The Noble

If you’re wanting to check out a fresh, hot spot these days, chances are you are going to be heading over to the Walker’s Point neighborhood, which in my opinion should be renamed “foodie heaven.”  Add The Noble to your list if you are looking for a quaint and vintage ambiance, coupled with sophisticated, comfort food.  The menu is about as small as the place (with only 7 tables and 8 bar stools inside), but packs a punch with the daily specials and the drink menu.  Rivaling the Blond Manhattan I had at the Rumpus Room, The Noble’s, Blood Orange Manhattan (made with Bulleit Whiskey) certainly gave a smooth entry into evening.  We tried two of the Saturday night specials, which I highly recommend.  First the chorizo mussels, which really had a nice, bright and zesty dipping sauce, and then the creole red-fish that was seasoned and cooked to perfection, served over rice.  The Noble is as refreshing as it is gratifying.  I will definitely be returning.

Braise

Much like the beginnings of a new relationship…fresh, spontaneous, and delicious, Braise certainly hits a home run with the whole experience of it all.  Putting out the most interesting wine list in Milwaukee (please try a glass of  Barbera) and a spirits list that doesn’t include Maker’s Mark, but Four Roses bourbon, certainly started the evening off with a bang.  Moving into the busy dining room on a Tuesday night, I was impressed with the sharp staff, the community style seating, and the smell that was coming from the open kitchen.  Sitting at a counter looking directly into the kitchen (the best seat in the house), I was quickly greeted with an introduction to the farm-to-table mission of the restaurant and appraised of the fact that the menu changes DAILY, according to the food that was delivered from a Wisconsin-only-farm.  After ordering several appetizers that included fresh fennel and the best tomato soup I’ve ever experienced (served with cilantro cream), I didn’t want this incredible culinary experience to stop, so I ordered a home-made potato gnocchi dish with zucchini and mushrooms.  This dish quickly reminded me of my Russian, great-grandmother’s vareniki (a pierogi to some), with a seared potato dumpling after it has been boiled.  I know it sounds simple, but this extra crunchy layer of flavor is as “secret ingredient” as they come!  After dinner, Chef David Swanson greeted us and spoke with us for a significant amount of time, capping an unforgettable evening with integrity.  Thank you, Braise.

Cioppino

I took advantage of a recipe last night that was recently published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, with some great results.  The recipe was published as a request from a Third Ward Caffe patron wanting to recreate the caffe’s to-die-for, Friday and Saturday night cioppino.  Let me tell you, if the in-house method is even half as good as my dutch oven’s skills, you must head straight down to the Third Ward neighborhood and try some for yourself.  Of course this fresh fish dish got me thinking about great meals again, and where else a great cioppino may be in store for you.  My taste bud memory quickly brought me back to Roots Restaurant and Cellar, in this case for their elegant San Francisco Cioppino.  Their version is even served in a personal cast iron skillet with a delicate fennel, tomato broth.  Next, I would move onto one of Milwaukee’s best views of the lake at the Harbor House.  As garlicky as the winter days are long, this version is simply complex.

Try all three, (or at least give the recipe a try at home)!

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Smoke Shack

Well, Happy Fat Tuesday everyone!  I wish I could indulge this evening with you at Turner Hall for their second annual Mardi Gras Bash, but I had quite the fat Monday (to say the least).  We checked out the Smoke Shack for some bbq last night in Milwaukee’s Third Ward neighborhood. Due to the 2.5 hour wait on the weekend we figured a Monday night would give us a chance to get at some of that scrumptious bbq in a reasonable amount of time!  My husband and I consider ourselves to be quite the bbq connoisseurs, as we’ve even pursued a “bbq road trip” down to St. Louis, Memphis, and Nashville a few years back.  Even though the Smoke Shack has a nicer interior than most of the places we patroned while we were down south, we were still impressed with the service, the sauces, and the tender meat selection the Smoke Shack laid out for us.  The Smoke Shack ‘s motto is, “Quality meats, dry rubbed, slow smoked and sauced by you.”  So naturally we ordered the four-meat combo, which is a delicious sampling of House made Sausage, Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken and Sliced Brisket, (as they were out of their ribs).  Served with corn bread and mac and cheese, this meal was a pleasant memory of southern hospitality.  I still can’t get over the sauces!!!   The decision is totally up to you, whether you are a Kansas City, sweet and smokey, a Texas Bbq, tomato based with a little kick at the end, a House Bbq, not too much of one thing and just enough of the others, or a Carolina Gold, mustard based with a vinegar bite, each will bring out the ultimate flavor of the meat (or the mac and cheese)…really whatever you are inclined to spread it on!  This dark, kitschy locale is a must visit, even with a menu at the pricier end for bbq.  You can even find out what your “blues name” is!

See y’all later.

Salty vs. Sweet

Thank you, Anne, for you kind words yesterday per milwaukeeisnotthatbad.com.  You definitely got me typing again!

I’ve had this idea for a while now…it all started when I was leaving the Iron Horse Hotel after a date night with my husband at Smyth, (which I just have to say, I love the “bar food” at the Iron Horse so much more than their “upscale” selection).  After dinner, my hubby desperately wanted something sweet as we headed to our favorite late-night dessert place in the bar/cocktail area at Bacchus for their Molten Chocolate Hazelnut Cake and a quick glass of Mirabelle champagne.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a fabulous way to end the night, but my salty craving is just as strong, as his sweet…and no, bacon ice-cream does not do it more me either!  I just couldn’t stop thinking about the Iron Horse’s  house-made truffle chips and wondered why I decided to order a $30+ steak instead.  Well here’s my plight for individuals who crave the savory and tried and true places you can find home-made potato chips to satisfy your inner-salty.

• Cafe Lulu
• Saz’s State House Restaurant
• Bigg’s Roadhouse
• Swingin’ Door Exchange
• Miss Katie’s Diner
• Kokopelli’s Pub & Grub
• O’Lydia’s

Cafe One24

I think it’s safe to say that great restaurants in the burbs are hard to come by, as most of them are chains with high calorie options.  When Cafe One24 opened up in Brookfield, it was not only intriguing being new, but everything about its clean eating philosophy seemed to good to be true…even one of a kind.  Located in between a Chipolte and a Culver’s (on 124th and capital), Cafe One24 wasn’t very busy on a Tuesday evening.  I met a few friends with wide smiles ready to dive into a new menu.  The wine list was decent, nothing very high-end, in fact many of the options you can actually get at Thief Wine in their $10 and under table (although no qualms there).  After splitting a lovely crostini trio of smoked chicken, wild mushroom, and fresh tomato and basil, in addition to our cafe salad, I was pleasantly surprised.  It was when it came to the main dish of the evening, when I became disappointed.  My friend and I decided to split the flank steak, after over indulging in appetizers.  An herb crusted, grass fed flank steak, with braised rainbow chard, and sautéed wild mushroom sounds amazing, right.  Well, to our dismay it was over cooked and quite tasteless.  I keep thinking maybe this is completely my fault for ordering steak at a new, shi-shi organic place, but if you’re new and trying to make it, everything on that menu should be delightful and cooked to taste.  I’m not saying, don’t try it, but the “experience rich in taste,” on their website wasn’t quite a truism in our case.

The Chili Bowl

Next Sunday look forward to getting your “chili on” at Milwaukee’s own, Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s new Expo Center for the 6th Annual Chili Bowl competition.  From 11am until 4pm, you may indulge yourself in over 30 area hot spots, showing off their BEST version of chili (well really you get to choose 8, three-ounce samples and complimentary soft bread sticks from Peter Sciortino’s Bakery).  Although there is only one “Golden Ladle Award,” it is up to you to choose the BEST original, vegetarian, spiciest, and most unique chili!  This event is $12 in advance and $15 at the door and proceeds will benefit the Hunger Task Force.  Don’t forget your non-perishable food donations as well!

Attn all Foodies:

A February 2nd event that is being held at Milwaukee’s, Iron Horse Hotel, will certainly give our mid-winter blues a boost (well, at least our taste buds)!  Wisconsin Foodie’s own Kyle Cherek is hosting the Thursday night event, entitled Sound Bites, which will be centered around pairings of food and music, benefiting 88Nine Radio Milwaukee.  Top Milwaukee chefs from Pastiche Bistro and Wine Bar, Hinterland, La Meranda, Umami Moto, Firefly Urban Bar and Grill, Bartolotta Resturant Group, Ryan Braun’s Graffito and Trocadero are collaborating with 88Nine DJs to develop the perfect playlist to accentuate the evening’s dishes.  For a ticket price of $125 you will be able to enjoy eight chef-hosted tasting stations, passed champagne, sample wine, spirits and craft beer selections from Milwaukee Brewing Company, Great Lakes Distilary, and Wollersheim Winery, as well as a chance to win fantastic music collectibles in the Rock ‘n Raffle.  Tickets to Sound Bites may be purchased on the 88Nine Radio Milwaukee website.  This is one Milwaukee event that should not be missed!

Foundation Tiki Bar

Tonight is one of those nights where visions of tiki bars (on the beach) are running through my head.  Low and behold, Milwaukee’s only Polynesian themed bar is only blocks away in the Riverwest neighborhood.  Known for its killer Mai-Thai (which certainly gives Bangkok House a run for their money), Foundation serves up a mean Hawaiian version of this popular cocktail.  But that’s not all friends, the Foundation has an ambiance and drink list along the lines of Byant’s and At Random (my two favorite winter date spots), with a lot of rum.  Just think Polynesian in Wisconsin, and you have it!  Don’t miss, the Singapore Sling, nor the Little Grass Shack, and that’s the end of my advice…the rest is for you to experience yourselves.

Gluten Free Options

I love my mother dearly, but I’m being completely honest when I say, sometimes it’s difficult to have dinner with her due to her gluten-free dietary restrictions.  What I’m finding though, is that more and more Milwaukee restaurants are adding more gluten-free options (especially pasta, even pizza and bbq sauce) to their menus, which just makes my mom happy and my life a lot easier!  So, whether you have a dietary restriction yourself, a loved one does, or you just don’t like gluten because you think its bad for you, here are some fantastic hot-spots to hit up!

• Restorante Bartolotta in Wauwatosa
• Centro Cafe in Riverwest
• Transfer Pizzeria in Bayview
• Il Mito in Wauwatosa
• Beans and Barley on the Eastside
• Eddie Martini’s in Wauwatosa
• Water Buffalo in the Third Ward
• Cafe Manna in Brookfield
• Stack’d Bar in the Third Ward
• Cafe Tarragon in Bayview
• Saz’s in Milwaukee
• Roots in Brewer’s Hill