Dining

Nessun Dorma
2778 N. Weil
(414) 264-8466

Every city neighborhood needs a great little spot where locals can gather for a friendly, casual nosh. Riverwest’s Nessun Dorma is just such a place. There are no pretensions at this charming little storefront café – it’s a neighborhood joint in the best sense possible.

We hit the place with a gaggle of gays on a Friday night and only had to wait as long as it took to push a couple of tables together. Our server Talia handed us our menus with a smile, memorized our drink orders and hustled off to get things started. When she returned mere moments later with every drink perfectly placed, I was impressed. I’ve been to five-star places where the service wasn’t as efficient.

As we perused the menu we grazed on an enormous bowl of olives. The large portion, priced at $8, included red and black Bella de Cerignola, green Castelvetrano and tart Nicoise tossed in a fresh vinaigrette with capers. A cheese plate would be a nice add-on for this appetizer, which would easily serve eight to 10.

A new nationwide consumer study suggests that gay and lesbian diners say “check please” more often than other consumers.

The study from Community Marketing Inc. and Andrew Freeman & Co. is said to be the first in-depth report on gay consumers’ restaurant-spending habits and motivations.

Researchers in March polled 4,400 consumers about dining out to examine how they spend their money, influences in restaurant selection, impressions of chain and non-chain restaurants, even their beverages of choice.

The survey found that one-third of gay and lesbian consumers spent less at restaurants in the past year compared with prior years.

Comet Café
1947 Farwell
414-273-7677
thecometcafe.com

I’ll admit it. I love diners and dives. People think that restaurant reviewers spend all their time in fancy places eating exotic food. But food doesn’t have to be exotic or fancy to be good, it just has to be properly prepared and well presented. After all, what is meatloaf but a rough textured pate? Pasta au gratin? Just mac and cheese with a college degree.

Comet’s made-from-scratch comfort food is truly soul food, all-inclusive soul food. Too many chefs and restaurants owners toss a veggie burger or a grilled Portobello on the menu and consider themselves vegetarian-friendly. But Comet, where at least one quarter of the menu features items that can be made vegan or vegetarian, proves that vegan and vegetarian food can just as soul-stirring and satisfying.

Roots
1818 N. Hubbard St.
414-374-8490
www.rootsmilwaukee.com

The late John Denver wrote perhaps one of the most place-descriptive songs ever in “Take Me Home Country Roads.” When I first heard it, I fell in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains, even though I’d never seen them. The song just evoked a sense of place and peace that appealed to me – and millions of others, judging by the record sales.

The reason I take you, dear reader, along for this stroll down memory lane is that a recent dinner at Roots, perched high on a hill overlooking the city, evoked that same feeling of place and peace. We sat along the windows flanking the patio, which provided a gorgeous view of the city, especially at sunset. The fading skyline was bathed in a golden glow.

Soups On!
221 N. Water St.
414-283-9244
www.soupsonat221.com

Soup commercials used to feature chefs fussing over a vat. Then advertisers realized that consumers related better to a maternal figure and they switched tactics.

But no matter how advertisers portray it, commercial soups are made in big factories. They create their product in massive quantities, using short cuts, lower quality ingredients and the preservatives necessary to store food for long periods of time.

For a taste of how soup tastes when it’s made in artisanal batches by a real mother, head over to Soup’s On! in the Third Ward. Every day Mary Krimmer makes fresh soup from scratch in her miniscule kitchen. The workspace may be small, but the flavors are big.

Izumi’s Restaurant
2150 N. Prospect Ave.
414-271-5278
izumis.com

If you like a lot of flash with your sushi, Izumi’s is not the spot for you. Its rather no-nonsense décor and quiet dining room are not for the trendy. But Izumi’s is one of the best eateries in Milwaukee for experiencing true Japanese cuisine,

Izumi’s isn’t cheap (be wary of any restaurant that sells inexpensive sushi, because sushi-grade fish is expensive). But it’s a good value. To get sushi and sashimi any fresher, you’d have to pull it out of the water yourself.

Service is authentically friendly and knowledgeable. Our young server was an ocean of knowledge about fish. She capably steered the veteran sushi and sashimi fans among us through the extensive menu and assisted the novices with excellent suggestions.

Riviera Maya
2258 S. Kinnickinnic
414-294-4848
Riviera-Maya-Milwaukee.com

In the middle of a winter like this, it’s inevitable to consider a trip to warmer climes. For many of us, however, that’s a consideration that won’t come true any time soon.

So consider a trip to Riviera Maya in Bay View as a more affordable alternative. Once you enter the colorful, expansive dining room of this popular neighborhood spot, it’s easy to pretend that you are south of the border – if you don’t look out the window at the snowdrifts. The cheerful staff exudes warmth, and what they may lack in polish, they more than make up for in enthusiasm.

If you choose to start with an appetizer, the nachos Xel-ha is a good selection. A gigantic mound of chips is topped with steak, pork, chorizo and bacon and served with refried beans and melted chihuahua cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. There’s more than enough for four to share as an appetizer, or for one to have as an entrée. The price is quite reasonable at just under $8.

An intimate dinner, a glass of wine and soft candlelight; what more could you ask for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner?

Well, plenty actually. In this economy, it’s not enough for restaurants to throw in some hearts and flowers and call it a “special event.” They’ve got to come up with something special to bring in business. Here are a few places that are making that extra effort to help you put together a memorable romantic evening.

Bartolotta’s has coordinated a three-course meal and showing of Chocolat at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, 500 N. Harbor Drive. Tickets, priced at $55 a person, are available for Feb. 13 and Feb. 14. Call 414-765-8610 for more information.

Long before Viagra, men were trying to find ways to perk up their sex lives. In ancient times, there were many foods thought to put people in the mood. The old saying, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” may be based somewhat in fact — and apply to women as well.

Some foods, such as liquor, lower inhibitions. Others, such as chocolate, release endorphins, chemicals in the body that bring on a feeling of well-being. Some foods are high in zinc, necessary for sperm production. And some foods thought to act as quasi-aphrodisiacs are:

Inovasi
28 E. Center Ave.
Lake Bluff, Ill.
847-295-1000, inovasi.US

Having friends in neighboring states can be a bit problematic. With friends in Milwaukee and Chicago, it seems someone is always driving two or more hours to get together for dinner. It’s a pain, and, consequently, we don’t see one another as often as we like.

So I was happy to learn about Inovasi, an incredible restaurant in Lake Bluff, not too far south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. Even if we didn’t have interstate friendships, I’d make the trip for the innovative (hence Inovasi) take on contemporary American cuisine.

Parking right in front of Inovasi in Lake Bluff’s picturesque downtown was a delight for us big city dwellers. Entering the gorgeous bar, we were greeted by a friendly hostess who took our coats and then showed us to our table in the spacious yet cozy dining room. The décor is a tip off to the care with which Inovasi’s owners take in all aspects of the dining experience. Even though the restaurant was full (on a Monday night, no less), the sound level never interfered with our conversation.

Inovasi’s menu groups dishes into three categories, vegetables, meat and seafood. All of the dishes are meant to be shared, and they are the equivalent of two-thirds of a typical entrée portion. Three of us shared about 10 dishes, and there was plenty left to take home for lunch the following day.

The Knick
1030 E. Juneau
Milwaukee, WI
(414) 272-0011
theknickrestaurant.com

Located in the Knickerbocker on the Lake hotel, the Knick is a hip, attractive restaurant that draws an equally hip and attractive clientele.

But you won’t find attitude on the menu here. When we waddled in one cold morning for a blow-out brunch before our New Year’s diets began, everyone from the hostess to the servers was friendly and eager to please.