![]() | cmyk_nate: @girl_alex Ha! Good luck with that poor bird...or should I say poor Alex? ;) Silly animals. about 18 minutes ago |
![]() | MiMyCen: #tsuribaka's got good. Whether you like this town or not ~ about 2 hours ago |
![]() | FakeSEC_Commish: Is that good or bad karma for the Bama/Auburn game? RT @stron003: Did I mention I grated a chunk of skin off my thumb today? #BamaBound about 2 hours ago |
![]() | flyguy09: well I guess ill start reading this book till another good show comes on or sum guest bothers me about 2 hours ago |
| By Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Jeff Sherman |
| Published April 9, 2007 at 5:17 a.m. |
|
When you think about the term "consistent," you most likely think "harmonious," "conformable, "comfortable." Yet, when it comes to restaurants and consistency the definition is not that easy. You need to factor in comfort, quality and tradition.
What area restaurants do we think are some of the most consistent? Here is my take and the selections of Drew Olson, Amy Carlson and Molly Snyder Edler as well. Use the talkback feature to react and provide your comments and additions.
Jeff Sherman
When I think of consistency in a restaurant I think along the lines of "I just know what I'm going to get." It will be good, rewarding and there's no "fear." Face it, we all have a few favorite local restaurants that just never let us down. Those places that treat us well, serve us good food and never fail. That got me to thinking what are my "most consistent' choices for Milwaukee restaurants? Not necessary the best, but those that I can always trust and count on.
Beans and Barley
Beans very well might make this list by default as it's across the street for the OnMilwaukee.com office and a stop of mine at least twice each week. Nevertheless, whether it's picking up dinner or a quick basic burrito, Beans never disappoints. The burritos are consistently fresh, sandwiches always tasty and even the hummus and guacamole never disappoint. Kudos to "Beans" for its consistent consistency.
Calderone Club
What's so hard about pizza, you ask? Well, have you even ever had bad pizza? It's easy to say you haven't (since you'll admit you love for the stuff), but you have. Calderone's pizza is always good, consistent with its sauce, fresh (never uses canned mushrooms) and always placed on a crispy crust.
Cempazuchi
Fresh Mexican cuisine. I love this place and never go away hungry. Great guacamole, moles, tostadas, salsa and more. Consistent in its service, presentation, friendliness and food quality. Haven't been to Brady Street lately? Why not?
Drew Olson
When I think "consistency" I think of four places:
Breakfast / late-night at George Webb: The location near my house is quick, cheap and virtually never disappoints. Even on a busy Saturday or Sunday, the staff seems to be cheerful and accommodating.
Casual eats at Charcoal Grill: They have a big menu and the place is kid-friendly, but the quality of the food seems to be a notch above the Applebee's, Friday's and similar chain restaurants punching in its weight class. The burgers are great and the appetizers like bacon-wrapped water chestnuts are top-notch.
Special occasions: Eddie Martini's and Ristorante Bartolotta. The service is impeccable. Attentive and not intrusive. The cocktails and steaks at Eddie's are among the best in the city. Bartolotta has terrific pasta and wine.
Amy Carlson
For me, I needed to break consistency down into a few pieces. While I ultimately believe that consistency is the most important element of a restaurant, and also the most difficult to achieve, I think it also needs to be broken down into categories by type of restaurant. Honestly some of the most difficult challenges in consistent cooking lie in the products used, especially when dealing with fresh produce, which can vary seasonally or sometimes even delivery to delivery. This is why oftentimes in higher end restaurants, the chefs will do seasonal menus....it allows them to experiment with their craft of course, but also lets them reap the bounties of the seasonal produce without being limited by something like bitter spinach or out of season tomatoes.
There is also the element of service, because for me, when I am evaluating a dining experience, the quality of service is just as important, if not sometimes more so important, than the quality of the food. And that doesn't always mean that service needs to be expedient or perfectly timed; there re some restaurants I love in this city where I know I am going to get slow, imperfect service; but it is consistently slow and imperfect, so I know exactly what I am walking into when I pass through the doors.
That being said, I have three restaurants which I find to be the most consistent in the Milwaukee area.
McBob's Pub and Grill
I love McBob's. I love that I can order anything on the menu and know that it's going to be consistently down and dirty delicious. The owners and staff here are so good at what they do that once when we visited over brunch and all the power went out, they still managed to serve up our six breakfast orders with one functioning gas stove and a coffee warmer over candlelight. Sound impossible? We were shocked, too, but they did it, and did it well, true to form.
Libiamo
Libiamo does basic Italian fare and does it well with no surprise since owner Dean Cannestra was basically born into the restaurant business (his family owns Palermo Villa, and Cannestra is also a part owner of Riverwest's Nessun Dorma). Service here is consistently spotty, but the food is superb. Libiamo does some of the best spedini in town, and while their pastas and pizzas are not fancy, they are solid. And of course, little beats the atmosphere of this former Schlitz Brewery.
Lake Park Bistro
Lake Park Bistro has it all, beauty, ambience, great staff, and exceptional cuisine. This is truly one of Milwaukee's best restaurants, and by far the best of the Bartolotta empire, and it shows in everything they do. The kitchen shines, their seasonal menu is always superb, and the servers are consistently attentive without being invasive. Over the many, many times I have dined here, I have never left even slightly disappointed, and as the years go by and my expectations of Lake Park increase, the restaurant continues to grow and evolve in such a way that it continuously stays ahead of all measures of excellence.
Molly Snyder Edler
Nessun Dorma
Amy mentioned Libiamo, which inspired me to shout-out on behalf of another Cannestra family establishment. I have never had a bad meal at Nessun Dorma, and ate there at least a dozen times. The sandwiches, panini and nightly specials are consistently well-prepared and very affordable. Riverwest needs a few more places like this.
|
11 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Posted by oregonpanthers on April 23, 2007 at 10:10 p.m. (report)
I have to go with the Beans & Barley myself. I eat here every weekend on Sunday since I to live just kitty corner from them. I have tried all 3 versions of the pancakes they offer and nothing beats these flapjacks! Filling, warm, and traditional brunch fair yet you leave with a tummy of wholesome nutrition rather then a brick of grease. I have to say the worst part of my visists on Sundays is leaving!
| Rate this: |
Posted by dimondan on April 19, 2007 at 12:55 p.m. (report)
Living out in the 'boonies - Germantown, some of our consistent restaurants are Amici's in Richfield. Very good pizzas and good Italian food at medium prices. The Saw Mill Inn is a good casual eatery with attentive service and satisfying food. For a more upscale restaurant with terrific atmosphere and food, I'd recommend the Copper Dock on Freiss Lake. The lakeside dining and veteran staff make every visit a memorable one. We've been going there for years. This is a hidden gem and great for a top notch Sunday brunch. Another satisfying place is Chuck's in Thiensville. Good food, good prices and a very friendly staff!
| Rate this: |
Posted by mikemiller34 on April 13, 2007 at 8:16 p.m. (report)
One word: Omega. Before you start laughing, order one of the more expensive complete meals--lately I always get Greek Shrimp with a Greek Salad and Greek Custard for dessert (do you sense a theme here?)--and take it to go. Eat it in the non-tacky confines of your home, maybe with a glass of good wine. I tell you, you are getting a $30 meal for half that or less. Not only is the quality consistent (and I have had many different items, including breakfast), the service has been mostly good too. There seems to have been quite a bit of turnover lately, but if you eat there, try to be served by a waitress named Pam and you will be golden :-)
| Rate this: |
Posted by Stephanie on April 12, 2007 at 8:28 a.m. (report)
Another high-end choice is Osteria del Mondo. Best Italian in the City. Consistently classy and amazing food.
| Rate this: |
Posted by charrynn on April 11, 2007 at 1:07 p.m. (report)
Pizza Man.
| Rate this: |
|
Wednesday While Jeff Sherman loves the national exposure for the Bucks and Jennings, he was even ... |
|
Wednesday "Mad Men" is done, as is "Entourage." And, my favorite show, "Friday Night Lights" is ... |
|
Tuesday More than 124,540 City of Milwaukee parking tickets are unpaid -- accounting for almost ... |
|
Nov. 25, 2009 Businessweek.com named its "Best Places to Raise Your Kids" in Wisconsin (and the other ... |
|
Nov. 25, 2009 Organizers want your thoughts and opinions on Jazz in the Park. Take this survey as the ... |
| Top Clicks | Top Searches | Most Talkbacks |