Crafty Cow Will Serve Twists on Fast Food Favorites in April

Crafty Cow, 2675 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Photo taken Jan. 6, 2022 by Cari Taylor-Carlson

Chefs may spend their days surrounded by gourmet food, but off the clock, they’re just as likely to hit the drive-thru for a quick bite.

“I love fast food; it’s a guilty pleasure,” said Devin Eichler, owner of Crafty Cow. “In the small, independent restaurant world, a lot of us — chefs, restaurateurs, servers, bartenders, owners, whatever — we all go for fast food, whether we want to admit it or not.”

In years past, Eichler’s taste for Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Panda Express and others manifested in a short-term menu at Crafty Cow featuring recreations of their most popular dishes. The special, dubbed April Fast Foods Day, coincided with April Fools’ Day.

This time around, Eichler is changing things up. Not only will the menu be available for the entire month, but the restaurant will also put its own twist on each of the items.

“We’re doing things our way, but using those same flavors,” Eichler said. “For April Fools’ Day, it’s just a fun thing to do — to pay a little homage to that ‘secret’ of ours, while also elevating it at the same time.”

Panda Express’s orange chicken, for example, is served as a burrito filled with kimchi fried rice, carrots, cilantro lime crema and orange chicken-inspired nuggets from Crafty Cow. A take on the McRib features real rib meat instead of McDonald’s “seasoned boneless pork.” The meat is then chicken-fried, topped with barbecue sauce and served on a cornbread bun from Midwest Sad.

The menu also features animal-style nachos inspired by In-N-Out Burger, made with kettle potato chips, ground beef, lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions, and special sauce. Other selections include Taco Bell cheese curds bell grande and Arby’s Triple Cheddar & Roast Beef Burger.

Eichler said the expanded April Fast Foods Day specials are part of the restaurant’s 10th anniversary celebration, which will continue throughout 2025.

“We’re doing small things throughout the year to keep the celebration going,” he said.

Crafty Cow operates locations at 2675 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., in Bay View, 6519 W. North Ave., in Wauwatosa and 153 E. Wisconsin Ave., in Oconomowoc.

Photos

Interval Is Closed Indefinitely

Interval’s two locations abruptly closed this week after employees did not open the cafes, instead posting signs stating they had not been paid.

“Staff does not know when or if we will be open again,” reads one sign from the cafe’s barista and kitchen teams. “We have not been paid,” they added, punctuating the message with a frowny face and a request for Venmo donations.

By Friday morning, those signs had been removed and replaced with a vaguer, handwritten message: “Closed until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience!”

Interval runs two cafes in Milwaukee: its flagship at 1600 N. Jackson St. on the Lower East Side, and second location in Bay View at 2268 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

Read the full article

County’s Traveling Beer Garden Begins in May

Milwaukee County Parks‘ 12th annual traveling beer garden will kick off this year in Wilson Park on May 14.

For more than a decade Parks has partnered with Sprecher Brewing to convey a traveling beer garden around a variety of county parks, typically staying in each park for roughly two weeks.

The moveable braugarten, which relies on refurbished vintage fire trucks capable of dispensing beer, has been hit since the first keg was tapped. More than half a million pints later, some of the stops have become so popular Parks was inspired to turn them into permanent summer-long beer gardens.

Wilson Park is on the schedule for the first time this year, and the popular Lake Park stop is returning.

Read the full article

‘Bar Rescue’ Revamps Two Milwaukee Taverns

When India Guster began receiving phone calls and emails from purported “Bar Rescue” producers, she thought she was the victim of a clever scam. That is, until she spoke with her mother-in-law, a “super-fan” of the Paramount Network reality series who is now credited with prompting its return to Milwaukee.

“She happened to see that they were coming to the Midwest — I had no clue,” Guster said. “So she contacted them and said they should come to Milwaukee.”

And that they did. Ahead of filming, “Bar Rescue” issued a call for local businesses to be featured. Many local spots balked at the request, but Guster and her husband, Michael, decided to give the show a shot, inviting the crew to their northside daiquiri bar, Daq Shack (now known as Royal Street MKE).

Opened at 4191 N. Green Bay Ave. in 2021, Daq Shack was inspired by Guster’s relatives, who live in New Orleans. It was also the direct result of Michael’s misgivings about the frozen cocktail.

Read the full article

New Bakery For East Side

No tears were shed when Amy Gorski joined the team at Spilt Milk, an artisan bakery in Oak Park. Instead, the job was where she first began to realize her dream career.

“That was my lightbulb moment,” said Gorski, a culinary school graduate who initially imagined herself as a pastry chef at a Chicago restaurant. But, compared to concocting elaborate desserts, baking felt different — sparking her creativity in a new way. “It was a no-brainer.”

With a clear sense of purpose, Gorski spent the following decade working in different restaurants, ensuring she’d have “years of experience, recipes and techniques to pull from” when it came time to begin her own venture.

That time is now, as Gorski prepares to launch Poppy Bakery on the East Side. With a target opening date in May, she’s been working hard to get the storefront at 2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl., customer-ready. Existing features from the previous business, Sip & Purr Cat Cafe, have eased the process significantly, allowing Gorski to focus on personalized updates, including fresh paint, furniture and equipment.

Read the full article

Milwaukee Wine Weekend Returns

Milwaukee Wine Weekend is set to return next month, gathering wine experts and enthusiasts for five days of learning, tasting and community building.

Not to be confused with other traveling wine festivals, Milwaukee Wine Weekend is locally rooted, with a unique lineup of events hosted at businesses across the city. The festival, led by Milwaukee Wine Academy (MWA), will take place April 10-14.

Now in its second year, Milwaukee Wine Weekend has aged like its namesake beverage, featuring a 414 Day wine dinner hosted by local chef Dane Baldwin, a book talk with author Charles Springfield and tastings centered on Black-owned wine brands.

MWA co-founders Jeffrey Coleman and Tim Cole aim to provide a unique experience for wine-lovers, offering not just delicious pours but also a holistic look at the history and culture surrounding winemaking and important figures in the industry.

Read the full article

West Side Sports Bar For Sale

As the Milwaukee Brewers gear up for Opening Day, a nearby sports bar is in its final innings.

Rounding Third, located at 6317 W. Blue Mound Rd., is seeking new owners after a 17-year run in the Bluemound Heights neighborhood. The bar remains open as the owner tries to sell the business.

Owner Tim Toetz is selling the “turnkey” bar and restaurant and its 6,716-square-foot building for $1.1 million, according to an online listing, which touts the business’s size, amenities and “phenomenal location” near American Family Field. Toetz, who is also the building owner, could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.

The building, also home to Jim Rauth’s Comedy College, is listed by Team Hoffmann at RE/Max Lakeside-Central. It has been on the market since Feb. 21.

Read the full article

Brunch Buffet Closes, New Business Planned

For nearly four years, community members on the Northwest Side have gathered at Dior’s Gallery for a weekly dose of soul food and socialization. The event venue at 10855 W. Park Pl. began hosting brunches in 2021, welcoming a rotating cast of chefs, bakers and live music entertainers for the meal — typically featuring indulgent eats like French toast, pancakes, catfish and smothered pork chops.

At the center of it all was Danielle Eastern, who took a leap in February 2024, transitioning the venue into a full-fledged restaurant, Weekend Grub. Last December, after just under a year in business, Eastern announced its permanent closure.

In a follow-up message posted to social media several days later, Eastern shared her gratitude for “genuine customers, clients and supporters,” who have been with Dior’s Gallery since the beginning. “I’m so grateful for the relationships that we were able to develop, the people we were able to pour into and those who poured into us,” she said. “All of that is just a testament to God’s goodness.”

Eastern also shared a desire for transparency, noting that while many showcase their triumphs on social media, fewer speak candidly on endings and other occurrences that could be perceived as negative.

Read the full article

Sweetly Baked Owner Reflects on Closure

Sweetly Baked, a small-batch gourmet dessert shop in downtown Milwaukee, doesn’t seem like a business on the brink of closure. Its coveted Historic Third Ward storefront is stocked with meticulously decorated treats — macarons, mini cakes, chocolate-dipped madeleines — and a steady flow of customers eager to claim them.

Despite its success, the bakery is preparing to say goodbye. Last week, owner Amanda Buhrman penned a heartfelt social media post announcing the bakery’s April 11 closure. Her transparency gives customers the chance to pay their final visits in the coming weeks.

“It’s weird to close down a successful bakery, because we’re doing well,” Buhrman told Urban Milwaukee. “We’re constantly busy, but even to stay as-is, I’d have to invest a significant amount of money … I just can’t justify it.”

Buhrman struggled with the decision, calling the process “really, really heartbreaking.” She explored every possible avenue, including investors and crowdfunding, but her ultimate choice, coupled with the current economic climate, is redefining what it means to “make it” in the world of small business.

Read the full article

Brewers Unveil New Food Options For 2025

Battered-up, beer-buttered and bunned—new menu additions at American Family Field are sure to be a hit.

The Milwaukee Brewers, along with food service company Delaware North, have revealed a roster of specialty foods for the 2025 MLB season, including flavorful fried chicken, a fleet of new food trucks and a Mexican-inspired take on a ballpark favorite.

Hungry fans can look forward to sandwiches like chicken cordon brew, featuring fried chicken breast, shaved ham, swiss cheese, beer butter onions and brown mustard on a potato bun; and Maxie’s spicy southern, with fried chicken breast, hot sauce, pickles and comeback sauce on a potato bun. These items will be available in sections 112, 118, 123 and 226.

New hot dog selections are outside the box—and bun—like the enchilada dog, which features a salsa roja-dipped corn tortilla, melted cheese, sour cream, onion and cilantro, and the bases loaded potato dog, topped with cheddar cheese, bacon strips, sour cream, tater tots and green onions. Find these in sections 110 and 208.

Read the full article