Dining - Oct. 24, 2009
Milwaukee's best use of local food, 2009: Roots
Roots Restaurant and Cellar was one of Milwaukee's first dining destinations to actively pursue the use of local ingredients. Using only naturally raised meats and fresh seafood from the start, they've evolved to mainly use produce grown in Wisconsin, too.
Tags: roots restaurant, local food, slow food, comet cafe, crazy water, hinterland, kil@wat, la merenda, transfer, riverwest co-op

Bars & Clubs - Oct. 22, 2009
On the town in Milwaukee: Slow down for Rush Hour
The new "Rush Hour" at La Merenda keeps traditional happy hour drink deals but adds the option of ordering food a la carte. Over drinks the other night, we were able to order smaller portions of tapas that typically come in orders of four.
Tags: la merenda, international tapas, rush hour, rehorst

Dining - Oct. 13, 2009
Milwaukee's best hidden gem, 2009: La Merenda
You love the appetizers at La Merenda and you also think it's the city's best hidden dining gem!
Tags: La Merenda, best of, Sala da Pranzo

Dining - Oct. 5, 2009
Milwaukee's best appetizers, 2009: La Merenda
If you crave the Italian specialty osso buco, Indonesian sambal goreng udang, Spanish patatas bravas or Colombian empanadas, you'll find something to nosh at La Merenda, which is literally translated in Italian as "snack." OnMilwaukee.com readers chose the bright, festive spot located in a renovated woodworking shop, as their favorite spot.
Tags: best of, appetizers, la merenda, maxie's southern comfort

Dining - May 18, 2009
A guide to restaurant and bar tapas
Largely uncertain of the overall trend, Americans are left wondering how the Spanish concept of tapas translates to the American table. But here's the secret: tapas are simply small portions meant for sharing. Red meat, seafood, vegetables, pastas, pizzas and even sweets make their way onto the tapas menu mixing traditional appetizers, main entrée concepts and dessert variations.
Tags: tapas menu, la merenda, hinterland, bosley on brady, balzac, generations five points, ginger, swig, heaven city

Bars & Clubs - April 3, 2009
On the town in Milwaukee: Yes, you can save money and still go out
In times of scarcity, a deal is golden. Happy hour specials, two-for-one beers or half-price bottles of wine all beckon diners and drinkers to make a stop. And while you might be looking to save a buck these days, you still want a good time at a good place with good food and drink.
Tags: cheap drinks, deals, zen den, comet cafe, cafe lulu, la merenda, balzac, ginger, fuzion, service industry night, art bar, rascals

Bars & Clubs - March 27, 2009
On the town in Milwaukee: European touches, dive bars and local flavor
I started to come up a variety of ideal nights on the town, based on the friends you're with, the ambiance you want to create and overall the price you want to pay. Where would you go if you were only in Milwaukee for one night?
Tags: nightlife, trip to Milwaukee, nomad, balzac, la merenda, Milwaukee public market, downtown books, iron horse hotel, hotel metro, good life, red room, milwaukee public market

Bars & Clubs - Feb. 3, 2009
Smoke-free bars breathe easier as trends shift
Unlike Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul and Madison, the lack of an official smoking ban in the city of Milwaukee places the decision to allow patrons to light up on business owners. Until recently, the number of bars and restaurants willing to tamper with tradition was minimal, at best.
Tags: smoke-free, non-smoking, smoking ban, adrienne pierluissi, water buffalo, swig, joe sorge, angie sorge, sugar maple, cuvee, kris gorski, bruno johnson, palm tavern, la merenda, peter sandroni

Bars & Clubs - Jan. 30, 2009
Retreating to "recession worthy" bars and restaurants
These are hard economic times, there's no question of that. We've said goodbye to dozens of local boutiques and businesses and corporate layoffs seem sadly imminent in several sectors of our economy. But going out to eat or out for a drink, there seem to be wait times, full dining rooms and packed bars.
Tags: nessun dorma, la merenda, cactus club, soho 7, maxie's, beans and barley, sobelmanns, bootleggers, notte nite, buckhead, recession

Dining - Nov. 5, 2008
Chefs embrace seasonal foods for fresh fall feasting
Produce is at its peak when it's ripe, which is why more and more restaurant owners and chefs are steering away from the Syscos of the world and turning to providers in their own regions for fresh, local, seasonal foods. It's a national trend and here in Milwaukee, several restaurateurs are beginning to cook seasonally and shape their menus around what Mother Nature giveth.
Tags: seasonal menus, buy local, la merenda, cafe manna, intercontinental milwaukee, kilawat, robert ash, peter sandroni, robin kasch, thanksgiving

Bars & Clubs - Oct. 18, 2008
Why craft beer has real meal appeal among diners
Traditionally, wine has been the ultimate culinary complement. For decades, sommeliers have built entire careers out of explaining why red wine goes with red meat and so forth, but lately, the dining industry has seen significant shift from tradition. the last few years have watched beer -- specifically micro beer -- give wine a run for its money on the dinner table.
Tags: beer pairing, craft beer, beer dinners, lakefront brewery, la merenda, slow food, buckley's kiskeam inn, brewers association, beer

Marketplace - Sept. 10, 2008
Braise's RSA helps restaurants source locally
Chef David Swanson, owner of Milwaukee's Braise Culinary School, is expanding the reach of local CSA farms by organizing the state's first Restaurant Supported Agriculture (RSA) system.
Tags: braise culinary school, buy local buy wisconsin, csa, community supported agriculture, rsa, restaurant supported agriculture, david swanson, pinehold gardens, meritage, la merenda, cafe manna, le reve

Bars & Clubs - Feb. 27, 2008
Final Six in the City is Friday at Monkey Bar, La Merenda
On Friday, the viral and still vibrant group, Six in the City, goes out on top.
Tags: SITC, Six in the City, La Merenda, Monkey Bar, happy hour

Dining - Feb. 10, 2008
Romantic restaurant guide
Cupid has his arrows ready for Valentine's Day, and it's time to come up with the perfect place to pitch some woo, while tossing back some satisfying wine and savoring tasty vittles. After love, there's nothing more sensuous than food, is there?
Tags: romantic, valentine, bartolotta, pasta tree, roots, pizza man, balzac, Eddie Martini's, mo's, lake park bistro, county clare, bacchus, andrew's, delafield hotel, la merenda, hinterland, heaven city

Dining - April 10, 2007
Love to share
A recent visit to Ethiopian Cottage, which I reviewed earlier this week, made me think of one of my favorite aspects of dining out: intimacy, and no, I’m not speaking of “’9 1/2 Weeks,” although Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger certainly accelerated heartbeats experimenting with olives, ice and cherries.
Tags: La Merenda, tapas, Ethiopian Cottage, Basinger, Quijote