Stubby Handshake
There’s a new guy in town. His name is Stubby. He seems to favor suspenders and green vests. I suspect he likes to polka, but I haven’t asked him. (He also might have met the Pope…?) Anyway, this Stubby fellow lent his name to Stubby’s Pub & Grub (2060 N. Humboldt Ave.), the restaurant that picked up where Bayou left off. Bayou’s M.O. was stylish Cajun-Creole. Stubby is into barbecue, American-style pub food and Southern American cuisine. Stubby’s co-owner Brian Zarletti is better known for Italian food – fine dining and Naples-inspired pizza. But he loves barbecue. And his business partner Brad Todd feels the same way. Todd’s other interest is beer, so you can imagine that Stubby’s has a strong beer component. An interior redo needed to happen to replace Bayou’s “modern” with “warm and cozy,” as Zarletti describes the look. They found some reclaimed barnyard in Spring Green that’s been used for wainscoting, and there are tables made from reclaimed floor beams. I think the “worn” look probably suits when you’re eating a plate of fried chicken and waffles. It’s hard to label this menu. Mile-high nachos, homemade jalapeno poppers, oysters on the half-shell and sliders (a trio of ground beef, pulled pork and tuna) are a smattering of the appetizers ($6.95-$14.95). Among the sandwiches, there’s pulled BBQ chicken, shrimp po’ boy, meatloaf, and corned beef ($7.95-12.95). And entrées: pork chops and applesauce, smoked turkey leg, half or full rack of ribs, Thai chicken pasta, catfish tacos, or the Trio (grilled sausage, braised short ribs and pork belly finished with a red wine glaze over red cabbage kraut), $11.95-$23.95. Paul Young’s name was in the news earlier this summer. Young is Stubby’s executive chef. He had a brief stint as a contestant on this season’s “The Next Food Network Star.”
Stubby’s grand opening is tonight (Thurs, Aug. 5) at 6 p.m. After today, hours will be as follows: daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (closing at 11 p.m. on weekends). On Sunday mornings, it will open at 10 a.m. for brunch. Now that the Humboldt Bridge has reopened, there’s access to Stubby’s from the south and north. Zarletti says parking is plentiful on Commerce Street and River Boat Road and in a garage underneath the restaurant. (From the garage, you can take an elevator up to Stubby’s.) All in all, things are looking up on Humboldt, south of North Avenue. On the southwest end of the bridge, restaurateurs Leslie Montemurro and Scott Johnson are performing CPR on the old Good Life space.
Tuscan Sun
The menu at Mike La Susa’s Restaurant in the O.C. (code you might know for “Oak Creek”: 8955 S. Fifth Ave., 414-304-5795) suggests – well, more than suggests, states – that pizza is “what we do best.” The Italian joint, located in a 120-year-old building, is pretty traditional in its menu choices. Pizzas are either build-your-own or specialty creations ($5.99-$16.99). The rest is class Italian-American food: calamari and fried eggplant, chicken parmigiana and Sicilian steak, lasagna and baked ravioli, “spadini,” and a few burgers ($6.25-$17.99). Hours: daily 11 a.m.-1 a.m.
Hibachi Homestead
Buzzing down Farwell in a car on the way to work – or anywhere else, really – is no time to check out empty storefronts. Though a slight turn of the neck does yield something – windows papered over and a sign of sorts, advertising Mizu (1828 N. Farwell Ave., 414-220-9098). Due to open in August, the restaurant will specialize in sushi, noodles and hibachi. It has a brother nearby – the Chinese restaurant Chopstix (1820 N. Farwell Ave.). Mizu will have ambitious hours – opening at 11 a.m. and closing at 3 a.m. Mon-Sat. (Sunday hours will be noon-midnight). The menu promises tempura, nori rolls, hibachi steak, shrimp teriyaki and others (prices max at $11.50).
Musical Chairs
There’s always movement in restaurant kitchens, and it can be tough to keep up. Let’s get up to speed on the fine dining restaurant at the Intercontinental Milwaukee Hotel. Robert Ash has traded his executive chef position at Kil@wat (which he held for about three years) for the executive chef job at The Pfister Hotel, where he’ll oversee the hotel’s culinary operations. Ash will also remain connected to Kil@wat, as managing chef. David Zakroczymski, who was Ash’s executive sous chef at Kil@wat, has taken Ash’s old position of executive chef. This summer, Ash made a few changes to Kil@wat’s menu. Some additions: Cuban spring rolls and with salsa verde and jicama slaw ($7); a beet salad with orange, candied hazelnut and burrata cheese ($9); slow-roasted pork shoulder with gnocchi, sweet pea greens and garden herb jus ($22); and ahi tuna nicoise with potato-green bean salad, cured olives and roasted red pepper ($25). (139 E. Kilbourn Ave., 414-291-4793)
Dream Showdown
I need someone to blame. Food TV. Yeah. That’s the reason we want to watch “reality.” Particularly, competitions of some kind. I’m sure no blood will be shed at Dream Dance’s upcoming Chef Showdown. It is the second in a series and involves two chefs: Sanford’s Justin Aprahamian and Meritage’s Jan Kelly. Each is required to cook three courses chosen by Dream Dance head chef Jason Gorman, who will also MC the event. As I understand it, guests will sample the food prepared by each chef (but won’t know which chef made what) and vote for their favorite. At the end of the night, the votes are tallied and the winner will be named. DD is capping off the event at 75 people, so put the call in soon if you want a reservation. Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m. Cost: $75. (Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 1721 W. Canal St., 414-847-7883)
Ray of Light
Ray’s Wine & Spirits, the beloved Tosa shop for imbibers (8930 W. North Ave.), has a new wine and spirits tasting room. I’m looking at the photos of it posted on Ray’s website. Nice! Warm lighting, dark wood, plenty of seats for tasters to occupy. What this means, people, is Ray’s will have classes and guest speakers – winemakers, brew masters, etc. For instance, tonight some lucky people are tasting some of California’s big red wines. (Don’t run over there and try to get in. It’s sold out.) Coming up on Aug. 17 (6:30 p.m.), Ray’s will have a class featuring favorite “Patio Pounders.” Don’t know which wines they’ll be tasting, but the cost is $10. Check out more future classes here.
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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.
