Popular half the world over as an animal protein source lower in saturated fat and higher in nutrition than beef or pork, goat remains specialty fare in much of the U.S. Perhaps children’s stories of nannies and billies chomping on cans and fending off bridge trolls have put off domestic diners. But thanks to Milwaukee’s multicultural population, goat can be found in local restaurants. At least one of the goat recipes served is of American origin.
That domestic fare would be the pit-grilled meat slathered in piquant sauce with hints of smokiness and sweetness to be found in to-go orders at Ashley’s Bar-B-Que (1501 W. Center St.). The tender, marinated meat on the bone makes it worth the trip from wherever you live and yet goat-hungry souls can have the repast delivered within Milwaukee County for an order of $20 or more. Don’t neglect such side orders as Ashley’s highly regarded greens, yams or breaded okra.
Bone-in goat seems to be the norm in most preparations, but at least one scrumptious exception to that rule can be found on the near South Side. The goat and eggs breakfast special at the aptly named Taqueria El Cabrito (“The Young Goat” in Spanish, 1100 S. 11th St.) features pulled goat in a rich sauce served with scrambled huevos. It’s a superlative texture and taste combination with salsa, hot sauce, tortillas and Cabrito’s complimentary pickled vegetables on the table.
Curry long ago travelled from India to Jamaica. Both Milwaukee eateries from the land of reggae offer curried goat. Your preference may come down to how you want to sit down to eat it. At Irie Palace (7506 W. Appleton Ave.), china plates and silverware complement a homey atmosphere. Equally friendly, if sometimes less prompt, service in a bolder setting is the domain of Uppa Yard (4925 W. Fond du Lac Ave.), where both take-out and eat-in orders come in Styrofoam trays with plastic utensils. Those springy dining implements can present a bit of a challenge when cutting into your goat, but the curry—slightly hotter curry than Irie’s offering—is worth checking out.
Dishes from Pakistan are the specialty of Anmol Restaurant (711 W. Historic Mitchell St.) and their goat entrées number among the most distinct meat dishes to be had in the city. Goat paya, goat feet in a gravy redolent of peppers and ginger, isn’t available as often as karahi. The latter’s combination of roasted goat in a garlicky tomato curry sauce can be a bit oily, but the strength of its sinus-clearing properties runs apace with the uniqueness of its spiciness.
The prize for most goat in one Milwaukee restaurant goes to Bollywood Grill (1038 N. Jackson St.), where five options populate the menu, all of them prepared to meet Islamic dietary requirements. Among the offerings at Maharaja (1550 N. Farwell Ave.) is the malabar, with chunks of meat mingled with a creamy base of curried coconut milk; it may also be featured on its weekday lunch buffet and the grander weekend iteration. An eatery named for the clay oven in which so much Indian fare is baked, Tandoor (1117 S. 108th St.) trades in a basic goat curry with its namesake spice combination complemented by garlic, onion and ginger.
