From the Mailbag: An Open Letter to Restaurateurs
Recently, I’ve observed an irksome trend: Overzealous servers looking to clear plates while someone at the table is still eating. Having done my time as a waiter, I was taught that no plates should be removed until everyone is finished, so as not to make diners feel rushed and slow eaters feel self-conscious.
I’m no stickler for etiquette, I assure you. If you’re dining at Denny’s, and you finish your Grand Slam while your friend is still enjoying their Moons Over My Hammy, let that empty plate go. It’s a diner. Relax. But at some of the finer dining spots here in Milwaukee, plate-grabbing is rampant. I don’t blame my fellow diners – what are they supposed to do, wrestle for the plate? – or even the waiters. No, I am pointing the finger at management. Has there been a decree stating that plates should be swiped away as soon as the last bite has been swallowed? Did Emily Post live and die for nothing? What gives?
Signed,
Politely Disgruntled
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
In the Can
Is the beer bottle an endangered species?
OCEANS OF MILLER LITE and High Life still leave Milwaukee enclosed in glass, but one of Wisconsin’s last craft brewers clinging to bottles has had enough. Lakefront Brewery installed a canning line this winter; the last bottles of Riverwest Stein and the like should be selling out around now.
Like many brewers who’ve made the switch, Lakefront cites environmental benefits – cans are cheaper, lighter and a lot more compact than bottles, cutting shipping costs by about half. They also better block light and oxygen that can degrade a beer’s yumminess, and liner technology has made beer can metal mouth a thing of the past. (Though you should pour craft beer into a glass anyway to unlock aromas and full flavor.)
If you recall seeing Lakefront cans for years, you’re right – but the brewery was trucking tankers of suds two-plus hours to Stevens Point Brewery. The new in-house canning line will stop that slosh.
What are you cooking on repeat at home?
Chicken cutlets! Chef Dan Jacobs of DanDan admits he wasn’t cooking much at home until the pandemic “reignited” that passion. His go-to is chicken piccata – the cutlets sautéed in butter, lemon and capers and served with farfalle and sautéed kale.
The Bongiorno family, who’ve owned and operated the venerable Lisa’s Pizzeria (2961 N. Oakland Ave.) since 1960, have put the business and the property up for sale, saying it’s time to retire. The restaurant will continue to operate indefinitely. • In the old Soup Brothers digs, Hen’s Deli (209 W. Florida St.) is killing it with their bagel sandwiches and Mexican tortas. • La Cocina Del Sur Empanada Bar has opened in the former Riverwest Filling Station (701 E. Keefe Ave.). Besides empanadas in many flavors, the spot serves Ecuadoran dishes such as crispy pork belly over hominy and fried sweet plantains. • Following the sober drinking trend, Discourse – known for its experimental coffee bevs – has brought its creative touch to NA cocktails at Crossroads Collective (2238 N. Farwell Ave.)
