Moto and Charro
I’m guessing Omar Shaikh is comfortable with change. Evolution is the name of the game if you’re a high-profile player on Milwaukee Street. Shaikh is partnering with others who have a stake on Milwaukee’s “Restaurant Row” (Tom Wackman being one of them). And as far as openings are concerned, Shaikh and colleagues’ latest is the Asian-fusion restaurant Umami Moto (718 N. Milwaukee St.), open since July. The next bun in the oven is Charro, which will open in the old Tangerine space around mid-November, if all goes according to plans. Chicago designer Rocco Laudizio, who worked on Umami, is in the driver’s seat on Charro’s decor. Shaikh promises a “complex” look, but is mum beyond that. The Latin menu is pushing further in the Mexican direction, but no specifics on that yet. Meanwhile, the menu at across-the-street-sibling Umami Moto will start sporting its fall changes in the next three weeks or so.
Room With a View
Speaking of busy restaurateurs, Diablos Rojos, the restaurant group that operates the East Side’s Trocadero and Café Hollander put the finishing touches on Café Centraal in Bay View (2306 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) and had it looking mighty fine for the opening yesterday (Sept. 17th). That high-octane corner location (where KK meets Lincoln) has a cas, drift-in/drift-out vibe. The door stood open and the windows let in a mellow breeze – which was cool, since people can smoke in there. The look is a little bit Troc and a little bit its own thing – more rustic, less refined. And the menu certainly resembles its siblings. Expect to see the Benelux salad (greens with blue cheese and candied walnuts), steamed mussels, frites aplenty (11 dipping sauces offered), quiche Lorraine, a Centraal burger, the Tulip burger and blackberry turkey sandwich (the latter two made popular at Hollander). Also, for the fancier among you: grilled salmon with sweet corn, cherry tomato and mushroom ragoût; mushroom stroganoff; steak and frites; and rosemary-goat cheese mac. Prices: $3.95-$19.95. Serving food 11 a.m.-midnight on weekdays. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 9 a.m.
One Fish, Two Fish
When I was a kid, my mom dipped cod in beer batter and fried it in a deep fryer that had the Mr. Peanut logo on it. That fryer stunk up the whole house, but she made great fish fry. Sometimes I wonder about that Mr. Peanut fryer. Mostly, though, I just wonder about fish fries. They’re so ubiquitous. If you live in Lake Country, you might be familiar with Ron’s Cozy Corner, which moved to a new Oconomowoc location 10 months ago. That joint’s bread-and-butter is the Friday fish fry, and it hasn’t changed much since the move. Ron’s offers walleye, perch and smelt. The family-style fry includes fries, potato salad, coleslaw and rye bread for $9.95. Potato pancakes cost extra. The best thing about the move is that Ron’s moved into a smoke-free building, so the meal doesn’t come with a side of Marlboros. (W359 N5920 Brown St., Oconomowoc, 262-567-9625)
Not a Fake Cake
So…. all that cup-cake talk from last week. Our “Best Of Milwaukee” issue will be out on the stands any day now. (Technically, that day is Monday, Sept. 22.) The cup-cake cover will thrill my heart for years to come. Seriously, that is a scrumptious cup cake, purchased from C. Adams Bakery in the Milwaukee Public Market (corner of St. Paul and Water streets). Baker Lisa Crum – what a name for a baker! – makes several varieties of cup cakes, and my favorite is that fudgy beauty on the cover. Check out the bakery the next time you’re in the Third Ward.
Can’t get enough dining? I chat about restaurants every week with Jane Matenaer and Kidd O’Shea on “The Mix.” Listen between 8 and 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25. That’s 99.1 WMYX-FM.
