Maternal Instincts
Still don’t have plans for Mother’s Day? Reservation slots are filling up for May 13, but you still might be able to shoehorn your way into one of these places. If not, there’s always next year. Mom’s day brunch conjures up eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles. That’s not what I think of when I think of Japanese/Korean restaurant Sake Tumi (714 N. Milwaukee St., 224-7253). But if you’ve got a different sort of venue in mind, Sake might be it. Brunch service is 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Items on the brunch menu: prime rib, Italian frittata, baked cod, sake Napoleon, crispy duck and fried chicken ($12-$19). The regular menu is available, too.
The weather prognosis for Mother’s Day may be good. (Notice there’s nothing definitive about that statement.) If you’re hankering for a patio, few are better than Rip Tide’s (649 E. Erie St., 271-8433). I’m not endorsing the food here (I wish it would improve). But if you want to give it a shot, the restaurant is doing hot and cold buffets. Scrambled eggs, bacon and prime rib on the hot table; cheeses, veggies, fruit and smoked fish on the cold table. And free champagne for Moms. Adults $19.95; kids 10 and under $9.95. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Bjonda’s brunch is on the ample side and spread out inside the Skylight Room (7754 Harwood Ave., 431-1444). There are made-to-order omelets, waffles and French toast, potatoes and sausage. Also a seafood station, market station (cheese, salads, soup) and a choice of entrées – braised short ribs, chicken and wild mushrooms, corned beef. Desserts? You know it. Schaum torte, trifle, tiramisu and others.
For something more dinner-y, Eddie Martini’s is serving its regular menu on Mother’s Day, 12-7:30 p.m. Porterhouse, NY strip, filet mignon, roast duck, rack of lamb, seared ahi tuna. You can eliminate any activity afterwards, but a nap. (8612 Watertown Plank Rd., Wauwatosa, 771-6680)
Old World/New World
Milwaukee’s Cieslik Celek Interior Design has created the singular look at The Social (the new location on First Street) and Third Ward retail shops like Lela and Cranston. One of the firm’s latest projects is a restaurant on Old World Third Street (1033 N.). The building, between Mader’s and the Spice House, is undergoing a huge transformation. Designer Sharon Celek mentions some of its lovely attributes – details associated with upscale-casual designs: exposed brick, dark wood and brushed accents. Preliminary plans for the menu include salads, burgers and Italian and American entrées. The faces behind this business? Former Giovanni’s restaurant patriarch Giovanni Safina and his sons.
Chocolate Fever
I won’t bore you with my chocolate obsession. (It’s probably best dealt with by a shrink who specializes in the dark world of cocoa.) Bittersweet chocolate is where my palate feels most comfortable, but I wouldn’t turn down a milk chocolate Hershey’s Kiss. Clear, the lobby bar at the Intercontinental Milwaukee Hotel (formerly the Wyndham), is just adding fuel to the chocolate fire. On Friday and Saturday nights, Clear, whose decor is pretty much a lot of clear glass, lays out its Chocolat Bar. The buffet of decadence includes miniature cakes, truffles and bon bons, tortes, petit fours and chocolate fondue. You’ll see changes from week to week and selections that reflect the holidays. I’m told 90 percent of what’s available is made on the premises. Items are priced individually – $1.75-$5. Fri-Sat 7-11 p.m. 139 E. Kilbourn Ave., 276-8686.
Rey Day
El Rey Sol is in limbo for a while. It closed temporarily earlier this year (2338 W. Forest Home Ave.). Co-owner/chef Jose Mendieta had back surgery in February, and once he’s back in shape, there are plans to reopen Rey Sol in a new location. But the Mendieta family has no firm reopening date, says Jose’s daughter, Citlali Mendieta, who owns Antigua Latin Restaurant on 58th and Burnham. Once I know it, so will you.
Can’t get enough dining? I chat about restaurants every week with Jane Matenaer and Kidd O’Shea on “The Mix.” Listen between 8 and 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 17. That’s 99.1 WMYX-FM.
And check out our Events Editor Julie Sensat Waldren’s picks for the best events in arts and entertainment on This Weekend.
