Milwaukee restaurants were busy this month. One rebranded into a fried chicken shack, one opened a new location away from Downtown, and two food trucks opened permanent locations. Plus, an upscale spot comes to the East Side and mac ’n’ cheese infiltrates the suburbs.
Sushi Go
2110 E. Oklahoma Ave.
414-333-5565
$-$$
A popular food truck known for trendy sushi burritos has opened a permanent location on the corner of Kinnickinnic and Oklahoma in Bay View. Sushi Go is decorated with sushi-themed artwork and bright green accent walls. Customers order at the counter, then their meals are delivered to their table. The restaurant’s menu includes most of the same items as the food truck, including the salmonator ($12), a burrito made with salmon, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy aioli, jimaca, cucumber and avocado, and the spicy tuna roll ($10) with tuna tartar and spicy sauce. A menu expansion is in the works, including ramen, bowls and salads.
Milwaukee Brat House
4022 N. Oakland Ave.
414-539-5826
$$
The Milwaukee Brat House, a bar and restaurant on Old World Third Street, has opened a second location in Shorewood. The new restaurant is in the former Oakcrest Tavern space and will follow the same format as its Downtown location, with plenty of TVs in the bar area for sports. Unlike Downtown, though, the Shorewood location is bright and airy thanks to large storefront windows. The focus of the menu is on sausages, plus plenty of shareable appetizers, sandwiches and burgers. A fully loaded brat ($9.95) is topped with kraut, onions, red peppers, mushrooms and giardiniera. Or try four different kinds of sausages and sides on the brat house sampler ($15.95).
Las 7 Estrellas
112 E. Dakota St.
414-539-4432
$$
The owners of a taco truck have opened a brick-and-mortar location on the South Side. Las 7 Estrellas serves a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner items seven days a week. The storefront restaurant is sparse but inviting with about a dozen tables and a small bar for dining. The menu includes plenty of Mexican favorites like a taco dinner ($9.75) with your choice of filling, along with some more unusual items. Lengua enchiladas ($12) are filled with diced tongue and topped with salsa roja or salsa verde. Steak and pork meatballs called albondigas enchipotladas ($12) are served in a chipotle sauce with rice and beans.
Hot Head Chicken
2671 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
414-808-04181
$$
Bumstead Provisions, a restaurant in Bay View, has changed format and rebranded itself as Hot Head Chicken. The space has been redecorated with refinished wood tables, antique farm tools, and Edison bulb and wooden pallet chandeliers. Fried chicken is the focus, and it can be made three ways: Southern fried; Carolina gold with a mustard-based sauce; and Nashville hot, with a bright red cayenne glaze. Buy two pieces for $6 and add Southern-inspired sides like creamy cheese grits ($4) or salted watermelon ($6). Cheddar and smoked gouda mac ’n’ cheese ($7.50) can be topped with little bits like fried chicken or Cajun shrimp for an additional charge. One holdover from the Bumstead menu is the popular foie gras donuts ($5), served with blueberry compote.
The Original
2498 N. Bartlett Ave.
414-323-9668
$$-$$$
The former East Side location of Red Dot has a new tenant: The Original. The name is an homage to what owners Eric, Jennifer and Craig Rzepka called this original location of Red Dot. The concept is upscale new American cuisine in a speakeasy-like setting with low banquettes, tin ceiling and dark wood accents. Dinner items include a chicken liver mousse starter ($8), steamed clams ($15) with charred lemon and tasso, scallops ($24) with confit mushrooms and grits, and a flat iron steak ($32) with duck fat potatoes. Brunch is also served, including house doughnuts ($6) with cinnamon sugar and cider icing and a Wisconsin breakfast burger ($12) with a brat and burger patty, cheddar, egg and Dijon mayo.
Grate Modern Mac & Cheese
N92W16125 Falls Parkway
262-953-2540
gratemac.com
$-$$
A fast casual mac ’n’ cheese restaurant has opened in Menomonee Falls. Grate Modern Mac & Cheese is owned by the Roaring Fork Restaurant Group which operates 55 Qdoba locations in three states. Your mac is put together assembly-line style, similar to Qdoba. Grate’s menu is made up of freshly baked mac ’n’ cheese skillets in two sizes ($6-$9.50), along with a couple salads. There are about 10 different topping combinations to choose from, including Buffalo with chicken, buffalo sauce, green onions and carrot sticks; and pizza, topped with pizza sauce, pepperoni and oregano.
