Comet Cafe Reopening
Plus: Twisted Plants opening on Brady, a restaurant serving African, Caribbean and American dishes opens and a cafe is planned for Bay View.
Comet Cafe, an East Side Milwaukee staple located at 1947 N. Farwell Ave., had quite the messy farewell in July of 2020, as it was revealed that there were some behind-the-scenes disagreements between the staff and owners. Luckily, Comet Cafe is returning this year under new ownership, promising the return of the fan-favorite menu items as well as some new fare. Comet Cafe will officially reopen on June 9. Lori Fredrich reports:
… Comet will still serve breakfast all day long. Most of the menu can be adjusted to be vegetarian or vegan. And a slew of beloved dishes have made it back into rotation including the wildly popular veggie chili bowl ($8 or $5 for a cup).
Entrees include classics like meatloaf with beer gravy, bacon-chive mashed potatoes and grilled tomatoes served open-face on salted rye ($17); made-to-order ultra-creamy macaroni and cheese ($16; add chili, bacon or ham for +$3); and the compact turkey dinner featuring beer battered fried balls of slow-roasted turkey, sage stuffing and cheesy mashed potatoes with country gravy and veggies of the day ($17). There’s also a Friday night fish fry for $18 (Fridays only).
Among the new additions to the menu are avocado toast (complete with crispy sprouted lentils, hard-boiled egg, red onion, cherry tomatoes and herbs, $14); a cured salmon sandwich served on a Ruby’s Bagels rosemary sea salt bagale ($15); a fried chicken biscuit served on a housemade biscuit with hot honey ($15) and new salads including a classic wedge salad ($15; add chicken or tofu for +$3-$4); Caesar salad ($15; add chicken or tofu for +$3-$4); sprouted lentil salad with crispy sprouted lentils, Hundred Acre greens, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, cucumbers and tomato vinaigrette ($15; add chicken or tofu for +$3-$4).
Twisted Plants Opening Second Location on Brady St.
(Returning customer favorites include) the Up in Smoke (a plant-based burger topped with American style cheese, veggie bacon, onion rings, lettuce, tomato, pickles and special Twisted Smokehouse sauce), plus options like Superbad (jalapenos, cheese, grilled onions and chipotle mayo); the Chopped & Screwed (a vegan riff on the East Coast’s chopped cheese) and the Still Smokin‘, which serves up more than its share of comforting plant-based burger goodness, especially for fans of the classic mushroom and Swiss.
It also includes a number of new menu items, from bottled beer, wine and margaritas to plant-based chicken tenders, a brand new menu item which the Hawthornes offered up for taste-testing in Cudahy last week.
Twisted Plants will also continue to offer Scratch Ice Cream in the form of their delicious shakes (and cake shakes). But, thanks to a brand new soft serve machine, they will also be able to offer guests the choice of two flavors of ice cream (chocolate and vanilla) in cups and cones with toppings.
Frankies Restaurant & Catering Now Open
Frankies Restaurant & Catering is now open in the former home of Splash Studio at 1815 E. Kenilworth Pl. Previously a food truck and also a vendor at Southridge Mall’s food court, Frankies serves a combination of African, Carribean and American menu items. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Carol Deptolla reports:
At the counter-service restaurant, expect to see African dishes such as fataya, the fried, triangular pastries filled with beef, similar to samosas; chicken or beef suya, the seasoned skewers; and jollof rice, flavored with tomato.
Caribbean plates include beef patty, jerk chicken, oxtail stew and rice and peas.
Besides burgers, Frankies serves American fare such as breaded catfish, chicken-wing dinner and Hawaiian ribs (owner Donna Aboagye makes the barbecue sauce with pineapple juice).
Sisu Cafe Opening in Bay View
Morning commuters to and from Bay View will soon have a new spot to grab a coffee and baked goods. Sisu Cafe, located at 2121 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., is being opened by the owners of Sabrosa Cafe and Gallery and will offer quick items for those on the go during the week as well as a seated brunch service on Sundays. Sisu Cafe is aiming to open sometime between late June and early July. Graham Kilmer reports:
The restaurant will have breakfast and lunch items, soups, salads, and will be open seven days a week. Some breakfast items include a vegetarian breakfast pasty, chorizo and eggs tacos, a carne asada breakfast burrito and a blueberry icelandic yogurt parfait. Some of the lunch offerings include a chicken croquette sandwich, a vegetable muffuletta and a crispy BBQ cod sandwich. It will also offer fresh breakfast pastries and other baked goods from Sabrosa’s bakery department.
Like Sabrosa, (co-owner Francisco) Sanchez said Sisu Cafe will continue a focus on fresh, farm-to-table ingredients.
The theme for the restaurant, Sanchez said, will be driven by Nordic and Finnish elements as an homage to his partner, Piirainen, who is Finnish. The cafe’s name, Sisu, is a Finnish word used to describe the determination and resilience that is held up as the national character of Finnish people. Sanchez said he picked the name, thinking “how appropriate for these times that we just went through.”
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