Photo via Facebook / Blackwood Brothers
Blackwood Brothers in Bay View is bringing food, games and a neighborhood gathering place seven days a week
The restaurant’s name comes from one of the original occupants of this early 1900s historic building—Blackwood Brothers Hardware Store. The restaurant’s owner, Sherrilynn La, pays wonderful tribute with the warm and rustic décor including the original sign hanging above a row of seating, antique tools and custom-built wood tables. Frames of wood with lovely plants, comfortable seating and lighting give this place a relaxed, casual vibe. There is even a section on the menu called “comforts of home” that include the daily mac and cheese (on one visit we enjoyed a rich and delicious goat cheese version) and grilled meatloaf with veggies and smashed potatoes($13-15). These two dishes are the quintessential comfort food that make you feel right at home.
As stated on the menu and our server when we sat down, this is a no modification, no substitution menu and if you have allergies or diet restrictions there are many other options including gluten free, vegetarian and vegan to choose from instead. I get it, I really do—it slows down the line, the chef created a thoughtful and beautiful piece of art and taste and then someone has the audacity to tell the kitchen their preference. However, it felt a little pretentious and took away from the warm and cozy feeling that was the first impression.
The wine list (“small but mighty”) is not that small, but thoughtful and was selected to pair well with all the menu items. The House Libations ($8-11) are amazing and I’ve worked my way down most on the list. I would be hard pressed to name a favorite, although “They Think This Is The Way It’s Done” is a contender. For those of you who enjoy a Manhattan, this version including the pour through a cupped orange peel for added flavor was a winner.
The catchy names are as outstanding as the drinks and the notable taste description of floral, bitter, sweet , sour or savory is a nice addition to the list of ingredients. Other cocktails include a Sky Plane, Pimm’s Cup adorned with strawberry, and Kyuri Cloud made with gin, sake, St Germaine, a cucumber swirled around the inside of the glass and a cloud of egg white. This cocktail paired perfectly with some of the Asian flavors on the menu.
Dining ‘Amongst Friends’
The shareables on the menu named “Amongst Friends” had Orleans shrimp sliders; three sliders on a sweet roll with a spicy tiger slaw ($12) for a nice balance of flavors. The black bean medallions with polenta and roasted tomatoes with the addition of pickled peppers made this a standout dish ($9). The skinny fries ($7) are plentiful and had a generous amount of seasoning and you can choose from their house seasoning, curry or hot, also a variety of sauces for your dipping pleasure. “Get your hands dirty” burgers and sandwiches come with choice of fries, house kimchi or you can add a salad or soup for an upcharge of $3.
The fried chicken thigh sandwich with white BBQ sauce ($14) and the sledgehammer burger ($15) are all roll up your sleeves and dig in delicious. Blackwood offer quite a few unique options for vegetarians and vegans including the Saigon sandwich with house seitan and walnut pate, or the killer tofu sandwich with sriracha vegenaise ($14). The salad we order was piled high and could easily feed four.
There are three styles of Korean fried chicken wings to choose from (six crispy fried wings for $13). The first, ginger tamari, was flavorful with a punch of ginger, but the spicy apricot didn’t pack the same punch, although nicely glazed. The third choice, Seoul Fire gave me the heat I was longing for with its fiery spice blend served with cucumber sticks to tame the heat. All three are GF and even have their own GF designated fryer.
Blackwood Brothers serves brunch on Sunday and Monday from 10-3 where you can get your hair of the dog and pair it with the hangover burger doused in gooey cheese sauce. Check out the “Blue Collar Happy Hour” Tuesdays through Thursdays, 5-7 p.m., for some outstanding deals and if you post on social media you are treated to a little gingery shot.
Bar dice and other games will make this a social place to hang out any day of the week. Currently it is only dine- n service on the first floor, but there are big plans for the expansion of the social club on the second floor that could be happening as early as fall.
3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-321-8116 CC,FB,SB, RS,GF $$ Handicap Accessible: Yes Dine in only (no take out or delivery) blackwoodbrothersmke.com
