EsterEv Opening Soon in Bay View
The upscale tasting-menu restaurant will begin serving diners on April 17.
EsterEv opening spread. Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki
Unlike the flocks of geese steadily returning to Milwaukee’s waterfront, EsterEv is migrating south. The highly-regarded restaurant, a project of Dan Van Rite and Dan Jacobs, has never been one to follow the crowd, anyway.
Take its caviar tater tot, for example; the unconventional offering has garnered a cult following from fans who revel in the playful, high-low nature of the dish, which was born from the chefs’ shared love of McDonald’s hash browns.
This homage to the Golden Arches and other comfort-forward dishes will make an official debut on Wednesday, April 17, when EsterEv opens its new, standalone location in Bay View.
Formerly a private dining destination tucked away inside DanDan, the restaurant is now flying solo at 2165 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
“Opening EsterEv in its own space has been a long time coming,” Jacobs said in a statement. “The constant flow of inspiration from our team reinforced that EsterEv is ready for its own home with expanded hours. A dedicated kitchen with more capabilities gives us more ways to play around with recipes and continue to push the boundaries of our creativity beyond guest expectations.”
While the 40-seat dining room marks significant growth for the concept, guests shouldn’t expect prices to follow suit. In fact, the opposite is true.
In its new home, EsterEv aims to provide guests with “a more accessible tasting menu experience,” serving “as a true neighborhood destination that showcases the bounty of Wisconsin’s agricultural seasons,” according to a news release.
The restaurant will offer a four-course tasting menu starting at $80 per person with optional beverage pairings for $50. Guests will be able to further customize their meals with additional courses, if they wish.
Chefs Syd Zwieg and Val Bartram will join Van Rite and Jacobs at the helm of the restaurant, each lending a distinctive style to the menu.
Along with the beloved tater tot, the opening menu might include nostalgia-driven dishes such as chicken liver toast — a Jacobs family favorite — paired with green tomato and red onion atop thin slices of everything bagel.
Another dish, matzo brei with egg, onion and schmaltz, also draws from Jacobs’ family lore. It stems from his childhood favorite breakfast-for-dinner, which he often enjoyed in the company of his grandmother.
Other offerings include the seasonally-focused halibut with white asparagus, almond and Meyer lemon and a sunchoke dessert with dulse and citrus.
EsterEv also features an assortment of beverages specially-designed to pair with each course. Standouts include the balam, crafted with Anodyne cold brew, Xtabentún (anise liqueur) and a cardamom cream float, as well as the drunken money, an ode to EsterEv’s sister restaurant, DanDan, which features bourbon, brandy, amontillado, apricot, coconut, lime, pineapple and Chinese 5 spice. Guests can also choose from a curated selection of wines.
The personality-filled food and beverage menus come with a dining room to match. Jacobs and his wife, Kate Riley, led the design with support from Josh Miller and RevPop‘s Scott Starr. The result is a space that truly reflects its owners, with personal touches such as favorite cookbooks, live plants and custom wallpaper featuring the flowers from EsterEv’s logo.
The restaurant also features mid-century modern furniture and fixtures, as well as ceramic dinnerware handmade by Riley. Meanwhile, Jacobs’ love of sci-fi is on full display in the restrooms, which feature Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, “The Simpsons” and Grateful Dead-themed memorabilia.
EsterEv is heading into its eight year in business, having first opened in 2016. The concept is named for Jacobs’ and Van Rite’s great-grandmothers, Ester and Evelyn, who are remembered for their shared love of cooking and adventurous spirits in the kitchen.
The chefs have, in previous years, been recognized on a national scale for their work at EsterEv; the chefs are five-time James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Midwest. This year, they are finalists in the category.
Of late, Jacobs has also been busy promoting his appearance as a competitor on season 21 of “Top Chef.”
Starting next Wednesday, EsterEv will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with five seating times available per night. Reservations are available to book online.
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