Prelude to a Rumpus
The most anticipated opening of the fall could be The Rumpus Room: A Bartolotta Gastropub (set for the departed Eagan’s space, 1030 N. Water St.). Some have asked me the background on the name. Well, it’s a simple answer. Joe Bartolotta and his James Beard Award-winning bro, Paul, grew up in a tavern-owning family. The name of the bar run by their dad? The Rumpus Room. Inspired by memories of the Room of yore, the brothers and their staff have been doing their Bartolotta magic with that across-from-the Marcus Center spot. As for the food, they’ve promised gastropub fare and craft beers. Bartolotta’s corporate chef, Adam Siegel, is working with executive chef Andrew Ruiz to develop the menu. I hope to fix my eyes on it soon. As for the roll-out date for The Rumpus Room, the Bartolottas are aiming for the week of October 10th.
Pack It In
A Green Bay Packers game is best enjoyed in a crowd. Is it not? Milwaukee Ale House/Grafton is an incentive-packed place to take in the Pack. The restaurant has two floors for dining, but it’s only upstairs that the Sunday Packers game promos happen. MAH Grafton offers half-time drink specials, including $2 deals on 16-ounce tap beer, house wine and rail cocktails. Also, drawings for gift certificates, T-shirts and hats, and growlers of beer. The staff will also raffle off “VIP Seating” (aka, seating on the couch) for the next week’s game. You can take part in all of these specials this Sunday. The Packers play the Chicago Bears at 4:15 p.m. Hungry for more? MAH Grafton has also been sporting a larger, more diverse menu of late. That includes more salads (chopped steak wedge, Waldorf, and fried chicken) burgers (the Gorgonzola- and bacon-topped North Star, inspired by sister restaurant North Star American Bistro) and sandwiches (pot roast, salmon BLAT). Kitchen hours: Mon 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tues-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (1208 13th Ave., Grafton, 262-375-2337)
Slam Dunk
I ate my way through a WMSE Food Slam a few years ago when it was held at the Eisner Museum in the Third Ward. In terms of the food-slamming part, it featured a lot of many things – from Japanese nori rolls to by-the-slice pizza. For the past few years, the slam has been held on WMSE’s turf – the Grohmann Museum at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). This year’s slam is Oct. 7 (a Friday), and since the event has sold out and is limited to 500 people, you should purchase your tickets in advance. New participants this year include The Rumpus Room (the Bartolotta-owned restaurant under construction at the old Eagan’s digs), centro cafe, Bolzano Artisan Meats, Revolucion Mexican restaurant, Chubby Cheese Truck and Purple Door Ice Cream. If those choices don’t suit, there’s still more than 20 restaurants, cafes and food businesses in the mix. Two WMSE DJs will handle the music, and the silent auction will tempt with an array of art, music, books, certificates and so on. Oct. 7, 6-10 p.m. Tickets: $40. (1000 N. Broadway). Click here to buy tickets.
Look for Dish on Dining on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
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If you spot a restaurant opening or closing, post it on the comments section of my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com
