This Bites

This week's food news is coming at us from all sides, so let's dig in.First, you'll get the scoop on Nakama, a brand-new omakase restaurant coming to the East Side from the minds behind Screaming Tuna. We're talking an intimate, 11-seat sushi bar experience with fish sourced directly from Tokyo's world-famous Toyosu Market.We also celebrate a thrilling new addition to Odd Duck, as Bryce Stevenson joins the team as chef de cuisine, bringing his acclaimed modern indigenous cooking to the menu. Plus, Ann shares some of her favorite Wisconsin-made kitchen products, including beautiful utensils from a former chef, tasty Soul Brew beverages and Elgato Chocolates that help save endangered wild cats.Check out the full episode for all of those items, plus news on cocktail classes at Agency, changes at St. Kate's and the future of the legendary butter burger at Solly's Grille.

Since we're coming up on the last day of summer, it seems as good a time as any for ... a Wisconsin-made frozen pizza taste-off!The staff at Milwaukee Magazine took on that delicious task recently, so we start our episode with Ann sharing the surprising (and kinda disappointing???) results. She also keeps us in magazine land for her recent review of Las Gardenias, a new(ish) spot with homemade tortillas, birria and unique desserts.Elsewhere, we give you the scoop on a couple local food events, including the Dining Out For Life fundraiser happening through this weekend that supports Vivent Health's mission to serve those most affected by HIV. Just beyond this weekend, Potawatomi Casino Hotel has its Gather & Grow dinners, which span two nights (Sept. 22-23) and include five courses of farm-to-table goodies.Finally, we literally save the best for last with Milwaukee Magazine's "Best of Milwaukee" awards, which this year saw the publication's readers make some very savvy decisions about their food and restaurant choices. And by that we mean they mostly agreed with Ann.

Tarik and Ann start this week's tour of Milwaukee food news with a trip to the Caribbean ... sort of. The tropically minded cuisine will get a soul-food twist at new restaurant Jerkin' Me Crazy, which is set to open on Center Street this October. The concept from restaurateur Darryl Simmons will offer baked mac and cheese, chicken done three ways (jerk, curry, stew) and Caribbean-inspired cocktails — with some live jazz thrown in for good measure.Moving from Center Street to 3rd Street, the popular food hall just got a new tenant in Bebe Zito, the Minneapolis-based burger/ice cream joint from Ben Spangler and former MIAD student Gabriella Grant. When you stop by the new stall at the 3rd Street Market Hall, expect burgers (obviously), chicken sandwiches and ice cream flavors that can get a little unconventional.We also got another grand opening from a place we’ve talked about on the pod before: Summer of ’85, the flashback-themed bar/restaurant on MLK Drive that features a patio, arcade, DJ booth and menu with plenty of nods to the 1980s. The Pee Wee’s Big Adventure homage, “The Large Marge” (an oversized hibiscus/prickly pear margarita), is a personal favorite.Finally, we chat about the rebrand in the Deer District (Good City is now Explorium Distilled), as well as Ann’s captivating interview with Birch chef de cuisine Zach Castillo in the print version of Milwaukee Magazine. The two got into Castillo’s past as a ballerino (a male ballet dancer) and how the discipline required by the pursuit carried over to his next phase in the food world.

Our weekly delicious dive into Milwaukee's culinary scene gets a splash of mash-up on this episode, as Ann shares her review of IVR Bar — that's "International Variety Restaurant," by the way, and the new eatery comes by that title honestly. The ambitious project is a sports bar capable of seating 300 people, which all sounds pretty standard ... until you get to the Indian-Mexican fusion part.On top of that, Ann got the chance to chat with Milwaukee Wine Academy founders Tim Cole and Dr. Jeffrey Coleman, who have the oh-so-friendly goal of making wine approaching for everyone (particularly women and people of color) through cool events.And it wouldn't be a This Bites episode without a weekly roundup, which this time around hits the proposed Axolotl Cafe that's aiming to bring American-Mexican brunch fare to Bay View this fall. Ann and Tarik stay in that neighborhood for Outlaw Oyster's second location inside Crafty Cow, and head downward just a bit more to talk about South Side Dining Week's return in September.*****This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown.

It's another flavor-packed episode as we dive into Milwaukee's vibrant food scene, starting with news about Elsa's on the Park as they bring back fan-favorite menu items while keeping their new pizza offerings. Ann then shares her enviable quest to uncover Milwaukee's Best Burgers (the latest Milwaukee Magazine cover story), featuring must-try spots like The Diplomat and Wild Roots.Next, you'll get the scoop on the star-studded guest chef series at Birch and discover the city's newest cheese bar from the folks at Hill Valley Dairy, stocked with curated cheese boards and wine. We also chat about exciting upcoming restaurants, including French brasserie Cassis and NYC-Italian spot Il Pante, and dip into the retro vibes of Summer of '85, a new bar on its way to Bronzeville. Finally, Ann recounts her incredible (and hard-to-get!) experience at 1033 Omakase.*****This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown.

This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown and our Radio Milwaukee members.***Oysters are divisive. Some people love them. Others run screaming from the table when presented with them. The folks in that last category might want to avoid Barnacle Buds on Aug. 5, as the riverfront eatery throws its inaugural Oyster Fest. The event, which gets the featured spot at the top of this episode, will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. — more than enough time to get your fill of the mollusk menu: An oyster sampler plate that runs a dozen deep (three each of three raw varieties, plus three grilled) An oyster po’boy slider One drink That’s what you’ll get in exchange for $55, and there are also opportunities to add a supplemental half-dozen oysters to your platter. On top of that, Barnacle Bud and his crew will serve up various oyster shots and specialty drinks to compliment the offerings. For more details on this perfect way to celebrate National Oyster Day, head over to the event page. Or maybe wait to do that until you check out what else we discuss on this episode: DanDan will host a very special dim sum brunch this Sunday with James Beard semifinalist chef Erasmo Casiano. West Allis is losing a mainstay as Chilango Express shuts down after service on Sunday. One of our hosts braved the very crowded Pan-Asia Supermarket to deliver a report on its first day in business. A few miles west of here, Madison Black Restaurant Week will celebrate its 10th anniversary Aug. 10-17.

Big voices can make a big impact on a restaurant. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a positive review from a well-respected critic. Other times, all it takes is a recognizable face popping into your eatery.That’s what happened recently to Carnevor and Room Service, both of which got a visit from celebrity chef and influencer Keith Lee while he was in town for his manager’s wedding. So far, Lee hasn’t shared anything on his highly followed channels about the restaurants or Milwaukee’s food scene. But that doesn’t seem to matter. The two eateries are still getting lots of attention, which can send foot traffic skyrocketing.We chat about this viral-ish situation at the top of our episode, breaking down exactly how important it can be to a notoriously fickle industry. Should a restaurant switch up its approach when an influencer like Lee pops in? How do you make a moment like this last? And should there be more of an effort to match local influencers with Milwaukee restaurants that deserve a little more attention?In addition to tangling with those questions, we make a return visit to Sinabro, which recently welcomed a certain local influencer (Ann) for an experience that showed just how much the Korean spot has grown over the past year. Then we bounce over to the Clarke Square neighborhood, where Guelaguetza Restaurante y Barra will move into the former La Cueva space at 2537 W. National Ave.

Two stars of Milwaukee's food-and-drink scene sit at the top of this episode, starting with John Dye's exciting new plans for legendary German bar Von Trier. The East Side stalwart recently held its soft opening as the new owner focuses on preserving a piece of Milwaukee history while continuing to serve food out of the historic spot.Our second stop takes us to Bavette La Boucherie, where the James Beard-recognized eatery will cut its dinner service so chef-owner Karen Bell can move a little closer to a healthy work-life balance. The restaurant will still offer lunch and an early happy hour, a move that reflects an industry movement toward saner schedules and sustainable working conditions.We continue rounding things up with news about a pair of supermarket openings: Supermercado La Hacienda on Forest Home Avenue and Pan‑Asia Supermarket (Wisconsin's largest Asian grocery store) on 70th and Greenfield. There's also the return of super-popular dining event Gather, an all-day brunch cafe called Waking Daisy that soft-launched today, and the quiet closure of East Side favorite The Original.

We're used to tying ourselves in knots as we criss-cross the city for the latest Milwaukee food news, but we hit a new level in this one as we dive into the amazing world of ... pretzels!Milwaukee Pretzel Company pretzels, to be precise, which are well worth the extra effort except for the fact that you don't need to put in quite as much effort to find them these days. You can get them everywhere from local beer gardens to German Fest and grocery stores to their own online store — and rightfully so because they're great.This episode also finds us reeling in news on Fishbone Seafood and Restaurant, which will open its very first sitdown location right here in Milwaukee after literally years of hard work from Bria Grant of UniteWI and her mentor, Master P. Yes, THAT Master P. On top of that, we've got some chat about the Chip's pop-up at Merriment Social that will feature ... well, chips; a new pizza joint called Love at First Slice coming to Sherman Phoenix; a switch from Carbon Steak to The Conroy; and the resurrection of Heirloom MKE's food truck.

After our recent triple-digit temperatures, it seemed like a good time to help you cool things down by serving up a few of our favorite heat-beating drinks and dishes from around the Milwaukee area.That’s where we start this episode, which finds Ann sharing her personal approach to finding the best summer beverages. It’s actually pretty genius: Ask the experts. We’re talking bartenders, baristas and mixologists, all of whom have their own favorites that just might become your new favorite: Tripper Duval from Lost Whale goes classic with a frozen margarita (both boozy and non-alcoholic). The Mothership owner Ricky Ramirez similarly leans on an old standby, the mojito, noting that just about anyone can learn how to make a good one. Another one on the NA front comes from Fruition MKE’s Tiffany Miller, who suggests their MKE Refresher mocktail that blends teas, ginger, lemonade, lavender and mint. Food-wise, there are a few different approaches to lowering your internal temperature, including: Gazpacho, the traditional chilled tomato and cucumber soup from Amaranth Bakery & Café.  A slightly out-there strategy would be to spice things up at DanDan, where you can pick up a smashed cucumber salad that sprinkles in a little kick to go along with one of the most water-heavy veggies around. Chef Alex Hanesakda has a few summer-friendly selections at SapSap in Zocalo Food Park, including his take on chicken wings, smoked brisket fried rice and classic Mamma’s egg rolls. That’s a mere portion of the selections Ann lays out in her Milwaukee Magazine article, so make sure you check out the whole list. Speaking of lists, here’s everything else we cover in this episode: A new community-first pub, Soul of a Starr, is on the way in the Harambee neighborhood. The former PIzza Hut on West Burleigh is getting a big upgrade to become Julie Mae’s Southern Cooking. Vanessa Rose has taken a big step with her Mother’s pop-up, which now has its own brick-and-mortar space at 2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

In this episode, Tarik and Ann are buzzing over a new Italian spot from the James Beard Award-winning owners of Lupi & Iris, as well as an upscale Mediterranean eatery coming to the ground floor of the new Ascent MKE building near Cathedral Square.Our duo also dishes on beloved Jamaican restaurant Uppa Yard as it expands with a second downtown location on Water Street, promising classic dishes like jerk chicken and oxtail, plus new additions like live music. It isn't all good news, though, as burger lovers took a hit with the recent announcement that Dairyland will leave (or, rather, was asked to leave) the Third Street Market Hall.We return to sunnier topics as Ann takes us on a nostalgic road trip through Wisconsin's historic drive-ins, sharing favorite spots like Ardy & Ed’s in Oshkosh and Big Star in Kenoha, as well as the unique experience of car hops and frosted root beer mugs. Finally, we wrap things up with details about Purslane, chef-owner Mary Kastman's newly opened restaurant that took over the former Ardent space.

On this episode, Tarik and Ann lead things off by previewing the No Rules Dinner Party, a remarkable 19-course event celebrating women-owned businesses. You'll also hear them celebrate the highly anticipated first brick-and-mortar location of Ruby's Bagels; explore the history of the often-overlooked Muffaletta sandwich (as well as the place to get one in Milwaukee); talk about the Oaxacan cuisine you can get at new restaurant Flor de Piña; and deliver the scoop on Halal Restaurant Week happening June 7-15.

As the weather warms up (any day now), the culinary scene often turns up the temperature as well — and that’s definitely the case on this very stuffed episode.Taking things chronologically, we’re less than a week away from the start of Downtown Dining Week, which has been treating diners to deals at some of Milwaukee’s top restaurants for nearly two decades. This year’s event runs from May 29 to June 5 and offers discounts for lunch ($15 or $25 per person) and dinner ($35, $45 and $55).With 29 eateries participating, we’re once again spoiled for choice. That’s why we decided to share a couple standouts to get you started: For your $15 lunch, consider Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen and the Café at The Pfister. At the $35 dinner level, Flourchild Pizza and Doc’s Commerce Smokehouse both jumped out at us. Jumping to the $55 dinner class, Bacchus and Aria at Saint Kate have enticing menus. Because we’re a full-service podcast, we don’t stop at mere recommendations. We also include some pro tips in this episode, one of which is to reserve early because the prime slots on Friday and Saturday fill up fast. You’ll have to listen for the rest.Speaking of the rest, here are the oh-so-many things we talk about on this one: Summerfest and Northcott Neighborhood House have added a ticketed tasting event called “A Taste of Juneteenth” to the festival’s first Saturday (June 21). Pabst Blue Ribbon has collaborated with NY-based cheesemaker Yancey’s Fancy on a beer-infused cheddar cheese. The EsterEv team is making the best of a flood situation by taking the restaurant’s food on the road for a series of pop-up dinners. Ann put together a profile of ElevAsian co-founder Erik Kennedy for her other gig with Milwaukee Magazine. The Ivy House will host the annual Botanical Battle Royale featuring Wisconsin’s top bartenders June 1. Nationally acclaimed food-truck brand Cousins Maine Lobster will bring their renowned mobile presence to Milwaukee this June.

Everyone’s got mom on the brain this week (rightfully so), which hopefully means you’ve already made plans to say thanks to that special person by treating her to some outstanding food. In case you haven’t, we start this episode with three suggestion for where to take mom — if they’re still taking reservations: Blackwolf Run in Kohler is offering a Mother's Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes salads, fruits, crudites, sausages, avocado toast, grilled citrus salmon, red wine braised chicken and pepper steak sauté, carving stations, omelet stations and desserts. Crafty Cow has you covered at all of their locations with some very cool-sounding fare. The cinnamon roll funnel cake jumps out, but there’s also the "Mother of All Hangovers" (a burger with cheddar, jalapeno, fried eggs and chipotle aioli) and the "Mother's Morning Bowl" (waffled hash browns with smoked cheddar, Nashville fried chicken and chicken gravy). EsterEv opted for a different direction with high-tea service from 12:30 to 3 p.m. You’ll find 10 menu items paired with offerings from Rishi Tea and served in ceramics crafted by Kate Riley. Breakfast cocktails will also be available. You’ll hear a few decidedly global news items as well, led by the exciting news that SapSap has officially joined the regular food-truck lineup at Zócalo Food Park. SapSap will also take part in an upcoming event titled “Hidden Flavors of Asia” that’s going down June 1 at Pilot Project Brewery, while a taste of the Mediterranean will soon find a home at the top of the world’s tallest mass-timber building.If you’re looking for something food to do a little sooner, The Cooperage will host Sashay & Souffle this Friday to benefit Midwest Sad. In addition to the culinary portion of the title, the drag-show fundraiser will include “show-stopping performances” and “fierce fundraising.” This weekend will also bring a new menu to Outlaw Oyster that features dishes like Octopus Aguachile Negro, Caviar & Hash Browns and something called an Octodog.

Our latest helping of Milwaukee food news starts with savory pasties from Mr. Dye's Pies, gets festive with the inaugural Miche Fest (as in Michelada) at Zocalo and explores the enticing menu of Sinta, a Filipino pop-up at Bavette. We also preview Semolina's hands-on Sunday Supper series, share the new tenant taking over Crossroads Collective and check out Southern-style eats at Bronzeville's soon-to-open sports bar, One-Seven Cafe & Lounge.

Because we like to keep things fresh around here, let’s flip the usual approach and start with the roundup so we can close with the centerpiece of this episode: As our hosts are both dumpling aficionados, they were happy to talk about the places doing them right around the city. They also check in on Kinship Café, which got some well-deserved attention thanks to a recent visit from comedian (and volunteer) Jim Gaffigan. Over on the East Side, Crossroads Collective will close so “a local restaurant” (possibly Shanghai) can expand into the space. All caught up? Great. We’ve got special guests to introduce.Chris Corkery established Hundred Acre during what can be generously called tumultuous times. It was 2020, and just about everyone had suddenly gotten to know the term “supply chain” and how disrupting it can change pretty much everyone’s lives.One of the areas most affected in those circumstances is the food system, especially when it comes to underserved areas in cities like outs. Corkery decided to address the situation by establishing Hundred Acre — an urban farm “providing a rapid response solution to food insecurity in the heart of Milwaukee.”It’s an ambitious project that’s still going strong five years later, and yet somehow we’ve never had Corkery on the podcast to talk about it. So we made up for lost time by covering the farm’s origin story, why he chose Milwaukee over other cities, “pesto with purpose” and growing even more in the years ahead.

On this episode, Ann and Tarik interview Chef Alex Hanesakda of Sapsap about his upcoming event, "Rivers Run Deep," happening at Cactus Club at 3 p.m. this Saturday, April 12. The event commemorates five decades since Oceanian refugees arrived in the United States after the Vietnam War, focusing on the often-overlooked history of the war in Laos and the genocide in Cambodia.Chef Alex discusses the symbolism of the Mekong River in his family's escape from Laos, and highlights how breakdancing connected Southeast Asian immigrants with Black and Brown communities in Milwaukee. The conversation also touches on the hypocrisy of anti-immigrant sentiments alongside the popularity of immigrant food.Alex explains that Lao Oceanian cuisine at events like "Rivers Run Deep" aims to share the stories and struggles behind the food and preserve cultural memory. He also shares a few of the meaningful ingredients from the culture, like lemongrass and fish sauce.In addition to the chat with Chef Alex, Ann and Tarik also touch on budget-friendly Monday night bites in Milwaukee from Paloma Taco & Tequila, Lucky Joe's and The Vanguard.

For almost exactly one year, Discourse Coffee Workshop has been a roommate of sorts, serving out of the southwest corner of Radio Milwaukee HQ. It’s been a pleasure watching them get comfortable in the space and expanding their presence in the city through other ventures like Agency, the hybrid cocktail bar they operate inside the Dubbel Dutch Hotel.Making it even more fun was the news that Discourse partners Ryan Castelaz and Sean Liu received earlier this week: that Agency is the lone Wisconsin finalist in this year’s James Beard Foundation Awards.We start this episode talking about the honor, which keeps Agency in the running for Best New Bar along with Bar Colette (Dallas), Indentidad Cocktail Bar (San Juan, Puerto Rico), Merai (Brookline, Mass.) and ViceVersa (Miami). The category is making its debut this year, meaning the winner will be the first-ever recognized by the James Beard Foundation.We’ll find out if the hometown boys take home one of those fancy medals June 16, when the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards are handed out at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. Fortunately, we have a few more items to tide us over as we wait for the ceremony: Ann delivered another batch of Dining Tidbits, including news of a combo farmer’s market and grocery store in Brookfield. Cactus Club keeps finding ways to bring innovative events to the venue, the latest being “Rivers Run Deep,” which will feature food from SapSap. In another piece for Milwaukee Magazine, Ann took a trip down memory lane to pour one out for two closed restaurants that left a mark on the city. Finally, the reality-TV folks have nabbed another local chef, Screaming Tuna’s Jason Morimoto to appear on season two of Morimoto’s Sushi Master (no relation).

From baseball legends to fast-food tributes, we're serving up another helping from Milwaukee's vibrant food scene. On this episode, Ann and Tarik sample Kopp's new custard flavor inspired by the late legend Bob Uecker (called, what else, "Mr. Baseball"). The hosts also preview the Milwaukee Wine Weekend and get real about restaurant service, sharing tips on how diners can be better customers. Plus, Big Daddy's Barbecue gets a new name (Big Boss BBQ), and Crafty Cow celebrates April Fool's Day with a menu that puts a gourmet spin on fast-food classics.

We always try to give you a meal, metaphorically speaking, on every episode of This Bites. But there are some weeks when we live up to our name and deliver more of a mouthful than a bellyful — a small-plate version of the podcast, if you will. So let's skip the longer run-up and jump straight into what you'll hear on this episode: Because you should respect your elders, we start with Ann’s review of the century-old but no less satisfying Kegel’s Inn. The dynamic Dan’s (Jacobs and Van Rite) are bringing back Dim Sum Give Some with an all-star lineup of 30 chefs. The 3rd Street Market Hall will get a Korean-focused concept from the owners of Ikigai Izakaya food truck. What was supposed to be a very short-term stay has turned into a full-time business as Just4U settles in at Sherman Phoenix Marketplace.