Red Rooster Dinner

My guy and I were looking for someplace to eat recently and I suggested taking him to a place that I love and know that he would enjoy the food too. Andrea's Red Rooster is off of Springdale Rd., just north of the Majestic Theater. In my opinion, it's a bit of a hidden gem with great food and drinks. I actually worked here over a decade ago as a summer job. I met some great friends from that job that I still talk to these days.

The place has changed slightly since I worked there - a bit more of a pub atmosphere with more high-top tables to extend the bar and less dining room area. The place is really a hot spot for lunch and happy hour crowd.

The menu has changed completely since I worked there but the food is still just as good. My guy and I decided to try the wings for an appetizer. They are quite decent in size and come covered in just enough sauce. They were really good and I would definitely order them again.

I ordered myself a cocktail from their specials board and the bartender wasn't shy on making sure I got my money's worth. It was cherry vodka and lemonade and quite strong but really good.

Then came our sandwiches. I opted to build my own burger and created a bacon mushroom swiss. It was really good - the bacon was crispy and the burger was juicy. I did chips on the side.

My guy did a burger as well and opted for fries. I believe his was the Rooster burger but I could be mistaken with BBQ and haystack onion rings on it. We both really liked the burgers - - nice and juicy and having a variety of toppings is always great. Before we even walked out the door, my guy asked when we could come back again.

They have a nice patio out back for summer dining so I told him we should come for dinner sometime and enjoy the patio with some friends.

Gasthaus Car Show

Last week Wednesday, the weather was absolutely perfect. I'm so glad that summer is on the way. My guy came over for the night and I made us meatball subs, another Ree Drummond-Pioneer Woman success (more on that later). We ate with the patio door open and enjoyed the fresh air.

I thought it would be nice for us to enjoy a walk after dinner and I had the perfect location for us - the Gasthaus parking lot for the car show. I was 90% sure that they were going to have the show because it was after Memorial Day, it was a Wednesday night, and the weather was gorgeous.

I typically hear the band playing from my patio to know that the show is on for the night, but I couldn't hear it this night. But as soon as we got about a block away, we could hear the live band rocking out.

The show was completely packed, both with cars and attendees. Gasthaus really puts on quite the event. They have food and drinks for sale and a live band, so it's more than just looking at cars.

People were dancing by the band tent as well.

My guy and I wandered up and down the rows looking at all the cars. We noticed that all the spots were full and that cars were even parked in a grassy area so we went to check those out too.

My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw the best car ever.......a DeLorean!!!!! Sure there wasn't a flux capacitor or time circuits in the car, but this was the first time I had ever seen one up close. I am a huge Back to the Future movie fan, so seeing this car made my night - heck, it made my week!

I completely geeked out and checked out all the details of the car - the brushed aluminum exterior, the wing doors, the trunk with the engine in it. The only thing I didn't get to see was the under the hood because the owner had that closed.

There were a few modifications since the 80s including a DVD player in the dash and I think new seats, but other than that, this was a beauty and I'm so glad I got to see it.

After my guy dragged me away from the DeLorean (kicking and screaming - just kidding, but internally I was), we walked around the rest of the show. I saw an old Cutlass and had a flashback to high school where my friends and I created the "Cutlass Club." All four of us had Cutlasses and two of them had ones that resembled the one below. 

 This car reminds me of Austin Powers!

So many really cool cars. I can't imagine the number of hours of work that have been put in by the owners to keep these cars running. They just don't build them like they used too.

I'm trying to imagine what a car show is going to be like in 30 years, and I just don't think it's going to have the appeal that one like this does.

I think we will definitely make a stop again this summer and I hope that my dad can stop and see it. He was a mechanic for 34 years and loves classic cars. I think he would really enjoy this show.

Thunder Bay Grille

During a really cold evening in January, my guy and I decided to go out for a fish fry on a Friday night. It had been a while since either of us had been to Thunder Bay Grille and we figured the wait wouldn't be too long with the place being so large.

I remembered a few years ago, my mom and I sampled their seafood fondue at a Waukesha Biz Alliance Savor the Flavor event and it was the best thing we ate all night. We even went back for seconds (and maybe thirds!) I told my guy if it was still on the menu, we were going to get it.

We did have to wait just a few minutes for a table, but we didn't mind. The bar was busy and it was nice to just sit down on the couches in the bar area and relax before the meal. When our buzzer went off, we were taken to a large booth in the main dining room and I immediately flipped open the menu and saw the fondue. Yay - we were in luck!

Our server greeted us and we quickly put in orders for Mt. Dews (we decided cocktails and the appetizer would be a little too glutinous) and the seafood fondue while we looked over the rest of the menu. Our server suggested that we order a second loaf of bread with the fondue because if we didn't order right away, it takes a while for it to come out of the kitchen. He didn't want us having to wait to enjoy such deliciousness.

When the fondue arrived, it smelled just as I remembered and I already could tell our server was spot on with having us order the second loaf. They do not skimp on the fondue. We were already second guessing ordering our fish frys but figured we could always take leftovers home. The fondue is creamy, cheesy and chock-full of seafood. They are very generous with the portion and the meat in it. We were both in heaven while enjoying it and though we ate a lot, there was still plenty left in the dish.

I found online that the Journal Sentinel posted the Seafood Fondue recipe. I am definitely going to experiment with this some evening as a treat for me and my guy.

Shortly after, our basket of sweet rolls arrived with cinnamon butter. These are delicious but I do miss their cheddar rolls they used to have on the menu.

And then came our entrees. Again no skimping here - we both received large plates filled with food and we knew we would have leftovers.

My guy chose the fried fish and I got the baked. Both of us thought there was a ton of flavor to the fish and it definitely didn't get lost in the fried batter on his. The butter and white wine sauce was the perfect consistency so you didn't lose the fish flavor and just taste all butter.

The french fries were good as well and we each got a rye roll with our meals- carbs galore at our table!

Everything was really yummy and our server was extremely fun and conversational with us, making us laugh the whole time. It really looked like we had enough food for a small family, but it was just my guy and I. The entire experience was great and our server was awesome.

We did take home leftovers of everything. I have never walked out of a restaurant with a shopping bag of leftovers, but there is a first time for everything! The fish and fries heated up really well in the oven. We nuked the sweet rolls for a few seconds and then spent time heating up the fondue slowly so as to not cause the seafood to get rubbery. Needless to say we had extremely happy bellies two nights in a row!

Thunder Bay Grille has a really diverse menu of offerings in addition the massive soup and salad bar. My dad's family used to come here a lot for the Sunday Brunch as the place can accommodate our group of 40+ and the brunch has something for everyone. I highly recommend checking this place out.

Plaza Garibaldi - Pewaukee

Plaza Garibaldi is technically in Pewaukee, but I consider it still Waukesha as it's so close to my new home. After a night of painting and trimming and electrical rewiring, I treated my parents to dinner and we chose this place.

It's at the end of a strip mall on Silvernail and rumor has it, it's in a former Culver's. But you wouldn't know that from the dining room too much. The decor is warm colors and large wooden pillars. Only a glance into the kitchen revealed the signature blue and white tile of a Culver's (and maybe the chairs).  It was all decked out for the holidays too!

We were promptly greeted by a friendly server and brought chips and two types of salsa. The hot was pretty hot so I stuck to the mild that had just enough kick to keep me coming back for more. My dad and I just stuck to the beer menu but there were other options as well.

The menu is endless with so many amazing options, it took a long time to decide.

Mom went for the chicken flautas and I can't believe how many were in the serving! She said they were perfectly crisp and only left one uneaten for me to take home.

Dad went for his favorite - the taco salad with chicken, and he said it was really good. There was nothing left on his plate so I will take his word for it.

And I went for my favorite the chicken chimichangas. I could only eat one, but it was so delicious. The chicken is well seasoned as were the beans. Both my mom and I couldn't get over how yummy and fresh the guacamole was. My rice was a little cold but I'm not a huge rice fan anyways so I left most of it behind.

The service was great and there were quite a few other tables of families in the restaurant when we were there.

I don't really know too much about this place as the website is very basic and the Facebook page hasn't been touched for almost a year. But if you are in the area and looking for a quick Mexican dish, I suggest you stop by :)

United We Dine Begins

The United Way in Waukesha County has started it's third year of the United We Dine program. How the program works is that local area restaurants join forces with United Way in Waukesha County to donate part of their proceeds on a selected day to the organization. This year the program has expanded to run thru December!

I participated last year by specifically choosing to go to certain places on certain days just to support the United Way in Waukesha County. And yes, I am specifically writing out their full name each time because the proceeds of United We Dine go directly to the Waukesha County affiliate of United Way. The money stays here folks!

On top of the select restaurant featured each day, Moe's Southwest Grill in Pewaukee is donating 20% of all the catering orders received in October to United Way in Waukesha County. (One catch - you must mention United Way when placing the order!) If you haven't eaten at Moe's, definitely check it out and then consider it for a catered event later this month :)

So let's break down these places to get you more familiar with them. For the full schedule in a nice neat form, click here.

10/3 - Moe's Southwest Grill (Pewaukee) - They catered the Hospitality Tent at the Waukesha County Fair this year for one of the Main Stage shows and the chicken was so flavorful and delicious.

10/4 - Double D's Pub & Eatery (Mukwonago) - Small bar with great food and fun bartenders.

10/7 - Sprizzo's (Waukesha) - I am a regular here - the sandwiches are excellent and I love the dill mayo!

10/8 - Gyro's West (Waukesha) - Another staple in Waukesha with a delicious gyro and taziki sauce

10/9 & 10/16 - Armeli's Restaurant (New Berlin) - My family used to have all its get togethers here. Great pizza

10/10 - Hardee's (Waukesha) - Huge burgers at a fair price.

10/11, 10/18 & 10/25 - Cafe Esperanza (Waukesha) - I was only here for a catered holiday party but the food was really tasty.

10/14, 11/11 & 11/15 - Denny's (Pewaukee) - Grand Slam anyone?

10/15 - Nashotah Clubhouse (Nashotah) - sorry, I know nothing about this place.

10/17 - Trysting Place Pub (Menomonee Falls) - Great sports bar with a really juicy burger that the spot after Brewer's opening day a few years ago.

10/21 & 11/18 - Chuck E. Cheese (Brookfield) - Where a kid can be a kid, right?

10/22 - San Laurio Coffeehouse (Muskego) - Great chai

10/23 - Lakefront Grille (Pewaukee) - Haven't been but have heard amazing things

10/24 - Kim's Lakeside (Pewaukee) - I know nothing, sorry!

10/28 - Alpine Lanes (Muskego) - Great appetizers

11/6 - Buffalo Wild Wings (Pewaukee) - Wings, Burgers, Salads - it's all good and you can play trivia.

11/7 - Uno Chicago Grill (Menomonee Falls) - I love the deep dish pizza. I miss the one by Brookfield Square Mall.

11/8 - First Watch (Brookfield) - only open thru lunch, but get a fabulously healthy, wholesome breakfast with the cheeriest waitstaff I have met.

11/12 - Max Meier's Hartland Inn (Hartland) - Just checked this place out last week for a client meeting - old school German feel with amazing sandwiches.

11/13 - Yo Mama! Frozen Yogurt (Brookfield, Shorewood & Wauwatosa) - Serve your own yogurt with all your favorite toppings :)

11/19 - Rochester Deli (Waukesha) - Best Reuben and you must check out the dessert case - PB dipped cookie and lemon bars are my weakness.

11/21 - Brisco County (Pewaukee) - It's been years since I have been here but delicious!

11/23 - Endter's Sports Grill (Hartland) - I know nothing but it looks fun! And a mug club? OK!

11/27 - Ally's Bistro (Menomonee Falls) - Hmm - haven't even heard the nam. Panini's, Wraps and Sandwiches are right up my alley :)

12/2 - Picnic Basket (Nashotah) - again nothing :( Website shows breakfast, Mexican entrees, subs, sandwiches, pizza and catering - they have it all covered!

12/3 - The Chocolate Factory (Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha & Elm Grove) - Sub sandwiches and Ice Cream - such fond childhood memories of this place! Mmmmm - The Chipper!

Ok - so that's the list - go check them out and help support the United Way in Waukesha County and eat some great grub at the same time!