New BBQ Joint a Success

Dubbel Dutch Hotel. Photo taken July 22nd, 2020 by Jeramey Jannene.

This may sound like a line from a Dr. Seuss book, but there’s a new restaurant in Oak Creek called Smoke Creek. You might want to take a peak. The restaurant, located at 10166 S. 27th St., opened in early February, and has been so busy that it has exhausted its supplies three separate times. Journal Sentinel’s Erik S. Hanley reports:  

Some of the popular dishes include a $10.99 BBQ Biscuit Burrito which is filled with mac ’n’ cheese, brisket and chipotle BBQ sauce. Southern Fried Ribs, for $9.99, are another favorite which includes six breaded and fried smoked ribs.

All dishes are dry-rubbed with sauce on the side for patrons to decide how much they want to add. Smoke Creek offers four sauces: apple cider vinegar, honey mustard, honey sriracha and… chipotle sauce.

(Owner Dan) Neumann said he’s still looking to add more to the menu such as smoked Italian beef and jalapeno popper smoked pork loin. He’s also open to suggestions, saying he’d try almost anything once. In addition to barbecue, Neumann said the restaurant will add a “redneck brunch” event in March.

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Starting March 14, Sunday hours will change to 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Culver’s Coming to Bayshore

The transformation of the Bayshore Shopping Center over the past couple of years has seen many restaurants and cafes come and go, with the latest being news of a potential Culver’s location. The new location has been proposed for a 1.45-acre outlot along the northern property line of the shopping center known as Lot 2. The BizTimes’ Maredithe Meyer has the scoop: 

The proposed building includes a double drive-thru along its north and west sides, as well as a 1,000-square-foot patio on its south side for outdoor dining. The interior dining area has a seating capacity of nearly 100 people.

Plans were submitted by a North Carolina-based design consulting firm and Illinois-based project architect on behalf of local franchisee Neo Gen II Inc., registered under Dimitri Dimitropoulos of Shorewood.

Construction would begin this summer, once all permits have been approved, according to the proposal.

Both the restaurant and residential developments will be considered by Glendale’s Community Development Authority meeting on March 4.

European Pop-up Coming to Dubbel Dutch Hotel

Mina, a stand at the Crossroads Collective offering apertivo-style European plates, will take part in a two-week pop-up hosted by the new Dubbel Dutch boutique hotel located at 817 N. Marshall St. OnMilwaukee’s Lori Fredrich reports: 

The pop-ups will take place over the first two weekends in March (March 4-6 and 11-13, with dining availability Thursday through Saturday beginning at 4 p.m.

Each night, dine-in customers will be treated to not only a dinner experience in the hotel’s beautifully restored environs, but also a collaborative and somewhat customized small plates dining experience.

From 4 to 6 p.m., guests can drop by for a drink from the Dubbel Dutch Tavern and choose dishes from a small a la carte menu of snacks and noshes, including selections like marinated olives, hand-rolled pasta and bacalao croquettes.

From 6 to 10 p.m., guests can reserve a table for a more immersive small plates experience (available for $30 per person) featuring surprise dishes from the kitchen that have been customized based on diners’ dietary restrictions, preferences and available seasonal ingredients.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, very limited seating is available. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phone (or text) at (414) 376-3439 or by email at hello@thedubbeldutch.com. 

Downtown SportClub Announces Grand Reopening

SportClub. Photo courtesy of Caravan Hospitality Group.

On March 16th last year, the SportClub at 750 N. Jefferson St. was forced to close its doors along with the rest of the state’s bars and restaurants. But now Caravan Hospitality Group has announced that after nearly a year of on-and-off closures and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its SportClub is reopening, “just in time for college basketball tournaments, March Madness, and the launch of a new Major League Baseball season,” as a press release by the company noted. The bar will open on Friday at 4 p.m. for a “Welcome Back Happy Hour” with 50% off appetizers and select beverages, raffle prizes and giveaways. 

“It’s been a rough year to say the least,” said Mike Eitel, Caravan’s owner, in the release. “The downtown area has been an absolute ghost town since the lockdown last March but appears to be slowly coming back…” The bar is already accepting reservations for booking its “Social Bubble” areas for groups of up to 30 for all games, the release noted. “We are so excited to be back just as all the tournaments start to kick off for a huge spring,” said Michele Thompson, GM of SportClub.

Food Hall Planned For Downtown

A new food hall has plans to open in Downtown, either in a long-vacant building located at 733-737 N. Milwaukee St. or in a vacant riverfront building located at 107-115 E. Wells St. Plans were submitted to the Department of Neighborhood Services by Kyle McKechnie, a Chicago-based real estate broker, who is currently awaiting pre-submittal review. Urban Milwaukee’s Jeramey Jannene reports:

A total of 20 stalls, each with individual kitchens, would be included according to a floor plan that matches the approximately 5,700-square-foot Milwaukee St. building. The basement of the building would be utilized for food storage and four of the food preparation spaces.

A conceptual operating plan submitted to city says the facility would be open from 10 a.m. to midnight daily. The plan says that no more than 40% of the restaurants would be open at a time for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Each restaurant would have its own kitchen. But unlike other food halls, customers would approach a shared front counter to order instead of visiting each stall. A 19-seat dining area would be included in the front of the space.

The total restaurant count could also be reduced because McKechnie anticipates the stalls being combined as needed. Each would be built out as a tenant is found.