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My annual article, 52 Restaurants for your Bucket List, was originally created to provide readers with an easy way to explore the wealth of restaurants in the Milwaukee scene over the course of one year (52 weeks). Today, as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, it provides a fun and equally compelling guide for folks who’d like to bring variety to their weekly meals while providing vital support to some of our finest local restaurants.
Here's the featured restaurant of the day, a sampling of their prix fixe private dining menu, plus five dishes to try for carry-out!
The Original
2498 N. Bartlett Ave., (414) 763-4811
theoriginalmke.com
Tucked away on a residential street on the city's East Side, The Original is as comfortable as a neighborhood spot should be, with approachable fare that goes the extra mile. Dishes seamlessly blend Midwestern sensibilities with distinctly Southern flair resulting in dishes like po'boys, fried chicken and more. The warm hospitable atmosphere is reason enough to go back again and again.
Currently, The Original is offering safe reservation-only private dining for one party at a time (four to eight guests), with a four-course prix fixe menu ($100 per person includes four courses, two drinks, tax and tip). Reservations are available Wednesday through Saturday with seatings at 5:30 and 7: 30 p.m. They also offer a casual menu for take-away and curbside pick-up.
A sampling of the current prix fixe menu:
- First course: Squash carbonara with guanciale, pepper, arugula, parmesan, roasted garlic cream
- Second course: Salad with butter lettuce, coffee roasted carrots and pears, red onion, sherry duck fat vinaigrette
- Third course: Scallops with sweet potato grits, grilled broccolini and mushrooms (pictured above)
- Turtle semifreddo: Chocolate chip semifreddo, caramel sauce, candied nuts
Five dishes to try (carry-out):
- Brussels sprouts: Bacon, cider gastrique, cheddar; can be prepared mild or spicy ($12)
- The Milwaukee Melt: a half-pound burger on grilled rye bread, barely fried onions, American cheese, bacon and beer mustard aioli ($12)
- The Cordon Bleu: grilled or fried chicken thigh, ham, swiss cheese, Dijonnaise, brioche bun ($12)
- Cider glazed pork chop dinner: 12oz bone-in pork chop with a choice of two sides: slaw, grilled broccolini, sweet potato grits or mac ‘n cheese ($25, available for carry-out)
- Four-piece fried chicken dinner: mild or spicy with choice of two sides: slaw, green beans, grits, mac ‘n cheese ($20, available for carry-out)
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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