Taste of the Town

Bar Louie

I have an embarrassing confession to make: I did not vote in the Wisconsin primary. Please don’t berate me too much because my grandmother has already threatened me within an inch of my life if I don’t show up at the poll next time and take advantage of a privilege the generation before hers fought hard for women to win.

If, however, you were a good citizen and showed your support for one of the delegates, you may have felt inclined to surround yourself with other like-minded voters. And if the delegate of your choosing just happened to be Barack Obama, you might have found yourself converging upon Bar Louie with other Obama supporters.

For some reason, Bar Louie sounded like an odd choice to me for a political gathering. I don’t know why. Perhaps I’ve been wrong in overlooking chain bars and restaurants as hotbeds of political activity. At any rate, the downtown Bar Louie (There’s one in Glendale, as well.) is certainly in a prime location, right off Water Street. That in itself makes it a primo grazing ground for those in need of a mid-week lunch, a political watch party location, or your standard after-five drink, dinner, or late-night dining fix.

I suppose that the contemporary, urban atmosphere, with its sleek booths, oversized TVs, extensive selection of reasonably priced appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and entrees combined with a wide choice of beers, microbrews, and wine make it an attractive option as well.

Just a few days ago Scott and I swung by Bar Louie for some din din. Since it was packed with the beer drinking, martini-swirling, after-five crowd, we were lucky to score a small table in the backroom. Our table was right near a now-closed-but-still-cold patio door and adjacent to the restroom. Those of you who have ever been stricken with the bloodhound-like scent abilities that a pregnant woman temporarily possesses will understand when I tell you that this proximity to the restroom was not exactly desirable! But I determined not to let this ruin my experience and perused the menu in search of something tasty.

I finally decided on the Mac-N-Cheese ($8.99), which is made from four different types of cheeses, sprinkled with a small amount of breadcrumbs and served up in a generous portion with a slice of toasted French bread. We also tried the tasty Blue Louie ($8.99), a burger topped with blue cheese, bacon, spinach, and Buffalo sauce. Service was quick and friendly, even though they were obviously slammed.

                   

To be honest, you probably won’t find me at Bar Louie very often. Not because it’s bad, but because I tend to think of it like Starbucks: The product Starbucks sells is great if that’s all that’s on the block, but if there’s an independently-owned coffee shop like Alterra within walking distance, I’d rather go there instead. Bar Louie might be perfect for you. I am admittedly a little biased since I am (or was, until I started down the mom-to-be path) more of a dive bar kind of fan. You know, somewhere that say, indie-rock fans or Diablo Cody might hang out. But if you want to mingle with the khaki-clad, college-meets-executive kind of crowd then plan to meet your buds at Bar Louie and bring your appetite for both food and drink.

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Bar Louie
1114 N Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 847-1492

Happy Birthday to Me

Okay, I lied. I didn’t stay home and make something scrumptious for Scott and I to nosh on for Valentine’s Day. I was just too tired. Oh, I had plans. Big plans. I’d decided on what magazine editors would probably label “a simple but elegant menu” and even went to the store to purchase all the fixings, but then… Then I just felt too tired. Such is the life of a pregnant woman. Just looking at a menu can make you too tired to move.

We went out for Mexican instead. It filled the void, that’s about all I can say for this restaurant’s enchilada served with a pseudo green sauce. But hey, I didn’t have to lift a finger (except for the part where I sorta shoveled in an abundance of chips and salsa) and my honey was happy to get a South-of-the-Border fix.

V-day done with, we moved on to a holiday of greater importance. Namely, my birthday.

In celebration of my birthday a truly landmark thing occurred at my house: My husband took over the kitchen. And he made me the most marvelous b-day cake. Seriously. The man swears he’s never before baked a cake, but I think it’s a total front. Surely nobody makes cake this good on their first try.

               

Anyway, he also offered to take me to some swank place for dinner, but I asked for a raincheck. I’d worked all day and found myself crashing on the couch at an hour that even the under-five set would probably deem early.

You might think all this sleep would leave me feeling refreshed and ready to face another day, but you’d be wrong. I still required a pretty stout cup of coffee before hitting the keyboard morning. (No emails from the pregnancy police, please. My doc said a little caffeine was fine.) If you are lucky, I will eventually perk up and venture out into the never-ending swirl of snow we have going on and indulge in some good food later this week. Check back with me in a couple of days. ‘Till then . . . Sweet dreams.

Romantic Dinners à Deux

Cooking is an artistic expression. An expression of love, if you ask me, for the ingredients involved, the method of preparation, and for those who consume the end product. Therefore, this Valentine’s Day you will not find me at a restaurant. You’ll find me in the kitchen, whipping up something delicious for Scott and I to share.

But for those of you who want to take advantage of this holiday and indulge in the artistic culinary expression of a local chef, there are loads of great options. Hopefully you did a little advance planning and have already made reservations somewhere, but for those of you still pondering where to take the love of your life (or of the month) for a romantic dinner à deux, here are my picks for cool places to cozy up and let cupid’s arrows fly.

Coquette Café – Because almost anything French lends the occasion a little air of amour.
Sanford – A must-not-miss local gem. Rated by Zagat as one of the top ten restaurants in the country, Sanford is sure to impress.
Eddie Martini’s – The sizzling steaks are always done right and there’s something inherently romantic about the 1940s silver-screen-inspired ambiance.
Lake Park Bistro – Excellent food plus a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan.
Cuvée – Is there anything more romantic than popping open a bottle of bubbly and sharing it with someone you love? I think not. Consider hitting this champagne lounge before or after dinner.
Roots – Modern elegance and an organically-inspired menu lend this place lots of love appeal.
Tess (2499 N. Bartlett Ave., Phone: 414-964-8377)– The small, cozy dining room can’t help but foster am increased sense of intimacy.
Meritage – This one makes the cut because I think there’s nothing more romantic than lingering over a glass of good wine and stellar cuisine in a small, slightly-away-from-downtown neighborhood restaurant.

For more places to get in the mood for love with a memorable dinner, check out the following articles from OnMilwaukee.com and Play in the City. Alternately, search for restaurants offering your favorite cuisine at MKEonline.com or Milwaukee Magazine.

Twenty Years of Thai

Last night tables at The King & I were packed with parents accompanied by an abundance of people under the age of twelve, all doing their best to behave properly and keep Thai food from dropping on their cute dresses or starched khakis. Except for two boys a few tables over. Midway through their meal they couldn’t resist. They hopped up and busted out a couple of dance moves that they had obviously been trying to perfect for quite some time. That’s when I realized what was going on.

Disney’s High School Musical: The Ice Tour was set to open at U.S. Cellular Arena, and no doubt all these glowing examples of America’s youth were ticketholders. Sure enough, about fifteen minutes before the show was set to start the place cleared out and the only people left were couples and groups of people who had filtered in after work.

While I just don’t get the whole phenomenon that is High School Musical, I do get why people have been packing the tables at The King & I for twenty years. The King & I serves up some of the best Thai food in town, and its downtown location makes it a prime place to grab lunch or dinner after work or before a show.

                        

Their menu is filled with a mind-boggling number of authentic Thai appetizers, soups, noodle dishes, and entrees that fuse together the heat of curry and red chilies with cool coconut, lime, and lemongrass and are presented in an artful way that will tempt the palate of anyone enamored with color and spice. But in honor of their twenty years of business, they are offering a special set menu showcasing some of their best-loved entrees, including a seafood Pad Thai and the famous Volcano Chicken, a tangy but sweet chicken breast served on a bed of vegetables and topped with “lava” sauce. Entrees include your choice of a house wine, soup, and an appetizer. Naturally, dessert is also included. What better way to cap off a palate warming meal than with a plate of crunchy sliced bananas on top of coconut ice cream? Prices (and degree of heat and spice) vary for the fixed menu according to the selection of entrée.