Oh-So-Dreamy

Date night, Quality Grandparent Time, A Little Space Please...whatever you choose to call it, a night out with The Other is mighty important. If you feel as though you and Partner X have become 2 ships passing in the living room, make a reservation and GET OUT! We've become addicted to Dream Dance's Around the World Wine Dinners with Ray's Wine and Spirits. OK, that may be an exaggeration since a habit of this expense is equal to smoking $100 bills. When in Rome. We are eating in Potawatomi Land after all.

Not often enough, Dream Dance holds an event that features the food and wines of a country or region. Ray's teams up with Left Bank distributor and chef Jason Gorman of D.D. to produce a coursed dinner that heightens the wine experience and elevates the typical menu to art.

The most recent success was Pacific Northwest, exemplifying all that is fresh and wonderful about the cool coastal waters of Washington and Oregon. I know, I know...pinot noir and salmon. Mushrooms and oysters, blah blah blah. You can get that anywhere, flown in daily. This meal was definitely superior to the typical raw bar sushi joint experience. Let's discuss.

Course #1: a wee tiny little petite Fanny Bay Oyster with fennel and white pepper sorbet. Yeah, they rocked hard. You doubt me? The sorbet flavors opened up the palette and the oyster, as small as it was, shocked the senses with a lovely briny wash. Paired with this course was the 05 Banyan Riesling "Madera" Santa Lucia Highlands, from CA. The wine maker, we were informed was of Thai descent and quite a "hottie". He makes an admirable white; sea, salt and apples. The freshness lingers on the tongue briefly. A nice light mouth feel.

By course #2, my head was already swooning (note-a head start on the drinking happened while we wait for other diners to arrive, oops). Jumbo lump crab cakes are the star. Combined with a Pinot Gris that was new to me, 05 Brandborg Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley, OR. Umpqua doesn't roll off the tongue, even when I'm sober. The base of this plate was a Thai basil cucumber salad, which plucked the bright flavors from this white. The acid in the P. Gris cut through the richness of the crab cake, in turn the crab mixed nicely with the typical gooseberry in the Oregon bottle. Not great by any stretch, but a flavor enhancer for the Asian inspired dish.

Everyone at our table was guilty of making squishy faces when reading the menu of our 3rd course. Beef Tongue Stuffed Walla Walla Onion. A delightful smoked wood aroma rose from the little onion, matching the rich berry bbq in the 02 Amani Syrah from Walla Walla. (that does roll off the tongue nicely. beef tongue) I imagined I was sitting around a campfire in the North Woods, minus the wind chill and the threat of bears. This match was perfect. I would never in a million years go to the extent that Chef J.G. did of mincing tongue and shoving it into an onion skin. Thankfully someone did!

The main course was, of course, salmon. By now, my notes are unreadable, I'm slurring and my table is having an intense discussion about cats. I think I wrote blackberries, smoky time mushrooms, bitcin’ salmon & bitter greens. Maybe I should take a tape recorder next time. What I do remember was that both of these Pinot Noir bottles had body way beyond what I've been feeling lately in my personal choices. They tend to be all over the place due to various climate and condition changes and it seems to me that the more $$ the better the product. Obvious? Who wants to find out that $30 isn't enough for an average pinot? This 06 Moshin Pinot Noir "Molinari Vineyard" from Sonoma was worth it. We ordered 2, we'll soon see if it was the drinky drinky or if it truly stands on it's own.

Finishing the meal was an enormous (granted, this word never once crept into my mind during this meal) huckleberry tart. Mild and not overly sweet, the berries yielded properly to the icewine which was considerably sweeter. Since it's at a premium, I made sure to enjoy this dessert wine. Sweet and earthy, simple. This 06 Pinot Noir Icewine from Adelsheim in the Willametter Valley was a tasty little bump at the end of the meal.

The fine people at Left Bank make a point of leading the troupes through the meal, pointing out the smart facts about the chosen pairings and at the end of the evening, the shy Jason Gorman makes a trip around the dining room to meet the guests. With such care taken to prepare beautiful plates with thoughtful wine pairings, it's hard to find fault with this dinner.

...except...the…location. Dream Dance is located in the single most smoky building I have ever smelled. To access D.D. the diner is forced to parade through the casino, picking up that awful ashtray eau d’parfume. Dream Dance itself lacks vibrant finishes and furniture. Dated artwork and dull colors do not inspire one to linger beyond the meal. Thankfully, they plan tp shut down for a month in the spring to move to the new space, haulting the Around the World series briefly. Please let there be an exterior entrance. If I wanted to experience the casino, I would so choose. I like to throw cash away, just like the next person. I’d prefer to do it after my $200 dinner, however.

Dream Dance Around the World Series
1721 W Canal St

(414) 847-7883

Investment: $70 ea
Sitter time: about 3 hours, unless you get lost in the casino

KID RATING: 0

PARENT RATING: 5, for sanity

BETTY BON VIVANT RATING SYSTEM: 1-5

1 = ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH THE EFFORT, SAVE YOUR $ FOR BAROLO

5 = WOW, I WOULD STRIP NAKED AND ROLL IN THIS CHOW

Cha-Cha-Cha La Merenda

International Tapas…conjures visions of squid in a sublime French bisque…okra in a tangy marinara sauce, toast points with gravy? Oh wait, that’s Shit on a Shingle. That does exist, unfortunately. La Merenda in the Historic Walker’s Point Neighborhood, has not only created this genre of cuisine consumption, but excelled.

Thrown off our regular path of lunching in scenic spots, my companion and I duck into the once-a-dirty-foundry spot on National. Inside, lively orange and yellow hues brighten up a space that, with few windows, needs all the help it can get. As we sit, order tea and peruse a lengthy menu, things brighten up.

La Merenda lunchtime options offer Cold, Sandwiches and Hot. Within these styles your tastes can range from Italy, Israel, Thailand and Peru, all without the dysentery. The sunny flavors of the White Bean and Tuna Salad provide a light starter, firm beans and flaky tuna. Moving on to the tangy mint Tel Aviv Citrus Salad, we do not get our passports stamped and end up adoring a Croque Monsieur and a La Merenda BLT in France. Oh I almost hugged my little bite of Croque as the béchamel sauce was something that I have dreams about when my husband is working late.

When we’ve recovered from our lustful experience of France, we head over to Indonesia for the hot course. Creamy, coconut milk surrounds the shrimp in this dish known as Sambal Goreng Udang. The amazing combination of mashed potatoes, coconut curry sauce and shrimp is something only a crazy chef makes up in his head and then makes us eat. At least that’s what I’m telling myself to relive the guilt of my overindulgence. The last dish is Pancit from the Philippines. I’ve had this dish several times and it is always satisfying and tasty. Asian noodles tossed with chicken, Chinese sausage, carrots, and shitake mushrooms, how can you go wrong?

We skipped the dessert, it just seems too decadent to do during mid day. Unless you’re enjoying your third martini lunching in the ever popular networking spot, the strip club, which I have never done. So we get the check, gratefully pay a meager pittance for such a wonderful meal and head back to a lazy afternoon at the office.

International Tapas La Merenda style, is not one to shake a maraca at, unless you’d just rather have a burger for lunch. In that case, I’ll see you at Culvers.

Parent Note: While La Merenda does have high chairs and is now, as of October 1st, non-smoking, it’s not a comfortable place for kids to hang out. The din gets a little high in the evening and the food is just a bit off-course for the young ones who don’t do spicy. As I say that, I did drag The Toddler there a couple of times and she loved the curry mash, but that was about it. Dinner was rushed and you should really find the time to savor the lovely food presented at La Merenda. Get a sitter.

LA MERENDA
125 EAST NATIONAL AVE 414.389.0125

KID RATING: 1

PARENT RATING: 5

BETTY BON VIVANT RATING SYSTEM: 1-5

1 = ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH THE EFFORT, SAVE YOUR $ FOR GIN

5 = WOW, I WOULD STRIP NAKED AND ROLL IN THIS CHOW IF I WAS A DOG

More Props to the Hood

Gaze as we visit to 2 first class local events on the glorious WEST Side. Marvel at the wonderful costumes of the Asian dancers parading down National Ave. Rubberneck at the culture of the Cello in the Garden event held in the Forest Home Cemetery. All...right here in our backyard.






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Cheers!
~Betty

Bar Louis Sans Bar

Disclaimer: As much as I enjoy lounging on a patio, taking in the sounds of and smells of summer (Harleys and construction dust) while nursing a Weiss beer, I am not in the habit of propping The Daughter on a bar stool. I think that was a late 70's early 80's family outing if you lived in the North Woods.

This mini-critique is more of a response to the recent backlash the downtown grill Bar Louis has received, rather than an extensive reflection of the food. That said, here goes:

The Daughter & I were out on the town one Saturday morning, walking Water Street, doing the museums, craft fairs, etc. when I decided to see what the deal was with Bar Louis. I had been reading the bad press it had received due to the loss of liquor licence, in addition to the huffing and puffing by other local bar owners. Evidently, some higher up in Corporate had failed to renew not one but three licences and, whoops, forgotten to pay the sales tax. According to several sources, 5 Alderman were called in for a special meeting (forced to leave their vacations!? oh the horror) to address the issue so that the chain tavern and grill could re-open. At this point, it seems they exist only to serve food, and can not serve alcohol until next month when the Common Council can reconvene to deal with the sales tax issue.

So, what's the essential problem? Local (and smaller) bar owners are taking issue with the "special treatment" given to Mr. Corporate Restaurant Owner. What's my problem? Has anyone considered the 90+ employees that will suffer if the Bar Louis is closed for a month? I spoke to one employee who told me they were only forced to close for a week and the management was assisting in giving the staff extra working to make up for lost hours. The waitress, who is also a student, said she didn't know what she would've done had they closed for the month of August. Perhaps there is a time and place for special treatment, even if it appears to benefit the Big Man. It may also favor the less obvious in the long run (i.e. Sir Dish Washer, Miss Bar Back). Besides, doesn't Milwaukee ache for more businesses to take up shop in our downtown? This may actually seems like a warm fuzzy blanket to those who fear diving into a downtown that tends to verge on Ghost Town rather than Hopping Metropolis. Or are we a city that is controlled by political motivation rather than the good of our economy?

Having no answers, except for the obvious: open restaurant good, closed bar bad, I would like to dwell a moment on what hit me straight on about Bar Louis. On a comfortable early Saturday afternoon, the place was almost vacant (circumstances perchance?), they have a roomy and appealing outdoor dining room that has shade and a jumbo view of Water Street. In the past, we've walked on by due to the number of smokers and the size of the childless crowd, but on a quieter day, this place seemed quite welcoming. The waitress was quick to offer a menu for The Small One, brought the "Kid Cup" and was extremely helpful in getting our meal in a timely way.

Bar Louis does have a kids menu, the typical Mac n Cheese, corn dogs, hamburgers. They also offer the small plate menu for kids that has, gasp! veggies on it (ok, they're fried) nachos, dips, calamari and a number of other fun fried options. This is bar food, BIG bar food.

This wee review is also due to our non-adventurous meal. I had a cheeseburger with everything and Kid had the slider plate. This was decidely more burger than Kid could swallow and gave her a meal to take home. Typically I have no problem with doggy bags but it could have been fore mentioned. I was given the option of having my burger done medium, but it was really not even close. Not a pink tinge in sight the burger appeared to have been pre-made in such a way that they were overhandled and dry, but the garnish was ample and the tomatos fresh and ripe. Both plates came with seasoned salty fries that we both loved very much. Salty is highly regarded in our family.

So that's that: Above average food, really nice service on a quiet day, great outdoor seating and food to take home to The Husband.

BAR LOUIS 1114 NORTH WATER

KID RATING: 4

PARENT RATING: 3

BETTY BON VIVANT RATING SYSTEM: 1-5

1 = ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH THE EFFORT, SAVE YOUR $ FOR GIN
5 = WOW, I WOULD STRIP NAKED AND ROLL IN THIS CHOW IF I WAS A DOG

WELCOME!

There are some days I just want to have a fabulous plate of mussels and a cocktail. My 25 year old self screams "get me a gin 'n tonic, chop chop" and my 37 year old self answers back "ummm, the toddler dangling off your leg might conflict with your need to fulfill wanton desires". Life is short, eat copiously, play well, drink a little. Have fun.