A Night’s Tale
One of the goals of the new Brunch on Mason (next door to Ward’s House of Prime) is to reopenat 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights to serve the after-theater, post-bar crowd. The new cafe, a sibling of M Cafe (located around the corner, at 535 E. Wells St.), gets the day going at 7 a.m. with omelets, eggs Benedict, French toast and quiche – all served until 10:30 a.m. Then lunch service kicks in, and the menu switches to burgers, panini, hot sandwiches (chicken Parmesan, grilled cheese) and soups and chili. On most days, it closes by 2:30 p.m. The space – occupied by the Panini Co. until last winter – also has an espresso machine and an area stocked with baked goods. Hours: Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (until 2 p.m. on Sat-Sun). (530 E. Mason St., 414-915-9815)
Braun in Lake Geneva
If you pick up the July issue of Milwaukee Magazine,you can read about Brewers third baseman Ryan Braun’s new Third Ward restaurant. While there, you can sit at table on the riverside patio and watch whatever you want – people, boats, the sky. You could also drive to Lake Geneva and check out another restaurant to which Braun has given his name. The official kickoff of Ryan Braun’s Tavern & Grill is tonight (June 24), and rumor is that Number 8 may bring along some teammates for the Lake Geneva opening. If you can steal your eyes away from Mr. Braun, the menu boasts a Margherita pizza (baked in a brick oven), beef short-rib osso buco, blackened salmon, spaghetti and meatballs, pepper-crusted Black Angus burger, grilled bone-in pork chop and 12-ounce New York strip ($9-$26). Hours: Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (430 Broad St., Lake Geneva, 262-248-0888)
Casino Inferno
Summer even seeps into the conditioned air of the Potawatomi Bingo Casino, home of Dream Dance Steak (1721 W. Canal St., 414-847-7883). The fine dining restaurant is where chef Jason Gorman prepares his New Wisconsin Cuisine – equal parts reflective of the seasons and of local products. The summer menu came out a few days ago and includes the obligatory summer veggies and seafood. Choices include Wisconsin fresh mozzarella salad ($9), a 12-ounce yellowfin tuna “steak au poivre” ($36), and diver sea scallops with sweet corn succotash, orzo and black-garlic aïoli ($32). Another component to weekday dining at Dream Dance is the special $5 appetizer and martini menu, available Tuesday-Friday, 5-7 p.m. Martinis include the Melon Ball (3 Olives Watermelon, orange juice and Grenadine) and the Tootsie Roll (Alsolut vodka, crème de cacao and orange juice). Apps amount to: Wisconsin cheese curd fritters, crispy Cuban-style chicken wings, hot roast beef mini sandwich, and surf and turf stir-fry.
A Little Scotch in Your Step
You might consider a Scotch egg an acquired taste. But there’s nothing to acquire. It’s just good. A hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep-fried. Holy-moly. I like the Scotch eggs at Brocach Irish Pub (1850 N. Water St.), but Taylor’s People’s Park serves them on the Saturday-Sunday brunch menu. In Taylor’s version, the egg is cut in half, laid on an English muffin and topped with horseradish Hollandaise ($7.95). It comes with a side of white potato or sweet potato hash. Not impressed? They also do stuffed French toast, crème brûlée French toast, three-egg omelets, eggs Benedict and a “Big Breakfast Sammie.” Prices: $7.95-$8.95. Hours: Sat-Sun 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (337 W. Main St., Waukesha, 262-522-6868)
A Few Summerfest
If your appetite ends at the gates to the Summerfest grounds – in other words, you’re not wild about mozzarella marinara and frozen lemonade – Coquette Cafe (316 N. Milwaukee St.) is offering a three-course Summerfest menu – $10 for lunch, $20 for dinner. The lunch courses: chilled watermelon gazpacho, mustard pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and dill coleslaw, and rhubarb white chocolate bread pudding with caramel sauce. Dinner differs by one course – the entrée, which is zesty barbecued ribs with potato salad, dill coleslaw and local corn.… Now, suppose the Summerfest grounds are enticing from a food standpoint. It’s your prerogative, after all. And you don’t have to walk and eat at the same time, which can be a challenge. New this year is Sazama’s Lakeside Grille. It’s a sit-down place that offers a more sophisticated menu at dinner – Hereford New York strip steak, blackened salmon, chicken Marsala, wild mushroom ravioli and Saz’s baby-back ribs. They have bottled wine, too. You can make advance reservations this way: calling 414-453-4023 or emailing to reservations@sazamas.com. Note that there’s a $20-per-person food and beverage minimum after 4 p.m. Summerfest runs through July 4.
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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.
