Dish on Dining

Openings, Closings, Updates
•Tonight – Thurs., Nov. 19th – is the Grand Opening party at The Red Accordion Pub & Eatery, formerly Vecchio Bar & Grille (1137 N. Old World Third St., 414-273-5700). Owner Russ Davis, who closed Vecchio last month, chose the name for two musical reasons – the building used to be a music store. And Davis’ grandfather was a professional accordion player. I don’t think he had a choice. The place named itself. While it was closed, Davis removed the Vecchio from the interior design and went for a dual-identity look. The front of the space “feels like an English pub,” he says. The booths each have little flat-screen TVs, so people can choose the game they want to watch. For the back room, the theme is quieter, more of a “dining” focus. The menu is a small plate (appetizers, tapas) affair; nothing more than 9 bucks. Here are some options: spicy vegetable spring rolls with ginger-apple dipping sauce; braised short ribs over beer-cheese tortellini; brat-stuffed mushroom caps on a bed of sauerkraut with mustard vinaigrette; mini baked meatloaf with cornbread “hat” and sage sauce; tofu and vegetable curry with basmati rice. There are sliders, too – Cajun chicken, ground lamb, spicy bean and others. For now, the restaurant is open at 5 p.m., but lunch hours are in the plans.

• Elm Grove is down a pizza joint. The Glass Nickel (13175 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield, 262-782-8000) has a message on its recording to the tune of... it's temporarily closed. New ownership and management, to come, reports the outgoing message. And the target reopening is January 2010.

• Anyone noticed that LIXX Custard (2597 N. Downer Ave.) has been closed for the last several days? Van Buren Management couldn’t illuminate me on why, but suggested I call back in a week or so to see if they had more info. Seems a shame, but I guess the weather isn’t sending a pilgrimage of frozen custard fanatics to the shop.

Big 2-0
Sandy and Angie D’Amato have something pretty cool up their sleeves. Sanford, their East Side restaurant (1547 N. Jackson St.), is celebrating 20 years in business, an awesome achievement. The official birthday is Dec. 7. The D’Amatos have been offering a list of 20 bottled wines for $20 – a deal that continues until the birthday. The success of the list got the D’Amatos thinking about other ways to give customers a break. So now, the wine list also bottles $50 and under, $51-$100 and more than $101. They say their intention is to focus on lesser-known wines. This leads me to another reason to mention Sanford. The couple are hosting a big anniversary dinner on Monday, the 7th (6 p.m.). The last I checked

in with Angie, there were still a few openings. Besides Sandy and Sanford chef de cuisine Justin Aprahamian behind the stove, the couple has invited Bob Kinkead, from Kinkead’s in Washington D.C, and his sous chef to help cook. The menu includes potato gnocchi with Nantucket Bay scallops, pumpkin and truffles; pomegranate-lacquered squab with dried fig couscous; and cocoa-glazed lamb ribs and mole lamb tacos with tomatillo relish. Call Sanford immediately if you want in: 414-276-9608. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the James Beard Foundation and students in the apprenticeship program at MATC. $220.20 per person.

Keys to the Fall
When we came out with our top happy hours story last summer, Bosley on Brady was a shoo-in (815 E. Brady St., 414-727-7975). On weekdays, all appetizers are half-price, 4-6 p.m. But that might be too early for you to start the evening. Or you don’t want apps – you want a meal. The sands of menu time have switched to fall, and the cool winds are blowing through Key West. OK, what I’m saying is the fall menu is out. All new: shrimp johnnycakes and fish tacos, seared scallop niçoise salad, chicken picatta, Strauss veal chop, halibut over succotash, and for dessert, vanilla bean grilled pound cake with berries and cream. The new wine list – 140 bottles thick – debuts this week.

Pack of Snacks
The riff about dining out for little dough is not likely to go anywhere soon. To wit, the new Snacktown Menu at Jose’s Blue Sombrero (20371 W. Bluemound Rd.). The snacks are stuff like “Hip Cheap & No Sleep” Molotes (potato-filled masa samosas), Hallelujah huaraches (masa pizzas, they call them) and cochinita orange noodles (noodles “stuffed with pork marinated in orange and pineapple pastor and simmered with poblano peppers”). Prices are all in the $5 range. The catch is finding these snacks. They’re offered in the restaurant Mon-Thurs from 2:30-4:30 p.m. In the bar, they're served on the same days, but only after 9 p.m.

Bubble Bath
My friends know I like the bubbly. There’s just something happy about sparkling wines. If fizz agrees with you, too, check out “Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles” at Osteria del Mondo (1037 E. Juneau Ave.,). What this shindig is is a tasting of sparkling wines, accompanied by appetizers from the repertoire of chef Thi Cao. Bottled bubbly will be for sale to bring home. Dec. 8, 6-8:30 p.m. Cost: $25 per person. Reservations? Call 414-291-3770 or e-mail events@getosteria.com.

Don’t miss this week’s Shopaholic to learn about new stores and events in the world of local retail.

If you spot any restaurant openings or closings out there, don’t hesitate to post it on my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com