This Bites

WI kitchen gear, Omakase, Odd Duck's new chef and more

This week's food news is coming at us from all sides, so let's dig in.First, you'll get the scoop on Nakama, a brand-new omakase restaurant coming to the East Side from the minds behind Screaming Tuna. We're talking an intimate, 11-seat sushi bar experience with fish sourced directly from Tokyo's world-famous Toyosu Market.We also celebrate a thrilling new addition to Odd Duck, as Bryce Stevenson joins the team as chef de cuisine, bringing his acclaimed modern indigenous cooking to the menu. Plus, Ann shares some of her favorite Wisconsin-made kitchen products, including beautiful utensils from a former chef, tasty Soul Brew beverages and Elgato Chocolates that help save endangered wild cats.Check out the full episode for all of those items, plus news on cocktail classes at Agency, changes at St. Kate's and the future of the legendary butter burger at Solly's Grille.

Wisco frozen pizza taste-off, Las Gardenias, Best of MKE and more

Since we're coming up on the last day of summer, it seems as good a time as any for ... a Wisconsin-made frozen pizza taste-off!The staff at Milwaukee Magazine took on that delicious task recently, so we start our episode with Ann sharing the surprising (and kinda disappointing???) results. She also keeps us in magazine land for her recent review of Las Gardenias, a new(ish) spot with homemade tortillas, birria and unique desserts.Elsewhere, we give you the scoop on a couple local food events, including the Dining Out For Life fundraiser happening through this weekend that supports Vivent Health's mission to serve those most affected by HIV. Just beyond this weekend, Potawatomi Casino Hotel has its Gather & Grow dinners, which span two nights (Sept. 22-23) and include five courses of farm-to-table goodies.Finally, we literally save the best for last with Milwaukee Magazine's "Best of Milwaukee" awards, which this year saw the publication's readers make some very savvy decisions about their food and restaurant choices. And by that we mean they mostly agreed with Ann.

Caribbean-soul cuisine, a flashback bar, and a Birch-ballet mashup

Tarik and Ann start this week's tour of Milwaukee food news with a trip to the Caribbean ... sort of. The tropically minded cuisine will get a soul-food twist at new restaurant Jerkin' Me Crazy, which is set to open on Center Street this October. The concept from restaurateur Darryl Simmons will offer baked mac and cheese, chicken done three ways (jerk, curry, stew) and Caribbean-inspired cocktails — with some live jazz thrown in for good measure.Moving from Center Street to 3rd Street, the popular food hall just got a new tenant in Bebe Zito, the Minneapolis-based burger/ice cream joint from Ben Spangler and former MIAD student Gabriella Grant. When you stop by the new stall at the 3rd Street Market Hall, expect burgers (obviously), chicken sandwiches and ice cream flavors that can get a little unconventional.We also got another grand opening from a place we’ve talked about on the pod before: Summer of ’85, the flashback-themed bar/restaurant on MLK Drive that features a patio, arcade, DJ booth and menu with plenty of nods to the 1980s. The Pee Wee’s Big Adventure homage, “The Large Marge” (an oversized hibiscus/prickly pear margarita), is a personal favorite.Finally, we chat about the rebrand in the Deer District (Good City is now Explorium Distilled), as well as Ann’s captivating interview with Birch chef de cuisine Zach Castillo in the print version of Milwaukee Magazine. The two got into Castillo’s past as a ballerino (a male ballet dancer) and how the discipline required by the pursuit carried over to his next phase in the food world.

Worlds collide, Wine Academy and a new brunch spot

Our weekly delicious dive into Milwaukee's culinary scene gets a splash of mash-up on this episode, as Ann shares her review of IVR Bar — that's "International Variety Restaurant," by the way, and the new eatery comes by that title honestly. The ambitious project is a sports bar capable of seating 300 people, which all sounds pretty standard ... until you get to the Indian-Mexican fusion part.On top of that, Ann got the chance to chat with Milwaukee Wine Academy founders Tim Cole and Dr. Jeffrey Coleman, who have the oh-so-friendly goal of making wine approaching for everyone (particularly women and people of color) through cool events.And it wouldn't be a This Bites episode without a weekly roundup, which this time around hits the proposed Axolotl Cafe that's aiming to bring American-Mexican brunch fare to Bay View this fall. Ann and Tarik stay in that neighborhood for Outlaw Oyster's second location inside Crafty Cow, and head downward just a bit more to talk about South Side Dining Week's return in September.*****This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown.

Burgers, guest chefs, cheese bars and more

It's another flavor-packed episode as we dive into Milwaukee's vibrant food scene, starting with news about Elsa's on the Park as they bring back fan-favorite menu items while keeping their new pizza offerings. Ann then shares her enviable quest to uncover Milwaukee's Best Burgers (the latest Milwaukee Magazine cover story), featuring must-try spots like The Diplomat and Wild Roots.Next, you'll get the scoop on the star-studded guest chef series at Birch and discover the city's newest cheese bar from the folks at Hill Valley Dairy, stocked with curated cheese boards and wine. We also chat about exciting upcoming restaurants, including French brasserie Cassis and NYC-Italian spot Il Pante, and dip into the retro vibes of Summer of '85, a new bar on its way to Bronzeville. Finally, Ann recounts her incredible (and hard-to-get!) experience at 1033 Omakase.*****This Bites is sponsored by Whiskey Brown.