Wisconsin

[thetrain]

Thanks for the ideas. Should have plenty of time to go to Racine; we're finishing up in Elkhart Lake around 1:00 and the flight from Milwaukee doesn't leave until 8:00. mmm, pizza and kringles (whatever they are)...

My favorite kringle flavor when I was little was Maple Walnut. Would be the perfect after pizza dessert.

[porcupine]

You guys rock. Thanks for all the recommendations.

Since Wells Bros. is closed Sundays, we went Wednesday afternoon before heading north to Elkhart Lake. I'm not sure the pizza was entirely up my alley, but I'm glad we tried it. Since we were in Racine, we got several kringles to share with friends and crew and they were a hit. Nobody had ever heard of them before, but I did it anyway. I picked up a catalog from OH Bakery; they do mail order and kringles freeze well, they say.

Culver's custard was great, but I'm still partial to Dairy Godmother.

In Elkhart Lake we had some very good food at Lake Street Cafe and Paddock Club. Too tired now to describe other than to say both feature New American cuisine and offer small plates. Everyone we talked with agreed that these two restaurants are the best Elkhart has to offer.

Schwarz's Supper Club in New Holstein is... an experience. That's what we were told, and they're right. I'm not sure it's an experience I want to have again, though. The space is large, dark, low, smells like it's been in operation for about 50 years, and has a large bar and seating area with what looks like card tables. You sit down, buy a drink, place your order, and some time later are called to your table in the smaller (but still dark and crowded) dining room, where your salad awaits. Then your steak (with choice of fries or baked potato or some other thing) arrives, you chow, maybe get a dessert (we didn't, and if you know me, that should tell you something), pay up and get the hell out leave.

The food vendors at Road America are awesome, at least by track food standards. There was a guy specializing in Chicago-style hotdogs, who lovingly prepared each dog to order and lectured me about not getting the full experience without the mustard. He seemed personally offended, but I don't like mustard. So sue me. It was a great dog anyway, and I brought friends back the next day, and was lectured/teased again... But he was so passionate about his product, and it was a great dog.

I'm not sure I entirely understand the attraction of cheese curds, unless they're on fries with gravy, but that will have to wait 'til next time I'm in Quebec.

[Joe H]

You guys rock. Thanks for all the recommendations.

Since Wells Bros. is closed Sundays, we went Wednesday afternoon before heading north to Elkhart Lake. I'm not sure the pizza was entirely up my alley, but I'm glad we tried it. Since we were in Racine, we got several kringles to share with friends and crew and they were a hit. Nobody had ever heard of them before, but I did it anyway. I picked up a catalog from OH Bakery; they do mail order and kringles freeze well, they say.

Culver's custard was great, but I'm still partial to Dairy Godmother.

In Elkhart Lake we had some very good food at Lake Street Cafe and Paddock Club. Too tired now to describe other than to say both feature New American cuisine and offer small plates. Everyone we talked with agreed that these two restaurants are the best Elkhart has to offer.

Schwarz's Supper Club in New Holstein is... an experience. That's what we were told, and they're right. I'm not sure it's an experience I want to have again, though. The space is large, dark, low, smells like it's been in operation for about 50 years, and has a large bar and seating area with what looks like card tables. You sit down, buy a drink, place your order, and some time later are called to your table in the smaller (but still dark and crowded) dining room, where your salad awaits. Then your steak (with choice of fries or baked potato or some other thing) arrives, you chow, maybe get a dessert (we didn't, and if you know me, that should tell you something), pay up and get the hell out leave.

The food vendors at Road America are awesome, at least by track food standards. There was a guy specializing in Chicago-style hotdogs, who lovingly prepared each dog to order and lectured me about not getting the full experience without the mustard. He seemed personally offended, but I don't like mustard. So sue me. It was a great dog anyway, and I brought friends back the next day, and was lectured/teased again... But he was so passionate about his product, and it was a great dog.

I'm not sure I entirely understand the attraction of cheese curds, unless they're on fries with gravy, but that will have to wait 'til next time I'm in Quebec.

Porcupine, Culver is mediocre; you want Kopp's which is by far the best in Milwaukee, perhaps in the U. S. Also, Tenuta's delicastessen http://www.tenutasdeli.com/tek9.asp in Kenosha. I've been to Wells Bros. three times and really like it. Reminds me of DeLorenzo's on Hudson in Trenton. Still, I've actually driven from Gurnee to Milwaukee just to get a hamburger and far too much frozen custard at Kopp's. Actually, I usually skip the hamburger and just get an extra cup...or two of custard. Leon's is good, too, who makes Kopp's machines. Once I flew from Milwaukee to St. Louis and had Ted Drewes on Chippewa about four hours after eating Kopp's in West Milwaukee. For myself Kopp's is just the absolute benchmark for all frozen custard although Ted Drewes AND Neilson's in Vienna both have superb concretes.

[Sundae in the Park]

Culver's custard was great, but I'm still partial to Dairy Godmother.

Porcupine, Culver is mediocre; you want Kopp's which is by far the best in Milwaukee, perhaps in the U. S.

Kopp's might be better, but the thing about Culver's is that it's available everywhere. We constantly saw signs in WI, MN, and even the edge of SD. The frozen custard is pretty good, as are the griddled-to-order burgers. The fries are thin and boring but cheese curds and onion rings are available. Not bad at all for a quick bite on the road, and much to be preferred over other fast food options. Also, they had the most polite service I've ever had in a fast food restaurant.

[goodeats]

Kind of bittersweet (not sure if I am using term correctly) to find out that Colectivo (fka Alterra) has stayed true to its roots. I regret not trying a cup of joe from this "new" namesake, from this past visit, now knowing it is the same roaster, integrity-wise.

On the other hand, I still was quite happy to visit the tried-and-true: Culver's, Kopp's Custard, and the beloved V. Richard's Bakery.

The only new place I tried this time was the pretty tasty, AYCE Fushimi Buffet.

I now realize that I am a bit different from the rest of my family in my restaurant choices--I state this because I know Milwaukee is coming into its own with fine dining and is truly worthy of exploring. However, I guess I need to visit some time by myself to uncover these gems....

[dcs]

Given that Madison is distinct from Milwaukee, I thought it only appropriate to give it its own thread on DR.com.

Some newcomers of note include Cocoliquot, The Old Fashioned, Muramoto and Tubb's Taco Palace (the best inland fish tacos I've ever had!). But don't overlook some long-established restaurants should you come to town as well.

There's also Marigold Kitchen and the very good but slightly lesser Sunprint Cafe on Capitol Square.

We braved minus 8 degrees last week for a long weekend in Madison.  The Marigold Kitchen is a strong contender for one of the best breakfast places I have enjoyed.  The set-up is just like the Paramount in Boston.  You get on line, place your order, grab a table, and they bring you the food.  The chile poached eggs had a nice heat atop a layer of  prosciutto and sprinkled with manchego cheese.  It comes with rosemary bread toast.  Pair it with a fresh squeezed orange juice and it really does not get much better.

I can also second the recommendation for the The Old Fashioned.  The place has two large bars with more than 50 beers on tap.  The most interesting thing I had here was a pulled pork, butternut squash,and apple vegetable soup.  I had never heard of such a thing, but Mr. Google reveals a number of recipes out there.  Think beef barley vegetable soup.  Substitute pulled pork for beef.  Remove the barley.  Add butternut squash and apple.  That is what it tasted like to me.  Not the best soup I ever had, but hearty and made with fresh ingredients that warmed the soul at lunch after a frigid, sub-zero, and snow blown morning in lovely Madison.

[pcollins]

Grew up in Madison. Plenty of options out there in the city. There are sites devoted to just the fish fry options in the area.

Culvers is now in Florida even. I consider them little embassies to the state of Wisconsin much like how Bob Evans is an embassy of the state of Ohio.

A few people have mentioned kringle and driving down to Racine from Milwaukee. First off, this is a worthy endeavor and bringing a kringle to a gathering is a sure sign of success. Secondly, you only have to drive down as far as Oak Creek for a location of O&H Danish Bakery and is roughly a 15 minute drive from MKE airport. This is the same kringle bakery that has started to appear in Trader Joe's come fall and winter. Do get a kringle (my recommendations are either the classic almond or the Wisconsin version. You don't need to be wearing a Cheesehead to buy one). Also do get a Seven Sisters coffee cake.

[dcs]

I will be in Milwaukee for a couple of days starting tomorrow.  Anyone have any recent recommendations?  The list above is getting dated.  Nothing to fancy as I am only bringing shorts.

[pcollins]

The Milwaukee Public Market is certainly casual and has a variety of options. I'm a fan of the St Paul Fish Company there and their Calamari Steaks or their Lobsters, but that's if you're in the mood for seafood. Other vendors there include traditional deli fare, some excellent hummus and falafel, Wisconsin cheeses, etc.

There's conversation above about frozen custard, and I certainly fall into the Kopp's camp. If you are there long enough Tuesday has a particularly good set of flavors of the day, but I'm always happy with their vanilla otherwise.

Any ideas of what more you're looking for?

[goodeats]

The OnMilwaukee magazine has a pretty good list. Anything with the Bartolotta name is good.

If you can, you must try a New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red (New Glarus is a pretty good brewery in general, if you're not a cherry fan).

Here's another list.

[dcs]

The Milwaukee Public Market is certainly casual and has a variety of options. I'm a fan of the St Paul Fish Company there and their Calamari Steaks or their Lobsters, but that's if you're in the mood for seafood.

I did in fact have a lobster roll for lunch sitting at the counter at St. Paul Fish Company and it was quite good, with what appeared to be fresh cut fries and a couple draft beers whose name I can no longer remember.  We opted to go to a Brewers game the night before that lost us another dining opportunity.  We had a late lunch that day at Water Buffalo, selected primarily because it did not close between lunch and dinner and we did not get to town until 2:30pm or so.  It was well-executed pub fare, but nothing fancy.  Overlooking the Milwaukee River with plenty of outside tables.

[pcollins]

And if you're in Racine, pick up a kringle. If you've never heard of it, do it anyway.

You don't have to trek all the way to Racine to get kringle. There is a limited selection that folks can find in Trader Joe's during Nov/Dec from O&H Danish Bakery. November is the Pumpkin kringle, and December is their almond. I highly recommend the almond flavor as a family favorite.

Additionally, if you are in the Milwaukee area, or stuck near the MKE airport, there is an output of their bakery about 15 minutes south. They have the full selection of kringle as well as other dangerous forms of pastry. Do not try the Seven Sisters cake unless you are ready to have family debates on who gets the servings.

[tfbrennan]

Last December I was picking up a kringle at Trader Joe's and the cashier mentioned a Racine native had just been in and purchased 50.

[gibmrm]

Going to Milwaukee next week, only spending a day in the city, and unfortunately will not have a car to drive to nearby locations. Any more recent recommendations besides the ones already listed here? 

[pcollins]

3 hours ago, gibmrm said:

Going to Milwaukee next week, only spending a day in the city, and unfortunately will not have a car to drive to nearby locations. Any more recent recommendations besides the ones already listed here? 

I'm going to go the opposite direction and recommend a classic, the Serb Hall. I got a kick out of watching the presidential campaigns make a stop there and see it was still serving up Wisconsin's favorite, Fish Fry.

My favorite Milwaukee burger (and some excellent Bloody Mary's) remains Sobelman's, but there's a lot of options around. 

If you give us more of an idea of what you're looking for, we may be able to give you some better hints.

 

I did just get back from a trip visiting relatives. Madison keeps changing rapidly, so you get much more trendy spots like the Alchemy which had an exceptional steak special while I was there. But once you get outside of town, there's plenty of character. Enjoyed burgers at Wedl's and Crawfish Junction. Wedl's is more of a slider type, whereas Crawfish is a more traditional burger, but with a surprise of a homemade bun. There are excellent custard stops in Milwaukee proper, it's hard to beat the ambiance of a drive in stop at The Kiltie for a dessert after Memorial Day grilling with the family. My Fish Fry stop was the Klassik in Verona. You don't go there for the decor, but instead the excellent fish, surprisingly good tartar sauce, and I highly recommend getting your side as the cheesy potatoes. 

[Mark Dedrick]

I'm going to be in the Appleton/Green Bay area early next month. Any recommendations?

[Mark Dedrick]

So, as I posted earlier, I was out in northeastern Wisconsin (primarily Appleton and Green Bay). I was there to work on a Congressional and Presidential campaign (which did not end well for me or my candidates), but thought I'd take a second and quickly write up some of the places we ate while I was there. I'd never been here before, and quite enjoyed the town of Appleton, and the whole Lambeau Field experience in Green Bay. In more than 35 years of attending games (I'm not sure exactly how old I was when my grandmother first started taking me to Charger games) I don't know that I've ever been to an NFL stadium with metal bleachers. 

Appleton

Lombardi's Steakhouse - If you're looking for a steak, it's fine. I'd say it's inexpensive by DC prices, but probably quite expensive by Appleton, WI standards. There's apparently a connection with the Lombardi family, so there's a good selection of memorabilia. We sat at the bar as we wanted to watch the Oregon Ducks play on television (spoiler alert, my entire week was pretty much a disaster) and had excellent service from the bartenders. The brandy old fashioned isn't exactly my favorite drink, but they make a very nice version here (I figured when in Rome, or Appleton in this case). My steak was cooked perfectly, and as I decided to go full on steakhouse stereotype here I also really enjoyed my wedge salad, which was $6, and probably double the size of what I would typically see around here. If you're interested, the Packers' opponents will always stay at the Paper Valley Hotel, which is where Lombardi's is located. As a result a bunch of Colts' players were finishing dinner as we arrived, and the Colts' owner and his entourage were doing so when we left. 

Rye - This was the best food I had in Wisconsin, full stop, and in a modern and well designed space. It would look right at home on 14th Street. Cocktails were very well made, and service at the bar was very good. The restaurant was surprisingly crowded for a Monday night (I offer this without any idea about the Appleton dining scene). In particular we enjoyed the walnut crusted walleye (which I'm not seeing on their menu right now as I'm trying to remember what we had) and the Whisky Bacon Shrimp. 

Mai's Deli - If Rye wasn't the best food we had in Appleton, it was probably Mai's Deli. It's a tiny hole in the wall Vietnamese restaurant. The sign on the outside said that they had the best stuffed chicken wings, which wasn't a think we knew existed, so we ordered those as well as the Pho Combination (steak, shrimp, beef meatballs and tripe). The stuffed chicken wings were awesome, deboned and stuffed with cabbage, carrots, onions and other goodness I couldn't pick out. And the pho was also very, very good. I'd definitely recommend, particularly if, like us, you were interested in getting away from fried food. 

Cleo's Brown Beam Tavern - I didn't get any good photos, but you should do a quick Google image search. It's decorated in a full on Christmas theme apparently year round, and with as much Christmas decoration as the Miracle on 7th Street at Mockingbird Hill last year. They've got a good beer list, good service, and incredible people watching. 

Stone Cellar Brewpub - I ended up here twice. I found there beers perfectly fine, if rather unmemorable. I'd say the same about their food. Like many menu's I saw in Wisconsin, they have a separate schnitzel section, as well as elk stroganoff. I opted for the elk burger, which was way too dry, which I know is a risk. The pizza was solid, with the extremely thin cracker-like crust that I encountered several other places as well, so I would guess this is the Wisconsin style? Also, everywhere we saw they cut the slices into squares, even though you're working with a round pizza.

Frank's Pizza Palace - Also perfectly fine pizza, if you want pizza and you're in Appleton you may as well go here. I didn't love it enough to make a particularly strong recommendation. 

 

[porcupine]

Looking for recommendations for Milwaukee. Will be spending two nights there in November. Any must-try restaurants? Any interesting things to do for half a day? Grateful for any ideas.