Dim the Lights
In its traditional form, “dim sum” conjures up ladies moving from table to table with stainless-steel carts full of small round covered dishes. Those dishes contain things like steaming-hot, slightly sweet pork buns (my favorite), shrimp balls, pot stickers, spare ribs and steamed vegetables. Dim sum can be an amazing meal. I’ve had a few in town, but nothing memorable. Dim sum is not a term you’d necessarily associate with the hip Downtown restaurant Umami Moto (718 N. Milwaukee St., 414-727-9333). And although it is offering dim sum (and sushi) on Sunday and Wednesday nights, this is Umami’s own take on it. The dim menu features nigiri and sashimi, small plates, nori rolls and bubble teas. There’s a little tradition to this menu – the small plates include pork buns ($13) – and a lot of creative license (duck foie gras buns, $9; Hooters nori roll, $7). In Umami’s bubble tea, the tapioca pearls are steeped in plum wine and come in two flavors – pineapple/coconut and orange/lychee. Dim sum hours: Sun 4-9 p.m.; Wed 5-10 p.m.
Metro Moment
John Chitko officially reports to work at new employer Hotel Metro (411 E. Mason St.) on July 7. In late 2005, Chitko opened Yaffa Lounge (106 W. Wells St.), later changed the name and focus to Byron’s Beer Garden and Bistro, then gave up the space entirely (and earlier this year, it became Port of Call). Chitko, who’s taking over the executive chef job most recently held by Jerry Garcia, has a certificate in culinary arts from the Art Institute of New York City. He says he wanted to bring “healthy, ethnically inspired items” to the menu at Cafe Metro (411 E. Mason St., 414-225-3270).
Meanwhile, Jerry Garcia – who called me after picking up his wristband for the Santana show at Summerfest (sweet) – has a bunch of irons in the fryer. One of them is assisting Shane Valenti, a former chef at Trinity Three Irish Pubs, at his new restaurant in Oconomowoc. Starting next week, Garcia will be helping make the kitchen of Burke’s Lakeside a well-oiled machine. The new Oconomowoc restaurant (37238 Valley Rd., 262-567-5242) serves pasta, pizzas, soups and salads – that’s the roster at lunch. In the evening, there’s also ribs, steaks and chicken. As for Garcia’s other endeavors, you’ll learn more on that soon.
“F” Words
If you see a faded sign on the side of the road, it’s 16 miles to the… Excuse me, I’m having some trouble getting the B-52’s out of my head. The sign I’m talking about advertises Fish Fry and a Flick and it stands on the southeast corner of E. Michigan and N. Lincoln Memorial. This frenetic intersection is currently a pedestrian promenade for the Summerfest crowd. But come August, Discovery World will again be the site of this outdoor movie-and-dinner night(500 N. Harbor Dr.). The event is held every Friday in August and September. The movies are free – but it’s not G-rated material. If you want to eat there, the fare is simple – beer-battered cod with fries, cole slaw and rye bread ($9.95); a lobster boil with red potatoes and corn on the cob ($17.95); a grilled beer brat ($4); and barbecued chicken sandwich ($5). They won’t let you bring in alcohol, so don’t try it. It starts at 5 p.m. Schedule: The Hangover (8/6), Fight Club (8/13), Inglourious Basterds(8/20), The Big Lebowski (8/27), Zombieland (9/3), Darkside of Oz (9/10), Super Troopers (9/17), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show 9/24. Find more info here.
A Neighborly Place
A sports bar that makes its own pasta and marinara sauce? Grill pizza? And might competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut wolfing hot dogs on the flat-screen TV? The one, the only… Neighbors Bar & Grill (S16 W22255 Arcadian Ave., Waukesha, 262-408-5872). Oh, it looks like your standard sports bar. Pennants and sports memorabilia everywhere, but the kitchen tells a different story. On Tuesday nights, the Neighbors crew makes a special pasta – this week, it was chicken Parmesan hand-breaded in panko crumbs and served with homemade fettuccini. They throw in a salad and garlic bread and practically give it away for $10.99. Seriously, it’s a pretty good deal.
The Buffet Way
An all-you-can-eat buffet of pizza, pasta and dessert for $5.49? It’s hard to believe that in this notoriously frugal town, it’s taken this long to get a location of CiCi’s Pizza Buffet. I’m not a fan, technically speaking, of chain restaurants, but this column is about passing along local food news. And the news is that ’Stallis now has a CiCi’s (2927 S. 108th St., 414-543-0505). Enough said.
From the Top
I don’t know about you, but I look forward to my brother juggling lighted torches on the 4th of July. That crazy Christenson family. More excting, I’m sure, would be to hang out in Polaris, the revolving rooftop space in the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee (333 W. Kilbourn Ave.). Generally, Polaris is open only for private events, but on Sunday, July 4th, Polaris is open – 7 p.m.-midnight – for cocktails, wine and beer, and some nibbles. The entertainment is outside the windows. Look closely. You may be able see some of the fireworks from the neighboring suburbs. Reservations are still available, so call now: 414-270-6130.
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And don’t miss this week’s Shopaholic to learn about new stores and events in the world of local retail.
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.
