Previously, I’d only been to Landmark Lanes on Milwaukee’s East Side for the Tomato Romp; however, this past weekend, I found myself there for a Big Lebowski-themed holiday party.
The movie was playing on the screens, bowling ball petit fours decorated the tables and the White Russians were flowing… but first I had to get a Bloody Mary.
Spice: Spicy
Mix: Unknown
Chaser: No
Fixin’s: Lemon, Lemon, Two Olives
Price: $?
This was a pretty spicy drink, but it was very good.
I had the fortunate experience of being able to dine at Wolf Peach in Milwaukee recently. The site of one of my favorite former restaurants (Roots), Wolf Peach did not disappoint.
Here’s a little background on their unusual name from their website… as you’ll see it relates well—tomatoes!
The story begins in 1519, when Hernán Cortés came ashore to the Costa Rican gardens of Montezuma and discovered what we now know as the tomato. He took the seeds back to Europe where they were ornamental curiosities, but not eaten. Throughout northern Europe, the tomato was considered to be poisonous. The wealthy dined on pewter; the acid in tomatoes reacted with the metal resulting in lead poisoning and death. Poor people ate from plates made of wood and were unaffected, so tomatoes became a poor man’s food. German folklore associates this nightshade plant with witches and werewolves, coining a scientific name which literally translates to “Wolf Peach”.
The Wolf Peach Bloody was excellent:
Spice: The perfect amount.
Mix: Unsure
Chaser: None offered.
Fixin’s: Two olives, lemon, lime.
Price: $unsure
Overall, a very tasty Bloody Mary and our dinner was awesome, too!
After tasting their Bloody Mary at the East Town Heat It Up event for the past couple of years, I finally had the opportunity to dine at Club Charlie’s in Milwaukee’s Third Ward and order a full-size drink.
Boy was this refreshing after reviewing all of the Vegas and Orlando Bloodies I’d been enjoying as of late. No place does a good Bloody quite like the Midwest.
Spice: The perfect amount.
Mix: Unsure
Chaser: Yes
Fixin’s: Olive, Pickle, Cheese, Beefstick, Jalapeno, Celery, Lemon, Lime
Price: $8 (I think)
Overall, a very tasty Bloody Mary and I enjoyed my dining experience as well!
I recently had the opportunity, or rather, privilege, of dining at Carnevor, an awesome steakhouse in downtown Milwaukee and part of the SURG Restaurant Group.
In my experience, steakhouses have some of the best bloodies around. That insight, coupled with the knowledge that nothing I ordered at Carnevor could possibly be bad, led me to start my culinary journey with this:
Of course, this drink did not let me down. The stats:
Spice: The perfect amount.
Mix: Unsure
Chaser: None offered.
Fixin’s: Three stuffed olives (bleu cheese, garlic) and a lime.
Price: $8
Overall, a very tasty Bloody Mary, but more than that, our dinner was spectacular.
I realize you guys read this blog for my libation opinions and not for my food recommendations, but trust me when I say that Carnevor is a place you need to check out at least once if you’re in the Milwaukee area.
Of course the steaks are amazing, but so were the ravioli and seafood appetizers, my seasonal sea bass special (you had me at pumpkin!) and finally, the S’Mores Dessert, described as “chocolate mousse, graham sponge cake and marshmallow ice cream.”
In fact, I thought it had to be kismet when this article featuring the dessert ran in our local paper the morning of my reservation at the restaurant. I’ve been searching for a dessert to replicate the taste of my favorite campfire treat, but to no avail. (I’ve made S’mores bars, S’mores dip, S’mores cupcakes… you name it.)
Upon seeing the article, I tweeted about it (and that it was going to be my first time visiting the restaurant) and Omar Shaikh, co-owner/President of the Surg Restaurant Group, connected with me on Twitter, promising to make my first experience memorable. And indeed, it was.
From the moment we arrived, the service was impeccable and the food was amazing. I’d like to publicly thank Omar and his staff for truly going above and beyond to make our dining experience a true pleasure. The popularity and reputation of the restaurant is a surely a testament to them.
And the S’mores dessert? Out of this world.
Cheers!
Last Saturday, I attended the East Town Association’s Heat it Up Event, a Bloody Mary & Chili tasting at Cathedral Square Park in downtown Milwaukee. I had first attended this event last year and this year did not disappoint.
Location:
Heat It Up takes place in a fenced in area in Cathedral Square Park. Each establishment has a table under a tent and participants line up in front of each one to claim their samples. You don’t get to experience the actual atmosphere of the restaurant (and they don’t get the benefit of you potentially buying additional food/beverage), but it’s much easier on the participant. You maximize your tasting time and you’re surrounded solely by people who share your passion.
Price/Samples:
Heat It Up went up in price to $25 this year, but for that price, you UNLIMITED get samples of 19 different Bloodies and 13 chilis.
Heat it Up offers the awesome combination of Bloody Marys AND chili.The samples are ample-sized and, even though only one place offered a beer chaser, excellent. In my opinion, they are a fair representation of each establishment’s actual Bloody….BECAUSE THEY ALLOW ACCOUTREMENTS (unlike the Tomato Romp).
Voting/Winners:
Each participant is allowed to vote for one chili and one bloody mary. Thus, the announced winners were as follows:
1st Place Chili – Nines at the River Club
2nd Place Chili – Burke’s Irish Castle
3rd Place Chili- Maxies Southern Comfort
1st Place Bloody Mary – Miller Time Pub*
2nd Place Bloody Mary – Camp Bar
3rd Place Bloody Mary -Buckley’s Restaurant & Bar
*Also got my vote!
I didn’t make it to each place, so I’ll give you a few highlights of the Bloodies that stood out in my mind:
1) The No.1 Bloody, from Miller Time pub (pictured top left row, above), was my favorite as well. A beefstick, shrimp and jalapeno popper among other items make this a meal in itself.
2) Burke’s Irish Castle (pictured middle right), was made with tomatillos and Irish Whiskey. Definitely different and not half bad!
3) McBob’s (bottom left) also used Irish Whiskey. This popular late night Reuben joint also includes a mini reuben in its Bloody.
4) Millioke (not pictured) used a “pizza flavored” Bloody Mary mix. They had a piece of cheese, pepperoni and an olive as fixin’s, plus a sprinkle or Parmesan. Different for sure— and very good.
5) Blue Jacket (not pictured) used gin and bitters. I’m not a fan of gin, so I definitely didn’t gravitate toward this one, though I gave it the old college try.
This event is an incredible deal and was sold out again this year. I highly encourage you to check it out next year—and to stop in to each of these establishments to do you own tastings in the meantime!
This Saturday is the 7th annual Tomato Romp on Milwaukee’s east side.
Sample Bloody Marys and/or join in the Tomato Fight or, new this year, the Tomato Chomp, a chance to sample small plates at nearby restaurants.
Last year’s review can be found here.
You know where to find me- at the Bloody Mary competition! Look for an updated review to come!
On Sunday, at a friend’s recommendation (from an advertisement he had seen), I visited Beer Belly’s, a bar/restaurant located near the airport.
Spice: Average (they did not ask whether I wanted it spicy or not)
Mix: Made from scratch
Chaser: Miller Lite
Fixin’s: Pickle, Olives, Beef, Cheese, Hard Boiled Egg, Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Wing
Price: $7.99
This was a 26 oz house-made drink and the mix was very good (I found out they use the Sacramento Tomato Juice—figures!).The unique items (egg & chicken wing) make it memorable and the price is certainly reasonable, considering this is almost two drink Bloodies in one. I’d definitely come back here again. Great job, Beer Belly’s!
Today I went to the Twisted Fisherman on the second nice day of 2013.
It was the perfect place to pick for an afternoon brainstorming session, with a cool breeze right along the water.
I’ve been here before and had their bloody, but somehow I failed to blog it, so here goes:
Spice: A little on the spicy side, just the way I like it!
Mix: Unsure
Chaser: Yes.
Fixin’s: Lemon, Lime, Olive, Pickle and Shrimp
Price: $7
The verdict? A great spot to go when the weather is nice—the Bloodys hit the spot and go down almost too easily!
Tonight I had dinner at The Noble, a relatively new restaurant in Walker’s Point, a very tiny restaurant where the menu changes weekly and they do not take reservations.
While that sounds like a recipe for disaster,the eccelectically decorated space has a very homey feel to it, a place where you’d like to go and linger over your dinner (which I did tonight).
Of course, I was thrilled to find they have not one, but three different Bloody Marys on their menu:
I tried the Afternoon Tea and I love that they took liberties with my beloved Bloody!
I’m not a purist when it comes to the Bloody Mary, I think places SHOULD put their own spin on it, so this was very much welcomed.
Spice: Not very spicy.
Mix: Homemade, I think.
Chaser: None
Fixin’s: Beet, Kalamata Olive, Cauliflower, Garlic Clove, Lemon & Lime
Price: Approx $9
I highly recommend that you check out this place while it is still a relatively well-kept secret; I bet come late summer there will be a long wait to get in. I also hear the Monday Brunch is amazing!
On Saturday, I attended the third annual “Heat It Up! Milwaukee’s Bloody Mary & Chili Challenge” at Cathedral Square Park.
I will start by saying I had only one complaint about this event, albeit, it’s kind of a major one: How in the world is this third annual event, but my first time ever hearing about it?!
So incredibly bummed that I’ve missed the first two years of this awesome event where you get to sample a variety of local chilis and Bloody Marys and vote on your favorite of each.
If you’ll recall, two weeks ago, I attended the Tomato Romp, another Bloody Mary event in Milwaukee. Thus, with that fresh in my mind, it is practically impossible to write this review without comparing the two events. And, while I have thoroughly enjoyed the Tomato Romp the last few years, I will say that Heat It Up trumps it in every way.
Location:
The Tomato Romp takes place in the various participating establishments, with a central registration/voting area, as well as a Tomato Fight. It’s nice to get to go into the various places that you might not otherwise frequent, but you do have to walk from place to place, enter and fight your way up to the bar to claim your sample.
Heat It Up took place outside in Cathedral Square Park. Each establishment has a table under a tent and participants line up in front of each one to claim their samples. You don’t get to experience the actual atmosphere of the restaurant (and they don’t get the benefit of you potentially buying additional food/beverage), but it’s much easier on the participant. You maximize your tasting time and you’re surrounded solely by people who are partaking in your mission—not fighting for table space amongst the locals watching college football.
Date/Hours:
The Tomato Romp took place on a Saturday in September (9/23), from 11am to 3pm. For the past few years, it has been really great weather. The length of time seems adequate for the 13 bloodies, but as I mentioned above, you spend a majority of that time walking between establishments.
Heat It Up took place on a Saturday in October (10/6), from 10am to 1pm. It was a little cold on Saturday, but October can be really hit or miss. The time frame was shorter than the Tomato Romp’s but more than adequate.
Price:
The Tomato Romp has, as I pointed out in my post, increased in price over the last few years. It is now $20, which gets you small samples of Bloodies at 13 establishments, plus a mini beer chaser.
Heat It Up also charges $20, but for that price, you get samples of 12 different Bloodies and 11 chilis. Oh, and did I mention they are UNLIMITED? Yes, that’s right. If you really like the Pfister’s bloody, you could sit there the whole time and imbibe if you’d like. If you aren’t up for trying so many different things or want to focus on one tomato-based product over the other, you can purchase samples ala carte: $2 per sample of chili and $4 per sample of Bloody Mary. Which brings me to the most important part….
The Samples:
The Tomato Romp is solely focused on the Bloody Mary. As you know, I have no problems with that at all; however, they do have some stringent requirements that I’ve started to take offense with over the years. First, they require all of the establishments to make the Bloodies for the event with the same vodka for sponsorship reasons. They also have to serve the same beer as the chaser. They also try to even the playing field, so to speak, by preventing bars from adding fixin’s to their bloodies—lemon and lime only! In theory, rules are a good idea, but in the case of Bloodies, it kind of puts a damper on your experience. The vodka, chaser, fixin’s… those are all essential elements of the Bloody; each one alone, or taken collectively, can really set a Bloody apart from the rest. This leaves the bar to resort to other means to stand out in the crowd—like over-seasoning their Bloodies, or putting in a weird flavor, just to be remembered at the end of the day. The samples are also quite small.
Heat it Up offers the awesome combination of Bloody Marys AND chili—for the same price. I’m not a chili connoisseur by any means and I never really realized how great chili and Bloodies are together. As I mentioned, it was a little cold on Saturday, especially drinking the icy Bloodies, so it was nice to alternate between the hot—temperature and spice-wise—chili and the cold beverage. The fact that samples were unlimited was also great, but even if they hadn’t been unlimited, I feel like I still would have gotten great value for my $20. The samples were ample-sized and, even though only one place offered a beer chaser, excellent. In my opinion, they were a fair representation of that bar’s actual Bloody….BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED ACCOUTREMENTS! Yes, that right there, was the difference maker. Take out the chili. Take out the unlimited number of samples. Downsize the samples. I don’t care. The fixin’s make all of the difference in the world—and, on that note, so does the vodka. For example, the bar that won was able to differentiate itself by the type of vodka that it uses daily.
So, in sum, if I had to choose just one event to attend in the coming years (but hey, who am I kidding, I will still go to both!), I’d choose Heat It Up, hands down.
Here is my brief take on each establishment’s presence at the event.
[Note: I heard that the organizers of the event did not anticipate so many people showing up due to the cool weather, so some of the places weren’t fully prepared. They stopped selling tickets for the event at a certain time, but still, some places ran out of samples. Thus, we didn’t get to some of them for that reason and others, because we just got full (and cold!).]
Club Charlie’s (Bloody & Chili): We didn’t have the chance to sample Club Charlie’s Bloody, but we had their chili. It was very good.
Pfister (Bloody & Chili): The Pfister won first place for its Bloody Mary in 2011. I really enjoyed their Bloody this year; to be honest, I had never considered the Pfister as a place to enjoy one, but they are now on my list! Their sample was very smooth, very tomato-ey, very basic, but oh-so-good! It also included a shrimp and a beefstick. I voted for Pfister as #1. (I’m not going to get into it here, but the chili was very good also!)
Blue’s Egg (Bloody)/Maxie’s Southern Comfort (Chili): Didn’t get here for either, but Maxie’s won first place for best chili this year! (Also, I have never had the Bloodies at Blue’s Egg, but I have had ‘em at Maxie’s. They are amazing and deserve their own post. Stay tuned.)
Stack’d Burger Bar (Bloody & Chili): I associate spice with Stack’d. Both their chili and Bloody were spicy and very good.
Blackthorn Irish Pub (Bloody & Chili): Did not sample.
The Good Food Dude (Bloody & Chili): Did not sample.
Hotel Metro (Bloody & Chili): Hotel Metro won first place for their chili in 2011. Both of their samples were very good. Their Bloody had the unusual fixin’ of a deviled egg.
The Knick (Bloody & Chili): We had these, but they don’t stick out in memory. Nothing we had was bad, though; these just weren’t as memorable.
Café Centraal, Café Benelux (Bloodies): Café Benelux ran out of Bloody samples, but we did get to taste Café Centraal’s. It was excellent, just like the rest of the Lowlands Group establishments always are. They also set themselves apart by serving a chaser with their Bloody.
Buckley’s (Bloody): After taking second place for its Bloody in 2011, Buckley’s made quite the impression this year and took home first place. As I mentioned before, being able to use the actual ingredients that go into your drink on a daily basis is key. Buckley’s uses both jalapeno and bacon vodka in its drink. It was also topped by a great skewer of fixin’s. I will definitely be returning to Buckley’s to get a full Bloody in the near future.
Riverwest Public House (Bloody): These Bloodies tasted very organic and I think they were. Very good, though.
Red Rock Saloon (Chili): For what it’s worth, I voted for Red Rock as the #1 chili. It was excellent!
Upper 90 Sports Pub (Chili): Did not sample.
Out For Bloodies 