Southside Seafood Buffet Plans Rebrand

Site of Hong Kong Seafood Buffet, 270 W. Holt Ave. Photo taken Jan. 11, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

The South Side’s Hong Kong Seafood Buffet is temporarily closed after approximately six months in business. But permit requests from owner Ting Cai Zhou indicate that the restaurant will soon return with a new name.

The buffet-style eatery opened in January at 270 W. Holt Ave., bringing crab legs, shrimp, crab rangoon and more to a former Applebee’s restaurant.

In late July, Hong Kong Seafood Buffet announced it would close temporarily for “inventory checks and maintenance.”

Shortly thereafter, Zhou filed a signage permit and applied to change the restaurant’s name to Asian Buffet. The reimagined restaurant plans to feature hibachi, and would serve beer and wine, according to the sign renderings.

Zhou, a chef and entrepreneur, gained industry experience in New York before relocating to Madison, where he opened five restaurants. He continues to operate Ragin Cajun and two locations for Hot Pot 608.

Grant Program Aims to Uplift Black-Owned Restaurants

Running a business is challenging; doing so as part of a historically marginalized group can feel insurmountable, especially in the restaurant industry.

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Heinz, with The LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice, is stepping in to change that through the Black Kitchen Initiative (BKI) grant program.

Since 2020, Heinz has donated $1 million annually to support Black restaurant owners in dealing with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as long-standing systemic barriers and inequalities.

This year’s program, which is accepting applications through mid-September will bring the company’s total donation to $4 million.

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East Side Getting New Açaí Bar and Cafe

A new destination for smoothies, snacks, açaí bowls and more is headed to Milwaukee’s East Side, and making its imminent arrival known with hot pink, floor-to-ceiling signage.

Baya Bar, a New York-based chain, is coming soon to Prospect Avenue. And if you think the signs are colorful, wait until you see the menu.

The health-focused restaurant serves a fruit-filled menu of fresh juices, smoothies and frozen açaí bowls with toppings such as bee pollen, granola and peanut butter. For a more substantial meal, Baya Bar offers oatmeal with various toppings and toast with seasoned avocado or fruit and nut butter.

The cafe also stocks bottled juices and super shots made with ginger, oregano extract, wheatgrass and other superfoods.

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Forage Kitchen Joining Public Market

A new, health-focused vendor is on its way to Milwaukee Public Market, with plans to serve grain bowls, soups, salads and more using locally sourced ingredients.

Wisconsin-based Forage Kitchen plans to open this fall at the food hall, 400 N. Water St., replacing The Green Kitchen.

The Green Kitchen has operated for 16 years, serving a menu of custom-made salads, sandwiches and wraps from a 375-square-foot vendor stall across from Foltz Family Market. Its last day of service is scheduled for Sept. 1.

Like its predecessor, Forage Kitchen takes pride in its farm-to-fork philosophy.

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Southside Dining Week Returns With Biggest Ever Lineup

Southside Dining Week returns in September for its biggest year yet, with more than 40 restaurants taking center stage during the week-long celebration of diverse cuisine.

The fourth annual dining week, presented by North Shore Bank, will begin Sept. 28 and continue through Oct. 5, with participating restaurants offering a signature dish for $20 or less.

This year’s lineup of establishments encompasses more than 25 neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee’s South Side and surrounding suburbs, representing a wide variety of regional and international fare including American, Chinese, Filipino, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Puerto Rican, soul food and more. Several cafes and breweries are also highlighted, as well as two ice cream shops.

Like last year’s event, the 2024 dining week will begin with a ”Live Band Kickoff” party at Zocalo Food Park, 636 S. 6th St., featuring live music from local performers, a pop-up makers market, collaborative art activities and more.

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Yemeni Cafe Planned For East Side

A handful of Yemeni cafes have emerged throughout the Milwaukee area in recent months, offering spiced beverages, pastries, and—of course—the country’s distinctly flavored coffee.

After visiting cafes in Oak Creek and Greenfield, Madhi Hassan and Hasan Abuasi were immediately impressed with the coffee’s earthy, complex flavor—a result of dry-processing the beans with their fruit intact. In other regions, beans are typically separated and dried prior to roasting.

“Being Middle Eastern, we’ve always been heavy coffee drinkers, and we’ve always tried different coffees,” Hassan said, noting that he’s sampled Turkish, Arabic, and other coffees while traveling overseas. “I grew a passion for that kind of stuff, so that was the beginning of it.”

Now, the partners are planning their own location on Milwaukee’s East Side.

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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Touts Climate-Smart Farming in Milwaukee Visit

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack met with farmers, community leaders, union representatives and several other groups on Monday to discuss the role of climate-smart investments in uplifting rural America.

Addressing a crowd of approximately 65 gathered in the second-floor event space at Central Standard Craft Distillery, Vilsack described how large-scale farming practices have decimated the market for small and mid-sized operations, leading 544,970 — or one in six — farms to disappear between 1981 and the latest Census of Agriculture.

Vilsack said he’s working to change the reality outlined by a former Secretary of Agriculture, Earl Butz, whose mantra to farmers was “get big or get out.”

“The question is whether we’re okay with that,” Vilsack said. “If not, what’s the alternative?”

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New Japanese Restaurant Serves Comfort Food in Walker’s Point

Japanese cuisine is widely known for its meticulous sushi preparations, umami-rich ramen and ultra-crispy tempura. And while Milwaukee offers plenty of these traditional dishes, known as washoku, the city has fewer options when it comes to yoshoku — Japanese comfort food with Western influences.

A new restaurant, Cute Robot Japanese Kitchen, is stepping in to change that.

With an extensive menu of street food, snacks, curries and katsu, along with an anime-inspired dining room, owners Janet and Marc Boettner have curated a restaurant experience that evokes the warmth and familiarity of home cooking — no matter one’s cultural background.

Cute Robot, 704 S. 2nd St., welcomed its first customers on Aug. 13, filling the space formerly occupied by The Noble. The previous restaurant, known for its ever-changing menu and industry brunches, closed last summer.

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New Restaurant and Lounge Proposed For South Side

A multi-faceted new business is slated to open in a strip mall on Milwaukee’s South Side, but its arrival depends on the current tenants making way.

Mariana Herrera recently submitted a proposal to open Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet at 5121 W. Howard Ave., with plans to serve food and drinks, offer catering services and host events in its basement, according to a license application.

Arcane would also market itself to a wide variety of customers, presenting in-house entertainment for those who prefer to dine in, as well as drive-thru and delivery services for those who don’t.

The 2,937-square-foot restaurant space is currently home to Brewtown Eatery & Sports Bar, which opened under Scott Kwapick and Martin Gulzcynski in 2014.

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Lulu Cafe Is Still a Winner

Before Bay View became a dining destination, there was LuLu Cafe & Bar, a few steps off S. Kinnickinnic Avenue on S. Howell Avenue. You might say the owners were pioneers in a neighborhood yet to be redeveloped and with few restaurants. That was back in 2001, when Lulu opened with a small dining area, mainly counter seating, and a couple of tables.

Now they use the original space for takeout and special parties as they expanded into a much larger room with a full bar and multiple tables. They have a dedicated cadre of diners that date back to 2001, and that includes me.

One thing has remained the same and let us hope they never cease making are the gigantic house chips and the crunchy Asian slaw. When you order from the sandwich menu, Burgers, Pitas, Melts, and Baguettes, your sandwich comes with chips or slaw or a little of both. That “little of both” is relative because even in a split, the portions are generous. You will want to add the blue cheese dip, a mild accompaniment to the chips because you can, and they charge a mere $.50 for this dipping sauce.

When you order a pita, and there are several choices, be prepared for a pita stretched to its limits with a filling guaranteed to please. The Roasted Vegetable Pita, for example, has an entire vegetable garden roasted to perfection and served with a refreshing cucumber sauce. If you are willing to forgo the chips and slaw, you can have the roasted veggies in a salad with spring greens and tossed with red wine vinaigrette.

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