Maison
A French restaurant has opened in the former Meritage space in Washington Heights. Maison is headed up by chef and owner Michael Quinn, who previously cooked at Coquette Café. The menu offers French classics like coq au vin ($25) with roasted fingerling potatoes and escargots à la bourguignonne ($14) with grilled baguette for sopping up the butter sauce. Gougeres with foie gras mousse ($14) and soupe à l’oignon ($5) with gruyere make great starters. A large wine list is supplemented with classic cocktails, like the French 75 ($8) with gin, lemon and sparkling wine, and a sazerac ($10) made with cognac, house bitters and absinthe. An homage to Meritage appears on the menu in the form of Chef Jan Kelly's chocolate ganache cake ($8).
5921 W. Vliet St.
414-323-4030
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Donut Squad
If there’s one thing that college students all love, it’s donuts. Owned by two recent UW-Milwaukee graduates, Donut Squad has opened in the former Gold Coast Subs space just south of North Ave. It caters to the sweet-loving and nostalgic donut-eating crowd, with most donuts topped with candy and sugary cereal. There’s versions topped with Lucky Charms, Sour Patch Kids, crushed Oreo cookies and peanut butter cups ($2.39), or more traditional varieties like glazed and powdered ($1.89). In addition to normal daytime hours, Donut Squad reopens at 10 p.m. on weekends for all your late-night, bar-hopping donut needs.
2264 N. Prospect
414-380-4205
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The Laughing Taco
A taqueria in Walker’s Point is now serving up a small menu of Mexican street-style tacos. The Laughing Taco is headed by the husband-and-wife team of Justin Carlisle, of Ardent, and Lucia Muñoz. Muñoz grew up in northern Mexico, and it’s that region’s taquerias that inspired this small counter service spot. The menu includes seven different kinds of tacos. Four are served on corn tortillas ($2.50-$2.75): seasoned pork on a spit called trompo, bistec, papas in tomato sauce, and nopalitos in chile sauce. Three types of tacos are larger and served in flour tortillas, like the pirata ($4.75) with steak, cheese, avocado, cilantro and onion. Like Carlisle’s Red Light Ramen, The Laughing Taco serves up alcohol-filled slushies, including a grapefruit and tequila paloma ($5-$10).
1033 S. First St.
414-210-3086
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Bowls
A healthy food-focused restaurant has opened headed by Nell Benton of The National and Andy Larson of Float. Bowls features an entire menu of dishes in bowls, in categories of smoothies, oats, pudding, grains and greens. The smoothie section takes what is essentially a smoothie, puts it in a bowl, and tops it with fruit, nuts, and grains for a sweet breakfast. Most of the menu is dedicated to grains and greens. The Thai green curry bowl ($9) includes brown rice, a mixture of vegetables and spicy green curry sauce. A steak and rice bowl ($12) utilizes Korean flavors with kimchi and bibimbop sauce. Chopped raw salad ($10) is vegan and gluten free with greens, jicama, avocado, veggies and ginger miso dressing. Online ordering is available for faster service at the counter.
207 W. Freshwater Way
414-800-5667
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Yokohama
Stand Eat Drink, the hospitality group behind Bodegon and Movida, has opened a ramen restaurant and karaoke bar in the former Yield Bar space on the East Side. The menu features traditional Japanese, Chinese and fusion dishes. Edamame ($4) and lotus root chips ($3) are great for snacking during karaoke. Steamed buns ($4) come with a variety of fillings like pork belly and kimchi. Burgers ($9) make an appearance on the menu, too, complete with ramen noodle buns. Four styles of ramen are offered, including a vegetarian option with red miso mushroom broth ($10), and a version called the momofuker ($13) with Korean flavors that can be made extra spicy. Sake, cocktails and adult sno-cones with alcohol are available to quench your thirst during all that singing.
1932 E. Kenilworth Place
414-763-6570
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