Hail to the Victor’s
Those mourning the loss of the legendary Yankee Hill bar’s fish fry have reason to be hopeful.
I’ve been to Victor’s on Van Buren (1230 N.) only for meals. This was years ago, when the storied establishment with a reputation as a pickup joint had an alter ego as a fine dining restaurant serving steaks and seafood. Those options have vanished, and last spring the popular fish fry – loved for its crispy-not-greasy cod, cheesy potato casserole and loaf of fresh-baked bread – was lost, too, a true blow. Vic R. Jones, whose father founded the bar and moved it to its present location in the mid-1960s, wants to bring back the fish fry, with fresh hands in the kitchen. Jones’s sisters (head cook) Mary Ann and (baker extraordinaire) Susie cut back their hours and are working just a couple days a week, he says, mainly for the free Thursday night buffet (5-8 p.m.). “Sometimes you have to decide what you want to be, and for so many years we were a United Nations kind of place where you’d see everyone,” says Jones. While the fry may be backburnered for now, Vic’s food lovers can still take comfort in the buffet.
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Milwaukee Home
“The idea was to land in Milwaukee and then go to Madison, Raleigh, Austin … but we met such amazing folks [here] and found great synergy in the food industry. It’s like a city, but with a small-town vibe.”
– Ruta Kahate, Former India-based restaurateur, who recently opened Ruta’s in Walker’s Point
Tin-Tok Trend
Canned fish is so much more than flaked tuna.
At last count, there were 22,700 Instagram posts marked with #tinnedfish. TikTok videos centered on rich, oil-packed sardines, mackerel, oysters, etc. – forget dry, flavorless tuna packed in water – also run rampant. What gives? First, there was the pandemic-fueled hoarding of shelf-stable foods. Second, people discovered how delicious these umami-rich delicacies are, with selection and brand accessibility growing in recent years. Cento is one of the better, easy-to-find brands (even Trader Joe’s carries it) and costs in the $3-per-can range for anchovies and sardines. You can find some of the best quality stuff online – but you’ll also pay more. For a tinned treat, try Fishwife sustainably sourced seafood (three-packs run $27-$36), featuring salmon from Norway, rainbow trout from Idaho, and others. Enjoy it layered on buttered and toasted artisan bread. eatfishwife.com
In a bid to be “more inclusive,” Buttermint (4195 N. Oakland Ave.) has rounded out its menu to include more wallet-friendly chicken wings, fried cheese curds and sandwiches. • The new Walker’s Point Farmers Market runs Thursdays (5-8 pm.) through Oct. 19 at Zócalo Food Park (636 S. Sixth St.). • All-you-can-eat meats that customers grill at their own tables is the premise of Mequon’s new Bawi Korean BBQ (6107 W. Mequon Rd.). • Having outgrown their original space at 3rd Street Market Hall (275 W. Wisconsin Ave.) Supernova Coffee & Doughnuts has merged with fellow vendor Mid-Way Bakery, paving the way for tasty collabs. • After 28 years, Buck Bradley’s Saloon & Eatery (1019 N. MLK Dr.) closed in July. New owners plan a bar called Copper in the space.
