Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009
Today
Hi: 33
Lo: 23
Sun
Hi: 36
Lo: 24
Mon
Hi: 32
Lo: 23
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
Related Twitter Posts


    Follow us on Twitter ...
    In Dining
    Soche restaurant and bar shines in Bronzeville
    Soche's upscale main floor.
    By Molly Snyder Edler RSS Feed Twitter Feed
    OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer
    Photography by Krista Rizzo
    E-mail author | Author bio
    More articles by Molly Snyder Edler

    Published Jan. 18, 2007 at 5:37 a.m.
    Tags: soche, corey smith, lamonica smith, dereck nackers, bronzeville, soul food

    Corey Smith had a vision for his restaurant and bar long before it opened. An entrepreneur who travels frequently, Smith wanted to create a unique space combining elements from establishments he'd seen in Chicago, New York and Miami. Last month, he and his wife, Lamonica, introduced Milwaukee to Soche, 2213 N. Martin Luther King Dr.

    Soche, which rhymes with "posh," is a sleek, contemporary restaurant with two lounges, one on the upper level and one on the lower. The décor, fashioned by Flux Design, is upscale yet comfortable and warm. The first floor is more casual, has a VIP lounge and features live music on the weekends. Upstairs, the environment is slightly more formal and soon will feature a baby grand piano.

    The entire facility is smoke-free, something Smith says is not going to change.

    The Smiths purchased the building from restaurateur Karl Kopp, who originally planned to open his own restaurant and lounge in the space. The couple own three Cup-A-Java coffee shops and have rehabbed more than 100 commercial and residential buildings. They live in Menomonee Falls with their twin son and daughter.

    Smith says he and executive chef Dereck Nackers created a high quality but simple menu. "We wanted a menu that people can enjoy on a daily basis and food that people easily recognize," he says.

    The prices are fair, with appetizers ranging from $4 to $10; entrees between $10 and $20; and burgers and sandwiches between $8-$9. Soche features two full bars will a nice selection of cocktails, wine and martinis.

    Many of the menu items tempted us, but we finally settled on a few items. Overall, the dishes were well presented, the perfect temperature and very tasty.

    The shrimp trio is a generous mix of 10 fat shrimp, including garlic, fried and grilled. All of the seafood was fresh and flavorful, and the meal comes with a mountain of black pepper fries. We also tried the pork chop sandwich, which includes a teriyaki chop, sautéed peppers and caramelized onions on a Kaiser roll. It's grilled and tender.

    The highlight of the evening was the catfish, which is truly -- excuse the cliché -- "melt in your mouth." It has a light crust and comes with a side of spaghetti.

    Next time we would definitely try the Soche burger and the calamari appetizer.

    For now, Soche serves dinner only, but the Smiths plan to add lunch service in the spring. This summer, Soche will also open a gated patio, and Corey says customers should expect to see more art on the walls in the near future.

    "Our plan is to be open for lunch every day come spring, but right now, we're focusing on the customer experience," he says.

    Soche is one of a few new establishments to open in the progressing Bronzeville neighborhood. Just Jazz & Blues Lounge and Garfield's 502 opened last year.

    Soche's service is very good, with friendly bartenders and a diverse clientele. Word of mouth has drawn people from all over the city, and Smith says business has exceeded his and Lamonica's expectations.

    "We created a destination spot," he says. "It's an exciting, new location in the Bronzeville district and everyone is welcome here."



    More Information ...
    Soche
    2213 N. Martin Luther King Dr.
    Milwaukee, WI 53212
    (414) 265-5950

    Soche is open Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Sundays, 2-10 p.m. Valet parking is available Thursday-Saturday evenings.




    Related links:

    6 comments about this article.
    Post a comment / write a review.

    Recent Talkbacks ...

    Posted by Arose on Feb. 16, 2007 at 1:32 p.m. (report)

    My husband and I stopped by Soche last night. The atmosphere and food were great! We would recommend the crab cakes and pork chop sandwich. The bartender suggested coming back to check out the music... We'll definitely return.

    Rate this:
    • Average rating: 0.0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5


    Posted by CityMom on Jan. 29, 2007 at 5:35 p.m. (report)

    My husband & I went to Soche late on a Friday night (about 11 pm). It was packed! Almost every table was taken and we had to stand at the bar. They did a super job with the design: sophisticated, warm, contemporary. One note of advice: dress up. This isn't the place to wear jeans and a t-shirt...unless those jeans and T-shirt are very, very chic. It's a great addition to the neighborhood.

    Rate this:
    • Average rating: 0.0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5


    Posted by copper_pot on Jan. 21, 2007 at 12:11 p.m. (report)

    i've been to SOCHE recently and enjoyed every minute of it. great food, great service, and great decor. Congratulations Corey and congratulations on FLUX DESIGN on another wonderful space...!

    Rate this:
    • Average rating: 0.0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5


    Posted by Rosemary on Jan. 18, 2007 at 11:42 a.m. (report)

    I spent an evening dining at Soche. I was very impressed by the great service received by the bartender and the waitstaff. The food was great too. And I agree with the article, I had the catfish spaghetti. WOW - it did melt in my mouth. The pork chop dinner was another excellent choice. Just a great place to sit and enjoy the food, atmosphere and drinks, each others compand and all in a smoke-free atmosphere. Congratualtions to Cory and LaMonica!

    Rate this:
    • Average rating: 0.0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5


    Posted by Buddy Lee on Jan. 18, 2007 at 9:41 a.m. (report)

    How ironic that people who have moved to Menomonee Falls should become part of this neighborhood's revitalization.

    Rate this:
    • Average rating: 0.0
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5




    Show me the other Talkback
    OnMilwaukee.com is part of the In Click Network. Other In Click sites include: 30RockReport.com | Behind The Scenes at OnMilwaukee.com | BetterRecipes.org | Bimmer Digest | Brain Brawn & Body | BrewCityBeats.com | Brewcitybigscreen.com | britneysnation.com | BritPop Rocks | Brooklynbanter.com | CactusLeagueReport.com | Caffeinateddigest.com | Culinary Piedmont | Cycling Chainring | Daily Lost Update | Daily Milwaukee News | Daily Spa | DannyGokeyMilwaukee.com | Dogs Blogs | EarthFueled.com | Edible Wisconsin | FanaticPhotog.com | Gadget Deals and Steals | GolfLinksWisconsin.com | H1N1 Alerts | H1N1 Blog | H1N1 Prevention | H1N1 Reporter | H1N1 Tracker | HogEnthusiast.com | Informed Runner | iPhone Daily Report | Man United Nation | Milwaukee Brewers Nation | Milwaukee Bucks Blog | Milwaukee Dad | Minnesota Wild Nation | MomMilwaukee.com | My Super Stocks | MyGayMilwaukee.com | MyHangoverHelper | News on Draught | NY Mets Nation | OnAtlantaGA.com | OnAustinTX.com | OnBaltimoreMD.com | OnBirminghamAL.com | OnBostonMass.com | OnBuffaloNY.com | OnCharlotteNC.com | OnCincinnati.com | OnClevelandOH.com | OnColumbusOH.com | OnDallas.com | OnDCmetro.com | OnDenverCO.com | OnDetroitMI.com | OnDoorCounty.org | OnFortLauderdale.com | OnGreenBay.com | OnHartford.com | OnIndianapolisIN.com | OnKansasCityMO.com | OnLakeCountry.com | OnLosAngelesCA.com | OnLouisvilleKY.com | OnMadison.com | OnMemphisTN.com | OnMiamiFLA.com | OnMilwaukee.com Cars | OnMilwaukee.com Metro Headlines | OnMilwaukee.com's Bartender Olympics | OnNashvilleTN.com | OnNewOrleansLA.com | OnNYCny.com | OnOrlandoFL.com | OnPalmSprings.com | OnPhiladelphia.com | OnPhoenixAZ.com | OnPittsburgh.com | OnPortlandOR.com | OnProvidence.com | OnRichmondVA.com | OnSacramento.com | OnSaltLakeCity.com | OnSanAntonioTX.com | OnSanDiegoCA.com | OnSanFran.com | OnSanJose.com | OnSeattleWA.com | OnSinCity.com | OnStLouis.com | OnStPetersburg.com | OnTampaBay.com | OnTucsonAZ.com | OnTwinCities.com | OnWichita.com | OnWindyCity.com | Packers Posts | Porsche 911 Fans | PriusFans.com | Roller Derby Network | SnuggieFans.com | SummerfestRocks.com | Swine Flu China | Swine Flu Reporter | The 24 Reporter | The Barack Obama Fan Club | The Brilliant Manager | The Comic Book Reporter | The In Click | The Office Fan Blog | TheHDTVReporter.com | TheNetbookBlog.com | TheNewParentBlog.com | Trueguitarheroes.com | Vintage Mets | VW Busses | WaukeshaWeekly.com | Weekly Media News | Wisconsincustomhomenews.com | WisWomen.com | Woodworker Digest