Juto, a small-plate Asian fusion bar and restaurant, quietly opened a few days ago and last night I stopped by for a brief visit. The building, 605 W. Virginia St., is located across the street from Conejito's Place and has been home to numerous establishments, most recently Il Mito.
Juto's interior is simple and minimalist compared to Il Mito's decor which featured elaborately painted ceilings. Juto has about a dozen tables, a pool table, five flatscreen TVs and the exquisite wooden bar in the large, airy space. Last night, the TVs were on but the volume was down and pop rock music was playing.
Although we stopped by primarily for drinks, the Asian-meets-Mexican-meets-American menu looked good, and we did end up sampling the mushrooms which were sauteed in white wine and garlic and extremely tender. Also for $4, diners can order edamame, curry Cajun fires or Parmesan garlic fries. The $5 small plate offerings include homemade egg rolls, pork dumplings and cheese steak pot stickers. For $7, fried oysters, among other small plates, are available and Filet Mignon goes for $10.
Juto also offers a decent selection of Asian beers, along with a full bar.
We will definitely return to Juto to sample more of their cuisine. If you try to visit Juto in the near future, note that they have not installed signage yet, but they do have large "Now Open" banners on the building. Also, Juto does not yet have a phone number or website, but they are open every day for lunch and dinner.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
