Meeta the Fajitas
A restaurant serving almost exclusively fajitas? What the sizzling hot plate? Fajitas Grill fills the shoes of short-lived La Dolce Vita (1673 N. Farwell Ave., near Brady; 414-273-1687). And it’s doing it with steak fajitas, bacon fajitas, scallop fajitas, pork fajitas, veggies fajitas, etc. ($15-$19, with beans and rice). But wait. I do see some deviation from the fajita. Lunch plates include tacos (two for $7) and quesadillas (again two, $7). For dessert, there’s churros (fried sticks of dough) and flan. Hours are Tues-Sun 11 a.m.-10 or 11 p.m. A call over there first is wise.
It’s War!
So the Travel Channel has this new show called “Food Wars.” It pits one local food rival against another. Let’s say the showdown is Texas barbecue. That means two institutions in Whatever City, Texas, will compete, with the show’s panel of judges determining the best ’cue. This leads me to our Milwaukee connection. Dave Sobelman, co-owner of two Sobelman’s burger joints, was a paid a visit by “Food Wars” host Camille Ford, her hand-held camera in tow. Ford shot some footage at his Menomonee Valley restaurant. But Sobelman says the Travel Channel honchos aren’t bending over backwards to do a Milwaukee burger showdown. So the creator of the double Sobelman burger took matters into his own hands. He called AJ Bombers co-owner Joe Sorge and asked him to be his Food Wars competition. But the catch is they have to sell the idea on the Travel Channel folks. Sorge, the Twitter king of Milwaukee, gets the buzz started by sending out a Tweet to his AJ Bombers followers, who will, in theory, Tweet the heck out of the Travel Channel and convince them to do a Sobelman’s-versus-AJ Bombers showdown. Meanwhile, Dave Sobelman is getting his Marquette student fans on the bandwagon as well. This sounds like an example of the power of social media. Join in the War by going to twitter.com/AJBombers.
Feeling Rather Aquatic
Anybody up for an Edelweiss cruise? As if. It’s a bit early in the season, but in just one more month, the first private cruises of the season will go out. Seriously. The Edelweiss,once in the hands of Hans Weissgerber III, has been owned by Milwaukee River Cruise Line since 2007. And last week, cruise line operators Dan Jorgenson and Robert Carr opened the restaurant Port of Call in the old Yaffa Restaurant & Lounge (106 W. Wells St.). Which recently went by the name Byron’s Bistro and Beer Garden. That place having gone belly-up, we have Port of Call. For the time being, the hours are Wed-Sun, from 10:30 a.m. Come summer, it’ll be open daily. From what I hear, the dining room still has the color scheme and light fixtures leftover from Yaffa. The bar now has a nautical feel. Regarding food, Port of Call offers a mix of apps, sandwiches and salads. Brat patty sliders, smoked duck quesadillas, cheddar apple burgers, short rib grilled cheese, and chipotle Caesar salads, among other options ($3-$10). The dinner menu features all that and entrées, too – candied duck breast, mustard-seared pork loin, and crab and sweet pea risotto ($12-$17). (portofcallmilwaukee.com; 414-273-7678)
A Feast-er for Easter
Plastic eggs filled with jelly beans! Chocolate bunnies! Bonnets with pastel sashes wrapped around them! Don’t you just love Easter? Some people are still thinking about what they’re doing for the holiday, as in, “Should I make a reservation for brunch?” You better do it soon, my friends. April 4 is scarily close on the calendar. Thanks to my trusty intern Rosemary Lane, who put her reporting skills to good use, you have some options:
• Saz’s (5539 W. State St., 414-453-2410): Hours: 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m. First seating at 9:15 a.m. Menu: caramelized onion and cheese soufflé, chef-carved prime rib displays, pineapple-glazed ham, roasted pork loin with stuffing and gravy and Saz’s BBQ pork ribs.
• Bacchus (925 E. Wells St., 414-765-1166): 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Prices: $39.95 adult and $17.95 for children. Reservations required. First course: Terrine of smoked salmon and English cucumber with Mascarpone cheese and toasted brioche; melon and prosciutto with a balsamic fig jam and arugula salad, Bacchus Bloody Marys. Entrées: Bacchus crab Benedict with jumbo lump crabcakes, filet mignon with bourbon peppercorn cream and mushrooms. Desserts: lemon chiffon cake with marinated strawberries and vanilla cream, and coconut panna cotta with sautéed pineapple and caramel rum sauce.
• Lake Park Bistro (3133 E. Newberry Blvd., 414-962-6750): Hours: 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost: $39.95 for adults, $17.95 for children. Special menu includes a steak special, and lamb with morel mushrooms. Also Champagne, mimosa or orange juice.
• Coast at Zilli Lake and Gardens (931 E. Wisconsin Ave., 414-727-5555): Hours: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Prices: $33 for adults, $16 for children. Bloody Mary bar, surf-n-turf station with slow-roasted prime rib, seafood crêpes. Breakfast station: omelets, brioche Grand Marnier French toast, eggs Benedict à la martini. Gourmet dessert station with mini crème brûlée and tiramisu towers.
• Bavarian Inn (700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale, 414-964-0300) Accepting reservations 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the dining room: prime rib Champagne buffet; $26.95 for adults, children (ages 5-10) $10.95. Chef-carved prime rib, carved bone-in ham, Guinness stout lamb stew, omelets, eggs Benedict and blueberry pancakes. In the ballroom: a family-style buffet. Adults $17.95; children older than 5 $7.95; children under 5 $3.95
• Ginger (235 S. Second St., 414-220-9420): Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations recommended. Regular brunch menu, plus three or four specials: crêpes with Gruyère, prosciutto, sautéed spinach and béchamel sauce; stuffed French toast with Amaretto cream cheese and berry compote, and crawfish cakes Benedict.
• Kil@wat (InterContinental Milwaukee Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave., 414-291-4793): Hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Regular menu plus specials including steak and eggs for $17, grilled black forest ham steak for $13 and roast leg of lamb for $18.
• Envoy (Ambassador Hotel, 2308 W. Wisconsin Ave., 414-345-5000): Hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: $25.95 adults, $14.95 children 12 and under. In addition to full brunch, will have ham, lamb and roast beef carving stations, omelet bar and homemade desserts.
• Café Rouge (424 E. Wisconsin Ave., 414-390-3830): Hours: 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $49 for adults, $24 for children ages 5 to 12. Omelet, carving and pasta stations; pastries; seafood display; entrées including potatoes, bacon, sausage and salmon.
• Hubbard Park Lodge (3564 N. Morris Blvd., 414-332-4207): 3 seatings: 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. Reservations only. Cost: $19.95 adults, $10.95 children 12 and under; 2 and under free. Homemade fresh donuts, cheesy hash brown casserole, Belgium waffles, made-to-order omelet bar, herb roasted turkey with cranberry orange relish, glazed ham with a honey mustard sauce, wood smoked salmon, desserts.
• Smyth (Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St., 414-831-4615): Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Specials like salt-crusted prime rib, leg of lamb, honey lamb and regular brunch items.
Hey! Another thing. In my never-ending quest to master technology, I’m now on Twitter! Follow me @ann_christenson
Don’t miss this week’s Shopaholic to learn about new stores and events in the world of local retail.
If you spot a restaurant openings or closings, don’t hesitate to post it on my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com.
