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Wisconsin Dining Information
- Busy Beans and Barley is always worth the wait
- Though business is steady for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the atmosphere at Beans and Barley, 1901 E. North Ave., always quiet and calming. Even the people waiting for tables seem at peace (unlike the frenetic crowds you find in some restaurant waiting lines). Once seated, you'll find a pleasing variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian sandwiches, soups and dishes made with fresh ingredients that will leave you pleasantly stuffed.
- The Social closes its doors
- This weekend, The Social closed its doors. After nearly five years in business and two Fifth Ward locations, The Social served its last meal last week.
- Quick, good food is Black and White
- For Black and White Café owner Feras Rahman, dreams of owning a restaurant came to life last month when he opened the doors to his first café. A mix between fast food style speed and fresh, cooked to order specialties, Black and White Cafe is making an impression that is good and simple.
- Cole helps make Kincaid's a success
- There is one Downtown restaurant challenging the stereotype of chains with a locally run corporate approach. Thanks to Chef Jason Cole, a Wisconsin native, Kincaid's Fish, Chop and Steakhouse successfully bridges the gap between corporate and local with incredible views of Milwaukee, personalized menus and local staff.
- Juniper 61 drawing diners
- A recent visit to Juniper 61, 6030 W. North Ave., found it hopping with customers. And during a quick chat, co-owner Cameryne Roberts said the neighborhood is coming out in force to check out the newest restaurant in eastern Tosa.
- Popular appetizers: 1960-present
- Because I'm in snack-making mode, I thought a lot about hors d'oeuvres lately, and for an unknown reason, challenged myself to find the top appetizer for each of the last four decades. How did I do?
- Chinese restaurant guide
- There have been Chinese restaurants in Milwaukee for decades and decades and some of the originals still remain. Here's an updated guide.
- Johnson, Montemurro plan cafe in Annona space
- If you were bummed out when Annona Bistro closed in October, take solace in knowing that a new restaurant will soon take its place. Though the new restaurant doesn't have a name yet, chances are it'll be good -- because it's set to become the latest venture from Scott Johnson and Leslie Montemurro.
- Diablos Rojos set sights on Tosa Village
- Wrapping up months of simmering rumors, Mike Eitel, co-owner of the Milwaukee-based Diablos Rojos Restaurant Group, today told OnMilwaukee.com about the company's plans to open a second Cafe Hollander in the village of Wauwatosa.
- No-frills Shiraz serves up fresh, delicious dishes
- Located just north of the intersection of Oakland and Locust Street, Shiraz's small storefront facade is a little hard to find unless you're looking for it. Once inside, you'll wonder how you never found this place before. Aside from wine glasses, flatware and entrée plates for dining in, everything at Shiraz is served casually on disposable plates. The atmosphere is low-key, but the food is outstanding.
- Conejito's offers speedy service, cheap food
- In 1972, José Garza opened the popular Mexican restaurant, Conejito's Place in Walker's Point. Since then, the no-frills eatery unofficially landed on the A-list of underrated Milwaukee establishments and has an almost cult-like following.
- Sal's is a welcome addition to city's slice selection
- Owner Fini Elmazi runs his family-operated business in a quaint space with a handful of dine-in tables and a fireplace. From the outside, the eatery can be easy to miss as its façade tends to blend in with the towering building above it, but once inside, the food makes Sal's Pizzeria a worthy find on the Marquette University campus.
- Wisconsin Foodie: Kohler's Food and Wine Experience
- "Wisconsin Foodie" airs online and on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. on WISN-TV Channel 12. Each episode will now also feature a blog on OnMilwaukee.com. Here's the first from host Kyle Cherek.
- New York Pizza Delivery rises on North Avenue
- New York Pizza Delivery (NYPD), 231 E. North Ave., is the brainchild of Abel Hamdan, a life-long East Side resident, who is not only seeking to transform this part of the city but also provide jobs and entice additional investment in the area.
- Zilli Lake and Gardens to replace Coast
- Coast, 931 E. Wisconsin Ave., will start renovations to become Zilli Lake and Gardens on Jan. 1. The new venue will be for private rentals only.
- Lulu's sister, Juniper 61, opens in Tosa
- Sarah Jonas and Cameryne Roberts, whose Lulu restaurant and bar was a catalyst for Bay View's renaissance have opened their new restaurant, Juniper 61, in the former Shiraz space at 6030 W. North Ave. in Wauwatosa. For someone who relied heavily on Lulu in the pre-explosion Bay View days and now lives on Milwaukee's West Side -- in walking distance from Juniper 61 during warmer months -- this is very welcome news.
- Clear Lounge goes brown
- No, the name isn't changing and neither is the color scheme of the modern lounge at the InterContinental Hotel in Downtown Milwaukee. But with the arrival of its unique in Milwaukee "Chocolat Bar," patrons will be seeing a lot of sumptuous, tempting brown at Clear.
- Comfort food, value are a winning combo at Pitch's
- Barbecue ribs and pasta may not dovetail with your ideal image of a holiday meal, but regardless of what you order at Pitch's Lounge and Restaurant, 1801 N. Humboldt Ave., wintertime food never felt so comfortable and good. Like its sister restaurant, Miss Katie's Diner, guests find solid, affordable and filling meals with reliable presentation, flavor and service.
- A guide to dining out this holiday
- Some restaurants offer their regular menu and some are cooking up something a little different. Either way, they are staying open for you. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the chefs at these restaurants want to host your family for a special holiday.
- Subs on Water, a McDowells' moment
- The Cousins restaurant at 1020 N. Water St. in Downtown Milwaukee closed in late May and has since become Subs on Water. I can't help but make a comparison to McDowell's.
- Scouting report: J. Roberts serves 6-course value
- Updates to the exterior and a basic interior face-lift have given J. Roberts Porterhouse a slightly more modern feel than its predecessor on Layton Avenue, but the new owners have retained a similar menu and supper club-type atmosphere. The largest change is in the premise of the dining experience, which has evolved into a multi-course dining concept with emphasis on value.
- Thermometers determine price of Bella burgers
- On Monday, Bella's Fat Cat, 2737 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., has burgers for whatever the thermometer reads.
- Ginger brings life back to former Barossa building
- It's difficult not to want to compare the new Ginger to its former existence as Barossa. Although, as completely separate entities that just happen to share a common space and owner, seasoned Milwaukee restaurateur Julia LaLoggia -- it's not entirely fair. Ginger recently opened as a tapas restaurant and lounge in Walker's Point. Check it out.
- Ronald, where's my Downtown McDonald's?
- I just might eat a few more Egg McMuffins if the Golden Arches had a location in Milwaukee's Downtown. Ronald, do you hear me?
- Leftover turkey pot pie
- We tried a new Thanksgiving leftover concoction this year that came out really tasty, so I thought I'd share.
- Satisfaction ebbs and flows at Nanakusa
- Nanakusa Japanese Restaurant, 408 E. Chicago St., can now be classified as one of Milwaukee's veteran sushi restaurants, with more than five years of service under its belt, and it is one of Milwaukee's three premier sushi mainstays. I've visited Nanakusa nearly a dozen times over the years, with varying degrees of success.
- Held's beef jerky is the bomb
- I like beef jerky as much as the next guy, and I have been known to declare that beef jerky is the one thing I couldn't give up if I became a vegetarian. But this specific beef jerky is the best I've ever had.
- Bird on a grill
- A few of you asked about grilling your bird on Thursday, and I'm certainly happy to offer some pointers, although we really don't do anything fancy at all, so you might be disappointed in what I have to say.
- Video of the Day: The perils of frying a turkey
- There are many ways to screw up a Thanksgiving turkey, but a few of them are also very dangerous, as this video demonstrates.
- There's a New American culinary tradition in town
- New American chefs are reinventing everything about American cuisine. From the ingredients to the method of cooking, New American savors the freedom to experiment and create. Characterized by seasonality, New American cuisine remakes classic American dishes in appreciation of the freshest ingredients available. Chefs playfully work with unlikely meats such as bison and antelope while opening the door to meat replacements like tofu and tempeh.
- A guide to exploring Racine's cuisine
- Racine's dining landscape is ever-growing and while you'll still find your fair share of small, mom and pop diners and supper clubs, new, contemporary and ethnically diverse restaurants are popping up downtown. Here is an updated account of what our neighbor to the south is bringing to the dining table. While this list doesn't cover every last eatery, it includes the newcomers as well as several perennial favorites.
- Trade Thanksgiving lunch for brunch?
- To mix it up, we've decided to do something different. Instead of the normal Thanksgiving fare, I've decided to make Thanksgiving brunch. And after careful thought and consideration, here's a list of menu replacements to turn your holiday lunch into brunch.
- Hot dog! Another location for Muna's Dogg Haus
- Milwaukee just can't get enough of its Chicago-style hot dogs. We're apparently chowing down so many that Mazen Muna, owner of The Dogg Haus, is opening yet another location to sell his beloved bun fillers.
- Tosa turns to Piemonte this autumn
- Earlier in the week I told you about the Piemonte regional dinner at Il Mito Enoteca and now it's also time for Bartolotta's annual white truffle extravaganza, too. It seems "my region" is bursting out all over Milwaukee ... or at least all over Wauwatosa!
- A pillowly revelation of a pretzel
- Last month I wrote about a great pretzel I had at Cafe Centraal. Brian Miller -- of Miller Bakery -- saw that and brought over a box of pretzels for us to try. What he brought over were pretzel-shaped revelations and the oohs and aahs from the bedazzled OnMilwaukee.com staffers said it all.
- Iron Horse offers "No Thanks -- Get Tanked"
- The Iron Horse Hotel is hosting a "No Thanks -- Get Tanked" seven-course Thanksgiving dinner that's "heavy on the drink." The dinner will be served in the hotel's library. Guests will sit at communal tables and sample adventurous "Thanksgiving inspired" drinks like Wild Turkey Old Fashioneds, potato vodka shots and cranberry martinis.
- Feker takes Il Mito to Piemonte
- While I might quibble a little with the menu -- being a Piemontese purist and all -- I'm happy that Il Mito Enoteca hosts a "Regional Tour of the tastes of Piedmont" dinner on Friday, Nov. 21 beginning at 7 p.m. I bet Chef Michael Feker will uncork some great barberas for the occasion.
- Gobble, gobble
- Over the years I've come to realize that most people who don't appreciate a Thanksgiving turkey haven't ever had one properly roasted (or grilled as the case may be).
- Veteran Third Ward Caffe offers quiet, tasty refuge
- With so many restaurants opening their doors in the last decade, it's sometimes easy to forget the classics that have been around for 20 or 30 years. One such restaurant is Third Ward Caffé, 225 E. St. Paul Ave., with a cool 26 years of service under its belt. Third Ward Caffe is one of those restaurants perfect for a quiet getaway from the bustle of upcoming holidays.
- Brookfield diners fired up about Stir Crazy
- A week before its grand opening, the proprietors of the Stir Crazy Asian Grill were thrilled about the restaurant's location adjacent to Brookfield Square.
Two months later, it's easy to see why. With solid food and a lively atmosphere, the restaurant has been drawing steady crowds for lunch and dinner in a corridor that includes Claim Jumper, Mitchell's Fish Market, Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Houlihan's.
- Brocach features rare all-you-can-eat fish fry
- The all-you-can-eat fish fry is a dying breed, but Water Street's Brocach Irish Pub and Restaurant still offers it, and not just on Friday nights. In fact, it's available every night of the week for $15. Brocach's fish fry is certainly a massive feast, but does the quality match the quantity?
- Turkey schmurkey
- It's now mid-November, so obviously Thanksgiving is coming; it always does. And while I appreciate the time off work and understand the historical context (however skewed it's become over the centuries), I gotta say; the food frankly bores me.
- "I never went there, but I'm bummed that it closed"
- The Elm Grove Inn, located at 13275 Watertown Plank Rd., closed its doors Oct. 1. I can't say the closing has impacted my life or my dining plans in any way, but I'm bummed about it.
- Next Iron Chef Symon will run Palomar restaurant
- Cleveland-born chef Michael Symon and the 2007 winner of the Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef" has been tabbed to open a new restaurant at The Residences at Hotel Palomar, a coming soon development at 520 W. McKinley Ave. in Downtown Milwaukee.
- Wanna buy La Piazza? It's for sale on Craigslist
- Formerly Node cafe, La Piazza has gone through a couple incarnations over the past year or so, trying its hand at being a cafe, a bar and a pizzeria. Now, the owners are looking to sell.
- Popular Jose's Blue Sombrero offers quick fare
- With a name like Jose's Blue Sombrero, and a tagline of "hip, cheap and no sleep," diners at Jose's Blue Sombrero, 20371 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield, are likely not looking for freshly made, authentic Mexican food when they walk into the doors, but rather a party atmosphere, margaritas on tap and drive-through fast Mexican food -- and that's exactly what they'll get -- after the lengthy wait for a table, which on one visit, was close to 45 minutes.
- Sunday Sound-off: Are bagel shops passé?
- It's been a heavy week of politics, so this week's Sound-off asks a lighter, fluffier question: are bagel shops passé? Are they an old concept that's on its way out, or are bagel shops like Einstein's and Bruegger's as popular as ever?
- Chef profile: Dan McEvoy of H-D Museum's Motor
- Dan McEvoy doesn't just work for Harley-Davidson; he is the spirit of Harley-Davidson. As a hardcore rider with road stories to spare and a life-long bike enthusiast, landing the executive chef position at the Harley-Davidson Museum's restaurant Motor was a dream come true.
- Chefs embrace seasonal foods for fresh fall feasting
- Produce is at its peak when it's ripe, which is why more and more restaurant owners and chefs are steering away from the Syscos of the world and turning to providers in their own regions for fresh, local, seasonal foods. It's a national trend and here in Milwaukee, several restaurateurs are beginning to cook seasonally and shape their menus around what Mother Nature giveth.
- My call liquor and dessert rant
- I seem to be on a service rampage as of late, but my last two months of dining have been riddled with enough poor service to make me want to stay home to eat. In fact, if it wasn't my job to eat out and report the results back to OnMilwaukee.com, and I was just a normal diner, I probably would stay home from now on. It would certainly be much cheaper and less frustrating.
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