The Milwaukee Bucks announced the organization would open The Cluckery, a brick-and-mortar version of their delivery and pick-up biz, Cream City Cluckery, which offered chicken tenders and house-made sauces. The menu, designed by Fiserv Forum senior executive chef Kenneth Hardiman, will feature chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, tater tots, honey butter biscuits and butter cake. The Cluckery is anticipated to open this fall at 10944 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon.
After contemplating a reopening of the Tandem (1848 W. Fond Du Lac Ave.), owner/chef Caitlin Cullen announced that she is giving away the restaurant. Throughout the pandemic, Cullen, through a partnership with other restauranters, gave away 115,000 meals to people in need. Restaurateurs interested in the Tandem can submit a paragraph to Cullen explaining why they’d want to take over the restaurant. They will have to submit a business plan, along with thoughts on workers' rights and fair wages.
After nearly a decade in Bay View, Odd Duck restaurant is migrating north to a new home in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood. Odd Duck owners Melissa Buchholz and Ross Bachhuber have recently purchased a building located at 939 South Second St. They plan to have the space renovated and ready to house Odd Duck by early 2022. A press release states the partners discussed purchasing the original Odd Duck building but were unable to. The concept for the new location is the same—a seasonal menu featuring small plates and shareable dishes created with local ingredients.
Smoke Shack (332 N Milwaukee St.) announced Pups & Pints, a dog-friendly happy hour series for dogs, their humans and dog-lovers of Milwaukee. The Monday happy hour will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. every week on Smoke Shack’s covered patio in the Historic Third Ward. Happy hour specials include Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Smoked Chicken Dip & Chips, $4 draft beers and specialty cocktails. Pups receive a free Smoke Shack Dog bandana, smoked chicken nibbles and dog-friendly biscuits.
Live music and comedy are coming back to the Northern Lights Theater along with dine-in service at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino’s three restaurants: Canal Street Café, RuYi and the Fire Pit Sports Bar & Grill. The first show in the theater will be Thursday, Sept. 23, featuring the classic rock band Ides of March. That will be followed the next night with a performance by the legendary R&B group The Manhattans. To view the menus at Potawatomi’s three restaurants, visit paysbig.com/dining.
The Riverwest neighborhood recently welcomed Mac Shack (1701 N. Humboldt Ave.). The fast casual restaurant features traditional macaroni & cheese, as well as varieties such as Buffalo Chicken Mac, Brady Street Mac (with chili and hot dogs) and Greek Freak Mac (featuring goat cheese and tzatziki).
Events
Those heading toward Door County this weekend might want to stop en route at the Gourmet Food Truck Festival, Aug. 28- 29. Held on the grounds of The Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery (6018 Superior Ave., Kohler) the festival will feature chef selected cuisine, beer and wine for sale, along with several food trucks from the Sheboygan, Green Bay, Appleton and Madison areas. There will also be live music.
Culture Clash: Fusing Culinary Traditions That Bring Us Together promises an evening of conversation and cuisine, curated by Radio Milwaukee’s food podcast “This Bites” and hosted by Tarik Moody. The event, which takes place Sept. 9 at Dandy, 5020 W. Vliet St., features James Beard Award winner Adrian Miller, a soul food scholar who was featured on Netflix’s “High on the Hog.” Miller will discuss the rich culture of Black barbecuers, pit masters and restauranteurs throughout our nation’s history. Black and Lao barbecue creations from Heaven’s Table BBQ and SapSap will be served.
Bacchus (925 E. Wells St.) a Bartolotta Restaurant, will celebrate German cuisine with the Food & Wine of Germany dinner, featuring traditional German fare paired with German wines on Sept. 15. Seating starts at 6:30 p.m. For the dinner, executive chef Nick Wirth created a five-course meal with a modern spin on German-influenced foods. Certified Sommelier Joseph Kane will share a meticulous selection of German wine pairings with each dish.
Closings
Fine-dining restaurant Mistral, located at 2473 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., next to the Avalon Theater, announced Wednesday via Instagram that it was permanently closed. The restaurant opened in 2017. "As of today, Mistral is permanently closed. Your patronage was appreciated and we hope you continue to support the Avalon Theater, the Rosebud and Times Cinema," states the Instagram post.
Other news:
After a fight that lasted more than a year, Colectivo Coffee workers won the right to unionize. The National Labor Relations Board opened several challenged ballots Monday, bringing the final vote to 106 to 99 in favor of unionizing. (The initial count in April ended in a 99-99 tie.) The vote is expected to be certified next week. Colectivo workers will be represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) local 494, which represents a variety of industries. Colectivo is now the largest unionized coffee chain in America.
