Bay View’s White House has a vibe. The Schlitz Brewing Co. built the structure on South Kinnickinnic in 1891 and leased it to a tavern owner, William Kneisler, whose family would operate it as a watering hole for the next 115 years. It still has the striking, original darkwood bar.
And Vanessa Rose, the owner of the building’s newest occupant, Mother’s, plays up the dramatic domination of all this old saloon wood with moody colors and lighting, wall art and a pulpit functioning as the host’s stand. If there are spirits here, it feels like they approve of the new tenants.
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Shortly before opening Mother’s last June, Rose described the evolution of her concept (from a pop-up mostly at Ardent to brick-and-mortar) as embracing the unknown from a humble perspective: “Restaurants fail all the time. I wouldn’t be special if [Mother’s] survived. I wouldn’t be special if it closed.”
All of that to say, Rose was ready to face whatever came next. Six months later, the owner/chef talked like a mother. Her team – who’ve worked at other heavy-hitters like Amilinda – were thriving, she said, and the restaurant was getting positive word of mouth. Many of the initiatives she had planned – drag queen brunch, rotating art galleries and live entertainment, all LGBTQ-friendly – have been established, with a second-floor cocktail lounge to come.
Between Rose (who’s cooked at Ardent and served at Jing’s) and her cooking staff, Mother’s works a mélange of interests, backgrounds and experiences into the fluid, unconventional menu. Inventive, complex, confident, playful, elegant – these qualifiers all apply to the smallish and entrée-size plates.
The Madeira mushrooms ($19) – saucy and rich, and eaten with toasted crostini – made me crave fungi for days. A solid 180-degree turn in texture and mouthfeel from creamed mushrooms was the liang fen, a Chinese jelly noodle salad brightened with chunks of fresh cantaloupe, salty dried pork floss, a spicy Sichuan mala and scallion ($14). It tasted crisp, fresh and delicious. The bok choy salad ($18) had me at chewy dates – and cashews, and orange supremes, and fish sauce.
I never thought eggplant would make a good topping for a corn tostada, but it sure did in this shareable plate ($17) – creamy but firm and fusing Moroccan and Mexican flavors. A large-plate dish, the red snapper filet set in a fruity and surprisingly un-kimchi-like kimchi velouté with stewed cherry tomatoes ($30) was flawless. By contrast, the tikka masala gnocchi ($25) was not. The gnocchi was so loose, it almost fell apart, which was a pity because I liked the toasted cauliflower, peas and pickled mustard seeds. If I could have just one dish from Mother’s ever again, the queso birria lasagna ($35) is it, with braised beef, queso fresco mornay and an otherworldly consommé.
I’m curious to see how desserts evolve under gifted pastry chef Nick Hoover. The one I’ve ordered – madras curry carrot cake ($18), with curried frozen yogurt and cranberry brûléed banana – was refined, dramatic and wonderfully different.
The way Mother’s handles the bill – each dish priced to include service and tax, with no expectation of a tip – eliminated sticker shock at meal’s end. Celebrating diversity the ways Mother’s does, inside a historic landmark, feels exceptionally fitting.
Mother’s
2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
Hours: D Mon, Wed-Sat 5-10 p.m.; Brunch Sun 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Prices: $14-$40+
Reservations: Highly recommended
Service: Attentive, friendly, professional but relaxed.
