Chef-restaurateur Mike Engel is busy – very busy – jumping through those final pre-opening hoops for the Brown Deer location of Pastiche Bistro and Wine Bar (4313 W. River Ln.). If all goes as anticipated, and the resto passes its requisite inspections, it will open Tuesday, Feb. 2. Engel kept much of the staff from the space’s previous, 35-year occupant, River Lane Inn, which closed in late 2015. Engel and his staff have been making cosmetic changes to the interior – fresh coats of paint, new lighting, etcetera. The menu will be very similar to the Bay View restaurant’s, which is known for coq au vin, cassoulet, steak frites and other classic French dishes. (The wine list will be the “one thing noticeably different,” says Engel. It will be feature roughly half of the selections as in BV, at least in the beginning.) Engel – who will also carry over the plats du jour (i.e., Mussels Monday) in Brown Deer – plans to work the line alongside his son/chef, Nick, and former River Lane chef Mike Kush. Hours-to-be: Mon-Thurs 5-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 5-10 p.m.
Engel also intends to close the Bay View bistro when its leave expires in September 2016 and reopen the business in an undisclosed Downtown location. More updates to come.
