Bay View Beer Garden Hosting Chef’s Dinner
6-course meal includes pairings from nearby breweries, supports BVVC food pantry.
The Exchange at Zillman Park in May 2024. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The Exchange is inviting diners to put some pork on their fork at an upcoming, pig-themed beer dinner.
On Sunday, July 28, the newly opened beer garden will collaborate with six area chefs to host its “Pig & a Brew” pairing dinner at Bay View‘s Zillman Park, 2168 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
The ticketed event will be held under a large event tent in the park, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Bay View Community Center‘s (BVCC) emergency food pantry.
A.J. Dixon, a longtime volunteer at BVCC and the former chef-owner at Lazy Susan, will prepare the first bite, a precursor to the six-course meal. She plans to serve a Midwestern-style amuse bouche: deviled eggs with pimento cheese and fresh ham.
Additional chefs including John Levine of Coco’s Seafood & Steakhouse, Kevin Baumann of Halverson House, Suzzette Metcalfe of The Pasta Tree, Greg Leon of Amilinda, John Manyo of Morel and Kurt and Katie Fogle of Dairyland will each contribute a unique course incorporating a pig-based protein — with the exception of dessert.
Featured dishes include a pork tostada with caramelized pineapple, IPA-braised pork shoulder and serrano crema; charred pork belly rillette with cherry and tellicherry gastrique; porchetta-stuffed cannelloni with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel, basil and tomato cream sauce; Francesinha, a Portuguese sandwich with pulled pork, serrano ham and cheese sauce: and Braunschweiger with pickled mustard seed and blueberry agrodolce.
For dessert, guests can expect dark chocolate frozen custard with pretzel praline, marshmallow fluff and salted caramel.
Beer pairings from nearby breweries have been specifically selected to accompany each course. That includes picks from 1840 Brewing Company, Component Brewing Company, Enlightened Brewing Company, New Barons Brewing Cooperative, Supermoon Beer Company and Torzala Brewing Co.
Wine pairings and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
The full dinner menu is available to view online. Dietary restrictions will not be accommodated.
Opened earlier this summer, The Exchange is located in a fast-developing area of Bay View, which has in recent months seen the addition of several new restaurants — with more still to come.
The beer garden features craft beverages from eight nearby breweries and cideries, along with Odyssea Sangria, System Seltzers and Sprecher Brewing Co. sodas. The venue hosts weekly live music performances on Fridays.
The Exchange also donates a portion of day-to-day sales to BVCC’s emergency food pantry, and helps groups fundraise on the premises.
The upcoming beer dinner will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets, priced at $150 per person, are available to purchase online. Attendees must be at least 21 years old.
The Exchange is open Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m.
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