Bay View’s White House Returns

Former Kneisler’s White House Tavern Building. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It turns out more than one White House is making headlines this week. A fine dining restaurant will open its doors Dec. 20 in the vacant space of the former Kneisler’s White House tavern located at 2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Bay View. Keeping things nice, simple, and easy to remember, the new restaurant will be called the White House. OnMilwaukee’s Bobby Tanzilo has the scoop: 

Don’t worry, longtime White House lovers, the 1890 bar, the wainscoting, the vintage photographs, the original ceiling in the parlor … it’s all still there. This is the White House you remember from before it closed at the end of 2017.

[Chef Robert Tringali] brings out a few appetizers for us to taste, including a spinach salad with crispy duck cracklings, a board with toasted baguette, pickles, mustard and a sinfully rich and delicious chicken liver pate (secret ingredient: chartreuse liqueur!) and a baked brie with apples, almonds and compote.

The dishes reflect the chef’s varied experience working at a number of supper clubs and resorts in the area, at restaurants in Chicago, as well as at Mader’s for the past five years.

The dining room seats 50, including at the bar, and a patio, in season, will add 40 more seats, with room to expand. 

New Bagel Restaurant for Walker’s Point

A bagel shop with intentions to bring the old-school-New-York-bagel-shop spirit to Milwaukee will open at the former site of Drink Wisconsinbly and Blue Jacket. Allie Boy’s Bagelry & Luncheonette is set to open at 135 E. National Ave. sometime in March of 2020. Ben Nerenhausen – current chef de cuisine at Ardent – is opening the restaurant with his wife, Staci Lopez. The Journal Sentinel’s Carol Deptolla reports: 

Their 30-seat restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch through the afternoon, at least at first, selling bagels, sandwiches, soups and snacks; dinners might come later. Allie Boy’s will have a brief list of cocktails along with house-infused vodka, plus wine and beer. And classic egg creams to drink, too.

They’re planning dishes such as chopped chicken liver or chicken liver mousse, potato pancakes, blintzes, pickle plates and borscht. They’re also hoping to smoke fish.

Familiar Eastern European deli flavors — like that of dill and sour cream — will be joined by some from the Middle East. “Foods of the diaspora,” Nerenhausen said.

Crafty Cow beefs up its menu

How do you improve an already delicious burger? The Bay View and Oconomowoc burger joint Crafty Cow seems to have the right idea: by improving the quality of its beef blend and keeping its menu fresh. As of Dec. 17, Crafty Cow has launched its new menu. Milwaukee Record’s Tyler Maas reports: 

…the burger joint is getting ready for a new year by bringing nine new burger options to its menu (spread between Crafty Cow’s Bay View and Oconomowoc locations) and upping the quality of its beef with a new brisket, chuck, and sirloin blend that will be served across the board. They’re also bringing in a much lighter and fluffier brioche bun and introducing a rotating “dish of the moment.”

Check the story for a complete list of new menu items (and what locations they’ll be available at). 

Death of DiModa Pizza

DiModa Pizza & Hotspot. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.

The East Side now has one less spot where pizza-lovers can get delicious, wood-fired pies. DiModa Pizza, which opened in the space left vacant by Trocadero in the summer of 2017, held its farewell dinner service on Sunday, Dec. 15. Wild Planet Hospitality Group, the food and beverage company that owns the space and various other restaurants and bars in Milwaukee, decided to focus their time and energy into Water Steet’s Red Rock Saloon and McGillycuddy’s. OnMilwaukee’s Lori Fredrich reports: 

“We’ve really enjoyed owning and operating food and beverage concepts at this location,” says Drew Deuster, Partner of Wild Planet Hospitality. “But, over the last several months, we’ve received interest from developers and other (larger) food and beverage operators who have always loved this spot … we originally purchased the property as a real estate venture and now it seems like the best time to move on.”

During its time at the location, DiModa made various improvements to the space including the addition of a new bar, expanded four-season dining areas and a wood-burning oven.

Thanks to recent changes to the Water Street corridor and East Side, the property presents myriad opportunities for a new operator to create a neighborhood destination. Despite interest from numerous parties, Wild Planet has not yet accepted an offer on the property and is still entertaining inquiries.

Jason’s Deli to close Brookfield location at end of year

Popular delicatessen chain Jason’s Deli will close the doors of its Brookfield location for good on Dec. 31 at 2 p.m., just 10 hours shy of the year’s end. The Brookfield location is one of only two Jason’s Deli’s located in Wisconsin and is the third restaurant to close its doors after only a few years of being open in Brookfield Square, as the Journal Sentinel’s Paul Gores reports: 

In an email to patrons, Jason’s, which has more than 280 locations in the U.S., gave no reason for the pending shutdown of the Brookfield restaurant, which has been open since January 2016.

A sign on the door says Jason’s Deli will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on its last day on Dec. 31.