Each week on This Bites, dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie Tarik Moody dig into the city’s culinary and restaurant culture to help you find new spots, old favorites and the best ingestibles around Milwaukee.
As I say at the top of this episode, everyone loves dumplings. I count myself among that very large group, although I’d argue that my affection for those little pockets of joy surpasses most folks. So you can bet I was excited (as was Ann, it turns out) to talk about the first news item in the pod: dumpling-making classes at The Wolf.
These opportunities for delicious instruction are no joke. Chef Kristin Schwab set up a couple for December, and both of them sold out so fast that the restaurant decided to make them a monthly affair all throughout 2025. When you look at everything you get for $125, it’s easy to understand why:
- Dough and meat/veggie filling for 40 dumplings
- Personal instruction from Kristen and her team
- Dumplings made by Kristen and her team for your enjoyment
- A cash bar
- Stickers and packaging for your dumplings
- Take-home recipes
- A rolling pin that’s yours to keep
Ann and I break down this very cool experience, which you can register for right now (even the one next December if you’re the type who likes to plan ahead) on The Wolf website.
There’s another website you can visit for more details on a couple other things we discuss on this episode. I’m talking, of course, about Ann’s main gig at Milwaukee Magazine, which just this week posted her great interview with Wild Bearies founder Elena Terry.
A member of the Ho-Chunk nation and expert on indigenous cuisine, Terry landed a well-earned spot on the Wisconsin-centric season of Top Chef and told Ann, “I know for myself, to be considered on that level, an expert – it’s been a long time coming.” We talk about Terry and Wild Bearies in this episode, but the full Q&A is well worth your time.
While you’re over at Milwaukee Magazine, you can also find out what Ann picked for her latest Dish of the Month. Or I could just tell you. It’s katsudon from Todd I Believe I Can Fry (2159 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.). The Japanese staple is built around a panko-breaded pork cutlet, and Ann’s affection for it is very obvious — both in her vivid description on the podcast and her story at Milwaukee Magazine.
Believe it or not, we also have something NOT from the magazine to wrap up this episode. It’s the very good news that the much-loved Chucho’s Red Tacos will join the Diverse Dining Market (250 W. Wisconsin Ave.) every Tuesday. In addition to dumplings, I’m also a big supporter of birria tacos, and it’s great to have places like Chucho’s serving them up around Milwaukee.
That’ll do it for this episode. We’ve been putting This Bites together for 10 years, and whether you’ve been with us the whole time or this is your first time, both Ann and I appreciate it. If you want to show your appreciation, drop a rating or review wherever you listen. Thanks.
