Photo by Andre
New kid on the block, Plum Lounge (780 N. Jefferson St.), is heating things up for the longstanding Cathedral Square destination. From the outdoor winter-withstanding fire bar, hookahs and VIP bottle service topped off with fireworks to imported live percussionists with DJ notables, owners Mazen Muna and Andre Lewis are bringing a full-blown sensory experience to fruition. Yet it’s the “healthy, brother-like sparring” between front of house J.C. Cunningham and back of house Chef Adam Pawlak that provokes guests into becoming regulars.
“We don’t allow each other to be stagnant,” says Cunningham (contender for this year’s Shepherd Express Best Of Milwaukee Bartender). “I want him to keep the menu fresh every three months and he wants me to put out a new cocktail every other week. The paint is always wet when you’re creating.”
Among the complementary pairings are Pawlak’s braised chicken tacos ($13) dressed with queso fresco and house-made charred jalapeño cream sauce coupled with Cunningham’s spicy, sweet watermelon jalapeño mojito ($9). The bacon-flavored seared diver scallops ($14) with sides of dried cherries and microgreens, locally sourced from Big City Greens, go splendidly with the apple-and-cayenne-flavored sweet heat cocktail ($9), a textured drink you can eat! Also well suited are the dimensional and light pan-seared crab cakes ($13) with chili oil shoring up with the frothy key lime martini ($10). My favorite bite is the truffle grilled cheese sandwich ($11) with peppery arugula mingled with smoked mozzarella and Parmesan.
Sebastian’s former sous chef, Pawlak’s culinary philosophy comes down to, “Keep it simple with refined small plates. Classic techniques with a twist.”
There are long lines down the block to get in on Saturday night for what was once a place pegged as “South of the Party.” Come early for the “real happy hour” Monday through Friday from 4-8 p.m. for $2 off everything and sample Cunningham’s signature Old Fashioned. The decibels are ambient enough for conscious conversation on plush cushioned chairs while indulging in some bacon popcorn. Plum is open Monday through Saturday, 4 p.m. through bar time.
Plum Lounge
780 N. Jefferson St.
414-210-3236
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Handicap access: Yes
