1411
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
Written by Debra Brehmer
Aug 25, 2010
When you head to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, you might want to make a full day of it. This week, I discovered an amazing restaurant that has been in the downtown area for five years but somehow eluded my culinary radar. Margaux, 821 N. Eighth Street, is owned by chef Rob Hurrie, who previously served as executive chef at Blackwolf Run in Kohler.
Margaux offers a contemporary, relaxed environment (clean, open, airy) with outstanding food and wine. Often, these kind of ambitious restaurants in smallish cities try way too hard and end up serving overly fussy foods that are meant to impress, but lack artisanal soul. This place seems to have both heart and good food politics embedded in its offerings. Hurrie is committed to locally grown ingredients (they partner with an organic farm) as well as a seasonal menu.
What sets Margaux apart from others of its ilk is the surprisingly innovative and seemingly original compositions. I had an heirloom tomato and basil bisque soup that had the smallest touch of goat cheese and truffle oil on the top. This magical compote was so interesting in flavor that every sip to the bottom of the bowl held the same level of pleasure, discovery and surprise. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 5 to 7 p.m., a “Happy Hour” offers half-priced small plates and discounts on wine by the glass.
This week in the Milwaukee art world, I recommend checking out the Haggerty Museum of Art on the Marquette campus (13th and Clybourn). It just opened a suite of new shows, including the locally sourced “Let There Be Light,” an exhibition of stained glass, both historic and contemporary, from the collection of Paul Phelps, owner of Oakbrook Esser Studios. The exhibit runs Aug. 25 through Jan. 2, 2011.
