Soupy Sales
I was driving down Michigan the other day, and while I
braked at a stoplight, I gazed over at what used to be called The Soup
House (324 E. Michigan St., 277-SOUP). I say “used to be called” – it’s now
TLC Soup Company. A few things have changed. Renee Warschkow, co-owner
of the Soup House, is now the sole owner. Bright-walled and friendly-staffed,
the small walk-up soup joint, where you’d often see a line spilling out of the
door, isn’t so small anymore. The business has turned an unoccupied space on the
east side of the building into seating for soup-eating patrons. Pick a table to
leisurely eat your soup or kick back on a couch. “I noticed some ladies, after
finishing lunch, were knitting,” says Warschkow. TLC’s hours remain the same:
Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Soups change on a daily basis. Look
for choices like beefy tater stew, chicken pot pie, cheesy mac and roasted
tomato with pasta.
Green Day
Years ago on St. Patrick’s Day, I remember someone
passing out green bagels to drivers cruising past the WTMJ studio on Capitol
Drive. After that first squishy bite – these were not great bagels, but I was a
kid and loved the novelty of bright-green bread – I decided I loved St.
Patrick’s Day. So now I have a fascination with St. Pat’s rituals. Every bar’s
got something. On the East Side, there’s Cans (1815 E. Kenilworth Pl.,
225-0421), which is throwing a St. Pat’s Eve party where you’re not going to
give up too much of your green. The beer and Irish whiskey shots are specially
priced. Irish stew is $2 a bowl, Reuben sandwiches are $5. You can enter a
raffle to win gift certificates and tickets to sports events. Green
entertainment? You betcha. Along with bagpipers, the Cans leprechaun will do
whatever it is that leprechauns do. The green fun starts at 5 p.m.
Class Acts
I’m in the midst of a big dining story, so you know
what I’m craving right now? My own stove. In time, in time. Cooking makes me
think about cooking classes, and since it’s spring, a few Milwaukee chefs have
lined up their spring teaching schedule. First up, Coquette Cafe . The
spring series features one-night, two-hour demos starting with “Contemporary
Italian” March 14 and concluding with “Grilling” on June 20. They’re $59 per
class and held on Tuesday nights at the restaurant (316 N. Milwaukee St.,
291-2655). I hear there are still openings in the March 14 class, so jump on it
if you’re interested. The four courses prepared during the class include stuffed
market peppers with red pepper vinaigrette, braised lamb shanks and Italian plum
tart.
Cook meatless with Dancing Ganesha chef/co-owner Usha Bedi. Actually,
she does the cooking (at a location in Brewer’s Hill) while you watch. Bedi
wants you to take the introductory cooking course before the advanced. And since
the classes are held on the same night, introductory followed by advanced,
that’s easy to do. The line-up: April 12: 6 p.m. intro; 7:30 p.m. vegetarian
cooking. April 26: 6 p.m. intro; 7:30 p.m. vegetarian cooking. Cost: $40 for
intro, $75 for advanced. Call Usha or co-owner Ami Bedi to register: 220-0202.
Irritation of the Week
A couple of summers ago, GQ food and
wine critic Alan Richman offered his hilarious “30 commandments for making
restaurants – and any dining-out experience – better.” (Read the piece at http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_4194). One
of them, “Have Mercy on My Ass,” is going to replay forever in my head.
“Industrial-level” molded plastic, he says, has replaced the comfy chair. No
disagreement there. I can’t remember the last time I sat in a truly comfortable
restaurant chair. I keep reflecting on Richman’s eighth commandment, “Don’t Ask
for a Credit Card Until After Dessert.” He’s really talking about restaurants
that make diners give a credit card number when they book their table, which,
fortunately, is not common practice here. But servers commonly make another
credit card faux pas – bringing the bill to the table with dessert or leaving it
on the table while the diner is eating dessert. Just last night, it happened to
me. I wait an achingly long time for the server to clear the entrée dishes. She
brings dessert and the bill, leaving us with the stock phrase, “I’ll take this
whenever you’re ready.” But the reality is she doesn’t take it until long after
I’m ready. She wants us to leave but doesn’t want us to leave…
Can’t get enough dining? I chat about restaurants most Fridays with Jane
Matenaer and Kidd O’Shea on “The Mix.” Listen between 8 and 9 a.m. That’s
99.1 WMYX-FM.
E-mail your worst restaurant gripes to me at ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com
