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The Eatery on Farwell [Flash Review]
24 Oct2011
I still remember when Pepe’s Rockin’ Taco Shack closed and The Eatery on Farwell proudly put out their “Coming Soon” banner on N. Farwell. It’s always exciting to see a new restaurant on the scene and with a name like The Eatery I was intrigued to see what they were serving up.
So, I stopped in on a Sunday recently to check out the brunch and grab a quick bite. I was ecstatic tosee a menu of 25+ different options on the brunch side alone! With options ranging from your traditional Two eggs, American fries and toast ($6.25) to the Milwaukee Breakfast ($13.75), two strips of bacon, pulled ham, smoked Polish sausage, two eggs, American fries, toast and a Pabst Blue Ribbon Tall Boy, you will have a difficult time deciding, I promise.
On this particular visit I opted for a their Short Rib Benedict ($10.95). Made of pulled short ribs, sautéed spinach, and two basted eggs then topped with oatmeal porter BBQ sauce and hollandaise sauce. The base of the Short Rib Benedict was a Ciabatta bun opposed to the traditional English Muffin primarily used in Benedict recipes. And I must say, I prefer I would choose the Ciabatta bun everytime. The dish came with a choice of side and I asked for the American fries. They were clearly fried, crispy and delicious.
Overall, The Eatery impressed me with their menu diversity, depth of choices both for food and drink. (Be sure to give the Pumpkin cocktail served in a glass rimmed with Cinnamon Toast Crunch a try!) Not to be looked over was the service as well. Recommendations and conversation were definitely aplenty when being served by Kevin, if you get him as your server I can promise you’ll be in for a treat!
I look forward to many more visits to The Eatery in order to bring you a more in-depth write-up. Until then, tell me about your experiences at The Eatery on Farwell.
- In: Uncategorized
(Feature written and provided by Heidi Sterricker)
Adjacent to Il Mito Trattoria e Enoteca (6913 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa) is a culinary studio run by the restaurant’s owner and Master of Cuisine, Michael Feker, where he personally hosts specialty dinners, beer and wine tastings as well as one-on-one cooking lessons. I’ve heard excellent reviews about these events and thought it high time that Your Milwaukee Dining take a test drive. Next on Il Mito’s calendar was a three-course beer pairing dinner; duty calls.
When we arrived at the studio, we were welcomed by a polite staff, personalized place settings, a detailed dinner menu and greetings from Chef Feker himself and Lakefront Brewery co-owner, Russ Klisch. Out of 16 total food enthusiasts, our seats were at the counter immediately in front of the preparation area, easily the best in this intimate house.
First course:
Roasted radishes, poblano peppers, mint, shaved red onion and grilled watermelon, all set atop a bouquet of watercress tossed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime. Beer pairing: Lakefront Klisch Pilsner.
While Chef Feker prepped the salads and explained the selection of the ingredients, Russ Klisch walked through the history of Lakefront Brewery (he and his brother are co-owners) and talked about the first beer, the Klisch Pilsner. As you’d expect from a 
craft brewery owner, Russ shared an insane amount of information about beer making and the Klisch Pilsner. He then encouraged us to taste the Klisch Pilsner alone, and then after a few bites of the salad: what a difference! The beer took the bitterness away from the watercress and, the watermelon took on a brighter taste. So far, so really, really good.
Second course:
Chipotle chili marinated beef brisket sliders, slow cooked over hardwood and finished with Ancho chili BBQ sauce. Served with slow cooked pinto beans and sautéed mustard greens. Beer pairing: Lakefront Wheat Monkey. 
The spices in the beans, the savory mustard greens and the slight fruitiness of the Lakefront Wheat Monkey were a wonderful balance with the smoky sliders. As Chef told stories of his and his wife’s food adventures and traditions, we as guests were welcome to ask questions about our dinner courses. He even asked for our input as to what the next beer pairing dinner menu should look like. This was one of many guest-Chef exchanges throughout the night that made for such a unique occasion.
Finally, the third course:
Mexican chocolate cake with orange butter cream frosting and fresh berries. Beer pairing: Lakefront Cherry Lager.
You probably don’t think about beer when you think about dessert—at least I didn’t. But in this case, it was perfect. The Cherry Lager is made with real Door County cherries, a fact you notice immediately when you first smell and taste the beer. Russ also explained that this is one of very few lager fruit beers made today (many beers made with fruit are ales). As Chef Fecker explained, the orange butter cream frosting was made with fresh orange juice and powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, which made it extra sweet. The secret to the chocolate cake? Cayenne pepper—yet another twist that makes Il Mito’s cuisine so popular. The dessert was the perfect ending to this pairing dinner. 
The food and beer was wonderful, but we knew that would be the case. What made the night uniquely cool was the storytelling, recipe-sharing in a cozy, comfortable setting. Listening to Chef Feker and Brew Master Klisch share anecdotes with such passion was an inspiration to cook with more purpose and love at home, and of course, drink more beer.
Be sure to keep track of future tastings at Il Mito. Chef Feker’s passion for food and people alone is worth the price of admission.
Ilmito.com
Lakefrontbrewery.co
Follow Il Mito on Facebook here.
Follow Lakefront Brewery on Twitter here.
- In: Uncategorized
One of the things we enjoy most about Your Milwaukee Dining are the recommendations, observations and overall feedback from our readers and followers. We have visited a number of restaurants based solely on emails and tweets from all of you. That’s actually one reason you’re reading this article right now. A few weeks ago I received a number of messages about Pasta Tree on Farwell. While their food always seems to be absolutely spot on and perfectly prepared the service issues have repeatedly dominated the Pasta Tree conversation.
So with that we headed to Pasta Tree on a Saturday night with 8pm reservations to see if the service troubles were common or just something that happen to pop up every now and there.
Here we go:
7:58pm: We arrived at the restaurant for our 8pm reservations and were immediately greeted and seated in the north dining room where most tables were full and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
8:10pm: Our server introduced himself and took our drink orders as we continued to look over the menu and narrow down our choices.
8:20pm: The server returned with drinks and was quickly asked, “what are you having”? I politely asked if the restaurant had any special dishes for the evening and if he could please tell me about those. He began to rattle offabout 4 or 5 outstanding sounding dishes including a Soft Shell Crab option. (I started to get nervous at this point, as I had been there for 20 minutes and the server was about to completely skip over the special dishes for the evening). After hearing about all of our options we decided to stick with our original choices of of Scallops alla Abruzzo ($19) and Shrimp Pesto Linguini ($20)
8:25pm: Our appetizers of Carrot Soup and a Caesar Salad arrived and were enjoyed as expected.
Let the waiting game begin
8:25pm – 9:10pm: During this time the table was cleared, waters were re-filled and I wish there was more to say, but there’s not. We were promised our dishes were coming any minute and eventually they did, several “any minutes” later.
9:10 pm: Two dishes were brought out to the table and before the second entrée hit the table I knew something was wrong. We quickly told the server that was not what we ordered and he seemed shocked. He apologized for the one incorrect dish and confirmed the other dish was accurate, the lasagna? I felt so defeated and told him I had actually ordered the Shrimp Pesto Linguini and he asked if I was sure. I was very sure and I walked him through our previous conversation step-by-step. He hurried off to the kitchen to correct the error. (Eventually returning to say that Chef had made a mistake with both of our dishes, but didn’t offer any apologies.)
9:15pm: I took a moment to look around the dining room and noticed that it had begun to clear out. I assumed this was a good sign for our wait time and got excited for our long awaited meal.
9:25pm: So 1 hour and 25 minutes after arriving for our meal the correct dishes arrived and it was time to enjoy our food. I asked for a small bit of salt to add to the dish and the eating commenced. Needless to say the hunger at the table had grown exponentially. I actually excused myself from the table and went to speak with the Manager. I did something completely out of the norm and explained to him why we were dining at the restaurant and informed him about the service issues we had consistently heard about it. I wanted him to know what exactly I was experiencing and let him know that had it not been for informing our readers about the service I would have left an hour ago. (I struggled to decide if I was doing the right thing by telling him this, but I couldn’t just leave without telling someone at the restaurant what was happening and at least give him a chance to correct any mistakes. I knew I couldn’t be the only one in the restaurant suffering from their off night.)
9:35pm: It may seem tedious at this point, but after 10 minutes and 2 reminders the requested salt finally made its way to our table.
9:45pm: One hour and 45 minutes after arriving I asked the server for the bill. It was the most painful $78 bill I can ever recall paying. Not once did we receive apologies from the server or any staff member. In fact what I will remember most about the evening are the words spoken by the server as he left with my credit card, “This was ridiculous tonight, I know”.
And with that my Pasta Tree experience was over. 1 hour and 45 minutes I won’t be able to get back. I can’t say I will be back this year to do a follow up review either..it was just that bad.
- In: Uncategorized
Milwaukee’s Historic Walker’s Point welcomed a new restaurant to the neighborhood earlier this year, Industri Café. We made a few trips over to this “Shelter from the Ordinary” to see what exactly was being created in this new establishment and of course snapped a few pictures to help tell the story.
When you walk into Industri Café you immediately forget you on are South 2nd Street between Bruce & Virginia. The open concept, cream city brick walls and warm feel of the wood throughout the restaurant immediately makes you take note of the atmosphere and look around curiously. I am always intrigued and pleased with a restaurant that has enough character and warmth to entertain your eye and Industri does that beautifully.
A good friend of mine and I sat down and browsed over the newly released Spring menu and tried to narrow down our choices. We initially decided to just order a round of drinks, an entrée for each of of us and just catch up. But before we knew it we had decided on two appetizers and a few sides.
Our drink order was taken and our server quickly brought over an order of the complimentary breadsticks that each table at Industri Café gets to enjoy. The breadsticks that night were paired with a Pear Fennel and a Citrus Tarragon Butter. It was a nice touch and one that is always appreciated when you are looking over the menu to make your final dinner choices. 
We started our adventure with the Lobster Sliders ($15.95). 
These came 3 mini Kaiser Rolls to an order and were stuffed with a Belgian endive, balsamic aioli dressing, minced celery and an extremely generous helping of lobster. The only awkward moment at the table was the fact that there were 2 of us and 3 sliders on the plate. I gladly gave the remaining slider to my friend as we were there to celebrate an exciting time in his life. (Congratulations again Brian!)
We couldn’t pass us trying a starter that caught both of our eyes when we first looked over the menu. The Polish Sausage and Fried White Cheddar Curd Mini Kabobs ($8.50) was a dish that didn’t last long on our table. The local kielbasa and cheese curds were placed kabob style on a pretzel stick and served with a maple and rosemary mustard sauce. The sweetness of the maple and sharpness of the mustard paired with the almost bite size sausage and cheese combined everything that I love about Wisconsin into 1 or 2 bites!
Our entrées that night consisted of Braised Angus Short Ribs ($17.50) which was perfectly prepared in a roasted poblano veal demi and served with a raisin and rainbow chard couscous. The ribs were heavy on sauce, but also heavy on flavor. When this entrée was brought out a couple behind us couldn’t help but tell us they had ordered the same dish and were absolutely enamored by the flavors and the tenderness of the meat. (They also enjoyed their Cedar Planked Organic Irish Salmon) 
The House-made kettle chips ($4.29) were a fun side to add-on while dining. The accompaniment of the roasted garlic aioli was wonderful with the sweet and smoky seasoned chips.
A new menu option that we tried was the Valentine Coffee Crusted Pork Tenderloin ($18.95). This juicy and skillfully prepared pork sat beautifully with a side of grilled asparagus, hazelnut oil and tarragon vinegar salad and a crème fraiche dallop on the side. 
The aroma from the Valentine Coffee crusted pork was magnificent and it made me forget about the asparagus that sat waiting for me to enjoy as well.
I couldn’t help but order the Polenta-bacon griddle cakes with maple syrup ($4.50) in addition to my meal. The polenta definitely had a strong bacon flavor, but using the maple syrup brought a sweetness that was pleasing. Don’t be surprised if you can’t finish both Polenta cakes, the richness might limit you to one; I know it did for me.
We finished the night with a “slice” of their Brownie Cake with raspberry frosting. I use the term slice loosely because the portion was extremely large and I don’t think we made a big dent in this, thought we tried, trust me we tried.
Industri Café has been around for less than a year now and they are definitely still working to make sure they keep Milwaukee happy. You can see this in their changing seasonal menu and their involvement with the social media community and local community overall. I thoroughly enjoyed my most recent visit to Industri Café and would encourage you to check them out as well!
- In: Industri Cafe
Sensible Pasta at centro café…
16 Apr2011
Finding a new restaurant that won’t break the bank can be a tough task. So when good friends of ours suggested we try centro café in Riverwest (808 E. Center Street, next door to Fuel Café), we took their advice—and took them with us.
When you walk through the door at centro you’re immediately in the dining room. It’s a small place with a warm, neighborhoody atmosphere, yet it has an open feel as well: the main kitchen is mostly exposed, right next to the dining area. It’s a really unique layout with a newly opened bar upstairs (more on this later).
The menu includes a varied list of pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches, seemingly something to please everyone. What were most pleasing were the prices. With salads and appetizers starting at $4 and entrees starting at $7, centro café should be high on the lists of those with a passion for dining out as well as a rational wallet.
To start, our group ordered the following:
APPETIZERS:
- Bruschetta ($5.00)
- Grilled calamari w/scallops ($9.00)
- White bean dip w/garlic bread ($5.00)
We all ordered pasta for entrees, as there were plenty of compelling options.
ENTREES:
- Linguini w/scallops and spicy tomato basil sauce and sun-dried tomatoes ($13.00)
- Farfalle Alla Giardiniera w/asparagus, carrots, red peppers, mushrooms and tomato basil sauce ($10.00)
- Gnocchi w/roasted red peppers, spinach and white wine sauce with parmesan ($12.00)
- Tortellini w/prosciutto and fontina cheese ($12.00)
- Lobster ravioli tossed w/ shrimp, diced tomatoes and spinach in cream sauce (Special, $15.00)
DESSERT:
- Peach and lemon sorbets ($5.00 each)
As we enjoyed our reasonably priced bottle(s) of Chianti, the appetizers arrived and we dove into the calamari and scallops. We picked up on the grilled flavor right away, which bears mentioning since every calamari plate I’ve ever ordered has been fried; grilling this calamari added to its fresh flavor and texture. Moving on, the bruschetta was presented cleanly and simply. 
Each piece included toasted bread full of diced tomatoes, basil, red onion, herbs and oil. Again, the presentation and preparation are noteworthy as many bruschettas are piled with mounds of topping, making them a messy challenge to eat; this one was quite tidy and quite good. Also there was plenty to pass; $5 went a long way in this case. The white bean dip was a last-minute addition, and a smart one at that. It was light and had pleasant olive oil and garlic flavors. Also at $5, it was another un-pricey success.
All of our entrees happily arrived at the same time. The expectations were high for my lobster ravioli, and I was not disappointed. What really tied the dish together was the tangy lemon cream sauce. That, and the huge pieces of shrimp. Next, I snuck a forkful of tortellini with prosciutto and freshly shredded fontina; I’m planning to order it next time I visit centro.
The farfalle and gnocchi were good—not memorable, but the vegetables were crisp and fresh. But the night’s big winner had to be the pasta special for the evening, linguini with scallops and sun dried tomatoes. The scallops were sweet, the linguini absorbed the tomato basil sauce and the sun dried tomatoes added rich texture and flavor—excellent harmony. It was definitely my favorite dish.
After dinner, we continued our evening at centro’s new bar upstairs; it was opening night in fact. We had a chance to meet centro’s manager, Ruth Weill, as well as the owners, Pat Moore and Peg Karpfinger. They were more than kind and shared stories of the opening the restaurant and the recent renovations to the bar area.
They even treated us to a tasty antipasto of olives, cured meats and hearty crackers, which we happily enjoyed with our round of brandy old fashioneds. They didn’t have to do it, but it showed us another personal touch of a local establishment doing right by the patrons.
Centro café nailed it in all facets of dining: cuisine, service, atmosphere, portion size, presentation and of course, price. We walked away full and happy—and with a few extra bucks in our respective pockets.
(Please note that centro café is cash only at this time – but there is an ATM conveniently located for you to use.)
- In: Centro Cafe
We were honored to appear live on Today’s TMJ4 and provide a few “Cheap Date” restaurant options for Southeastern Wisconsin. Thanks again to Tom Murray and Channel 4 for having us. If you missed our recommendations live, here is a quick list.
Enjoy!
North Shore / Shorewood
Thirst and Vine
4330 North Oakland Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53211-1645
(414) 763-7340
Downtown Milwaukee
Swig
217 N Broadway
Milwaukee
Brookfield/Waukesha
Parkside 23
2300 Pilgrim Square Drive
Brookfield, WI 53005
Racine/Kenosha
Sebastian’s
6025 Douglas Avenue
Racine, WI 53402-5202
(262) 681-5465
Sheboygan
Urbane
1231 North 8th Street
Sheboygan, WI 53081
(920) 783-0814
We know there are many more “Cheap Date” options out there so please feel free to leave your suggestions!
Thanks,
Your Milwaukee Dining
- In: Uncategorized
Three Lions Pub – Shorewood’s British Side
27 Mar2011
Three Lions Pub recently opened in Shorewood taking the place of North Star Bistro that relocated right across the street. After countless days of driving by and trying to peek in I decided to actually stop, park and venture inside to have a look around. I had received a number of questions via Facebook and Twitter about Three Lions Pub and their food/ menu selections so I thought it was a great time for a brief article (more to come later).
Unlike our usual reviews I asked to speak with the manager or owner when I arrived and was introduced to one of the owners, David Price. As David quickly moved from the bar to the kitchen and throughout the dining room all while shaking hands, hugging friends and calling people by name, I knew this was going to quickly become, if it hadn’t already, an amazing neighborhood British pub.
David took me to the kitchen and told me a little about their small menu and the plans they had to grow it little by little. We will be sure to keep you updated as the selections grow! As for what is already coming out of the kitchen I was able to capture the following so you could see just what’s happening in the Three Lions Pub kitchen!
The Fish & Chips ($10.95) are sure to be staple for Three Lions patrons. The unique English Batter recipe was perfect on my cod and it didn’t take long for the entire dish to disappear. The batter was flavorful, but light enough that you still had a great balance to ensure you didn’t overwhelm the actual fish.
A new dish to me was the Welsh Rarbit ($8.95), read that again I said Rarbit, at first glance you might see rabbit as I have been told many customers do. This unique dish is a beer cheese sauce sprinkled with crispy bacon and served with tomato in the center. You’re given toasted wheat bread to dip and enjoy as well. Really an interesting concept and when you put together beer, cheese and bacon you know it’s going to be a hit!
If a burger is something you are in the mood for the Lions Head Burger ($8) with its toasted Brioche bun and handmade 8 oz. patty is a great option. Diners are given the choice of adding mushroom and onion or cheddar, swiss and of course bacon as well!
The kitchen is also preparing an British staple – Pub Chicken Curry and Chips ($11.95) which seemed to be on quite a few tables during my visit. I didn’t have the opportunity to try this time around, but if I had to judge based on smells and photo alone then this would make an appearance on my table the next visit for sure.
With Shorewood losing The Brit Inn back in 2009 it’s nice to see Three Lions Pub in the neighborhood. They are already providing a unique menu and from the looks of the crowd during my visit the locals have embraced them with open arms.
Three Lions Pub is still creating their website so you won’t find a menu there, but we have provided a scanned copy of their menu which can be found here – Three Lions Menu. Please enjoy!
- In: Three Lions Pub
Red Rock Saloon – Let The Wings Begin!
19 Mar2011
Just in time for March Madness our Wing connoisseurs are making it a point to hit Milwaukee’s wing spots! Tom decided hit Red Rock Saloon on Water Street and brought along a fellow wing expert for another set of taste buds…read what they found and see how Red Rock scored on our Wing Rating System!
Atmosphere/Staff – 5 Wetnaps.
Tom: When we walked in, the place made us feel like we were in an authentic southwestern saloon, complete with a mechanical bull. The staff here was awesome. Koz the bartender was in the zone mixing up bloody marys (which we passed on regrettably) and JT took time out of his overloaded schedule to talk to us about our “mission”. Kaity was checking on us regularly to make sure we were kosher (NOTE: the servers dress the role of true cowgirl/cowboy fashion. Win.). It FELT like a place where you would find good wings.
Steve: Red Rock Saloon is fittingly aesthetically southwest. The staff disposition was extremely welcoming and gregarious.
Presentation – 5 Wetnaps.
Tom: JT described his masterpiece sauces and gave us some additional insight on the wings he personally prepared for us; but you’re not going to find out these secrets from us. Stop in and checkout these edible masterpieces for yourself.
Steve: JT delivered our wings with a grin on his face as though he knew it were his magnum opus. Wings were served properly on a plate rather than the average sauce-soaked cardboard. He also gave a great run down of the wings and sauces as though we were at a “jacket required” venue.
Taste – 5 Wetnaps.
Tom: Every wing was like eating prime rib- virtual perfection. The meat literally fell off the bone, complete with ridiculous flavor and leaner than an Ethiopian distance runner. The gypsy wings were sweet with some kick and a slight smoked flavor. The longhorn wings were listed as spicier than the gypsy, but didn’t seem as so to me as they had a bold sweet apricot flavor. The Voodoo wings, an Asian fusion sweet chili garlic flavor, were as my Uncle Mel would say, “A real beaut!” They had a nice full chili flavor and were deceptively mischievously spicy. The Diablo wings are not for the faint of heart. They are the hottest wings on the regular menu with an explosion of chunky habanero goodness cooked right into the wing. After the intense burning set in, I ate everything in sight sans the plate; while Steve was perspiring under his eyes (similar to the first time he watched the Notebook) and was involuntarily silent for about 5 minutes until the burning subsided.
Steve: FINALLY!! A place that has great flavored wings WITHOUT sacrificing a spicy kick! You don’t find this combo at the chain joints. Voodoo was my favorite. The Diablo’s were a great 5 pepper rated choice with the sauce baked right onto the wing. You could also step up to the T.C.B. which is rated 15 peppers. These are perfect for thrill seekers or those on a first date with no interest in anything resembling conversation.
Variety – 5 Wetnaps.
Tom: There are 11 different kinds, including their signature 15-pepper hotness T.C.B. wings with Jolikia ghost peppers, habanero, and Thai bird peppers. In comparison, the aforementioned Diablo wings were “only” a 5-pepper hotness rating. A waiver to eat the T.C.B. wings is required as well as rubber gloves. There is a good variety between flavors and spice, very accommodating to all levels of wing fans.
Steve: Solid variety, covering a range tolerance for spicy and a taste for sweet, without having too many choices would typically lead to multiple “uh… can you give a few more minutes?” They also go beyond the traditional ranch or blue cheese adding southwest ranch and honey mustard to their dippin’s repertoire.
Value – 4 Wetnaps.
Tom: Prices for the Red Rock Gigantic Wings are 8 wings for $8.00, 16 wings for $14.00, and 24 wings for $20.00. These wings are worth every red cent. The price may seem a little high, but you get every bit of what you pay for. What the wings lack in “gigantic” size, they make up for in “gigantic” flavor and taste. This establishment and their wings overall are an easy 5-wetnap, first-round draft choice in my opinion. I would crawl through a mile of uranium and glass to have these wings again. Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but you get the idea.
Steve: Although the atmosphere made me feel as though I could be sitting across the table from Butch Cassidy, I was decidedly not being robbed. Great value!!
Overall – 5 Wetnaps
Steve: Red Rock Saloon sets the bar high with wings so amazing that I have renewed my gym membership and purchased a new pair of running shoes. This is all in preparation for becoming a permanent fixture at this fine establishment and eating my body weight in delicious hot wings!
Tom: In the best way possible, this was the worst place to do our first review. These wings were absolutely incredible. Flavor was great, spice was magnanimous. We were as objective as humanly possible here, but wing after wing continued to impress. This place dominated in all aspects of wingdom. I will definitely be back here, and very soon.
- In: Red Rock Saloon
Hinterland Gastropub – Eat & Repeat!
14 Mar2011
Once again two of our foodies sat down for a few meals, this time at Hinterland. Here’s what they experienced..
We’ve heard nothing but positive things about Hinterland Erie Street Gastropub in the Third Ward (222 E. Erie). Naturally, we felt compelled to weigh in ourselves. Just a couple doors down from Water Street, the restaurant itself is welcoming, warm and spacious-yet-cozy. Long story short, we ordered dinner in the dining room (a popular bar menu is also available) and were blown away. Words were barely spoken as we reveled in the cod cheeks appetizer as well as the grilled cobia and rabbit ragú entrees.
Worth trying? Absolutely. Worth a return trip a few weeks later? You better believe it.
But before we get to the follow-up visit, it bears mentioning that Hinterland changes its menu quite often, sometimes on a daily basis, which makes for a unique dining experience time after time. The restaurant has relationships with small, local farmers as well as access to fresh seafood from both saltwater coasts. The result is a menu that teems with variety and oozes quality. But enough about food sourcing—on to the important stuff.
On our second night, we ordered the following appetizers:
-Wood-Fire Grilled Niman Ranch® Maple Bock Pork Belly (with cauliflower and braised cabbage) $12 
-Tuna Tartare (with jicama, jalapeno, orange and chives) $11
-Moroccan Spiced Quail (paired with almonds, carrot/radish salad and mint raita) $12
-Crispy Veal Sweetbreads (paired with kale, white bean purée and truffle oil) $13
-Charcuterie Plate (included coppa, sopressata and finochiono) $16
The pork belly seemed to be the favorite at the table. The flavor itself was reminiscent of bacon; the texture was meaty, fatty…delicious. If you like bacon, you’ll love this dish. The tuna tartare was so fresh, and the delicate touches of citrus were a nice match: overall, a very refreshing appetizer. When the quail arrived, it looked perfectly petite and delicious. Dark meat fans, this is the one for you. Its rich texture and the Moroccan spices were not overpowering.
Now to the sweetbreads; we’d never tried this dish before. We were pleasantly surprised at its salty, buttery goodness. We continued our escapade and decided to order the charcuterie meat plate, which was my personal favorite. It included coppa (also known as capicola), sopressata (a.k.a. dried salami) and finochiono (another dried meat). It was beautifully presented, including pickles, bread and cheeses—a great match with my glass of red wine.
As if these five dishes weren’t enough, our dear friend at the table insisted we try dessert—all of them.
-Peanut Butter Tart (with caramel sauce and brown butter chocolate ice cream) $10
-Yogurt Panna Cotta (with date, almond and orange marmalade) $10 
-Frozen Chocolate Mousse (with crème anglaise, raspberry coulis and hazelnut crumble) $10
-Raisin, Maple and Almond Brioche Bread Pudding (with luna coffee ice-cream) $10
These desserts were truly works of art—first in appearance and ultimately in taste. Although each of us had a favorite, all were unique and powerful in flavor. It seems strange to refer to dessert as the end to a meal when it makes up half the food—it was more like the second half in this instance. And it was a spectacular half at that.
The second time ‘round was just as delectable as the first. In fact, it was so great that we bought a round of pale ale for the chefs (as the menu gently suggests). And congratulations to Chef Dan Van Rite and the kitchen team for this year’s James Beard nomination. It is well-deserved. As they say: when you’re good, you’re good. And this place is great.
- In: Hinterland
Ginza – Sushi from the Far West
1 Feb2011
Our foodies are on a roll and they set their sights on Ginza Sushi Bar in Wauwatosa! Enjoy!
I’ll admit, I don’t consider myself a sushi connoisseur. However I’ve explored a fair number of sushi restaurants and plenty of sushi varieties over the years. In Milwaukee, there are a few spots I like to visit, but recently I’ve been drawn to Ginza, near the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa. If you happen to be shopping at Mayfair or running errands on Highway 100, bypass the mall dining options and drop in. They’re located in a strip mall just behind Starbucks (2727A Mayfair Road).
To fully explore Ginza’s variety I invited a few friends to join me in tackling the menu. We made it a weekend lunch date and immediately started out with some edamame. The modern atmosphere keeps things lively, including club dance music as well as bold red and black walls. The restaurant also features a 40’ sushi bar as well as some novel touches, like soft drinks (Coca-Cola products) served in traditional glass bottles.
We looked over the menu which is extensive. They even offered a separate “specials” menu that included about two dozen new features. We took liberty and ordered the following:
Caterpillar Roll ($9) = eel, cucumber, topped with avocado and served w/eel sauce
Dynamite Roll ($12) = shrimp tempura, mango, cucumber topped with spicy tuna and coconut flakes
Scorpion King Roll ($11) = soft shell crab, avocado, cucumber and topped in caviar
Funky Monkey Roll ($6) = eel and banana
Sashimi (15 pieces, $18) = tuna, white tuna, sea bass, red snapper and yellow fin tuna
Udon Noodles w/Chicken ($14) = chicken and vegetables stir fried in sweet soy sauce
Deep Fried Red Bean Ice Cream ($4)
Of the specialty rolls, I’d say the Dynamite and the Funky Monkey were my favorites. They were both unique and were actually sweet enough to order as a dessert roll. The Funky Monkey blended similar textures—banana and eel—really well. The use of fruit in rolls always brings out both sweet and spicy flavors, which made the Dynamite a wonderful arrangement. The sweetness of the mango and delicate touch of the coconut flakes really played well with the eel and spicy tuna. 
The Caterpillar was well suited, the group thought, for introductory sushi eaters. The roll is topped with generous amounts of avocado and was whimsically plated, featuring edible eyes and antennae. The Scorpion King lived up to its powerful name as it was full of flavor. The texture variations were very enjoyable, and the tasty soft shell crab and caviar was the perfect touch; each bite gave off a nice little salty explosion. The Udon noodle dish with chicken had a decent, light sauce on it, but in general the dish seemed to lack memorable flavor.
Overall, the sushi itself was very good. Unfortunately, we did have to wait for two rolls that were brought out about 15 minutes after the first set of rolls were served. But the food came through once again as we ended our lunch with Ginza’s deep fried red bean ice cream. Again, texture was the big feature here, as the cold creaminess of the ice cream contrasted deliciously against the warm, crispy tempura batter.
It’s good to know that if you don’t want to head downtown and search for a parking spot, you can head west and find comparable sushi. We’re willing to write off the service snafu as an aberration and will surely return in the future to try a new set of sushi rolls.
- In: Ginza