Restaurant Reviews

Eating Bay Area Burger Co's Lenten Special

3/4/2023

I have long loved the Bay Area Burger Company. It’s often been hard to get my hands on their smash burgers since their inception in the middle of the pandemic, but it is a testament to how good those burgers were that they now stand in a brick and mortar location on Broadway. I’m admittedly late to the game, paying them a visit. I rarely make my way into the Broadway district anymore now that I live in De Pere. I had to be in Green Bay’s downtown for less than savory business, but I knew exactly where I could find a savory lunch.

And I deserved it, didn’t i?

To Your Health Juicery Joins the Revolution

2/15/2023

It’s not often anymore that I can treat myself to the local goodies I used to savor. Now, most of my shopping has to take place in the discount grocery stores I’m familiar with from my childhood like Aldi. Once a month, I allow myself a treat– and this month, I made my way down to the Revolution Market for the first time in the New Year. They’ve added a new vendor since my last visit, and this was my first chance to meet them.

To Your Health Juicery took up residence inside the market after the farmer’s market season ended this year. I saw them every Saturday, and I’ll be honest– I kept walking. I was never a juice woman. I’ve tried multiple times through Bona Fide to become the pinnacle of health and supplementing my diet through their juices. It didn’t stick.

To Your Health Juicery has set up in a way that is accessible to people like myself that are skeptical of the operation. You can sample anything and everything before you buy. The lovely lady at the counter that Saturday morning explained everything as I drank my way through their available juices that day.

Root Chakra – their beet based offering, combines with carrot, apple, lemon and ginger to served as my introduction to what they had for shoppers that morning. I expected an earthy, somewhat unpleasant taste when I took my first sample like a shot. Earthy? Yes. Bitter? No. The combination at work lends itself to a sweeter tasting experience.

Cocoon Brewing's Open for Business

2/7/2023

Cocoon Brewing has been long anticipated in the Ledgeview area, and it's finally open. Their soft opening in the first weekend of February was the first rumbling of a formal date with the following Monday opening their doors to the public. I was planning on being in the area anyway, so I diverted my afternoon to stop in and see what they have going on so early into their new business.

Firstly, it is somewhat difficult to see from the highway. If you don’t know where you’re going, it would be easy to go right past it. I suspect more signage is to come over the Brewery’s life. The building is striking when you turn off onto Kaftan Way. Google Maps will get you that far, so if you come with a mission, you’ll find it just fine.

The interior of the building is bright and vibrant in a way that the exterior, modern architecture does not betray in the slightest. It felt cozy, comfortable, and welcoming, to belly up to their short bar and order. The bartender guided me through the early modifications to their business model set to get them through the first month or so.

As of the writing of this article, their own beers are not yet available, and their taps are loaded with guest breweries from throughout the region. The bartender on staff during my visit reported a likely early March date for their own beers to begin trickling into the line up. Until then, house cocktails are available as well. If I hadn’t started out with a beer, I would have definitely been ordering from that.

The Drift Inn- Budget Friendly Burgers

1/23/2023

Living on the west side affords me plenty of new experiences even with my health difficulties, and among these new experiences was the chance to visit the Drift Inn on Ashland. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the unassuming little building not far from the De Pere roundabout. Their burgers are considered some of the best in the Green Bay area. We have no shortage of delicious burgers, so I had to find out for myself.

Upon arrival, you know you’re going to get something good due to the number of cars in the parking lot. I arrived not thirty minutes after opening on Saturday afternoon for lunch to every spot in the paved parking lot in the front of the building filled. There was no Packers or Bucks game that day. This crowd was here for the food and the food only. My expectations rose immediately.

I sat myself at a small two top table in the corner when I arrived to get a good look at things. Tables are first come, first serve. I imagine that on a Friday night, it can be difficult for a group to find a spot. Only two tables were left after I sat down at noon on a Saturday. This could be a problem anywhere else, but I watched skilled waitstaff turn tables within twenty minutes start to finish.

The kitchen moves quickly here, especially if you come in for the chili advertised on their signage outside. A group beside me ordered chili and had it within minutes. Clean bowls and empty glasses, and they were gone just as my own burger arrived. That’s a feat no matter what kind of restaurant you are. Pulling that off in a pure sit down environment is an achievement.

Unrelated– but how did spaghetti with chili make it to Green Bay? I thought that was a Cincinnati thing. Someone owes me an explanation as a born and raised FIB.

Cozy Up to the Bar At Plank Road Pub and Grill

10/18/2022

I used to regularly drive along the frontage road where Plank Road Pub and Grill sits alongside the highway to Appleton. For years, I’ve driven by and wondered what brought the crowd to it’s large parking lot, and yet, I never made the attempt to cross town from my old living space to give it a visit. Shortly into October, I moved to the west side of the Green Bay Metro Area, and I decided to satisfy my curiosity with my soon-to-be ex-husband.

A friendly dinner after a day of moving at a location neither of us had ever visited before harkened us back to easier times. He often sat across the table from me when I dined for articles like these. Fortunately for us and the other patrons of the restaurant that night, there was little different on this night than any other. We ordered our drinks, and I did what I always do.

Plank Road Pub and Grill has a menu familiar to me in any bar-restaurant setting. I would never personally call it original. Every bar-restaurant has a spinach and artichoke dip, mixed french fry platters, etc. A compact burger menu positioned beside a sandwich menu is precisely what you can expect from a place like this when you drive up. It was a friday in Wisconsin, so of course there was a fish fry menu.

The best part of this somewhat predictable menu is knowing precisely what you want even as a first timer. As a spinach and artichoke dip connoisseur myself, I ordered it for the table to share with my ‘new’ friend. The least predictable element of the common bar appetizer was its arrival with both pita chips and toasted baguette. I often see only one or the other. A blanket of bubbly mozzarella shielded the dip itself from the dipping bread, but with effort, we enjoyed a rather traditional bar dip.

It kept us thirsty for a second round of drinks while we waited on our entrees. The staff were attentive to us and the other tables surrounding us. The crowd at the bar appeared to also be well taken care of. Empty glasses were not common. Low light provided by the decorative Edison bulbs throughout the restaurant gave it a warm, welcoming feeling. Families had their children with them at the table. All are good signs at a place like this.

When our entrees arrived, I was pleased with my choice of a perch sandwich on a fish fry evening. At nearly half the price of their perch platter, it proved to be a good way to gauge the quality of the fry and the fish itself without committing too much on my first night out at Plank Road Pub and Grill. The single plank of perch among a well toasted bun and common sandwich accoutrement such as lettuce and red onion was somewhat lost flavorwise. However, looking at the fish and tasting it separately, it was clear to me the perch is well cared for and cooked here.

The accompanying tartar sauce and trio of fries served here satisfied me well. There are few things that make me happier than a variety of fry options, and Plank Road serves a mixture of traditional french fries, waffle fries, and sidewinders on every burger and sandwich platter. Sidewinder fries are especially comforting to me with a strong association to a favorite restaurant in Iowa,

I left Plank Road with a ticket of around thirty bucks despite ordering two drinks, the appetizer, and my entree. A strong tip for the attentive staff pushed me into the forty range, and despite the concerns I have of going out on my own into the world for the first time, I didn’t regret a cent. Plank Road is a comfortable location for friendly dinners, and with reasonable price, it is much more accessible than some of its restaurant genre compatriots in town.

Plank Road is accessible via the Scheuring Road exit off of highway 41, and their daily specials offer an opportunity to try much of their menu at reduced costs. Their frequent live music acts are announced on their facebook page. Thank you to the staff for a delicious, comforting meal after a hard day of moving!

Finding Comfort at Sticky Fingers Cafe - Kaukauna

10/13/2022

The first true Fall morning of September, I bravely got in my car to drive down to Kaukauna to enjoy the Produce with Purpose Open House. I turned away from the Green Bay Farmer’s Market early in the morning when I had a strong sense of purpose. That sense of purpose didn’t last long. I hate driving. I have several chronic health issues that sometimes make me scared to leave town on my own.

It scared me so much I spent the entire drive to Kaukauna having a panic attack, and I pulled into the downtown area in search of a nice breakfast to help me come down. I stumbled upon Sticky Fingers Cafe, open early enough for someone like me just trying to find a comforting meal and a safe place to relax. When I found them, two other people were on their way out with coffee in hand.

McKayla Marie Sweets Opens in Ashwaubenon

10/2/2022

I first met the mastermind behind the sweets at a June event in the Revolution Market and found something special in the crisp shells of her miniature macarons. I checked on her facebook page once a week waiting for that final announcement of opening day. It came almost a month later than her original estimate.

A crisp fall morning in Ashwaubenon rose over the grand opening of McKayla Marie Sweets, a much anticipated event by yours truly. I arrived nearly thirty minutes early to discover that a line had already formed outside of the door, bisecting the parking lot. I had to park along the road. I waited patiently alongside other connoisseurs of the baker’s goodies, listening as they talked about their plans for the rest of the day after this.

No one was ignorant of what they were about to eat. McKayla Marie Sweets attended several events in town, spreading the anticipation over the summer– and it worked. I’ve attended many openings like this since I started writing for this blog, but I can’t recall this level of anticipation in a crowd. It spoke highly of the mind behind the product.

Taco Tones Returns

8/24/2022

Green Bay has a blessing that is sorely lacking in many other cities in our country: access to Native Frybread prepared by natives themselves. Indigenous cuisine in the states has long been an under-represented area of our culinary history. At Taco Tones food truck, the frybread is the base upon which more familiar dishes and flavors are built as an introduction to the under-represented cuisine.

And, let’s face it, it’s just plain tasty. From a frybread taco to a ribeye sandwich to a burger, you don’t have to be a food history weirdo like me to appreciate what they’re doing. We tried them once during the winter while the proprietor ran deliveries when unable to do business in the Green Bay Streets. At the time, I tried their native nachos and their frybread burger. I remembered it so fondly that when I heard they were involved in an accident that rendered their food truck inoperable early in the season, I was crushed.

Thankfully, it was not a goodbye when they shut down their original facebook page– just a see you later. Taco Tones is back, and we had our first chance to get their flatbread taco right out of the fryer at the Washington Street Block Party this past weekend. Under the warm sun with a cold beer, the slight crust on the exterior of the pillowy interior of the frybread worked hard to contain an overflow of delicious taco meat and the usual suspects. The small slices of tomato on top went down particularly refreshing with the heaviness of the overall experience. It was a perfect food truck meal.

As early as I arrived at the event, the line was not long. The staff moved through those that did stop in immediately for their meal quickly, which is a good sign for their setup on the interior of the truck. For the hour and some that I stayed at the block party, it appeared that the quick service I got continued. Every frybread taco that I saw go by looked as good as mine. There’s something special going on in there. Don’t let the unassuming exterior of the truck fool you.

You can follow Taco Tones on facebook to keep track of their schedule, or you can check our own facebook page off and on as well. We do our best to repost when we see many of our area food trucks announcing their openings outside of regular events in town. Tell them Eating Normal sent you. I’m so glad to see them out on the streets again to share a unique food truck experience with the city.

Destination Dining at The Shed- Santa Fe, NM

7/26/2022

Not far from the Palace of the Governors in downtown Santa Fe hides a 2003 James Beard award winning restaurant recommended to us by my brother-in-law. We spent our second day in Santa Fe operating on midwestern hours in a mountain time city, and we arrived ahead of the crowd to be seated with our party of four without any trouble. While we sat with our drinks and meals, the line grew so long outside it spilled into the mercado. I have never been so happy to get so hungry early.

We were seated toward the back of the restaurant’s interior, and I ordered my first margarita of the trip made with a Herradura Anejo tequila. There are few better liquors on the planet than a well aged tequila, and this was one of them. The Shed’s margaritas lean toward the tart end of the spectrum, just how I like them.

Rustique Pizzeria Slinging Slices on Broadway

7/5/2022

The first Wednesday Night Market on Broadway was a wash out. Vendors showed, sure, but compared to the sight of a full street up and down the block this past Wednesday, it was nothing. That week, we passed Rustique Pizzeria’s mobile pizza oven filled with desire for a good slice. The rain convinced us to keep moving. Not this Wednesday, no sir. We gladly stood in line and watched slices be passed down to those in front of us.

If you’re in a hurry for something to eat during the market, I cannot recommend getting in line at Rustique more. The extreme temperature of their mobile oven cooks their thin crust pizzas in a flash, and most of those ahead of us didn’t have to wait at all once they paid for their orders. Take out boats of pesto fries appeared on the block the second they were ordered. The pizza slices soon followed.

Waiting on a pizza to cook appeared to be a rarity, one that we experienced ourselves when my husband and I ordered a slice of their Margherita pizza and some pesto fries to start our food truck experience on Broadway for the night. A new pie for the Margherita had just gone in. We took our pesto fries to a nearby concrete planter to enjoy them while we waited for our slice. The amount of time it took for us to eat our appetizer timed perfectly with the prep time of the awaited pizza.

Longtime readers know that I have a soft spot for pesto fries from nearly all of Green Bay’s eateries that try their hand at the potato based appetizer. The combination of balsamic drizzle, basil pesto, and parmesan on top of fries creates an umami bomb that’s hard to screw up. I can’t get enough of it. This little boat of fries, prepared so quickly that I didn’t even have all of my cash handed over to the woman taking our order, supported that hypothesis. You can’t screw up a pesto fry easily.

My husband ate the very last fry, and the folks at Rustique called my name to announce that our slice was ready. We abandoned our seat at the planter to pick up our slice and then returned to eat. The twists that Rustique applied to the traditional Margherita toppings made it a perfect slice for me and my tomato hating husband. He ate around the large slices of tomato. I ate them.

The thin crust maintained its crunch under the melted mozz and the release of juices from the large tomatoes. Pesto rather than whole basil leaves dotted the slice and provided a bright pop to each bite while the balsamic drizzle came in from time to time to provide additional acidity to fight the fattiness of the cheese. It’s hard to find this quality in most pizza places, let alone from a mobile station set up by one.

As a person who doesn’t make it out to Suamico very often, this mobile station provided the opportunity to test the product from a pizzeria in the region that I’ve watched from a distance longingly on facebook for years. I no longer need convincing that the visit would be worth the drive. Until then, however, I can always find their mobile station on Wednesday nights not far from Pho Coma’s physical location.

Pay them a visit this week and let them know Eating Normal sent you.