Brewer on the Sign
It was a quick turnover. Fratellos Waterfront Restaurant (102 N. Water St., corner of Erie and Water; 414-727-2888) closed in early March. Concurrently, the news broke that Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun – and his all-important investors – was about to open a Third Ward restaurant. Now it’s real. Ryan Braun’s Waterfront had its soft opening a few days ago. Plenty of shots of the 26-year-old are posted on the restaurant’s Web site: rbwaterfront.com. The menu is a behemoth. On the dinner side alone, there are pizzas, salads, pastas, fish and seafood, chicken, pork and steaks ($8 for a pizza-$29 for 14 ounces of prime rib). Appetizers, too, on the dinner menu (crab and shrimp cakes; onion rings). If you want a burger or steak/chicken sandwich, you need to order from the bar menu ($10-$13). This week, Braun’s opens at 4:30 p.m. for dinner. Next Monday, lunch service kicks in at 11 a.m.
Back in the Patio Saddle
Earlier this week, Trocadero went from temporarily closed to back in the game (1758 N. Water St., 414-272-0205). The reason for the hiatus was to remodel and tinker with the menu. The frites with dipping sauces remain, but there are lots of dining changes overall. Getting this part out of the way, the name is Trocadero Gastrobar. Interior changes include: a bar in the small front dining area, and booths in place of the bar that used to occupy the main dining room. The second floor has additional seating and a bar. As for the menu, along with steamed mussels ($11.95 and $18.95) and a Carr Valley cheese plate ($13.95), the appetizers include the Yum Yum dip ($8.95), jalapeno cornbread skillet ($6.95) and Car Crash nachos ($12.95). Other options: Ultimate BLT ($9.95), tuna niçoise salad ($12.95), steak ’n frites ($22.95), Red Devil fried chicken ($14.95) and drunken noodles ($13.95). There’s still outdoor dining on heated and open-air patios. On weekdays, Troc opens at 11 a.m.; Sat-Sun at 9 a.m. for brunch.
Deco Return
Have you ever seen the terrazzo floor inside The Savoy Room (once Beccofino and Snug’s)? Well, it’s beautiful. And you can walk on it again now that the Shorecrest Hotel restaurant has returned to the fold (1962 N. Prospect Ave.). The offerings are the not the relish-tray-included Italian dinners of the past. The menu is heavy on sandwiches – meatball, Italian sausage, breaded veal, pork chop, chicken Parmesan, etcetera (about $8-$12.50). There’s still smoking at the bar, though, which unfortunately carries over into the dining room.
State Street Stall
Just noticed the other day that the SoHi neighborhood’s Izzy’s Cafe (2613 W. State St.) looked shut down – and it was mid-day on an average weekday. Turns out the restaurant’s dining room isn’s operating right now. Whether temporary or permanent (and construction on State Street hasn’t done Izzy’s any favors), I don’t know yet. But the message on the restaurant voicemail indicates they’re still taking catering and banquet orders.
A Kohler Moment
News from Kohler, and it has nothing to do with Whistling Straits, the PGA and Tiger Woods. Cucina, the Italian restaurant located in the The Shops at Woodlake (725 E. Woodlake Rd.), is closed for renovation. Not closed for much longer, though. The new open concept, with a better view of Wood Lake, is scheduled to reopen April 12. The menu will have items cooked on a new wood-fire grill. Once I’ve got menu details, I’ll lay them out here.
Fresh Input
Obviously you know I think food is important. How important, well, I support efforts to put healthy, sustainable food into our bodies. And the notion of leaving the planet in better condition for the next generation makes perfect sense. If you haven’t read Milwaukee Magazine’s feature on Growing Power founder Will Allen, you should. Click here: Allen appears in a very cool documentary – Fresh– playing at the Downer Theatre for three nights – April 19-21. You can simply see the movie, which is great. But there are ways to make the experience more fun. Milwaukee-based Braise RSA partnered up with the movie by doing a series of “farm to table” dinners at three local restaurants: Honeypie, Meritage and La Merenda (all members of Braise RSA, which stands for Restaurant Supported Agriculture). The dinners feature three or four courses and incorporate ingredients from the RSA. Each dinner is $50, which includes the price of a ticket to see Fresh the weekend it’s in town. Not a bad deal. The dinners run as follows: April 12 (at Honeypie, 2643 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; call 414-489-7437 to register); April 13 (at Meritage, 5921 W. Vliet St.; call 414-479-0620); and April 14 (at La Merenda, 125 E. National Ave.; call 414-389-0125). The dinners begin at 6 p.m.… Another fresh idea is happening at Whole Foods Market (2305 N. Prospect Ave., 414-765-2333) on April 15. The store is holding a cheese-making demo class (6 p.m.), which will cover making mozzarella and ricotta cheeses from local organic milk. The class cost ($15) includes a free ticket to see Fresh at the Downer on April 19.
Grilling Is Filling
Nothing says summer is… just beyond the ghastly damp, 40-degree days we’ve had this week than a Larry’s lunch-time cookout. That’s an honest-to-goodness grillout at Larry’s Brown Deer Market (8737 W. Deerwood Dr., 414-355-9650). The cookouts are on Fridays – the first regular one of the season is tomorrow (Friday, April 9), 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. They’re doing everything from Angus burgers and Klement’s brats to jerk chicken breast and teriyaki tenderloin. The cookout also features an artisan cheese of the week – which, this week is Maple Leaf’s English Hollow cheddar.
Mequon Morning
Chai French toast, caprese Benedict? That’s it – I want brunch. Joining the bandwagon of Sunday fun-day festivities is none other than Harvey’s Central Grille (1340 W. Towne Square Rd., Mequon). The Sunday sit-down fixings are served 10 a.m.-3 p.m. If you don’t want steak and eggs or an Oscar omelet, they’re also serving sandwiches (grilled three cheese), salads (grilled salmon) and appetizers (crab cakes). Prices $8.50-$7. Call for reservations: 262-241-9589.
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.
