PHOTO CREDIT: Dave Zylstra
Bistro On The Glen
Every neighborhood needs that one spot where everyone gathers. Often, it’s a diner. Usually, in Milwaukee, it’s a corner tavern. In the northern part of Glendale, it’s both.
Bistro on the Glen wears a lot of hats, and while that’s normally a red flag, this is a restaurant that does it well. Formerly Glen Cafe, they received their full liquor license recently and underwent a small renovation in order to add a full bar along with the new name. During the daylight hours, light streams in the front windows, and it feels like a family restaurant. At night, the lights are dimmed, and you notice other things: the sleek dark vinyl booth upholstery, the live jazz music in the corner that's kept low enough to have a conversation, the TV behind the bar that was the diner counter and the tchotchkes on the walls conjuring images of a chic French bistro. (It's amazing what lighting can do.)
The menu changes from day to night as well. In the morning and until 4 p.m., breakfast is served, and it’s standard, casual diner fare. A cafe omelet ($9.50) comes with ham, cheese and hash browns inside eggs that are rolled and cooked gently in the French style. Eggs benedict ($11.50) have perfectly poached eggs and a generous amount of creamy hollandaise. The bulk of the breakfast menu comes in the form of combo plates you order by number, with everything from Belgian waffles ($5.50) to huevos rancheros ($9.50).
Sandwiches comprise a large part of the after-breakfast menu. A shrimp po-boy ($11) is served simply with about a dozen medium shrimp deep fried with a thin breading on a toasted sub roll with shredded romaine lettuce, tomato, mayo and remoulade. The breading on the shrimp clings to it, and the remoulade has a bit of horseradish bite. A crab cake sandwich ($11), cold tuna salad sandwich ($7.50) or tuna melt ($8.50) are also good for seafood sandwich lovers.
Triple-decker club sandwiches are a must at this type of restaurant, and Bistro on the Glen has three to choose from. The ultimate club ($11.50) is a huge stack with sliced turkey, ham and roast beef, along with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo on your choice of toast. The deli meats are high quality, especially the shaved roast beef. A turkey club ($11) and triple decker BLT ($10) are also available. All come with fries, which are standard crinkle cuts, though most sandwiches and burgers come with potato chips. (Annoyingly, the cost to upgrade from chips to fries is the same price as a separate side of fries.)
The beef patty on the bistro burger ($7) is a third-pound and shaped by hand into a size much wider than the oatmeal-studded wheat bun. While the patty is too thin to be cooked less than well-done, it's got a nice crust and pronounced beefy flavor. American and Swiss cheeses lend gooey texture and sharpness, while the Thousand Island dressing that comes on the side is thick and tangy. Other burgers include a half-pound variation ($8.50-$9.50) and a turkey burger ($6.50-$7.50).
Beyond the diner-like fare is a dinner menu of more substantial choices. A small list of appetizers includes that same crab cake from the sandwich but served with a small lemony salad ($8.50), and a flat bread pizza ($10) with caramelized red onion, mushrooms, cheese, garlic and a balsamic drizzle. Unfortunately, the thin crust is pretty limp.
Barbecue ribs ($17-$26) utilize a 30-year old recipe and are broiled with dark barbecue sauce and served with fries and applesauce or coleslaw. Beef tournedos ($24.50) of filet mignon with brandy peppercorn sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and onion rings wouldn't be out of place in a steakhouse. Cassoulet ($17), a stew of white beans and various types of pork, demonstrates the French influence the kitchen is channeling.
There are a number of daily specials available every day of the week. Expect to see items like fried chicken dinners, prime rib on Saturday nights, crispy mandarin duck and French dip sandwiches. A number of soups are usually on special too, besides the always-available matzo ball and French onion. And in true diner style, there's pie.
The small cocktail menu is not like most diners, though. There are a number of martini-like drinks ($8.50), along with a Manhattan, Moscow mule and even a supper club frozen grasshopper that would be great after the prime rib. Even on a weeknight, there are customers enjoying wine and cocktails at the bar, which feels little like the spot where customers ate their pancakes earlier in the day. Bistro on the Glen is clearly trying to be many things to many people, and it's succeeding at all of it.
