Da Bomb
I follow AJ Bombers (1247 N. Water St.) on Twitter, so I see a lot of co-owner Joe Sorge’s posts. An intriguing link this week was to a story on ESPN Sportscenter. It seems that when Milwaukee Bucks power forward/center Jon Brockman arrived for his first season in Milwaukee and didn’t know where to eat, he Tweeted his followers for ideas. What came out of that was a burger of epic proportions – a behemoth called The Brockness Burger. AJ Bombers created this burger for Brockman. The monstrosity features two beef patties, a couple of fried eggs, four pieces of bacon, “pnut” butter (no idea) and cheese. If you’d like to take a gander at it, it’s on this page. Mr. Sorge says it’s available any time through the Bucks basketball season. Bring your Pepcid.
Has the competition between Sobelman’s and AJ Bombers died down… since their “Burger War” was filmed in early May? The victor in that dramatic competition will finally (finally!!) be revealed when the Travel Channel airs this episode on Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. Sounds juicy.
From Armenia, With Love
Sanford Restaurant’s chef de cuisine, Justin Aprahamian, will pay homage to his grandfather with a unique four-course menu available starting Oct. 1. The courses: fried mussels with tabbouleh and red pepper puree; manti (lamb dumplings with spiced yogurt and parsley chicken essence); basturma-spiced duck breast with brandied apricots and rice pilaf; and a duo of gatah (a sweet roll) and walnut cookies. The Armenian menu will run Mondays through Fridays. (1547 N. Jackson St., 414-276-9608)
Mason Street Man
To err is human, to change divine. So that’s not really how the saying goes, but change can be a good thing. A new chef de cuisine is pounding around the kitchen at Mason Street Grill (Pfister Hotel, 425 E. Mason St., 414-298-3131). He is Milwaukee native Thomas Hauck, who comes from a stint at the restaurant Michel Richard Citronelle in Washington, D.C.
Heat and Bowls
Two cool – or would it be, hot? – events are coming up in October. On the very same day – Oct. 9. You can hit them both. First, we have HEAT IT UP! Milwaukee’s Bloody Mary and Chili Challenge at East Town Market in Cathedral Square Park. The East Town Association is taking applicants for this first-time event, held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the 9th. A four-person panel – plus folks who’ve come to hang out and put their tasting skills to good use – will judge the chili and cocktails. Click here if you’d like to be part of the competition. Yeah, I said competition.
You may have heard of Milwaukee Empty Bowls, an organization committed to helping raise awareness about hunger in our community. This nonprofit’s big fundraising event on Oct. 9 (10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) has an interesting premise – buy a bowl ($20 minimum donation) from some 2,000 hand-crafted bowls, and try the soups and breads prepared by more than 50 area chefs. Some of the restaurants (and caterers) participating: Bartolotta Restaurant Group, Bosley on Brady, Chili Lili’s, Larry’s Brown Deer Market, Meritage, Le Rêve and Shully’s Cuisine and Events. Location: MATC – Oak Creek campus (6665 S. Howell Ave.)
Mexican Marvel
No cozier a Mexican food experience can be found than at Riverwest’s Cafe Corazón (3129 N. Bremen St., 414-810-3941). Great Margaritas and tacos – even ones with vegan fillings. Click here to read my recent review from Milwaukee Magazine.
Hey, people: Look for more Dish on Dining on Tuesday!
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If you spot any restaurant openings or closings, don’t hesitate to post them on my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com.
