Since most of you reading this column probably don’t have cars and can’t travel very far outside of campus limits without suffering through needlessly long, loud and sometimes disturbing bus rides, I typically like to keep my restaurant exploration close to downtown Madison. But today is an exception. This week, we’re exploring several culinary facets of another big Wisconsin city: Milwaukee.
Throughout my undergraduate career, the opinions I heard about Milwaukee were almost universally negative. “Dirty” and “scary” or pursed lips and a long, meaningful glance comprised my only impressions of the city. So I set out to explore the few good Milwaukee food recommendations people had given me and see if I couldn’t exonerate the name of Wisconsin’s largest city.
If you’re driving to Milwaukee on a Friday night, it’s worth it to branch off toward Waukesha on the way and stop off at a little place called Dady-Oh’s Restaurant (250 W. Broadway). Centered in the heart of historic downtown, the small, glass-plated storefront of Dady-Oh’s gives way to a huge back seating area and a bar that goes on for miles. Most days the restaurant is only open until 2 p.m., but on Friday nights they stay open until 9 p.m. for their Friday night fish fry. If you’re a fish fry connoisseur, their crispy, golden haddock, walleye and bluegill is worth the sometimes spotty service – our waitress forgot to bring us our check.
Once in the outer limits of Milwaukee, you’re going to want some dessert. And without a doubt, Kopp’s Frozen Custard (7631 W. Layton Ave.) is the way to go. If Milwaukee is the “Custard Capitol of the World,” Kopp’s must be the Capitol. Scores of Wisconsinites flock to the colossal A-frame restaurant nightly to bask in the glory of this cool, creamy, dense dessert.
“I spent way too many hours of my life in that place,” Brookfield native Suzanne Liebergen said. “In high school, my friends and I would spend hours deciding where to go and then we would get here and eat our custard in 10 minutes and be like, ‘What now?'”
But Kopp’s always keeps customers coming back with its relentless quality and innovative flavors (rum and Coke, anyone?). To be considered custard, a product must have at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. Otherwise, it is considered ice cream. Quality custard-making is determined by the speed with which the custard leaves the tube within which it is frozen to serving containers. The faster it goes, the smaller the ice crystals that form, and the smoother the custard. As devout customers will testify, it’s a process Kopp’s has mastered.
If it’s Milwaukee’s other specialty – beer – you’re hankering for (and you’re 21), head on up to Lakefront Brewery (1872 N. Commerce Street). For $7, one of the microbrewery’s charismatic founders will take you on an engaging and witty tour of the aromatic brick warehouse where all of Lakefront’s beer is made. You’ll learn why “light” beer isn’t necessarily “light,” the difference between an ale and a lager, and why you might not want to drink beer that is cloudy.
While most brewery tours end “at the tap,” the best part about Lakefront’s is that it starts there, allowing you to use up one (or all) of your four six-ounce sample pours before the tour even begins. Because let’s face it – everything is a little bit more enjoyable with a measure of Riverwest Stein under your belt.
If breakfast or brunch is your thing, you can’t miss Blue’s (also known as Blue’s Egg, 317 N. 76th St.), a bustling family restaurant that specializes in everything that’s great about breakfast. Blue’s is one of those few restaurants where the focus on quality is so attentive that it really doesn’t matter what you order. Light, sweet French toast, omelets with Wisconsin aged cheddar and spinach, roasted mushroom strata (a savory bread and egg pudding) – it’s going to be good. Commendably, Blue’s is one of the only breakfast-and-dinner only restaurants I’ve seen with a full cocktail menu. It’s popularity means the place is packed on weekend mornings, so be ready for a 30 to 45-minute wait – it’s well worth it.
If you’re tired of exploring a city where the main demographic is “college student,” find someone who knows their way around the Milwaukee area and check out some of Wisconsin’s best and most iconic culinary locations. You won’t get mugged, I promise.
Sam Stepp is a senior majoring in journalism. Comments, questions, recipes, suggestions? Email her at [email protected].
