Milwaukee: An International Dining Wonderland
Milwaukee: An International Dining Wonderland
By Rochelle Caviness - December 12, 2002
Milwaukee, Wisconsin has had a strong German influence from its very inception. So it is not surprising that Milwaukee boasts of several fine German restaurants, such as Mader's German Restaurant. However, Germany is not the only country represented in Milwaukee's dining scene. Here you can choose from a wide variety of cuisines ranging from traditional French cooking to gourmet Native American dishes.
This gastronomical wonderland also offers the diners a choice between Japanese, Italian, Middle Eastern, African, Greek, and yes, even American cuisine, to name just a few of the many dining options. No matter what your taste, mood, or budget, you are sure to find someplace that meets your requirements. Be forewarned, odds are you'll find several restaurants that will meet your needs - however the hard part will be choosing which ones to visit!
Dining is more than just the taste of the food. It is the atmosphere in which it is served, the sounds, and most importantly the smell and texture of the food. This is true for all people, but especially for those who are visually impaired and may not be able to fully appreciate an artistically arranged platter or to see the interweaving of colors in a particular dish.
During a recent visit to Milwaukee, I had the chance to sample the cuisines at a number of excellent restaurants. The next time you visit Milwaukee, you may want to try to fit a few of these into your itinerary. Just take into consideration this caveat, the list of restaurants to follow represents merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the Milwaukee has to offer, so be adventurous and have fun exploring the international repertoire Milwaukee's chefs! Please note, all the addresses provided below are in Milwaukee.
- African Hut Restaurant & Bar
1107 N. Old World, 3rd Street
414-765-1110
This intriguing restaurant offers a variety of authentically prepared foods from Africa. The dining experience is accompanied by African music, and wines and beers from Africa are also available.
- Nanakusa Japanese Restaurant
408 East Chicago Street
414-223-3200
This restaurant features a bright, modern, Japanese decor that finely accents the traditional Japanese fare. In addition to such stables as Sushi and Udon and Soba Noodle dishes, you will also find dishes featuring the famed Kobe Beef. Nanakusa's menu features a variety of vegetarian, seafood, and meat dishes, as well as specialty dishes that combine the best of Eastern and Western cuisines. Some of the more exotic items on the menu include:
- Smoked Squid Salad: Spicy salad of smoked squid, water fern, mushroom, sesame seeds and ginger in a vinegar dressing.
- Nasu Dengaku: Fried Japanese eggplant with a special red miso sauce.
- Buri Yuan-yaki: Yellowtail tuna, marinated and broiled in a sweet teriyaki sauce.
- Tonkatsu: Japanese black pig, panko crusted and deep fried. Served with tonkatsu dipping sauce.
- Also served is Plum Wine ice cream!
If you have any questions about the menu, such as what is the difference between Sushi and Sashimi, just ask. I found the staff extremely helpful, and patient, when it came to explaining just exactly what everything was and how each dish was prepared!
- Joey Buona's Pizzeria Grille
500 N. Water Street
414-272-8662
An old-fashioned style Italian restaurant with a classic Italian-neighbor air about it. This is a full service restaurant featuring everything from pizza (Joey's Thin Crust, Neapolitan, and Deep Dish Chicago styled pizzas) to pastas dishes, to hearty entrees such as Joey's Famous Italian Roasted Chicken featuring "Bone-in chicken breast, topped with peas, garlic, and white wine sauce served with roasted potatoes."
When you first sit down, your are presented with a basket of delicious breads, these breads are eaten only after dipping them in olive oil sprinkled with cheese. It is delicious, and you'll be tempted to make a meal of the bread alone, but try to exercise some will-power at this stage, or you'll regret it later.
When I ate at Joey's I ordered a deep dish Chicago pizza. All the pizza's are made to order and the deep dish pizzas take about half and hour to prepare - but it is well worth the wait. I ordered the vegetarian version, which came with cheese, onions, green peppers, mushrooms and zucchini. The sauce was spicy, but not to the point of overpowering the taste of the vegetables.
In addition to the main restaurant, Joey's also has an "Express Café" for those on the run. The Café offers gourmet sandwiches and individual sized pizzas.
- Stout Bros. Public House
777 N. Water Street
414-273-2337
Styled to mimic an traditional American Public House, Stout Bros. offers traditional American fare that runs the gamut from ˝ pound hamburgers to Beer Battered Stuffed Mushrooms. Stout Bros. also offers gourmet items such as Spinach Artichoke Dip and Swordfish with a Thai Peanut Sauce.
In addition to a diverse menu, Stout Bros. also offers
six micro-brewed beers, all of which are brewed on the premises.
- The Yank - a cream ale
- Underground - a beer with a higher alcohol content than usual
- Celtic Cross - a dark stout
- Taverner - a nut brown ale
- Yodler - a Weisse wheat beer
- Stronghold - a Pilsner
- Dream Dance Restaurant
Potawatomi Bingo Casino
1721 West Canal Street
414-847-7883
The Potawatomi Bingo Casino is run by the Forest County Potawatomi Community, descendants of the original Potawatomi Tribe that was indigenous to the Milwaukee area. There are three restaurants located in the casino:
- Bya wi se nek Buffet
- The Fire Pit Sports Bar & Grill
- Dream Dance
The Dream Dance restaurant offers a fine-dining, gourmet experience. Patrons are served by three-person serving teams, and the restaurant's signature dish is venison "Rosinni." The venison is raised on the tribally owned , Red Deer Ranch.
As you can see from this short list, Milwaukee has a restaurant for every pallette, so Bon Appetit!
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