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The lineup is set. See what's next for 88Nine's State of Sound.

This Milwaukee restaurant and bar are 'dressing up' for Halloween

Halloween, Seinfeld, Star Wars Cantina

Each Friday at 8 am on 88Nine, Milwaukee Magazine’s dining critic, Ann Christenson, and 88Nine foodie Tarik Moody discuss Milwaukee’s culinary and restaurant culture.

On this week’s show, we discussed two Milwaukee establishments dressing up as the Seinfeld Diner and the Cantina from Star Wars for Halloween. We also talked about Twisted Path Distillery expansion and more.

If you are a chef or a restaurant and have an announcement or an event, please send any information or press release to thisbites@radiomilwaukee.org.

Read more below.

Vanguard will become 'The Restaurant About Nothing"

This Halloween, Bay View's Vanguard will become a restaurant inspired by the show, Seinfeld. Last year, Vanguard 'dressed up' as a seafood restaurant.  Vanguard will close in the afternoon on Halloween and will reopen at 7pm with a new name, new food and cocktail menu inspired by Seinfeld. Vanguard will announce the menu on Oct. 31.

Phoenix Cocktail Lounge will use the force to become the cantina from Star Wars

While you wait for the next chapter in the Star Wars franchise, the Phoenix Cocktail Lounge will transform into the infamous cantina from Star Wars. They will project the cantina band on a wall and will offer a special drink menu inspired by the franchise. Drinks will include:


  • Jabba The Hut Goes to Italy. This drink with be a double Negroni served on our hand-cut ice.
  • The B&B 8 Boilermaker- is a mini B&B cocktail served in a small vile to sip with your mini beer.
  • The Bobba Fernet- is our industry favorite Fernet Milkshake- that blends up Fernet, Ice Cream, and Cold Brew.

The cantina will open Friday evening and will last until Halloween.

Twisted Path expansion

Twisted Path Distillery, located inside the Lincoln Warehouse at 2018 S 1st Street, is planning an expansion of its tasting room. Owner/Distiller Brian Sammons hopes to have the new space open by the first weekend of December.

The expanded Twisted Path tasting room will include the space adjacent to Enlightened Brewing Company and the current speakeasy-style tasting room (known as “Dock 18 Cocktail Lab”) will become a hidden back-room bar. “We love our little speakeasy and we don’t want to change that, but it will be great to have an easier-to-find presence at the front of the building too and to be able to accommodate more people and live music”, Sammons said.

The expanded tasting room will have a small stage and excellent acoustics, for occasional live music performances. Sammons also plans to rent out the tasting room and the back-bar (the current “Dock 18”) for private events, small weddings, tastings, and cocktail classes. The expanded tasting room will feature a menu of classic cocktails, drinks made with experimental and limited release spirits from the distillery as well as lower proof “session cocktails.”

The Twisted Path tasting room will continue with the same warm industrial vibe and focus on innovative cocktails that has characterized Dock 18, but will drop the name Dock 18 and simply be called “Twisted Path Distillery.” Sammons explained “I thought Dock 18 was a cool name, because it was a hint at how to find it -just past dock 17 of the warehouse- which played into its speakeasy nature.

But in the end, it caused too much confusion - too many people didn’t realize Twisted Path had a tasting room.” Bittercube Bitters, which operated Dock 18, will carry on with the Dock 18 name, starting with a series of pop-up cocktail events in December. Updates and more information about the new tasting room and distillery tour schedule will be available on their website  and their Facebook page.

Stuffed Halloween At The Sugar Maple! Oct 30 @ 6pm

The Stuffed Pierogi Truck will host its last outing of 2017with special flavors for Halloween at Sugar Maple. They will feature 2 Limited Seasonal Flavors: Roasted Butternut Squash and  Sweet Potato and Marshmallow!

The Schwabenhof will return Nov. 1

The Schwabenhof, a long-standing institution for a traditional Wisconsin Fish Fry will officially re-opening on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. The Schwabenhof’s food, beverage, Biergarten and event operations are now under the management of Wes Shaver and Mike Sorge. The Schwabenhof’s kitchen will be open every Wednesday and Friday and will expand hours of operation come January 1, 2018.

The fish fry has been changed slightly…going from a filet to cod loins. Dinners come standard with 9oz of hand breaded and fried to perfection cod, choice of potato (baked, fries, or The Schwabenhof’s original handmade, Germanfest featured potato pancakes), home-made coleslaw, home-made tartar sauce and every table comes with complimentary bread service.

Other options on the menu include Signature Baked Cod {$16.95. Light, flaky and delicious oven baked cod in our lemon, caper, and butter sauce. Served with baked potato and green beans}, Wurst Platter {$13.95. The Schwabenhof’s own Brat & Hungarian Sausages served with house-made kraut, German potato salad, and coleslaw} and Walleye or Perch Dinner.

The Schwabenhof’s bar will continue to make traditional Wisconsin Old Fashioneds and Manhattans as well as provide a long, impressive list of German and American beer. The Schwabenhof will be open to the public beginning Wednesday, November 1, 2017 and are welcome to join in a Grand Opening Celebration on Friday, November 10, 2017.

MPS School Breakfast and Lunch Program Listening Session (Oct 30 @5pm)

Let your voice be heard! MPW will host a listening session listed to provide feedback and input on the MPS school breakfast and lunch program. Learn more about the offerings and what goes into preparing and serving meals.

Treat's last Cookie Friday of 2017

Treat started 'Cookie Friday' as a fun thing to do on Fridays, when not using the kitchen for roasting nuts.  Here are Friday's flavors:


  • Chocolate Chunk
  • Peanut Butter
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
  • Vanilla Bean Sugar

Treat is located in the Marshall Building at 207 E Buffalo, Suite 212.

 

 

Director of Digital | Radio Milwaukee