The Good Earth
Cat’s out of the bag. There’s been secrecy leading up to the opening of Parkside 23, otherwise known as PS23. I can understand why restaurateur Joe DeRosa and his crew would want to stop the dining paparazzi from leaping all over the Brookfield restaurant that replaces the former Sticks and Stones before it’s hardly taken a breath. But the pre-opening dinners have come and gone, and the restaurant – which features an on-site farm – opened last Monday (Nov. 15). The motto, “exceptional dining that’s casual,” extends to the idea that we need to respect the land from which our food comes. The menu is organized not by course or by the labels “meat,” “fish” or “vegetable.” It’s organized by price – not outlandish digits, either. The ranges are $5-$12 (which include salads, sandwiches, plates and “flats”); $13-$17 (mostly plates like cedar-plank wild salmon and pork back ribs); and $18-plus (rotisserie duck, stuffed pork shop, chicken-rib plate). The bar can make its own soda-like beverage by combining selzer and a specialty syrup made in-house – green lime mint, for instance. About the 10,000-square-foot farm: The staff intends to grow leafy vegetables, sweet corn, tomatoes, herbs and spices. PS23 is also doing business with Wisconsin-native food purveyors Roth Kase, Maple Leaf Farms, Strauss Veal and. Sartori. Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m. (2300 Pilgrim Square Dr., 262-784-7275)
JELL-O Shots (Uh, No)
Did you read my column last Tuesday? Zenden Lounge is reopening this weekend after a hiatus of about a year. This Saturday’s reopening party will feature the unveiling of Zenden’s “edible” cocktails. To expand on what little I offered a few days ago about what makes them edible… The cocktails use molecular technology – I call it magic – to turn agar agar, gelatin, citric acid and other substances into impressive gels. This joint is at the Intercontinental Milwaukee Hotel (139 E. Kilbourn Ave.).
More Things for Which to Be Thankful
• Milwaukee’s Growing Power is focused on family. This year, the Will Allen-founded urban farm is offering affordable Thanksgiving baskets built to feed a family of four for up to a week. The contents feature a nice variety of veggies and fruit – cranberries, apples, pears, broccoli, bell peppers, yams, potatoes and other fresh stuff. The basket’s cost: $16. (The value is $24.) Organic turkeys – between 10 and 18 pounds – are available for $3.99 per pound. The baskets and turkeys are available between Nov. 19 and Nov. 24. Call 414-527-1930 to place an order.
• Gator!! Palomino Bar in Bay View is open on Thanksgiving, and it’s serving food. Just not your typical Turkey Day spread. The bar’s Annual Misfits Thanksgiving gets going at 11 a.m. on Nov. 25. The Misfits menu sounds pretty amazing. The appetizers include shrimp fritters and butternut squash wontons. Some examples of entrées ($15-$30): blackened alligator over shrimp and sausage jambalaya; grilled venison ribs with green bean/asparagus casserole; acorn squash stuffed wild rice, mushroom and vegan sausage; and grilled tofu steak topped with vegan peanut butter. Open at 11 a.m. (2491 S. Superior St., 414-747-1007)
• Brookfield’s Cafe Manna, which has set the bar for creative vegetarian/vegan cuisine, is running a three-course Thanksgiving special. Check it out any night next week – well, every day except Thursday. For the first course, there’s a choice of warm roasted beet salad or wild mushroom/kale hand pie with a cheddar cheese crust. The entrées: holiday stuffed pumpkin; Thai winter squash curry with brown rice; and roasted pumpkin pizza. The dessert is a raw pecan-apple pie. Hours for Thanksgiving week: Mon-Wed and Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sendik’s Town Center, 3815 N. Brookfield Rd., 262-790-2340)
Ultimate Sundaes and Olive Stew
We all know the relationship between January and the terms “cold” and “snow.” But this set of winter events have some warmth to them: Coquette Cafe’s winter cooking class series. A closer look at them: Soups and Stews, Jan. 11 (roasted butternut squash; beef and niçoise olive stew); Austria, Jan. 25 (sweetbreads Wiener schnitzel; linzer torte); Valentine’s Day Menu for 2, Feb. 8 (oysters Rockefeller; steak au poivre; bananas foster); Chef’s Favorites, Feb. 22 (crabby tater tots; shrimp bisque; tilapia tacos; “ultimate” ice cream sundae); Coquette Classics, March 8 (coquilles St. Jacques; salade niçoise; pot-au-feu). A word about the format. The classes are held demo style in the smaller dining room behind the bar. They include generous samples of the courses, accompanied by wine, and a packet of recipes. Tuesday nights, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $59 per class. 316 N. Milwaukee St. Register by calling 414-291-2655.
Look for more Dish on Dining on Tuesday!
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If you spot any restaurant openings or closings, post it on the comments section of my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com.
