As it is very closeto the Bradley Center, a sports bar makes sense. Inkeeping with the new name, a few accordions are included in the décor, but theemphasis is on flat-screen TVsin fact, every booth has one. The long, narrowbuilding seemed perfect for a bistro format. The new décor has boxed-in boothsthat separate the bar from the front windows. The color scheme is a rich bawdyred with black. There are framed quotes from famous personalities such as TigerWoods, Lance Armstrong and even Homer Simpson.
The menu has changedas much as the décor, and now focuses on tapas and sliders. Sliders are theperfect option for sports bars. This menu offers six varieties. The lunchserving ($5) provides two sliders and the dinner ($8) three. All includethick-cut fries that are best eaten when warm. The varieties are a diversegroup, with Cajun chicken, spicy bean and brat patty among the options. Thethree-cheese classic slider is ground beef with blended Swiss, cheddar andprovolone. The meat is cooked well-done and the mini-burgers are topped withThousand Island dressing. For a change of pace, there are ground lamb sliderstopped with mint yogurt sauce and crumbled feta cheese. This combination workswell, but again the meat is thoroughly cookedand why is there pico de gallo onthese sandwiches?
The internationaltapas menu is where chef Mike Ruess gets creative. Two offerings give a nod to Milwaukee’s Germanheritage with novel twists. Spicy vegetable spring rolls ($6) seem unlikely,but they are filled with red cabbage that has a jolt of ground hot pepper. Dipthem into a sweet ginger apple sauce. The combination sounds odd, but it workswell. Brat stuffed mushroom caps ($6) are served over a bed of sauerkraut withcaramelized onions and pungent mustard vinaigrettetrue flavors of GermanicMilwaukee.
The other tapasdiverge widely. Ahi tuna poke ($9) is Hawaiian-style raw fish. The Japanesetouch of wasabi aioli is perfectly appropriate here and plantain chips completethe theme of Polynesian ceviche. Buttermilk-battered calamari ($7) is anotherhit, with squid rings as tender as they get and a perky chipotle aioli. Crabtarts ($7) served with roasted poblano aioli and a good, if mild, pico de galloare merely adequate.
The star of the menuis the braised short ribs ($8), which arrive in a rich, decadent East Side Darkbarbecue sauce. The meat serving is not large, but the dish comes withtortellini in beer cheese sauce. Tortellini so often disappoints, but these areperfectly prepared.
The lunch menufeatures all of the same options for sliders; though the tapas selection isgreatly reduced, the short ribs make the list. A hit-and-miss soup selectionchanges daily ($4). The New England clam chowder is properly creamy and theGreek chili is creative with ground lamb, white beans and herbs, but cornedbeef soup is off the mark, with the meat losing its flavor in the broth.
The beer list isappropriate for a sports bar, with microbrews that are strong on ales. The RedAccordion Ale is specially brewed for this bar by Lakefront Brewery. The winelist is as big as the beer selection, and prices are moderate (glasses$4.50-$8, bottles $21-$57). The color scheme makes the Red Accordion feel cozyon winter days and the booths offer privacy. This is not a loud, raucous bar.The food is just as important as the beverage at the Red Accordion. It is aninteresting and enjoyable concept.
The Red Accordion
1137 N. Old World Third St.
(414) 273-5700
$$
Credit Cards: AllMajor
Smoke-Free
Handicap Access: Yes
