Camino Offers Far More Than Bar Food

My companion and I met for lunch at Camino in West Allis, not to be confused with Camino in Walker’s Point, though both are run by the same owners. It was Fat Tuesday. We did not expect to be presented with dessert, a choice of paczki from Grebe’s Bakery, an unexpected treat to cap a delicious meal in this West Allis outpost.

Since every Tuesday at Camino is Phat Tuesday, I took advantage of the daily special and ordered the Po Boy, served with a cup of Gumbo. I chose the battered catfish and found it buttery and coated with a light batter that kept the fish moist, which brought to mind that overused cliché, “it melted in my mouth.” The catfish, tucked inside a toasted brioche bun, was topped with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and a generous drizzle of remoulade that sparked the mix of flavors.

As for the gumbo, the chef served it in a dark-colored mug to keep it hot. It was thick, like stew, thick enough to hold my spoon upright, and spicy, with a few coins of andouille buried deep in the cup.

My companion’s Dirty Bird, a one-third pound house sausage, was a mac and cheese brat topped with chili and grated cheddar. A close inspection of the brat revealed not only cheese but also bits of macaroni hidden in the meat. Our server told us all the brats are made for Camino by a local butcher. She went on to explain that almost everything at the restaurant is locally sourced.

Camino in West Allis has a menu similar to, but not identical to, the menu at their restaurant in Walker’s Point and both emphasize craft beers, with a long list to choose from. This restaurant is much larger, two long narrow rooms, one with four-tops, four TVs, and a nook filled with games, and a second with a long bar and high-tops that seat six. The vibe is hip with tattooed servers and a youthful clientele.

The small but diverse menu has an international flair. There’s poutine from Canada, Polish pierogi, a Vietnamese banh mi, an Italian Phat Tony with Italian beef and mozzarella, a Cuban sandwich, and from the south, a Nashville chicken sandwich.

They advertise Craft Beers and Burgers on the awning over the street entrance, but for the record, there’s only one traditional burger on the menu. If you come on a Monday, you can have that burger, the daily special, for $5.00. Other daily specials include Build Your Own Mac and Cheese on Wednesday, Wings on Thursday, a Friday Fish Fry, rotating Saturday specials, and when you come on Sunday, 50 cent pierogis.

On a subsequent visit I ordered the Salmon Burger along with the Roasted Beet Salad. A large piece of salmon was served in a toasted bun with roasted red pepper and Cajun remoulade. Like the remoulade in the Po Boy, it brought out the flavors in the sandwich. The beet salad combined roasted beets with thin slices of a Granny Smith apple, whole toasted walnut halves, and crumbled blue cheese, all dressed with a rich balsamic. It’s a salad I would absolutely order again.

My companion’s Pierogis, three Potato Cheddar and two Sauerkraut, were accompanied by beer mustard sauce and horseradish sauce. The sauces were nice, but unnecessary, as the pierogis had enough flavor to stand alone. The side of Crispy Brussels won the day. They were shredded, tiny crisp pieces of Brussels sprouts, not whole leaves, and without a hint of grease. My companion ate them with her fingers, like popcorn, and relished every scrap.

Our excellent server Syndee led us to our beer selection, Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter. We were happy to learn we could order a small sample, 9 oz. for $4.50, enough to whet our appetites for more of the same when we come back another time.

Camino is so much more than a bar with food. You will find plenty of comfort food on the menu and of course that one classic burger, but don’t think for a second they offer ordinary bar food. It’s a Farm to Table menu, with unique touches, served in a restaurant that just happens to look like a bar.

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• Location: 7211 W. Greenfield Ave.
• Phone: 414-810-4838
• Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon-Thu, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fri, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sat, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sun
• Website: https://caminomke.com/west-allis
• UM Rating: 4.5 stars (average of Yelp, Trip Advisor and Zomato)