This Bites

DanDan will host a very special dim sum brunch this Sunday with James Beard semifinalist chef Erasmo Casiano.

Big voices can make a big impact on a restaurant. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a positive review from a well-respected critic. Other times, all it takes is a recognizable face popping into your eatery.

That’s what happened recently to Carnevor and Room Service, both of which got a visit from celebrity chef and influencer Keith Lee while he was in town for his manager’s wedding. So far, Lee hasn’t shared anything on his highly followed channels about the restaurants or Milwaukee’s food scene. But that doesn’t seem to matter. The two eateries are still getting lots of attention, which can send foot traffic skyrocketing.

We chat about this viral-ish situation at the top of our episode, breaking down exactly how important it can be to a notoriously fickle industry. Should a restaurant switch up its approach when an influencer like Lee pops in? How do you make a moment like this last? And should there be more of an effort to match local influencers with Milwaukee restaurants that deserve a little more attention?

In addition to tangling with those questions, we make a return visit to Sinabro, which recently welcomed a certain local influencer (Ann) for an experience that showed just how much the Korean spot has grown over the past year. Then we bounce over to the Clarke Square neighborhood, where Guelaguetza Restaurante y Barra will move into the former La Cueva space at 2537 W. National Ave.

Two stars of Milwaukee's food-and-drink scene sit at the top of this episode, starting with John Dye's exciting new plans for legendary German bar Von Trier. The East Side stalwart recently held its soft opening as the new owner focuses on preserving a piece of Milwaukee history while continuing to serve food out of the historic spot.

Our second stop takes us to Bavette La Boucherie, where the James Beard-recognized eatery will cut its dinner service so chef-owner Karen Bell can move a little closer to a healthy work-life balance. The restaurant will still offer lunch and an early happy hour, a move that reflects an industry movement toward saner schedules and sustainable working conditions.

We continue rounding things up with news about a pair of supermarket openings: Supermercado La Hacienda on Forest Home Avenue and Pan‑Asia Supermarket (Wisconsin's largest Asian grocery store) on 70th and Greenfield. There's also the return of super-popular dining event Gather, an all-day brunch cafe called Waking Daisy that soft-launched today, and the quiet closure of East Side favorite The Original.

We're used to tying ourselves in knots as we criss-cross the city for the latest Milwaukee food news, but we hit a new level in this one as we dive into the amazing world of ... pretzels!

Milwaukee Pretzel Company pretzels, to be precise, which are well worth the extra effort except for the fact that you don't need to put in quite as much effort to find them these days. You can get them everywhere from local beer gardens to German Fest and grocery stores to their own online store — and rightfully so because they're great.

This episode also finds us reeling in news on Fishbone Seafood and Restaurant, which will open its very first sitdown location right here in Milwaukee after literally years of hard work from Bria Grant of UniteWI and her mentor, Master P. Yes, THAT Master P. On top of that, we've got some chat about the Chip's pop-up at Merriment Social that will feature ... well, chips; a new pizza joint called Love at First Slice coming to Sherman Phoenix; a switch from Carbon Steak to The Conroy; and the resurrection of Heirloom MKE's food truck.

After our recent triple-digit temperatures, it seemed like a good time to help you cool things down by serving up a few of our favorite heat-beating drinks and dishes from around the Milwaukee area.

That’s where we start this episode, which finds Ann sharing her personal approach to finding the best summer beverages. It’s actually pretty genius: Ask the experts. We’re talking bartenders, baristas and mixologists, all of whom have their own favorites that just might become your new favorite:

Food-wise, there are a few different approaches to lowering your internal temperature, including:

That’s a mere portion of the selections Ann lays out in her Milwaukee Magazine article, so make sure you check out the whole list. Speaking of lists, here’s everything else we cover in this episode:

A new community-first pub, Soul of a Starr, is on the way in the Harambee neighborhood.

In this episode, Tarik and Ann are buzzing over a new Italian spot from the James Beard Award-winning owners of Lupi & Iris, as well as an upscale Mediterranean eatery coming to the ground floor of the new Ascent MKE building near Cathedral Square.

Our duo also dishes on beloved Jamaican restaurant Uppa Yard as it expands with a second downtown location on Water Street, promising classic dishes like jerk chicken and oxtail, plus new additions like live music. It isn't all good news, though, as burger lovers took a hit with the recent announcement that Dairyland will leave (or, rather, was asked to leave) the Third Street Market Hall.

We return to sunnier topics as Ann takes us on a nostalgic road trip through Wisconsin's historic drive-ins, sharing favorite spots like Ardy & Ed’s in Oshkosh and Big Star in Kenoha, as well as the unique experience of car hops and frosted root beer mugs. Finally, we wrap things up with details about Purslane, chef-owner Mary Kastman's newly opened restaurant that took over the former Ardent space.

On this episode, Tarik and Ann lead things off by previewing the No Rules Dinner Party, a remarkable 19-course event celebrating women-owned businesses. You'll also hear them celebrate the highly anticipated first brick-and-mortar location of Ruby's Bagels; explore the history of the often-overlooked Muffaletta sandwich (as well as the place to get one in Milwaukee); talk about the Oaxacan cuisine you can get at new restaurant Flor de Piña; and deliver the scoop on Halal Restaurant Week happening June 7-15.

As the weather warms up (any day now), the culinary scene often turns up the temperature as well — and that’s definitely the case on this very stuffed episode.

Taking things chronologically, we’re less than a week away from the start of Downtown Dining Week, which has been treating diners to deals at some of Milwaukee’s top restaurants for nearly two decades. This year’s event runs from May 29 to June 5 and offers discounts for lunch ($15 or $25 per person) and dinner ($35, $45 and $55).

With 29 eateries participating, we’re once again spoiled for choice. That’s why we decided to share a couple standouts to get you started:

Because we’re a full-service podcast, we don’t stop at mere recommendations. We also include some pro tips in this episode, one of which is to reserve early because the prime slots on Friday and Saturday fill up fast. You’ll have to listen for the rest.

Speaking of the rest, here are the oh-so-many things we talk about on this one:

Everyone’s got mom on the brain this week (rightfully so), which hopefully means you’ve already made plans to say thanks to that special person by treating her to some outstanding food. In case you haven’t, we start this episode with three suggestion for where to take mom — if they’re still taking reservations:

Blackwolf Run in Kohler is offering a Mother's Day brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that includes salads, fruits, crudites, sausages, avocado toast, grilled citrus salmon, red wine braised chicken and pepper steak sauté, carving stations, omelet stations and desserts.

Crafty Cow has you covered at all of their locations with some very cool-sounding fare. The cinnamon roll funnel cake jumps out, but there’s also the "Mother of All Hangovers" (a burger with cheddar, jalapeno, fried eggs and chipotle aioli) and the "Mother's Morning Bowl" (waffled hash browns with smoked cheddar, Nashville fried chicken and chicken gravy).

EsterEv opted for a different direction with high-tea service from 12:30 to 3 p.m. You’ll find 10 menu items paired with offerings from Rishi Tea and served in ceramics crafted by Kate Riley. Breakfast cocktails will also be available.

You’ll hear a few decidedly global news items as well, led by the exciting news that SapSap has officially joined the regular food-truck lineup at Zócalo Food Park. SapSap will also take part in an upcoming event titled “Hidden Flavors of Asia” that’s going down June 1 at Pilot Project Brewery, while a taste of the Mediterranean will soon find a home at the top of the world’s tallest mass-timber building.

If you’re looking for something food to do a little sooner, The Cooperage will host Sashay & Souffle this Friday to benefit Midwest Sad. In addition to the culinary portion of the title, the drag-show fundraiser will include “show-stopping performances” and “fierce fundraising.” This weekend will also bring a new menu to Outlaw Oyster that features dishes like Octopus Aguachile Negro, Caviar & Hash Browns and something called an Octodog.

Our latest helping of Milwaukee food news starts with savory pasties from Mr. Dye's Pies, gets festive with the inaugural Miche Fest (as in Michelada) at Zocalo and explores the enticing menu of Sinta, a Filipino pop-up at Bavette. We also preview Semolina's hands-on Sunday Supper series, share the new tenant taking over Crossroads Collective and check out Southern-style eats at Bronzeville's soon-to-open sports bar, One-Seven Cafe & Lounge.