Jason Joyner and Amber Atlee, owners of the Culinary Twists food cart, celebrated the grand opening of the Twisted Bistro in March. The Culinary Twists cart, seen at farmers’ markets all around town last year, was known for creative hot dogs and fresh, made-from-scratch foods. The Twisted Bistro keeps the hot dogs and the freshness but expands the food offerings to include breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, soups and flat breads.
Open on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Twisted Bistro has joined the ranks of several Milwaukee restaurants that focus on breakfast and lunch foods. Located in the old Allis-Chalmers complex-turned-office-park, and across the street from Milwaukee Area Technical College’s West Allis campus, the Bistro has a fair amount of foot traffic.
Bright orange walls—one with the day’s menu neatly written on a chalkboard—and large windows give the space a very light, airy feeling. A few tables with chairs and a bank of counter seating along the window are comfortable enough that one could easily pass some enjoyable time here sipping a Valentine Roasters coffee.
Breakfast items are all priced at a wallet-friendly $6.75. Try the stick-to-your-ribs Twisted Hash, two made-to-order eggs, a generous portion of corned beef and potato hash, and two pieces of toast. All of the eggs are cage-free and sourced from a local farm. Diet-conscious diners may want to go with the heart-healthy granola trail mix or the quiche of the week.
Lunch at the Twisted Bistro features a nice selection of sandwiches. All are $8.50 and include a choice of sides ranging from delicious house slaw, pasta salad, American fries, soup of the day, or chips. The Tuscan Grilled Cheese features creamy spinach, asparagus and artichoke spread, provolone and tomato on Texas toast. The flavorful Pesto Chicken sandwich—tender chicken breast topped with provolone, red pepper aioli and house-made pesto—is also a very satisfying choice. Daily specials and gluten-free options are other likely choices.
Then there are the hot dogs. It would be hard to go wrong with one of the beauties that Culinary Twists was built upon. All-beef hot dogs and freshly baked buns are the base for a long list of “twisted” creative toppings. The Hangover ($4.50) is topped with a fried egg, crisp bacon and pickled asparagus. Or, go with the Hog-E Style ($5), wrapped in a bacon pancake, topped with an egg and maple syrup. Most of the hot dog toppings are available as burger toppings too. Tasty, sautéed root beer onions can be added to any dog or burger for 25 cents.
Twisted Bistro
1126 S. 70th St., Suite 100
414-316-3000
$
Handicap accessible: Yes
