Road Trip
Last weekend, I was on the road. Passed beautiful farms in the Plymouth, Wis., area and kept seeing signs for Elkhart Lake, the home – as the radio ads I heard as a kid would remind me – of Road America. Plymouth, Elkhart Lake and especially Kohler will be hotbeds this weekend while the PGA Championship takes over Whistling Straits. If you’re planning to be up there and want to escape the crowds in Kohler come dinnertime, there’s the Paddock Club in Elkhart Lake, owned by the Chisholm siblings. Once upon a time, chef Lynn Chisholm worked at Lake Park Bistro and Ristorante Bartolotta. If you’re thinking this is a burger joint, think again. The Chisholms offer red wine-braised lamb shank, rosemary roasted half-chicken, bone-in rib eye, potato gnocchi in roasted garlic lemon cream, spaghetti Bolognese and many other dishes ($18-$35). Since spring, Tuesdays have been tapas night. On that night, the small plates menu replaces the regular menu with choices like chorizo and spinach empanada, pan-seared salmon with grilled asparagus and shaved fennel, veal saltimbocca, and lamb T-bone Provençal ($3-$10). Also, the Paddock Club received some nice news recently – a 2010 Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. Hours: Sun-Thurs 4-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 4-9:30 p.m. (61 S. Lake St., Elkhart Lake, 970-876-3288)
Heirloom Season
It may not feel like it, but we’re in the midst of Heirloom Tomato Fest 2010. It’s in the air. You have until Sunday, Aug. 15, to take advantage of these most beautiful of tomatoes. The Bartolotta Restaurant Group is running special tomato fest menus at five of its restaurants – Bacchus, Ristorante Bartolotta, Lake Park Bistro, Mr. B’s: A Bartolotta Steakhouse and the new Harbor House. Each restaurant offers four courses. At Lake Park, for instance, there’s fromage de Brie with heirloom tomato compote, and a warm peach tart with heirloom tomato sorbet, blueberries and crystallized ginger. Ristorante Bartolotta is doing a caprese salad with fresh Italian burrata, heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. Also, homemade goat cheese ravioli with sautéed cherry heirloom tomatoes, chanterelle mushrooms and black summer truffle. Again, heirloom funday ends on Sunday.
Italian Down Under
I knew this place as Cataldo’s on KK – the no-frills lower level of a Bay View American Legion Post (2860 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.). Joe Cataldo (who owns Jo-Cat’s Pub on Brady Street) and his wife, Rebecca, took over the space from Joe’s brother, Carlo. Joe promptly renamed it Rocco’s on KK. The intention is to inject a little more youthful energy into the place without taking away its strong points, one of which was the pizza. Rocco’s menu is more casual, with burgers (the “Juicy Lucia” is a burger stuffed with cheese), tater tots, mozzarella marinara and a Friday fish fry. Hours: Tues-Sat 5-10 p.m. This fall, the bar-restaurant will open at 11 a.m. on Sundays. (414-405-4546)
Engine Work
Perusing the “featured cocktails” menu at Motor Bar & Restaurant, I see some enticements. The “Bloody Knuckle” is a blend of house-made Bloody Mary mix, Corona beer and lime, finished with a salt and four-pepper rim. Intriguing. And consider the “Barbed Wire.” Gentleman Jack whiskey, lime, salted caramel and a thyme garnish. It’s sounding better by the minute. I just got word that the menu at this Harley-Davidson Museum restaurant has been given a facelift. In the process, they’ve added weekly specials – $5 happy hour drinks and apps (weeknights 5-7 p.m.) and half-price burgers and barbecue on Wednesdays. As for the regular menu, there’s a new thing called “Burger of the Month.” The burger creation ($11.95) may have a surprise like Cracker Jacks, cherries, Brie or mac and cheese. Other menu items are the half- or full-rack of baby-back ribs, mac and cheese (to which you can add brats, bacon or chicken), beer-braised pot roast, and the “bagger” brat Reuben sandwich ($7.95-$24.95). For dessert, it’s all in the skillet, literally. A cookie sundae with chocolate and caramel sauce in a skillet, a grilled glazed doughnut with vanilla ice cream and warm Door County cherries, again in a skillet ($6.95). I might have to get my motorcycle license. Hours: Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (400 W. Canal St., 414-287-2778)
Feeling Fried
Oh, my cod. Really, OMC! The fish fry of fish fries is heading this way. Milwaukee’s Largest Fish Fry will feature fish from not just one local restaurant, but 17. Seventeen!! American Serb Memorial Hall, Tanner-Paull, Beer Belly’s, Izumi’s, Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant, Trysting Place Pub and others. This is no Friday fry. It’s a two-day affair held Aug. 25-26 (3-10 p.m.) at Wisconsin State Fair Park. The admission price ($6 in advance; $10 at the gate) doesn’t cover everything – just fairground access and the fish fry side dishes of fries, rye bread and ice cream. Vendors will sell their fish in 3-ounce portions ($3 each). Proceeds benefit the Hunger Task Force and Roundy’s Foundation. (640 S. 84th St.) For advance tickets, call 414-687-5365 or click 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.
