne seem to have an almost natural synergy. Edna – stationed on the outdoor patio – is essentially the main kitchen. It wood-smokes and cooks the menu’s four meats (including the “Milwaukee rib,” a pork rib with the belly meat attached) and adds flavor to the sides that come with them. The roasting equipment for Hawthorne Coffee is also on-site so that this space – outfitted with DIY ingenuity, thrift store
DiningExtra_Review_Iron Grate BBQ.indd 47
IRON GRATE BBQ CO. 4177 S. Howell Ave., 414-455-1776. HOURS: Lunch and dinner Fri-Sun. PRICES: 1, 2 or 3 Meats & 3 Sides, $15$30; smoked meats $11-$16 per pound. found objects and wooden and upholstered furniture – is far from under-utilized. Iron Grate owner-chef Aaron Patin embraces the test of a menu where “everything is impacted by the smoker.” His cooking days start at an ungodly 2 a.m. That’s when Edna gets her first tending to of the day. Patin builds a “huge” fire, using local oak and cherry wood. It’s an exhilaratingly different process from the hats he wore at the East Side’s Ardent, whose sous vide-style of cooking produced breathtaking elegance. Patin’s focused menu at Iron Grate is a microcosm of BBQ, not the exhaustive, every-region exploration. Patin’s menu is not an all-around hit parade, but he has hit on something with
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
47
3/2/17 6:0
the Milwaukee rib, a thick, meaty creation that lends the eater lusciously crusty nubs and end bites. It has held its own on each of several meals there. (It’s available in “Meat & 3” meals, and by the pound.) The brisket varied in the ratio of meat-to-fat and tenderness, but the smoke ring and bark are selling points, while the pulled pork isn’t succulent but rather crusty, with an appreciated fatty essence. The pork hot links lead with their snap, leaving an aftermath of heat. The smoke factor, considerable in the meats, carries over to the sides. Patin and his crew add the smoked meat drippings to the creamy stone-ground grits. It’s a bold flavor, far less to my liking than the mac and cheese with (timid) smoked Roma tomatoes and a crusty lid of melted cheese. Rounding out the sides: a mayo-
48
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Iron Grate BBQ.indd 48
dressed coleslaw that’s crunchy, the bits of cabbage and carrots not saturated in liquid; smothered greens, dotted with bits of pork; and baked beans, thick, smoky and tangy-sweet (the best of the bunch). Patin enhances his BBQ sauce with a liquid smoked vinegar, whose thin consistency lends moisture to the meat but doesn’t compete with the smokiness. The cider vinegar goes almost everywhere – into the beans, the slaw, the collards. Iron Grate’s terrific sweet-savory dill pickles are also tucked into the Meat & 3s. Periodically Patin and coffee man Steve Hawthorne pause from the task at hand to watch the traffic flow in the cafe-restaurant during the hours both spots are open. The business model has many irons in the fire. This “wonderful challenge,” as Patin puts it, has intriguing possibilities. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Chris Kessler
3/2/17 6:0
DiningExtra_Review_Iron Grate BBQ.indd 49
3/2/17 6:0
ECLECTIC AMERICAN
MERRIMENT SOCIAL The evolving menu served at this old warehouse venue is the antidote for ennui. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
THE SERVER DOESN’T underestimate this burger: “Top 5 in the city, no question,” he says. And there is foundation for his assertion. A patty formed from four kinds of ground meat (brisket, short ribs, chuck, beef cheeks), and topped with American cheese, bacon, mayo-based “social” sauce, pickles and a milk bun – all made in-house. When the burger appears on the table at the Fifth Ward’s Merriment Social, It’s a ticking time bomb of sloppy, juicy meat eloquence. There’s no question this is a very good burger – so good it spawned a popular and ongoing burger series at the restaurant (inspired by everything from local chefs to college basketball’s March Madness). Merriment’s onetime warehouse digs are better known for a nine-year stint as Moct nightclub. Merriment co-owner Andrew Miller was in charge of the large, bustling kitchen at Zarletti Mequon (then called Salotto Zarletti) when this attractive piece of real estate went up for lease. He
50
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Merriment Social.indd 50
MERRIMENT SOCIAL 240 E. Pittsburgh Ave., 414-645-0240. HOURS: Dinner Tues-Sun. Brunch Sun. PRICES: $12-$26. and his business partners Sam Emery and Cameron Whyte jumped on it. Since opening in August 2015, Merriment has tried to find its niche in a market that keeps rolling out small- and large-plate format menus featuring pork belly, roasted bone marrow and beef short ribs. Over time, Miller has studied what’s working, what’s not. The aforementioned burgers, grass-fed beef patties on house-made milk buns, are in the working camp. They’re so essential that they show up on the brunch menu as well. Striving for plates that could create an addiction is a lofty goal, but Miller has taken it on. One of them is the fried Brussels sprouts topped with pie crust crumbs, pecans, honey and crème fraîche. It’s savory-sweet, though not pegged as a
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:5
dessert. It’s a rich appetizer choice but a worthy segue into the larger-format items, like crispy braised duck leg with gnocchi and chanterelle mushrooms, and (original or red-hot) fried chicken with cheddar-chive biscuits and jalapeño ranch dressing. Sunday brunching the Merriment way means a playful mix of treats for the table (breakfast sausage potstickers, chocolate-bacon custard-filled donuts) and big, savory, messy-delicious large plates that will fill you up all day – things like the kielbasa delight (smoked Polish sausage with beer cheese, fried eggs and hash browns) and duck confit hash with cheese curds, fried Brussels Photo courtesy of Kailley Lindman/Merriment Social
DiningExtra_Review_Merriment Social.indd 51
CO-OWNER ANDREW MILLER HAS STUDIED WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T. WHAT DOES? BURGERS... sprouts and fried eggs. Whimsical plates keep the menu from becoming stagnant. Not long into Merriment’s first several months, Miller hinted about future restaurant endeavors. And lo and behold, the three partners met the close of 2016 by opening the elegant seafood emporium Third Coast Provisions on Milwaukee Street. ◆
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
51
3/2/17 7:4
PIZZA
WY’EAST PIZZA Portland, Oregon’s loss is Washington Heights’ gain with this pie maker that treats its oven like a newborn babe. BY ANN CHRISTENSON
SECONDS FROM THE OVEN, the pizza takes its spot on the chrome tray stand, its surface radiating heat. The crust is puffy and charred in all the right places and blanketed in basil-walnut pesto and yellow squash. Summer is packed in every bite. The Pesto Plateau was a seasonal creation at Washington Heights’ Wy’ East Pizza, which opened in May 2016, to an almost immediate line out the door. Owners James Durawa and Ann Brock are seasoned entrepreneurs – they ran a cult-followed pizza camper in Portland, Oregon, before returning to Wisconsin and the worn-out building they transformed into a warm, welcoming, 28-seat venue whose menu revolves around pizza. But there’s also more to the menu, which the couple has rolled out very gradually, as they felt confident of their greatness. The Wy’easters serve roughly a dozen “prebuilt,” 14-inch pies ($14-$22). By later in 2016, Durawa had debuted his wonderful, chewy sourdough focaccia, served with rotating dipping sauces,
52
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Wy’East Pizza.indd 52
along with a few salads like the grated beet with “house-crisped” shallots. Diners order and pay at the counter, then grab their number and a seat in the small, bright room decorated with reminders of Oregon’s Mount Hood (known by its tribal name, “Wy’east”). Durawa took time getting to know his
DINE OUT 2017
3/6/17 3:2
Photos by Adam Ryan Morris
DiningExtra_Review_Wy’East Pizza.indd 53
DINE OUT 2017
MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
53
3/2/17 5:5
Forno Bravo oven before giving the public a taste. Judging from pizzas I devoured, Durawa has found his rhythm: The Cape Blanco starts with an olive oil, mozzarella-ricotta base, then meets garlic and sausage. Another boldly flavored winner, the Hot Marmot, has pepperoni, garlic and sweet-hot Peppadew peppers. With sweet Italian sausage and abundant red onion, the Hogsback is a meat-lover’s pie. And we musn’t forget that seasonal special, spotlighting vegetables, herbs and cheeses from local purveyors.
54
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
DiningExtra_Review_Wy’East Pizza.indd 54
WY’EAST PIZZA 5601 W. Vliet St., 414-943-3278. HOURS: Dinner Wed-Sun. PRICES: Pizzas $14-$22. There’s lots to like about this friendly counter-service joint, and I’m not just talking pizza. Save room for Purple Door ice cream sandwiches. There’s an amazing phenomenon that occurs after eating large amounts of Wy’East pizza. The ice cream slides easily down! ◆
DINE OUT 2017
Photo by Adam Ryan Morris
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Review_Wy’East Pizza.indd 55
3/2/17 5:5
FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Dining Listings Bacchus 925 E. Wells St., 414-765-1166 American Nouveau Square lines, leather booths and an elegant bar define this Cudahy Tower space, a sure bet for foie gras, Strauss veal and the porterhouse for two. Desserts are definitely worth a look.
Balistreri’s Bluemound Inn 6501 W. Blue Mound Rd., 414-258-9881 Italian The second location to open, still known for their tasty pizza and cozy atmosphere, but also specializing in steak, elaborate Italian dishes, and fresh seafood. Enjoy one of Milwaukee’s best pizzas, served by artisan pizza makers for over four decades. And for the foodie, don’t miss out on the fegatini in padella 56
DiningExtra_Listings.indd 56
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
(sautéed chicken livers) or pane accuighe (anchovy bread).
Balzac Wine Bar
1716 N. Arlington Pl., 414-755-0099 American Nouveau Walker’s Point and Bay View may be known for small plates, but the East Side offers this casual, low-lit venue just off Brady Street. Share some deviled eggs, a charcuterie plate, mussels, and others from chef Rebecca Berkshire’s menu.
Bella Italiana
Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St., 414-8477626 Italian Take a break from the slot machines and enjoy delicious Italian apps such as fried artichoke hearts tossed in Parmesan cheese and served with white truffle aioli.
Botanas
816 S. Fifth St., 414-6723755 Mexican You don’t have to go to the Guadalajara, Mexico, hometown of Chef Jamie to taste the finest Mexican cuisine. Liven things up with the chef’s spicy chicken wings or choose from an array of enchiladas. Serving over 100 tequila brands and a selection of imported beer, you’ll be sure to find your favorite drink.
Centro Cafe
808 E. Center St., 414-4553751 Italian Owners furnished this storefront with a salvaged marble-top bar and old church pew seating. The affordable menu offers simple pasta, app and pizza preparations. Favorites: pan-fried gnocchi, grilled calamari and scallops, and penne with salsiccia.
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Listings.indd 57
FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Crave Bar and Food
10401 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, 262-241-9600 American Newly opened restaurant and bar with a relaxed yet upscale feel. Be sure to check out the WISCO Burger topped with onion rings, beer-battered white cheddar cheese curds, applewood-smoked bacon and a buttermilk ranch sauce.
Downtown Kitchen
777 E. Wisconsin Ave., 414-287-0303 Located Downtown in the U.S. Bank building, this is a go-to gathering place for breakfast and lunch serving sandwiches, salads, Northpoint Custard burgers, sushi and more. If you’re stuck in the office, check out their catering service.
Golden Mast Inn
W349 N5293 Lacy’s Lane, Okauchee, 262-567-7047 European With a German influence, the Wiener schnitzel is a
house specialty and must try. Prepared with tender veal, dipped in egg and homemade breadcrumbs, sautéed golden brown and served with spaetzle. Enjoy the extensive wine list from all around the world.
Harbor House
550 N. Harbor Dr., 414-3954900 Seafood Like sitting in an upscale fish house in New England — that’s the intention. Windows on three sides present an impeccable view of Lake Michigan on a clear day. Serves a stellar buffet-style Sunday brunch. The oyster bar and caviar service are highlights.
Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub
222 E. Erie St., 414-727-9300 American Nouveau The menu veers between elegant (pan-seared duck) and casual (burger) and offers great weeknight bar specials like $5 pho (Mondays) and $3 tacos (Tuesdays). DINE OUT 2017
I.d. Restaurant
415 Genesee St., Suite 1, Delafield, 262-646-1620 Small Plates This modern hotel restaurant serves a sophisticated yet approachable menu ranging from shaved Brussels sprouts with soft egg to pig head with 10-year-old cheddar grits.
Joey Gerard’s
5601 Broad St, Greendale 414-858-1900; 11120 N. Cedarburg Rd., Mequon, 262-518-5500 Supper Club A Hollywood-style supper club adorned with dark leather booths and walls covered in black-and-white photos of celebrities in the 1950s and ’60s. Whether you’re in the mood for organic salmon or a bonein rib eye, chef Andrew Ruiz cooks up some mouthwatering dishes.
Lake Park Bistro
3133 E. Newberry Blvd., 414-962-6300 French Bartolotta-owned and set in historic Lake Park MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
57
3/2/17 5:5
FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Pavilion, LPB has the decorative elements of a fancy French farmhouse. It’s as comfortable to eat at the bar as it is at a table in the warmly lit dining room facing Lake Michigan. Try the steak tartare, Dover sole and mousse au chocolat.
Mason Street Grill
425 E. Mason St., 414-298-3131 American Nouveau, Steak The best seat in the house is at the kitchen counter, where you can watch your crab cakes, chopped salad, and NY strip with Delmonico potatoes as they’re being prepared. The leather booths offer privacy, and the bar, live entertainment and a nifty bar menu. Other standouts: fried surf clams and herb crumb-crusted halibut.
Milwaukee Art Museum’s Café Calatrava
700 N. Art Museum Dr., 414224-3200 American Nouveau You’d expect a resto at the Quadracci Pavilion to be bright, modern and anti-caf58
DiningExtra_Listings.indd 58
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
eteria. Entrées are inspired by feature exhibitions.
Milwaukee Sail Loft
649 E. Erie St., 414-223-0100 Seafood Finish your cruise down the Milwaukee River by making a dock stop here. There’s an abundance of options for the seafood lover and an assortment of beer and wine with specials every night of the week. Be sure to cure the Monday blues with an exciting game of trivia and a pound of mussels for only $10.
Miss Beverly’s Deluxe Barbeque
5601 Broad St., Greendale, 414-858-1911 BBQ The place to go for housesmoked ribs smothered in Miss Beverly’s homemade barbecue sauce. Cooked first in a smoker, then an infrared boiler gently charring the outside without losing the smoky flavor.
Mr. B’s Steakhouse
18380 W. Capitol Dr, Brook-
field, 262-790-7005 Steak Tables with checkered cloths dominate the spacious dining rooms, where the bill of fare includes various cuts of beef and seafood.
Northpoint Custard
2272 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., 414-727-4886 American Open only during the summer months, Northpoint offers a way to cool off from a rigorous game of volleyball at Bradford Beach. Located right on Lake Michigan, the stand offers its famous frozen custard along with other Wisconsin classics such as cheese curds, onion rings and burgers.
Pizzeria Piccola
7606 W. State St., Wauwatosa, 414-443-0800 Italian If you’re looking for a truly authentic pizzeria, this Bartolotta restaurant is the place for you. Known for their handmade dough, fresh Italian ingredients and pizzas
DINE OUT 2017
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Listings.indd 59
FEATURED ADVERTISERS
cooked to perfection in a wood-burning oven.
Ristorante Bartolotta
7616 W. State St., Wauwatosa, 414-771-7910 Italian The old family photos and unpretentious, tight-fitting dining room make diners feel at home. Head chef Juan Urbieta keeps folks coming back for the brick-style chicken and hand-cut pappardelle with duck ragu.
The Rumpus Room
1030 N. Water St., 414-2920100 American Aficionados of craft
beer and spirits are the people seated at the bar. Culinarily, this acrossfrom-the-Marcus-Center venue straddles the line between pub food and just homey, goes-withany-drink food.
Sala
2613 E. Hampshire St., 414-964-2611 Italian Red walls and lots of colorful canvases populate the dining room of this casual Italian a block from UW-Milwaukee. Pastas are the better choices (from a menu that includes pizzas, shrimp scampi, and chicken saltimbocca). Start with an app like breaded eggplant or baked goat cheese in tomato-basil sauce.
Sendik’s
With 14 different locations, Sendik’s is committed to bringing their customers quality products and phenomenal customer service. Pick up one of their Real Food magazines at the checkout counter; Photo courtesy of Sendik’s
DINE OUT 2017
all proceeds go to charity. You’ll find all sorts of seasonal recipes, food trends and new products.
Transfer Pizzeria Café 101 W. Mitchell St., 414-7630438 Pizza Converted from a classic corner drugstore, Transfer has no shortage of pizza toppings, salads or panini. Happy hour from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and live music multiple nights a week. Gluten-free options are available for pizza, bruschetta and dessert.
Zak’s 231 S. Second St., 414-2715555 American One of the first brunch spots to open in the spruced-up Walker’s Point neighborhood. With plentiful brunch options to choose from, you’ll be sure to fine one to suit your palate. Don’t miss out on the Friday lunch fish fry, available in cod, perch, shrimp or a combination. MILWAUKEEMAG.COM
59
3/2/17 7:4
T U O E DIN
S L A DE
R
ENJOY THE CITY’S BEST
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 60
WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK
Photo by Getty Images
3/2/17 5:5
FEATURED ADVERTISERS ◆ DINE OUT DEALS
TANAS BO
RESTAURANT 816 S. 5th St. | Milwaukee 414.672.3755 • Just 1/2 block south of 5th & National •
botanasrestaurant.com
Buy 1 Regular Margarita on the Rocks
GET
ONE FREE
EXPIRES: 5/31/17 MON-THURSDAY, DINNER ONLY
2 1 FOR
Wine Flights with Purchase of 2 Entrées
808 E. Center St. | Milwaukee 414-455-3751
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 61
centrocaferiverwest.com
Red or White Italian Wine Flight (selections designated on wine menu) 3 2-oz pours each (Value $12)
EXPIRES: 10/31/17
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 62
t
Not va
F
D
3/2/17 7:4
FEATURED ADVERTISERS â—† DINE OUT DEALS
FREE APPETIZER with the purchase of
two full price cocktails EXPIRES: 12/30/17 Not valid with any other offer or promotion. No Cash Value. Valid Only in Envoy Lounge.
2308 W. Wisconsin Ave. | Milwaukee | 414.345.5000 EnvoyMilwaukee.com | AmbassadorMilwaukee.com
FREE Drink or Glass of Wine
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 63
With the purchase of a $35 step-by-step class. Must register online & present coupon upon visit.
4511 S. 6th St. | Milwaukee 414-419-0000 farmhousepaintandsip.com
EXPIRES: 12/31/17
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 64
o
3/2/17 7:4
FEATURED ADVERTISERS â—† DINE OUT DEALS
Buy an entree and receive a
COMPLIMENTARY COCKTAIL EXPIRES: 10/31/17 CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. LIMIT 2.
649 E. Erie St. | Milwaukee | 414.223.0100 | MilwaukeeSailLoft.com
Free Glass of House Wine
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 65
With Purchase
RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED Minimum $8 purchase. Choose from House Red or House White. EXPIRES: 04/30/18
2613 E. Hampshire St. | Milwaukee 414-964-2611 SalaDining.com
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 66
$
G
y
mi
3/2/17 7:4
FEATURED ADVERTISERS â—† DINE OUT DEALS
$10 OFF
minimum purchase of $30 for dinner.
EXPIRES: 10/31/17 Dine in only. May not be applied to tax or gratuity. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Must present coupon to server.
101 W. Mitchell St. | Milwaukee | 414-763-0438 | transfermke.com
GET $5 OFF
your subscription milwaukeemag.com/subscribe
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 67
PROMO CODE:
SAVE5
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 68
3/2/17 7:4
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 3
FEATURED ADVERTISERS â—† DINE OUT DEALS
3/2/17 5:5
DiningExtra_Coupons.indd 4
3/2/17 5:5