We stopped here the other day for a quick bite, mostly because we were in the mood for a good burger and we didn't have a lot of time.  I hadn't been here since it's been Chicago Avenue Gyros, but I had heard good things about it.  I used to live really close to this place when I was still in high school.  Back then it was still a drive-in and one of my friends worked there - so I spent a lot of time there. 

The place hadn't changed a bit, except a new coat of paint, a bigger menu, and no more drive-in.  There are a few tables and booths inside with picnic tables outside.  You order at the window inside.  My boyfriend ordered a huge gyro and I got a bacon burger and fries.  The food came out quickly, and is very reasonably priced.  My burger was very good and HUGE!  The fries were good too.  Mike said his gyro was as good as any he'd get in Chicago.  That's saying a lot since he's a big fan of the various ethnic foods in Chicago.

They serve Greek, Mexican, and American food.  I also noticed that they serve ice cream, malts and shakes, and sundaes.  I'll be stopping again this summer to try one of their sundaes.  Yum.

513 N Chicago Ave, South Milwaukee, WI   414-571-9970

There is a one-day Downtown Spring Market and Business Fair on Saturday, April 10, at Bucyrus International HERITAGE BLDG, (located across the street from the SM Library) just 1 block North of 10th & Milwaukee Ave in South Milwaukee.

The market, which will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Heritage Building, will feature many of the same vendors found at the summer version of the market, including produce, food, jewelry, art and craft vendors.

It will also feature a South Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce Business Fair showcasing some of the city’s top merchants

BONUS: The Bucyrus Museum will be open for viewing

Want to exhibit? See the vendor form at: www.smdowntownmarket.org/

Taken from the southmilwaukee.org/eVents newsletter:

South Milwaukee’s "Fresh Water Days" Planned for Thursday and Friday

Interest Grows To Help Businesses Affected by Water Emergency

A few weeks ago my blog asked you to post what you are most proud of in South Milwaukee.  There were some great things listed.  A few that came up several times were:

Grant Park and our beautiful green spaces, our great festivals, the various clubs that do great things for the city and parks, the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, the Little League, our schools, and Bucyrus Erie.

I love all these things about South Milwaukee.  In high school I lived very close to Grant Park and spent a lot of time there. I walked to the lagoon to ice skate in the winter, watched the kids play at the little league park, marched through the city streets in the So Milwaukee High School Band, and my first job was at the BE Club (now Papa Luigi's II).  Bucyrus Erie employed my father and step-father - and many of my friend's dads.  A picture I painted still hangs in the library. I think what brought me back to live here as an adult is the small town feel and the friendly residents.  It's close enough to my job and it's easy to get there via the 794 Parkway.

All these sentiments were echoed in the comments listed at www.southmilwaukee.org/guestlog.htm . Won't you check it out and post some of your own?

Ever since CJ's Station House Bar and Restaurant opened in Cudahy, I've been getting requests from friends and readers to check it out and give it a write up.  So finally we stopped in for lunch on Saturday.  The place is nicely renovated and decorated with firefighter paraphenalia... firemen coats and hats, antique fire extinguishers, police patches from various places. 

Being late for lunchtime on a Saturday before a football game was to start made the bar pretty empty, but that was just fine with me. The smoking area is way in the back far from the tables where they serve food and the main bar area. The menu is relatively simple with daily specials added, and they also do a Friday fish fry. The prices are reasonable and our burgers were very good with many choices of toppings and presented on toasted kaiser rolls. The bar manager was also handling cooking that day and did a great job.  They list a couple of steaks on the menu with really good prices, I'll be going back for dinner sometime soon. Has anyone else been there lately? What did you think?

Cj's Station House

I miss these things about the South Side. How many do you remember?

Gimbels and JC Penney Outlet at Packard Plaza, Lloyd's Lunch (in SM), Grebe's Bakery (SM), IHop (Cudahy), Greg's Pumpkin Tree (Cudahy), the 41 Twin Drive-In, Majestic theater, Garden Theater, the Spectacle of Music (the old way with the parade and competition), Big Boy's and Taco Bell (in SM), ice skating at the lagoon, walking the RR tracks to get from one end of SM to the other, the "pit" behind SM High, Miss Awe, the BE Club (my first job!), Ladish, when the City of South Milwaukee Offices was an elementary school, And the ROCKETS (especially when they beat the Packers), Black Bear Soda in Cudahy,  and picking apples in the abandoned orchard which is now Bender Park on Ryan Road.  Now that I'm thinking about it, there are way too many to mention them all here...Can you tell I went to So Milwaukee High School?  I'm not telling how long ago it was though!

Looking for a quick, but healthy meal this week? Dine at the Cousins in South Milwaukee on Thursday, December 10, and not only feed your hunger, but support the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center. 10% of ALL sales will be donated to the SMPAC to assist with educational programming for the 2010-2011 Season.

Chck out the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center's website:   http://www.southmilwaukeepac.org/

FIVE GUYS BURGER AND FRIES, BAY SHORE TOWN CENTER, 5800 NORTH BAY SHORE DR, 414-962-9560

I know this restaurant isn’t on the south side of town, but I was shopping at Bay Shore the other day and ran across it. We were hungry so we thought we’d try it. What brought us in were the large red and white signs outside that said Five Guys, Burgers $5. Well, I wanted to know what that was about!
 

The restaurant is very bright, all white and red tile, like a 50’s diner. The traffic pattern is organized well, with a clear path to lead you up to the ordering window. The path is actually a stack of bulk peanut bags laid out so that you must follow them in order to get to the window. Of course, you can indulge in all the peanuts you want while you wait to order. Keeps your hands busy too. Don’t eat too many though because they do not skimp on the portion sizes at this place.

They were true to their word, you can order burgers for $5 (the little burger they call it but it is not “little”), and there is a bigger burger too. And watch out, the small fry portion is a whole large Styrofoam cupful of fat skin-on seasoned fries, and the large fry is even bigger – plus they heap an extra portion of them into the bag they serve your food in. We thought we’d get a fry for each of us and the order taker said one large fry is enough for more than 2 people. He was right!
 

The store is full of advertisements for their other locations and all the accolades they have gotten since starting this business in 1986. They started to franchise in 2002 out east and grew so fast that they currently have over 450 locations in 30 states (per their website).
 

The place was busy and it looked like there were many happy customers. Their signs boast that they never freeze anything, everything is fresh and of the highest quality, they only use peanut oil, and all their products are trans-fat free. My burger was wonderful and the fries are scrumptious. My boyfriend kept eating the peanuts and we couldn’t even attempt to finish the fries they gave us.

Check out their website and see for yourself.  http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx

We went out with a friend for dinner recently and ended up at Ricardo's (due to a small fire at the restaurant we were going to try).  She had been there several times before and I had never heard of it.  I had no idea this restaurant was there because I had never hung out in the Greendale village before.   My friend said we may have to wait because it was a Saturday night, but it was worth the wait.

As we drove to the restaurant I noticed the village and that it was a strip mall, but very craftily arranged to look like a cute little English village.  The area has a quaint inviting look, created as a destination type of place to spend a few hours and browse around.  Near the holidays they have people strolling around in period costumes caroling and Santa waits for excited children.  She brings her kids down each year. There are restaurants, boutiques, craft stores, and is anchored by the Reiman Visitor Center.

But that night it was all about the pizza.  The restaurant was full, but not over crowded.  It has a nice bar area with many TVs broadcasting sports and it smelled wonderful.  In the back you can pick up food for takeout.  It's not very big but it is cute and cozy in the seating area.  The pizza was great, with a hand tossed thin crust that can't be found anywhere else in the area.  The sauce they use is excellent.  The menu had all kinds of unique pizzas along with other dishes. My boyfriend got a burger that he said was excellent.

The restaurant has been around over 10 years - I still don't know how I haven't heard about it before, but I'm sure going to go back to try one of their other pizza combinations and check out the rest of the stores.

Address: 5627 Broad St, Greendale, WI 53129-1812  Phone:  (414) 421-1980

I've always liked going to Goodwill or the Salvation Army stores to see what they have, pick up a few books, get some clothes for the grandkids.  Lately these stores have become very busy!  I pulled into the parking lot of the Goodwill store on 27th Street and almost every parking space was taken!  I know that around Halloween these stores are great places to put together a costume, but this started a few months ago.  Yes, the economy has prompted a lot of the business, but I also think that "thrifting" has become kinda trendy.  I'm on the young end of the baby boomer generation, but the nostalgia factor of the 1970's doesn't escape me.  It's really cool to see some of those old fashions. And, as my boyfriend points out, electronic equipment from that timeframe has become really valuable for collectors.  He's always scoping out the thrift stores for good quality speakers, old stereo equipment, and albums.  Just check out some of that old stuff listed on E-Bay, some of it goes for some serious coin. 

So we have hit up all the thrift stores we could find on the south side, but I was hoping we missed a few. We've stopped at Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Value Village. I went looking for the few I knew of up by Mitchell Street, but they have been closed.  We also found a small one on Layton at 27th Street.  Are there any others?  Let me know! 

I hope you never need to use this information, but I have needed an emergency vet once, and I sure wish I had one close to me at the time....

There is a new Emergency 24/7 Vet Clinic that is closer than Madison or the north side of Milwaukee.  Newly opened in June, this clinic is on Hwy 100 near Beloit Road.  There are several emergency vet clinics around, but very few that are always open and available to treat your pets.

Milwaukee Emergency Care for Animals (MECA), 3670 S 108th Street, Greenfield, WI (414) 543-7387. Twenty-four hour emergency service is provided by a team of experienced veterinarians and staff, concentrating on dogs, cats, exotics, reptiles and other small mammals. Critical care cases and surgeries may be referred to the ER seven days per week. Check out their website at:  www.erforanimals.com

These phone numbers are also good to keep handy also:

Phoning the 24-hour Animal Emergency Center Pet Hotline at (414) 540-6710 gives you immediate information about first aid and offers advice for safe transportation of your pet.  Animal Poison Control Center Hot Line (888) 426-4435.

I've stopped at Wendt's a few times over the past 2 years because it's half way between my house and one of my friend's houses.  The reason we first stopped there is because my friend wasn't looking very closely at the sign and she thought at first that it said Wende's, so she had to tell me there was a bar/restaurant with my name on it!  I set her straight, and we met there anyway just to try it out.  I'm so glad we did.  Their food is really good (especially for pub food).  They have wraps and burgers, and are well known for their Friday fish fries. Their criss cross cut fries are awesome!

Wendt's is very close to House of Harley-Davidson on Layton Avenue.  It's a nice south side pub with an open layout, plenty of seating area, and very friendly staff.

Evening on the Avenue: Check out music, entertainment, children’s activities, food, community vendors and resources. A raffle will benefit South Milwaukee Human Concerns. Enjoy Celtic music by the Garlic Mustard Pickers. Visit the Friends of Mill Pond to purchase Duck Race tickets and other items. Come to Milwaukee Avenue at 10th Avenue in South Milwaukee from 4 to 9 p.m. for an evening of fun on July 23!
 

South Milwaukee Downtown Market Launches July 23: The new South Milwaukee Downtown Market will open on the same night as South Milwaukee’s Evening on the Avenue on July 23. Stop by 11th and Milwaukee Avenues each Thursday, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., for fresh produce, bakery, flowers, and other offerings from area vendors and entertainers. Visit http://www.SMDowntownMarket.org .

Heritage Days Parade: 11am In South Milwaukee Saturday, July 25

Great Duck Race: Saturday, July 25 –, 2pm Below the Mill Pond dam, South Milwaukee

South Milwaukee Lions Fest: July 24-26 – Friday, 4:30-11:30pm fish; Saturday, 11am-11:30pm ribs; Sunday, Noon-8pm chicken, 16th St. & Rawson Av., South Milwaukee https://www.wilions.org/southmilwaukee/lionsfes.htm

I've been meaning to stop into the area's newest micro-brew pub since it opened in April.  After I learned that my niece was waitressing there, I made it my very next restaurant outing.  My son and I went last Friday to check it out.  We got there about 7pm and it was pretty crowded.  The hostess told us it would be a 45 minute wait, and as we had nothing else to do, we figured we'd wait it out and sample a beer (or two) while we wasted some time. Being a Friday night, I assumed the crowd was a fish fry crowd and there were families with babies there.

The building is a modern looking brand new structure, sitting on the corner of Howard Avenue and KK.  You can see the big vats through the windows, and there are outside chairs and tables also.  Inside there is a roomy restaurant area, with exposed wood beams and a rustic look.  The bar is plenty long with several pub tables and chairs and room for standing.  I was glad to note that this is a non-smoking establishment!  We each selected a type of beer and sat at a pub table to wait to be called.  I had the Archbishop Amber and my son had the Kitzinger Kolsch ($5 a pint).  I thought mine was pretty good.  We noted that you could get a sampler for $8 and it included their root beer as one of the samples.  A couple that had been waiting also asked us if we had been there before.  They had heard about this place and they came down from Menomonee Falls and Hartford.  That's quite a haul on a Friday night, there must be quite a bit of buzz about this place. Our table was ready, since it was just the two of us, we ended up near the bar, but the fish fry rush was calming down and it was getting quieter.  My son tried the sampler this time.  The 49 Maples Root Beer was very good!  We each got a different type of burger.  I was surprised, it was very good.  The cheddar cheese on my burger was abundant! 

There were plenty of waiters and bartenders available to handle the number of customers there. On our way out we ran into my niece.  She told me that the place is always this busy - especially on the weekends.  This side of Milwaukee has needed a good brew pub for awhile.  I enjoyed my visit and will go back.  The place has features that only a few south side bars have - no smoking, large gathering area, large restaurant, and plenty of waitstaff.  I wish them well and longevity.

St. Francis Brewery & Restaurant, 3825 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53235 414-744-4448 http://stfrancisbrewery.com/main_page.html

There are plenty of Italian restaurants around here, and Barbiere's opened up a new location in downtown South Milwaukee just recently.  Out of curiosity, I took my mom there Saturday for dinner.  I've eaten at their other location before, and their food has always been very good. 

Their storefront used to be a small lunchtime deli type place that was only open during the noon hour  to serve the Bucyrus Erie lunch crowd.  I had asked the store owner once why they didn't stay open for dinner and he said that they only wanted to concentrate on the lunch crowd.  South Milwaukee is a tough place to have a restaurant it seems, as many don't stay very long.  My thought is, if you want customers, you need to be open at the times that people want to eat - which means dinner time and beyond.

I was really surprised that Barbiere's took over the other side of the building too, and opened up seating in the back of the building also. The wood floors and old brick wall are nice touches.  The other side has a full bar with tallbacked wooden chairs and a classy look.  It looks inviting and I have a feeling that the bar will draw some regular customers.  The clean open look combined with the wood and brick is a warm and comfy combination.

I had their lasagna and mom had spaghetti.  Both were very good.  The waitress was attentive and pleasant. There were several other tables filled, and as we were leaving it was getting busier. The whole experience was very good, and I think I'll go back soon to check out the bar area while I wait for a pizza for take-out.

They have great hours, basically 11am to 11pm and the bar is open till regular bar close time.

 Barbiere's Italian Inn, 1021 Milwaukee Avenue, So. Milwaukee, 414-764-1234

www.foodspot.com/barbieressouth/

As the historical Lawson Building at 909 Menomonee Avenue in So. Milwaukee awaits its demolition fate, plans are being made for a memorial to be erected in its place.  A request for proposals is out for artists to submit their rendering of a memorial that incorporates the style and materials found in the old building that used to be a rubber manufacturer, an airline manufacturer, a tile company, a pottery maker, and most recently an auto repair shop. 

The history of the building is pretty interesting.  I found out about it when I was looking at the pictures on the lobby wall of the So. Milw PAC.  I was surprised to learn our little city housed a company that was building the first airliner for long distances and to carry airmail.  Then I ran across the plans for the memorial when I was looking at the So. Milw Community Development website. http://www.southmilwaukeecda.com/projects_22_0_1.pdf

 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn5302/is_20080717/ai_n27921819

 http://www.milwaukeecountyhistsoc.org/historic_landmarks/landmarks_SouthMilwaukee.html

This new restaurant on Milwaukee's east side was voted Milwaukee's best new restaurant in 2008.  I've been to this restaurant two times so far and both times the experience was phenomonal. 

All that remains of the old 5 and 10 Tap are the Cream City brick walls. The newly remodeled building looks just like a pub in Ireland with lots of dark wood, glass and mirrors, and that quaint feeling of belonging as soon as you walk through the door. There are two floors, downstairs is for smokers, and upstairs in non-smoking.  Both floors have traditional irish bars with tables and booths that have a sense of privacy about them.  Upstairs there is the added feature of a fireplace.  I'm going back the first really nice day in the spring so that I can experience the outdoor patio, which is basically built into the hill on top of the building and overlooks the Milwaukee River.

Open seven days a week, they feature dinner and late night menus including Irish specialties well as fine contemporary cuisine and daily dinner specials - plus brunch on the weekends. The shepard's pie is the best I've ever had, and their Irish Whiskey steak is scrumptious.  In addition to outstanding food, expect to find great imported beer, unusual Irish and Scotch whiskeys and regular Irish music sessions. It was the first time I've experienced a pumpkin old fashioned cocktail.  Excellent!

In case you're wondering, Brocach is Gaelic for "badger den". Find them at 1850 N. Water St., Milwaukee WI 53202   414-431-9009  I'd recommend getting a reservation if there are more than two people in your party as the pub is not large.  They would rather keep it feeling like a true Irish pub than make it commercial.  The waitstaff takes their time with you and makes you feel like you could stay all night.  http://www.brocach.com/Milwaukee/index.html

It's almost Valentine's Day and you need just the right thing for your sweetie.  You know you can never go wrong with candy. Instead of getting the cliche'd heart shaped box of chocolates, why not go for some nostalgia combined with your favorite candies?  Debbie's Sweets 'n Treats does just that.

Do you remember going to the penny candy store (some of you may remember it being still a penny or at least 2 cents) with a handful of change, ready to spend every cent?  Ropes of bubble gum, pop rocks, slo-pokes...  this store has it all.  They also have themed tin lunch boxes, gift baskets, and if you stop in on Valentine's Day they have hand dipped chocolate chocolate covered strawberries.  Its fun to just browse because the decor takes you back to the good ol' days, and seeing all your  childhood favorites is a treat in itself.  It was a wonderful stroll down memory lane.

The store is located at 8880 S Howell Ave, Oak Creek, WI   (414) 571-6138.  They also have an on-line store:  http://www.nostalgiccandy.com/index.asp?PageAction=CONTACTUS

Need a fix of motorcycling during the winter?  You won't be able to ride, but you can catch a motorcycling mood when you stop in that the Motor bar and restaurant at the new Harley-Davidson Museum.  Motor is open to the public and you don't need to purchase a museum ticket to get in.  Thursdays are happy hour days with specials starting at 3pm.  They also serve a Friday fish fry.  The bar is very large with many stools with deep leather cushions.  There are a couple of cushy leather chair groupings, along with some long tables with benches for large groups.  I've stopped here a few times, and their food is wonderful - especially the appetizers and dessert.  The bar is a nice place to unwind, with black leather and an industrial steel look that complements H-D's motorcycle styling.  http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/eat_at_museum.jsp?locale=en_US  The complex is located at 400 Canal Street, but the easiest way to get there is to go over the 6th street viaduct - it is at the lights where Canal Street crosses 6th.  Every time I bring someone new to the place, they are surprised that no one really knows it's there for anyone to enjoy. 

After getting your fill at Motor, drive a couple blocks south on 6th to the Iron Horse Inn, toss the keys to the valet guy, have a drink and a look around. The remodeled warehouse with 102 guest rooms features a two story high lobby bar serving all kinds of drinks with some pretty cool local micro-brews featured on the menu.  With a large, open concept area with plenty of couches and chairs to lounge on, you can sip drinks there or sitting at a stool in the bar area.  There was a DJ when we were there and they were spinning music that us almost middle-aged folks could enjoy.  The exposed brick walls are combined with huge wood beams and wood floors that create a trendy and modern mountain lodge type feel.  The place was packed for a Saturday night, but we could still converse without shouting.  And I ran into several friends from work there too. 

Both places are on the river - facing each other on opposite banks, and in the summer you can bet I'll be there walking along the riverfront enjoying the views. 

I had heard about this little coffee shop from a friend so I made sure I stopped in recently.  I was told that it was a little place, tucked into the intersection of KK, Logan, and Russell in Bay View.  As I first drove by it, I did miss it altogether, turned around and parked on the side street.  Something about it was really appealing, it was unassuming, a tiny building.  Then it occurred to me - this used to be a gas station!  But it doesn't look like a gas station anymore.  As you go inside, it's a cute place with a European flair, with a couple of computers on a counter with internet access, some tables and chairs, and a side room that has been decorated with a gas fireplace, deep leather couch, and a table and chairs.  This little side room looks like a den or library in someone's house, and makes you feel instantly comfortable.  The coffee was very good, the whole experience was enjoyable.

The owners started out by roasting their own coffee and retailing it through supermarkets. As they expanded, they decided to open a coffee shop that sells their own brewed coffee and tea, breakfast food, soups, salads, and sandwiches.  I'm told this place is very busy in the morning. Any coffee shop that provides a great atmosphere to relax in is OK in my book, check it out at:   http://www.svenscoffee.com/information

Sven's Cafe 2699 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. (KK Ave.),Bay View, WI 53207, 414-483-CAFÉ(2233)

Bay View and Saint Francis has been changing the past few years and as you drive through these cities on the way to Milwaukee, you get a decidedly east side feel to the area.  It's like the east side of Milwaukee has drifted a little south into our south side neighborhoods with the new condos along the lake there and the restaurants that have popped up around them.  One that is really cute is The Fixx - a coffee shop that feels like one of the trendier east side coffee shops but with a lot more space.  With several large comfy leather couches and magazines galore to read, many tall tables and chairs to sit at, great pastry, sandwiches and coffees, you could spend all afternoon there.  It's full of flyers that tell you all about happenings in the area, along with all the great events the store itself plans.  In fact, they have live music and open mic on Fridays and Saturday nights. 

One really unique thing about this coffee house is that the owner realized that since most first dates are in coffee shops, why not bring that to the forefront and make this place all about meeting people?  They have a wall of personal ads and a system that allows singles to put up a profile and get messages from interested people - hence the play on the name "The Fixx".

I stopped for a cup of coffee and a panini sandwich on the way home from work to check it out and it is really cute.  I can imagine in the mornings what it would be like with the sun coming up over the lake and lighting up the place.  It's located at the north end of Packard Avenue just before the street ends at Lake Drive, next door to the Carleton Grange Pub.  You'll have to check it out, you never know who you'll meet! 

Fixx Coffee House
3558 E. Sivyer Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53235
(414) 482-0919
Non-smoking

In case you didn't know, South Milwaukee has a Performing Arts Center.  It was built a few years ago as part of the South Milwaukee High School expansion and it is a hidden gem.  In addition to serving the school system and local groups for events, it draws many fine performers to entertain you.  I had been told that the theatre had great acoustics, and they were right, the sound is awesome.  This is nothing like the high school stages you are used to seeing in a school, it's a modern performing arts center attached to the school that is not too small, not too large, and very classy.  It has a great open lobby area to gather in before the show and it looks out over the high school commons area below. 

 Recently I got involved in volunteering at the SMPAC and it's been a great experience.  Besides the satisfaction of volunteering, you get to see the show for free when you do it. It's easy, flexible, and you get some great perks for doing it.   

I had the priviledge of seeing Tommy Emmanuel, an awesome guitarist from Australia, and next week I'm going to see the phenomonal piano player Alpin Hong.  Check out all the upcoming performances at:  http://www.southmilwaukeepac.org/ . 

901 15th Avenue
South Milwaukee, WI 53172
Administrative Office Phone: 414-766-5048
Box Office Phone: 414-766-5049
Fax: 414-766-5005

My mom and her senior friends lunched recently at a Serbian Restaurant in Cudahy called Ilija's.  I asked her to write a review for me since I've not been there before:

"Decor is unique, hand woven decorative samplers on the walls, ornate mirror, pictures of Serbian countryside.  The background music was very enjoyable.  Nice to be seated at tables with linen and fancier settings.  Attentitive waiter explained various ethnic dishes for us. Bowls of chicken noodle soup were very good. Those who ordered breaded pork chop were delighted to see the large, thick chop, accompanied by potatoes and vegetables.  My Hungarian goulash was very good, the Sarna (stuffed peppers) was also rated as very good. Homade bread a winner too.

This small restaurant in Cudahy is at 3701 E. Squire Avenue and has been in business for many years.  Luncheon prices vary from $9 and dinner about $14 and up.  They have an extensive menu worth checking out.  It was a nice experience."

http://www.ilijasplace.com/

Phone (414) 727-5885

Ever since Dunkin' Donuts pulled out of Cudahy many years ago, we've been without a south side franchised donut shop.  I was pretty excited to learn that South Milwaukee will have one by the new Aldi's on the south side of town, and I was really surprised to read last week that another one was pre-approved to build in Oak Creek.  That piece of news made me wonder, are we really getting two Dunkin' Donuts that close together?  I understand that the demographics of each area and traffic patterns are completely different, so the company must have thought they can make a go of both stores?

This what I'd like to know, are they are still going to build in South Milwaukee?  Now that I was expecting to see it built there, I'd be disappointed  to find out that they decided to move the location to Oak Creek.  Don't get me wrong, I love Oak Creek and it's growing so fast that it could use one there, I just don't want to loose getting the location at South Milwaukee.

 http://www.oakcreeknow.com/watch/?watch=27&date=9/10/2008&id=45950

The Papa Luigi's/Salvatore's Pizza place in South Milwaukee is more than just a place to go get a fish fry or pizza.  It's a full service party place!  If you've been around the area for awhile, you'll remember that it was the old Bucyrus Erie Club - the cafeteria/bar/recreational place for the employees of BE.  In fact, the BE Club was my first employer back in high school! 

The general layout of the place is the same, with the endearing old bowling lanes, banquet hall, upstairs gym, and bar/dining area.  It's a perfect place for a kids birthday party - there's bowling and video games with a large area set with long tables for the kiddies to sit at. The pizza is good (had it several times) and the bar area has a nice big screen TV for watching the ball games. Their banquet hall can accomodate 200.  I'm not sure if you have to reserve time to use the gym upstairs.

This is their 2nd location - the first being in Cudahy, but the South Milwaukee location has the "family fun center". 

1919 12th Avenue, South Milwaukee  764-6111

3475 E Layton Avenue, Cudahy 483-6111

This restaurant has been open a couple of months now (27th St south of Puetz Road) and I was thinking tex-mex by the way it looks on the outside.  Acutally it's not, it's good old fashioned down home southern cooking.  It's patterened after the Texas Roadhouse restaurants - looks very similiar inside - peanuts on the floor and all.  Menu items include Cowboy burgers, country fried chicken, steaks, ribs, seafood, and some great choices for homemade sides.  Stuffed sweet potatoes sound good don't they?  I had a ranch chicken sandwich, mom had the smothered chicken breast.  They give you a lot to eat so arrive hungry!  Now I have a hankering for some sweet tea.  I wonder if they serve that....

Check them out at www.arizonagrille.com  or 414-856-9000.

As you know, Mexican food is my favorite and I like to spend my money close to home in order to promote local business.  There are two places that are relatively new around here that are quietly serving great Mexican food and I think it's about time that we give them the recognition that they deserve.

 La Serenata - 4978 S. Packard Avenue, Cudahy.  I had been driving by this place for a few months now and if you aren't really looking for it, you don't notice it.  On the outside, there is large lettering that spells out the name, but no other indication that it's Mexican (unless you look closely at the windows).  I took my mom there one day for lunch because we were curious - not knowing for sure if it was a restaurant.  When we walked in we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the place, lots of room for diners and there is a large oval bar in the middle.  The walls are brightly painted and the decor is definitely Mexican.  It was like discovering a hidden treasure - not expecting the pleasant inside compared to the non-descript outside.  But we still had to sample the food.

It was quiet in the place, we were probably their first customers for the day.  The waitress was very helpful with the menu which was extensive.  There were a lot of choices for different meats and sauces and dishes not often found in many of the typical south side Mexican restaurants.  The prices were reasonable too.  When our food arrived, I couldn't believe the size of the plates and the portions!  I could not finish it all and had to ask to get it wrapped up.  The rice and beans were very good and my enchiladas were great.  My mom loved her dish also.  We picked up their take out menu and the waitress gave us a punch card that is sure to keep us coming back.  The food rivaled any of the near south side restaurants that we'd normally go to when we need our Mexican food fix, so if you live south of the south side, try out La Serenata.

Azteca Restaurant - 9th and Milwaukee Avenue, South Milwaukee. This is the restaurant that used to be located in the gas station at 10th and Marquette.  I was a fan of the place when they were making do in the gas station because they were not one of those fast food places that served bad food for people on the run - they were serving authentic food out of a tiny kitchen and trying to make a name for themselves.  Even then they did daily specials.  The fuchia purple building on 9th and Milwaukee is their new home and they have really hit their stride.  They remodeled the old Chinese restaurant and put in really nice booths and new decor to make it uniquely Mexican.  I was thinking that they must be estatic to have a large kitchen and nice dining room.  Their menu has been expanded and they cleverly advertise their daily specials on a cute catcus sign that they put outside on the sidewalk.  Alcohol is served also.  The food was as good as ever and when we went on a Friday night for dinner the place was crowded, practically every table was full and there are a LOT of tables.  They were adequately staffed to handle everyone that walked in the door.  From my previous posts I complained about the lack of businesses in downtown South Milwaukee - this is one of the success stories. I'm rooting for them!

Thanks everyone for your comments on my previous coffee shop blog!  I agree that So. Milwaukee needs to rev up their main street and get some businesses in there that people really want and NEED to go to - in order to drive foot traffic there.  A drive through coffee shop won't happen there because buildings would have to be torn down, and a regular coffee shop would have a problem with parking because there are no lots.  The best solution is to revamp the area and remodel the buildings.  Cudahy's Packard Plaza area and going north a bit from there needs help too. 

I was talking about this with my sister and we could list a number of businesses that we'd love to have close to us because we'd go browse....  a kids and maternity reconsignment shop, a book store, thrift shop, organic foods/health foods/vitamins, a farmer's market, cell phone shop, garden shop...  we could go on and on. 

Another problem I have with the area is that by the time I'm driving through there after work, most everything is closed!  If the stores close up shop by 5-6 pm, it doesn't do the residents any good.  If we truly are a bedroom community, then closing before we get home doesn't help generate sales!

The one bright spot about the area are the restaurants.  For the new ones I want you to know that we're cheering for you and hope you are a success!  There are 2 mexican restaurants that I will talk about in my next blog, So. Milwaukee's Azteca and Cudahy's La Serenata.  Mexican food is my favorite - and if I don't have to go far to get it, all the better!

Every workday I drive by the empty storefronts along Milwaukee Avenue (in So. Milwaukee) and wonder why one of them isn't a drive through coffee place like Dunn Brothers, or dare I say ...Starbucks?  South Milwaukee may not seem savvy enough for a Starbucks, but I know if there was a specialty coffee shop that serves coffee fast as I am on my way to work, I would certainly frequent the place. 

I noticed a new cafe that is about to open on 10th Avenue (the old Grebe's - Yea!!!) and I hope that they can fill part of this need.  McDonald's certainly provides morning coffee quickly, and many gas stations too.  But it really would be nice to have a drive through alternative to McDonalds.

I hear that Dunkin' Donuts wants to open by the new Aldi's on the south side of South Mlwaukee and I'm really happy about it.  I just wish they had picked the downtown area to locate it - and include a drive through.  I don't drive south out of town when I go to work and I suspect not too many people do. Most of us are headed to Milwaukee to work.

Until then I'll continue to brew my own at home - and hope!  

There is a rumor in South Milwaukee that if you want a great burger, you must go to CHEVY"S ... This new resturant recently opened and is reminence of a small soda fountain, 50's type theme. So Mom and the SENIOR SLEUTHS had to go check it out for lunch. The verdict is that the angus burgers were great.. french fries thin and not greasy, chilli also tasty. Mom could not resist a malt, which was thin enough to drink through a straw for a change.  Prices reasonable, staff friendly, will visit again. Drop in Chevy's on Milwaukee Avenue and judge for yourself....

The first church festival is in MAY!  The first event at the Summerfest grounds is June 1!  It seems way too far away to me.  This is depressing.  If you are anything like me, the long winter is measured by how many more weeks there are until spring!  With the cold and short days, all I want to do is stay indoors, curl up on the couch, and veg out.  BUT that isn't good for us, we need to stay active through winter.  Besides the exercise you'll be getting, it will change your attitude and mood for the better.  Now is the time to do all those things you don't have time to do when the weather is good.  Go to the museum, take in a sports game, see a movie, go to a play.  Summer is for outdoor activities, but winter is for all the great indoor stuff to do. 

Sports: Milwaukee Bucks - now until April - http://www.bucks.com/, Marquette Basketball - now through March - http://www.gomarquette.com/, UW-Milwaukee Panthers - now through March - http://www.uwmpanthers.com/, Milwaukee Admirals - now through April -  http://www.milwaukeeadmirals.com/, Milwaukee Wave - now to April - http://www.milwaukeewave.com/, Pettit National Ice Center - events and public skating year round - http://www.thepettit.com/. 

Expo Center February Events: Waukesha County Expo Center - Antique Show & more - http://www.waukeshacountyexpo.com/, Midwest Airlines Center - Lion King, Disney's High School Musical Ice Tour & more - http://www.wcd.org/, Wis Exposition Center - NARI Spring Home Show, RV Show - http://www.wiexpocenter.com/,

Notable Others:  Mitchell Part Domes - Chinese New Year Celebration Feb 7 - 414-649-9830, Milwaukee Public Museum - Body Worlds - http://www.mpm.edu/, Imax and Planetarium - 414-319-4629, Disconvery World - http://www.discoveryworld.org/, Betty Brinn Children's Museum - http://www.bbcmkids.org/, Milw Art Museum - http://www.mam.org/.

Theatre, Music, Art:  Marcus Center for Performing Arts - http://www.marcuscenter.org/, Fireside Theatre - 800-477-9505, Next Act Theatre - 414-278-0765, In Tandem Theatre - 414-271-1317, Acacia Theatre Company - 414-744-5995, The Rep - http://www.milwaukeerep.com/, Milw Symphony Orchestra - http://www.milwaukeesymphony.org/, Milwaukee Ballet - http://www.milwaukeeballet.org/.

And be cheered!  The Milwaukee St. Patrick's Day Parade is March 8th.  We are in the home stretch, spring is just around the corner.  I have a bet with a friend for the first day that we reach 70 degrees.  I choose March 17th.  When do you think it will be?

I get my information from a variety of places, from friends, from the internet, from readers of my blog.  But one of my BEST sources of information are my mom and her friends.  I like to think of them as the Senior Ladies.  They always know what's going on around here, so when they said that Aldi's was going in at the intersection of Drexel and Chicago Road, I believed the rumor.  Now I'm starting to wonder.  Dollar Tree is now taking up half the space.  What remains doesn't seem big enough for an Aldi's.  Does that mean that the one in Cudahy is going to remain? I see that the city planning committee has agenda items about Aldi's, so maybe they're right - I'll just have to wait and see. (OOPS - here's an update as of 11/13 - I see that there is an Aldi's sign installed now!)

Back to my sources.  It's simple really, I spend a lot of time observing, listening, and reading.  I welcome e-mails from people who read my blog.  If you'd like me to check out a place and write about it, let me know.  If it's a restaurant, I'll probably take my mom there and use the opportunity to get some more info about what really goes on around here.  I'll keep you posted :)