Tre Rivali Offers Delicious Brunches

Tre Rivali. Photo by Cari Taylor-Carlson.

The next time you bring your credit cards and weekend appetite to the Third Ward, make your first stop Tre Rivali for their brunch. After two brunches at this restaurant located in the Journeyman Hotel at the intersection of Chicago and Broadway, friends and I can attest to the deliciousness of everything we ordered in this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant.

Perhaps because we came for brunch, we noticed there was a limited number of Mediterranean dishes on the menu, but the bartender found a way to infuse a bit of Greece in the bloody mary by including cubes of halloumi cheese. The drink was spicy and light and a fine way to start brunch in this restaurant that features six separate dining rooms. I counted. Each of the six were inviting, open and airy with large windows facing Broadway. The restaurant had that cozy ambiance that could entice you to settle in and order another bloody. Also, its proximity to the Broadway Theatre Center makes it an ideal choice for a pre-theater brunch.

And that was what friends and I did twice before performances at the Skylight Music Theatre. From the five egg dishes on the menu, my companion chose the Mediterranean omelet, a gigantic feast of feta, spinach, and cherry tomatoes somehow corralled inside an indeterminate number of eggs. A side of potatoes filled out this delectable plate of Paul Bunyon-size portions.

My hoppel poppel showed Milwaukee’s German influence and at Tre Rivali, the chef put his spin on this dish that was traditionally made by frugal German housewives as a way to get a meal on the table using leftovers. This hoppel poppel included scrambled eggs, Italian sausage, peppers, onions, and the unusual addition of pretzel croutons that added a surprising crunch. I diverged from the classic because I wanted my potatoes on the side instead of folded into the eggs. This was because several years ago I had those fingerling potatoes on a dish at Tre Rivali and they made a lasting impression on my palate. They were and continue to be potato perfection, brined and deep-fried with a slightly salty crunchy skin.

If two eggs any style sounded boring, we soon learned this entre was anything but. The eggs were local; the toasted sourdough bread was delicious; the fingerling potatoes were awesome of course; and the sausage links were plumb and juicy. The kitchen took an ordinary breakfast plate and turned it into something that far exceeded ordinary.

To return to an international theme with something Italian, the breakfast pizza crust was made with dough that could easily double as bread dough. It was that good. The pizza was topped with scrambled eggs, fennel sausage, bacon, potatoes, scallions, and included white sauce in place of the usual red. It could easily have served two but instead, half of it went into a pizza box for another meal at home.

There was more on the menu to entice friends and I to return to this brunch that exceeded our expectations. Here are a few entrees that sounded especially interesting: Arancini with saffron risotto, feta, and harissa aioli; a cheese and charcuterie board; a Mediterranean chopped salad; and a lamb burger topped with halloumi, tzatziki, zhoug (spicy cilantro sauce), and pickled red onion. If you want something sweet, order brioche French toast or buttermilk pancakes with your choice of caramelized bananas, chocolate chips, or a berry compote.

Also on the brunch menu: avocado toast, Greek yogurt and granola, chickpea and spinach soup, and an acai smoothie bowl featuring fresh fruit, almond butter, granola, and chia seeds.

Along with the bloody mary, you could add a bloody mary board with meat, cheese, pickled veggies and olives, or you could have a mimosa, a bellini, or byo bubbles, a bottle plus your choice of three juices, orange, pineapple, cranberry, grapefruit or apple.

When we left, we agreed a return visit was in order. I may sneak in a visit in the near future just to get a takeout order of those addictive little fingerling potatoes.

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• Trade Name: Tre Rivali
• Location: 200 N. Broadway
• Phone: 414-291-3971
• Hours: Breakfast: 7:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Mon-Fri. Lunch: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mon-Fri. Brunch: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sat-Sun. Dinner: 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tue-Sat
• Neighborhood: Historic Third Ward
• Website: http://www.trerivalirestaurant.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trerivalirestaurant

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