Shorewood Dining Comes to Brady Street

Months after the the Brady St. community kicked out Camp Bar from moving into 1234 E. Brady St., the former site of Brady Street Hardware, it looks like the space is getting an establishment selling drinks after all.

Elias Chedid, owner of the Knick at 1030 E. Juneau Ave. and Harry’s Bar & Grill in Shorewood at 3549 N. Oakland Ave., as well as former co-owner of NSB Bar and Grill before it closed, has plans to open a second Harry’s on Brady – with exactly that name. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the new location will have a bar but will primarily focus on food.

Chedid told the newspaper that even though they are tailoring the menu and décor of the bar and restaurant to match the Brady St. vibe, “it’s going to have the thumbprint of Harry’s [in Shorewood].” They will remove some of the plaster to expose the Cream City brick, add wood paneling to the walls, add French doors or sliding doors that open during the warmer seasons, while retaining the space’s vintage tilework. There’s no word on the menu yet, but we’re guessing it won’t be much different to the Shorewood location. We can confirm that Chris Peterson, chef of The Knick, will design the menu.

The bar and restaurant will be open daily and will open early on Sunday for brunch according to the liquor license application. Chedid hopes to open in  May or June.

Asian Fusion

Back in September, we reported that a new Asian restaurant known as Asian Fusion would be opening later in the fall. Not quite, it turns out. According to the Journal Sentinel, the restaurant opened last weekend at 1609-C E. North Ave.

The menu includes such offerings as lamb or pork hot pot ($19.95), General Tso’s Chicken ($12.95), Hawaiian beef short ribs over rice ($11.95), Korean-style braised rice cake & kimchi with beef ($12.95) and Japanese stir-fried udon with beef or seafood ($11.95).

Regular hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Aladdin Cafe

Is this a diverse city or what? Even City Hall employees will be getting an ethnic restaurant, as Michael Horne reported for Urban Milwaukee on Monday.

Aladdin’s City Cafe has opened in the lower level of the Zeidler Municipal Building. The Middle Eastern restaurant was the successful bidder in a city Request for Proposals to operate cafeteria services in the City Hall complex. The Zeidler building is connected to the 803 N. Broadway Building and City Hall by a tunnel.

Aladdin received the highest score among the three bidders which included Elliott’s Deli Group, operators of a similar facility at 411 E. Wisconsin Ave., and Kasana, a restaurant in the lower level of the recently sold 241 N. Broadway building. Owner Azmi Y. Alaeddin also runs restaurants at the Public Market and at the Amtrak station.

Enlightened Brewing Company

Enlightened Brewing Company, one of Milwaukee’s newest breweries, and run by Tommy Vandervort and James Larson, plan to expand its location at Bay View’s Lincoln Warehouse at 2018 S. 1^st St. #207 to nearly triple its size.

According to OMC, the brewery will grow from 500 square feet to 1,700 square feet, quadrupling production and increasing exposure through the addition of a tasting room. And it’s all thanks to funding through the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation.

Enlightened brews beers with “interesting, specialty ingredients” as Larson told the publication. The names of the beers allude to science, history and philosophy; A Priori Pale Ale references Immanuel Kant’s doctrine of knowledge and Sustained Thought Coffee Stout references a quote from Voltaire the Enlightenment Age philosopher.

Vandervort told OMC he developed his love for beer when he started bar tending in college for companies such as The Lowlands Group and Bartolotta Restaurants. Then he started home brewing in 2010 and shared kegs of his brew with friends as he developed a catalog of recipes.

Vandervort established Enlightened as a concept in 2013 with the help of business partner Grant Willey. He then connected with Larson, a home brewer who recently graduated with a master’s in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, through Rob Zellermayer of Sugar Maple. While they became fast friends, they were separated as Larson went to Michigan for an internship with Bell’s Brewery. They reunited at the end of 2014 after Willey left the business.

The two then secured a space in the Lincoln Warehouse, home to other independent beverage businesses such as Top Note Tonic, Bittercube and Twisted Path Distillery. (The latter two businesses recently opening Dock18 Cocktail Lab at 2018 S. 1^st St. as we reported). One year after developing the first Enlightened beer, a saison called The Tempest, the two Enlightened owners developed three year-round brews and monthly seasonals which have appeared in around 35 bars and restaurants throughout the Milwaukee area including Odd Duck and Sugar Maple.

“We’re not just riding a trend or making gimmicky beers,” Vandervort told the publication. “We pay attention to what’s going on in the industry, and we strive to bring creativity to our work. But we want to be great at what we do, and that comes first.”

“We’re not going crazy,” he added. “We use some interesting, specialty ingredients; but the bottom line is that it’s still a good, solid beer.”

Blackfinn Ameripub

What could be more natural than a chain restaurant opening in a suburb? “Blackfinn Ameripub was born to be a whole new generation of the classic American pub, a lively restaurant and bar that offers the affordable, craveable American food our guests want to eat,” the company declares.

The first location started in Austin, Texas and the next locations are coming to Ashburn, VA, Charlotte, NC, and Brookfield. As OnMilwaukee reports, Blackfinn is coming to Brookfield Square, at 95 N. Moorland Rd., in late February or early March, to provide all that craveable food.

The Menu includes bacon wrapped meatloaf with sweet potato mash, green beans and honey chipotle ketchup ($15.99); jumbo lump “crowned” crab cakes with tomato basil salsa, remoulade sauce and steamed broccoli ($19.99), fish tacos with cabbage, avocado crema and cilantro served with rice pilaf ($11.99); jambalaya pasta with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, peppers and onions in a tomato broth with angel hair pasta ($14.99); and “steak your way” where you get to choose your own steak along with toppings and two sides ($24.99 – $28.99). They also have vegetarian, gluten free and “lighter side” options. A weekend brunch with eggs benedict, build your own omelet and more is available at 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Beverages include 50 tap beers with a focus on local and regional brews and a wine list with over 25 by-the-glass offerings. Happy Hour is weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m.

The 6,600-square-foot restaurant will include outdoor seating for 42 guests in addition to the dining room and pub.

Sobelman’s Pub & Grill

The 127-year-old building housing the flagship Sobelman’s Pub & Grill at 1900 W. St. Paul Ave. is currently under repair.

Co-owner Dave Sobelman told the Journal Sentinel last week that it was the ideal time to start repairs because early January is usually slow for business. He will be repairing the Cream City brick and stone that makes up the building, which has been settling for decades. In addition, he will add some new coolers behind the bar to replace the 1950s-era beer coolers as well as new flooring behind the bar as ordered by a city inspector.

The bar and restaurant is expected to reopen this Saturday, Jan. 16^th. In the meantime, the pub is redirecting guests to the Marquette Sobelman’s about a mile away at 1601 W. Wells St.

Red, White & Blue

In December, we reported that a patriotic country bar by the name of Red, White and Blue would be moving into the former space of Buckhead Saloon at 1044 N. Old World 3^rd St. The bar held their grand opening last weekend with performances by Rebel Grace, Justin Adams and more according to the Journal Sentinel.

The 800 capacity bar is open 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays as well as 7 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.