Chocolate Mating Call

Chocolate Mating Call

                                                  Cafe Benelux photo by Adam Ryan Morris. Strange Bedfellows? Chocolate’s lesser known friend is beer. That might come as a surprise to you. But it doesn’t to Julie Waterman, owner of Waukesha-based Indulgence Chocolatiers, whose chocolates are featured in next month’s four-course Chocolate Dinner at Café Benelux (346 N. Broadway, Third Ward). A few courses of a tantalizing nature: toasted fennel- and cumin-crusted lamb loin with chocolate-infused oregano cream, root vegetable mash and preserved lemon oil (paired with St. Bernardus Prior 8); and salted caramel and sea salt dark chocolate tartlet with pretzel crust (with Goose Island Pepe Nero). Ms. Waterman will…

 


                                                Cafe Benelux photo by Adam Ryan Morris.

Strange Bedfellows?
Chocolate’s lesser known friend is beer. That might come as a surprise to you. But it doesn’t to Julie Waterman, owner of Waukesha-based Indulgence Chocolatiers, whose chocolates are featured in next month’s four-course Chocolate Dinner at Café Benelux (346 N. Broadway, Third Ward). A few courses of a tantalizing nature: toasted fennel- and cumin-crusted lamb loin with chocolate-infused oregano cream, root vegetable mash and preserved lemon oil (paired with St. Bernardus Prior 8); and salted caramel and sea salt dark chocolate tartlet with pretzel crust (with Goose Island Pepe Nero). Ms. Waterman will be the evening’s hostess. Cost: $55 per person. Sept. 18, 7 p.m. Call 414-501-2500 for reservations.

Club Bartolotta
He’s known as Mr. B and, if you’ve read past reviews in Milwaukee Magazine, sometimes Joe B. Restaurateur Joe Bartolotta is also “Joey Gerard,” a childhood nickname that is again the name of a Bartolotta restaurant. Two, in fact. Joey Gerard’s — A Bartolotta Supper Club (5601 Broad St., Greendale, and later to open at 11120 W. Cedarburg Rd., Mequon). Soon you’ll be able to do more than read about these joints. The Greendale location opens this Friday, Aug. 31. Some new details about JG’s? Yup, some items from the menu. Starters include chicken noodle soup, oysters Rockefeller, raw beef and onions, and Waldorf salad. Entrees: chop steak, 24-ounce Porterhouse steak, veal piccata, baked whitefish, broasted chicken, baby-back ribs and steak Diane ($15.50-$39.95). The Joey Gerard’s burger – one of the items grilled on the Josper Woodstone charcoal oven –­ is $10.95. If you’re part of a party of six, you can order a three-course family dinner for $29.95 per person. Desserts ($6) range from bananas foster and a pie of the day to ice cream drinks like Brandy Alexander. Executive chef Joe Schreiter comes a sibling of Joey Gerard’s – Harbor House. Hours: Mon-Thurs 4:30-9 p.m. Fri 4:30-10 p.m.; Sat 4-10 p.m.; and Sun 4-8 p.m. 

Baking Up a Storm
Ashley Weber calls her Shorewood business Miss Cupcake (3801 N. Oakland Ave., 414-810-3997). But perhaps it should be Miss Baker. True, Weber has the cupcakes covered — in flavors like pink lemonade, red velvet, chocolate peanut butter, and pear champagne. She’s also got the “more” covered: sugar cookies, peanut butter brownies, blueberry muffins and oatmeal raisin scones. She even makes her own caramel corn. And in the not homemade-but-still-fun category: vintage candy. You know you need some wax lips. Coffee from Tosa’s Valentine Coffee Co. is available at this new bakery, too. Hours: Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

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

 

Ann Christenson has covered dining for Milwaukee Magazine since 1997. She was raised on a diet of casseroles that started with a pound of ground beef and a can of Campbell's soup. Feel free to share any casserole recipes with her.