Pablo Flores, Flickr CC
July and August have been busy months on the MKE restaurant and bar front. Here is some of the latest dining and drinking news.
Ian's Pizza has closed their North Ave. location in order to expand and remodel the space. Once reopened, they hope to offer beer and wine, so you'll be able to drink while you chow down your mac and cheese slice, not just before it. They're also putting in a soda fountain that will feature some Sprecher sodas, and in the best news yet, they're planning to offer new brunch slices. I can only hope they put chicken and waffles on a slice.
La Masa Empanada Bar has opened at Brady and Arlington. As the name implies, they specialize in empanadas, along with a few sandwiches and salads. Empanadas come in all stripes, from traditional Argentine beef with green olives, raisins and eggs, to newfangled WI beer brat with caramelized onions and kraut. Coconut curry pork with bell peppers, yellow curry and peanuts sounds especially good to me, as do the dessert empanadas. As expected on Brady St., they're open late on weekends.
One of the premier steakhouses in Madison is coming to Milwaukee. Rare Steakhouse will be moving into the still-under-construction building at 833 E. Michigan downtown. (Doubtful that it will have a rhyming nickname like Madison's location, Rare on the Square!) The menu is classic steakhouse, with dry-aged beef cooked under an 1800-degree infrared broiler. No word yet on if the menu will be the same as the Madison location.
Sobelman's new location in Mequon has opened in the former Centennial Bar and Grille building. The menu of Sobelman's Northshore will feature all the same burger favorites as their other two locations, and yes, all kinds of crazy bloody marys as well. Here's hoping that this opening will ease some of the crowds and waits at the St. Paul location.
Merriment Social has opened in the former Prodigal Gastropub space in Walker's Point. It's got a kind of make-your-own-adventure menu that's all the rage right now, with a “dim sum” menu of small plates for sharing and a “dinner” menu of varying sized plates. There's also an emphasis on good drinking, with a long wine list, cocktail menu and 16 beers on tap.
Lucky Ginger has opened in the Third Ward at 221 N. Water St. in the former Cynthia's space. The menu will represent many different Asian cuisines, from Thai to Japanese. You can get anything from Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches to Korean short ribs, plus a cocktail menu that will focus on specific dish pairings.
And finally, two new breweries are in the works. City Lights Brewing is hoping to lease buildings in the Menomonee Valley (the former Milwaukee Gas Light site with the octagonal brick tower) with plans for a brew house and tasting room. City Lights owner Robin Gohsman also operates 4 Brothers Blended Beer Co., but that operation has been suspended pending the new brewery deal. Gohsman hopes to be brewing by early 2016, and has an ambitious goal of brewing 15,000 barrels during the first year, eventually expanding to 50,000 barrels. A new brewery would be a welcome addition to the Menomonee Valley.
Mequon Brewing Company has purchased a former brewery building constructed in 1857 at 6411 W. Mequon Rd. The Fromm family, who own Fromm Family Foods, a high-end pet food company, have a passion for hobby home brewing, according to their website. They seemingly hope to translate that into a viable brewery.
Upcoming Events
Aug 20: Brenner Beer Dinner at Locavore in Potawatomi. A 5-course German-inspired menu is paired with Brenner brews. Dishes include smoked trout, rabbit stew and pork schnitzel. Tickets are $55.
Aug 20-23: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a la Carte at the Zoo. Local restaurants (and chains) set up booths all around the zoo and serve small plates for grazing. Live music every night.
Aug 21-22: Lebowski Fest in Cathedral Square Park. Free outdoor screening of the movie, preceeded by a concert from Here Come the Mummies. And white Russians, of course.
Aug 21-23: Mexican Fiesta at the Summerfest grounds. Great food, drinks, and the last fest on the SF grounds to have midway rides. Tequila tastings, sangria, mojitos and margaritas are available.
Got the scoop on alcohol-related news or upcoming events? Contact me on Twitter @BrewCityBooze.
