eatdrinkmilwaukee

I love it when a new restaurant opens in Milwaukee and it is really good. And you want to strongly encourage your friends to try it!

c. 1880 is in Walker’s Point in the old Olive Pit space on 1st Street. Yet another new entrant for our dining scene that specializes in locally sourced ingredients and promises an ever-changing menu based on what is in season.

They’ve done a nice job updating the space. It is warm and inviting and the décor has old photos and very cool lighting throughout. There is a very great little area in the back that has about 4-5 small tables near a little fireplace that would be the perfect place to have a small groups of friends get together for dinner.

The bar area is nice. They have some very interesting cocktails on the menu and I understand they hired the bartender from DISTIL who specializes in creating very unique selections. As for me I stuck with vino. It is a short list, but a really nice one. I tried a Gruner Veltliner which is one of my favorites and it was really really good and reasonably priced.

And most importantly, the food was delicious. My jumbo lump crab salad with avocados and pink grapefruit was simply spectacular. C. had veal. I had lamb. They sous vide all their meats so both were very tender and juicy. Both had fabulous sauces that were the perfect amount and made the meal. In particular, my lamb was on a morel mushroom puree which I could have eaten by the spoonful if they had it on the menu! We would opt not have the foie gras again. It was ok, but not great. And when they ask you if you’d like a warm roll before dinner, pass. Not worth it. Save your room for dessert and have the Watchamacallit and anything else they have to offer. I don’t like pepper of any form and C. had a torte-like dessert with strawberry, honey, basil and black pepper and even I thought it was delicious. Oh and get coffee. They make it at your table on those old Chemex coffee brewers.

We will be going back again soon to sample more items from the menu. Updates to come!

This one goes on the “just average” list. The one redeeming quality about Trocadero is the patio area. Even when it is cold you can sit on their enclosed heated patio and in the summer move out to the beautiful outdoor patio. Their food used to be quite good. It started as French inspired restaurant and cuisine. Now their menu is some weird hybrid of French and Mexican. And the hybrid is really not all that hot. Examples: the quiche is basically a store bought, doughy shell with some filler and the fried chicken on a waffle was nothing but glorified chicken tenders with barbecue sauce. The service was beyond bad. We should have brought some fireworks to capture the attention of the bartender while we waited for our table. At the end of our meal it was almost amusingly bad. I mean one has to laugh when your dirty dishes sit there through asking for the bill, then being brought the bill, then actually having them take the bill away and still leaving the dishes on the table. It is a shame this wonderful space cannot go back to its early years when it was one of my most favorite places. Now I’d really only go back for a cocktail on their patio.

For those of you visiting Venice, Italy, be sure to make an effort to have lunch or dinner at a little gem of a restaurant called Osteria Oliva Nera. My friend K.D. recommended it to me and I wanted to pass on the tip. It is a lovely little “ristorante” off the beaten track (near Piazza San Marco) which made it all the more special. Dino and Isabella own and and run it and they couldn’t have been more gracious hosts. In fact I still keep in touch with them on Facebook. Truly delightful people. The food is all based on traditional Venetian recipes. We sampled a variety of dishes, but the most memorable clearly was their famous zucchini flower appetizer and the tiramisu. Everything was simply delicious and you should not miss it next time you are there. Be sure to look on their website for directions. It is Venice after all with all its twists and turns. www.olivanera.com. Oh and if you need a cute little place to stay check out their vrbo property http://www.vrbo.com/403413.

This restaurant in Wauwatosa is one of my absolute favorites. I wish it was closer into “my radius”, but it is worth the drive. Lately I have recommended it to so many people I decided it was time to write a new post. They’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is classic French bistro fare done to perfection. For lunch there are salads, sandwiches and the best, their crepes. I had the duck and it was spectacular. C. had garlic braised chicken with a potato puree and haricots verts and it melted in your mouth. They have a great selection sure to please any one. Fish, fowl, steak, lamb, risotto, you name it. The atmosphere is cheerful and reminiscent of a European café. They just started serving their tapas menu from 3-5p.m. Monday – Saturday. I cannot wait to try that, just looking at the menu made my mouth water. Whatever you do, save room for dessert. I really must call it a “patisserie”, because it sure is not your average “bakery”. And, to die for, their fresh baked French bread. If you like macaroons, take a box home like I do. They’re divine. If you read this and have never been here, I cannot encourage you enough to make a point to give it a try.

Meh…..that is about all I have to say for Kil@Wat. It is not a “bad” place, it is just sort of “average”. I will not even bother to provide any details on the food. It was food. The menu was your standard fare. Nothing particularly imaginative. The bar area is actually kind of cool and you get a nice view over Kilbourn and Water Street (get it, Kil@Wat), but the restaurant feels like what it is, a restaurant in a hotel. The InterContinental to be exact. I suppose if I was going to see a show downtown, it might be an option for a bite to eat before dinner, but I’d probably opt for the Rumpus Room instead.

What a fantastic little place in Walker’s Point. It is teeny tiny, so be prepared and get there early. I think at its max capacity, it might seat 20 people, if that. But the ambiance is lovely, it is charming and cozy. The owners and staff were delightful. And the food was very good. My friend J. had a steak which was not “all that”, but my pulled pork with blue cheese mac and cheese and kale was delicious. Yes, I said kale. I really did think I’d even eat the kale since I am not a huge vegetable fan, but it was really really good! The menu is limited (which can be a good thing – sometimes it is better to do a few things really well), but they have a nice selection and feature 3 specials every day – a meat option, a vegetarian option and one more that may or may not be vegetarian. They are also open for Brunch which I plan to try soon. And on Wednesday nights they told us they are going to start showing a movie on the projector that pulls down over the bar, how fun! Oh and let’s not forget, they will have outside seating in the summer. I can already tell this will be one of my favorite places in Milwaukee to frequent since I love the fact their menu is constantly being updated and it is obvious that they truly care about the dishes they are serving.

I tend to post about restaurants I like and not dwell on mediocre ones. However, I thought it was time to create the “don’t bother” list. Those places that are just really not “all that” in my opinion and where it makes more sense to opt for a much better alternative. Here goes – I will update it as needed. Hopefully not too often.

The Eatery and Miss Katie’s Diner and Hotch-A Doo – if you want a good weekend breakfast go to The Comet, The Knick, Beans and Barley, Honey Pie or Cafe at the Plaza

Crisp – if you want pizza on the east side, walk over to Zaffiro’s or take a short drive to Via on Downer

Pasta Tree – if you desire pasta, go to Centro Cafe, Sala da Pranzo or better yet head over to Glorioso’s and buy what you need to make it at home

La Perla and Botana’s – if you want Mexican that is fresh and delicious, Riviera Maya, Cafe Corazon and Cempazuchi are much better pics