Week to Feast
Day One of Downtown Dining Week 2009. In just 2 hours and 41 minutes (as I’m writing this), the first lunch will be served. Will I make it? No chance. I’m on deadline. (Good thing I have a college dorm-size fridge stationed inches from my right leg. Comes in handy.) But if you’re diligent, you could conceivably have 16 smart-priced meals today, tomorrow and every day up until next Thursday, June 4th. All you have to do is make sure you’re at one of the 40 restaurants participating in DDW. In no apparent order (and with no favoritism), the restaurants include Karl Ratzsch’s, Coquette Café, Bayou, Motor (at the Harley-Davidson Museum), Sake Tumi and Water Buffalo. The restaurants offer three-course prix fixe menus – $10 for lunch, $20 for dinner. If you want a taste of what you can order, check out the restaurants and their menus here.
If I Only Had a Bun
Hamburger, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. If you were with me last week, you know today is National Hamburger Day. A sacred 24 hours for the American staple. The new Northpoint Burgers and Custard on the lakefront is giving away free burgers to the first 250 people who show up. (See last week’s column for more.) But they’re not the only local joint going gangbusters on burgers. AJ Bombers (corner of Water and Knapp) will start handing out gratis burgers at 11 a.m. today until they run out. The catch is you have to sit on one of the two enormous chairs positioned on the sidewalk outside the bar. It’s kind of a Lily Tomlin/Edith Anne moment.
Going and Coming
One of the comments on my blog last week was about Pepe’s Rockin’ Taco Shack (2014 N. Farwell Ave.). Melva (who posted the comment), I can’t give you a yea or nay on whether it’s closed. But it sure looks closed. Once I have concrete news, I’ll let you know. In other shuttered talk, Brothers Café (184 N. Broadway) in the Third Ward is closed. The phone number is disconnected. No word yet on what happened.… On its Web site in early April, Quality Candy/Buddy Squirrel asked readers to pick the official date and time of its grand opening in the Third Ward and maybe win a pound of cherry cordials. The goal was to be open (at 215 N. Water St.) by Mother’s Day. That didn’t happen. What’s going on? I hope to know soon.
Key to the Keys
Key West is evoked in Michele Green’s restaurant Bosley on Brady (815 E.). As for news on the Bosley front, Green recently promoted sous chef Luke Newport to head chef. And the summer menu is out in full force. If you’re feeling Key Westy, check out the Florida gulf grouper (blackened or sautéed, your choice) with mango-lime salsa and potato pancakes ($28); or the grilled “really” big shrimp with risotto carbonara and white truffle oil drizzle ($24). There’s also a salad called the island “wedgie.” Quite a name. You remember eating outside? It’s really gonna happen one of these days. As weather permits, the Bosley staff can easily get their alfresco tables out on the sidewalk.
Feeling Blue
On her Racine restaurant’s myspace page, Laurén Bell writes about the importance of leading “by example” – supporting organic farming practices and “keeping money spent locally.” Blueberries is a small operation (10 tables total) serving breakfast and lunch, Fridays to Mondays. The menu is simple, but sounds delish: homemade quiche, biscuits and gravy (a vegetarian version available), baked French toast, Monte Cristo sandwich, toasted cheese, veggie chili. Bell cooks and often waits tables. She tells me her eggs come from Yuppie Hill in Burlington, her meats from Patrick Cudahy. Thank you to Nicole for the tip. I need to get down to this place. Hours: 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Friday-Monday. Reservations are much appreciated. (522 Sixth St., Racine, 262-637-7609)
Don’t miss this week’s Shopaholic to learn about hip, upcoming fashion soirées and the city’s best deals on great design.
If you see any new restaurants out there, don’t hesitate to post them in the Comments section of my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com
