READ MORE FROM OUR “BEST DESSERTS” FEATURE HERE.
Aiming for “Up North Wisconsin chic,” seafood heavyweight Third Coast Provisions has reimagined its lower-level, former oyster bar space as a speakeasy named The Loon Room.
It fits the part – softly lit, moody, mysterious, hidden. Behind the marble-top bar, the bartender mixes drinks starring infused rums, fruit liqueurs and Italian aperitifs.
Though it opens at 4 p.m., this intimate space screams after-dinner drink/dessert spot. Romance goes by another name – fondue. While they do a savory version, our purpose here is sweet, with options of salted caramel or milk chocolate.
I endorse the silky-smooth chocolate, which comes in a small, neat fondue pot with skewers and assorted dip-ins, including strawberries, pound cake and mini croissants – a decadent way to finish out a night.
Though the word fondue comes from the French verb fondre, meaning to melt, the creation of the practice belongs to the Swiss and goes back centuries. The melting ingredient was cheese. Dipping fruits and other foods in melted chocolate is only as old as, reportedly, the 1960s, when a Swiss restaurateur created it to promote the chocolate company Toblerone.
This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine’s December 2024 issue.
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