We have been meaning to visit Braise for a long long time. We first got introduced to Braise through garlic fest. I believe Braise is one of the sponsors or hosts for that matter and the fest is always held in front of the restaurant itself. Typically we visit the downtown area so this is one of the reasons it took us that long to visit Braise is because this is actually closer to walkers point. The ambience is lovely - has a modern cozy restaurant vibe to it. We went there for my birthday and enjoyed a few of there shareable plates and some entrees. We ordered 3 dishes and the cheese board and was full after eating 1.5. We of course took the rest Home. The shareable entrees are big. We ordered the Whey Poleta - shareable item (was super super tasty), the Etouffe and the carnita taco. All were excellent! My favorite would be the Polenta. I think they change their menu often so provides a lot of variety to customers and especially if you are a repeat customer, you get the same authentic taste yet try a variety. I also liked how all the entrees don't come out at the same time. This gave us an opportunity to really enjoy every dish in its entirety. The timing of when your food arrived was perfectly planned. We didn't need to wait any longer than required and helped us enjoy our meals. I would recommend this place to people who like Tapas style - small plates dining! They provide so many delicious options! read more

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I dined a few times prior to COVID, but this review is specifically speaking to recent experiences with their lovely Family Meals that are available for takeout each week. I think they're reasonably priced for the portion sizes and come in 2 or 4 serving size options. Just enjoyed their amazing meal of smoked brisket, sweet corn polenta with spring onion agrodolce, and herbed focaccia with roasted garlic olive oil. Bonus was key lime tart! Brisket was so, so tender. The polenta was quite delicious and filling. The focaccia was toasted and topped with flaky salt. The olive oil for dipping was the perfect touch. The key lime tart was very tasty! Nicely balanced between tart lime curd and sweet meringue topping. Last one we enjoyed was a chicken schnitzel sandwich on a fabulous pretzel bun with sauerkraut, gruyere and smoked paprika aioli. Huge! Delightfully crispy breading, tender chicken. Sides were the best caramelized onion soup I've ever had and German potato salad - not my fave but nobody beats my family's nostalgic recipe for that. Sorry. Dessert added on was Berry Schaum Torte, died and went to heaven. Roll me home. Wait...I'm already here, thanks curbside pickup! read more

Came here on a lark and boy were we glad that we did. Hip ambiance and wonderful food. The whitefish appetizer was fantastic with a melange of flavors and textures. In fact all the sides/apps were great. The mushroom was another textural delight and the kohlrabi a heightened take on a humble food. Only the whitefish failed to enthrall, but overall, this place rightly deserves top marks. Note that you can purchase certain foods to take home -- various local cheeses, honey, flour, eggs, etc. read more

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I came here with a group of people on a Wed evening. I was expecting the restaurant to be populated but there was no one in the restaurant other than a few sitting at the bar. Kind of disappointing We did bring our own wine because the wine list is weak. But the corkage fee of $20 a bottle is steep by Milwaukee standards The service was spunky and informative The menu was innovative and unique although a bit confusing since there were six of us that wanted to share so many things Our favorite were the pork buns. So unique and delicious. I really enjoyed this dish The other dish that really stood out was the pot de creme dessert. Yum!!! Worth coming back just to have this again The other dishes were very tasty but I need people in the establishment to create a buzz and keep me engaged in the place to want to come back The menu changes a lot so next time I am in the area i will see how the menu has changed and make sure it is a weekend night read more

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YUM! I went here for a nice dinner with my boyfriend and the ambiance was great for a get together or a date night! The service was super friendly and nice (they helped me pick out an excellent wine) and the food was great too! Nothing to complain about. I also love that the food changes out regularly so you can always come back and get something new! I got the dirty chai beets, pork buns, chorizo, and the special that night. I think overall the restaurant does a great job of mixing different flavors together (tart with savory or sweet with savory, and keeping things interesting with multiple textures). I think the best example of that was the dirty chai beets! My boyfriend does not like vegetables but he really liked this dish! The beets were sweet and not too mushy. There were candied pecans to add to the crunchy. And this really good savory spiced (not spicy, spiced) sauce that was balanced with this AMAZING creme sauce on the side. All of it together was the bomb. The pork buns which everyone raves about were really good too! BUT I will have to say this is NOT a classic Asian pork bun, so if you go into it expecting that you will not be satisfied. However the dish on its own was good. The bread was not as pillowy as an Asian bun and more savory, but still very good. I again liked all the texture here with the soft bread and crunchy peanuts on top! read more

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Odd experience last night. They've changed the menu and it was small...only three entrees. That's not so bad, but they were out of two of them. So, 8PM Saturday night and they had one entree. The service was exceedingly slow. We waited 25 min between the time they delivered our appetizers and TOOK our dinner order. No one even came to the table during that time until I called the waitress over and asked if we could get more drinks and order. Ambiance was good. Overall three stars because the food they did have was great, as were the drinks. But, total lack of any service, and having roughly 60% of the total menu available really drops it down a notch. Fine for a casual night if you're rolling the dice, but wouldn't come here for any sort of special occasion. read more

Wow! This food and the vibes were excellent. Service was great. Perfect date night spot.

My experience at braise was a little off from most of the other reviews. To preface this review, I do hope to give braise another chance and this might have been an off night. I came here on a special occasion and we ordered the bread plate, the pork buns, the okonomyaki, and mushroom risotto. The bread plate, pork buns, okonomyaki and our drinks were impeccable. However, the risotto was quite bland and the mushrooms tasted soapy, which ended our evening early as we were not feeling well. The service was impeccable and the rest of the food was great. I really appreciated our waiter's drink recommendations as well. I'd definitely give braise another chance, maybe without the risotto this time. read more

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My boyfriend and I went here for their Wednesday 3 course meal and this may be my new favorite restaurant! They offer a vegetarian or meat option and we got one of each to try everything. The cauliflower dish they made was amazing and the cocktails were also phenomenal! read more

I LOVE this place! Definitely one of my new favorites. I visited with four friends tonight which allowed us to order and share close to half of the menu and all five desserts! We started out with the Caramelized Onion and Potato Tart with Green Garlic Jam and Sunflower sprouts, the House-Pickled Green Tomato & Pancetta Risotto with smoked Paprika Oil, the Pork Rillettes with Green Garlic Jam and crostini, and the Crispy Pig and Creamy Polenta with Goat cheese and Sorghum syrup. Everything was delicious, but the flavors of the pickled green tomato and the pancetta risotto made it my favorite item of the bunch. The Pork Rillettes had a slight tartness to it that I also liked and made for a great topping on the crostini. Next the entrees came: Root Vegetable Lasagna with Parmesan Bechamela, Roasted Chicken with Gnocchi, Mushroom Ragout & Salsa Verde, and Seared Duck Breast with Duck Confit Ravioli and Cumin Vinaigrette. Again, all three were fantastic. I am FAR from being a vegetarian, but the Root Vegetable Lasagna is a dish I would be comfortable ordering for myself on another visit. However, the Roasted Chicken with Gnocchi was the star of this group, in my humble opinion. I rarely order chicken because it usually lacks the wow factor I enjoy experiencing. Braise knew how to make their chicken wow me. It was succulent and had flavors of butter and herbs, as did the gnocchi. Believe it or not, we actually ordered dessert even though we really didn't have room. They all looked good, so we ordered them all. The desserts lacked the "wow factor" that the rest of our meal had, but there were a couple of bright spots. The Lemon Curd Tart with Blueberries seemed to be our collective favorite. Then we split on the others. I liked the Apple Pave with Ginger ice cream, another preferred the Rosemary cake, and another preferred the Caramel and Sea Salt Tart. Our least favorite was the Chocolate Pot de Crème with Shortbread and Coffee Sabayon. We were expecting a creamy texture, but it was fairly hard like frozen ice cream, but it wasn't a frozen dessert. Our service was great and the customer demographic ran the gamut. There is a very cool lounge area in the back and separated from the restaurant, which is a very nice touch. They plan to add more small plates to the menu, and I definitely plan to return, as I expect the menu will change regularly. I think Braise has potential to be special. They just have to keep up this current level of quality. Currently they are only open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. read more

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Despite the name, nothing is braised on the menu! And for me, the next best thing to medium rare is braised. Atmosphere - 5 stars Staff, all of them - 5 stars Concept - 5 stars FOOD?! - 2 dishes good (too similar to be different dishes, tho), other 2 dishes fell flat -- that equals 2.5 stars Wish I could give this place 5 stars, but the food needs to be better. The dishes are very small, I didn't have dessert but the table next to me did and the pics on here say it all - they look so plain and boring. If I'm gonna splurge on dessert it better be worth it! Most of the menu - Very Small! Serves 2 people a few bites!! 1ST dish was the best, pork with steamed bun. The green sauce was SO good. The pork I think was pork belly (which is typically very fatty) but you don't notice it with this dish. Steamed bun was - ugh, gooey-delicious. 2ND duck confit on a cracker. 2 crackers. Very sparing with the duck. It was good, liked it. But an incestual relative of number 1. green sauce again. It's good, but it should be special, not on every dish. 3RD Gnocchi. We didn't understand this dish. very oily, no sauce. It just didn't make sense, sorry. I'm still confused... 4TH Lamb. Ok, since when is lamb "the other white meat"? I swear this was pork. Was it from an albino lamb perhaps? I prefer lamb med-rare (even as our server promised) this was med well to well done. Not to my liking. Served with black eyed peas and peas kind of just sitting there on the plate and you guessed it! A (different) green sauce. It was strange the flavors weren't there, it was just not succulent like a savory meal should be. Just "ok". For $26 smackeroos a plate, it really should be much better. Seasonal (i.e. regularly changing) menu is at Braise, so just count on that. Home grown food is seasonal and will change often. read more

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Excellent food, service and cozy ambiance. Surprised we were able to get a same reservation, it was all really great and thoughtful.

Came here for the first time with my bestie for a random dinner night. Love the layout of the restaurant. It's kind of a contemporary, rustic, hipster feel. From the menu it seems like forged/organic, and local food is their focus. Our server, Nina was super cute, friendly, an informative. You can tell she likes her job which is refreshing. The only negative I would say about my experience here is the pricing. The vegetarian meal we had was over $30 dollar! Granted it was a sharable plate, but it only came with 3 risotto cakes and come on... it's comprised of veggies and grains! I could've had a lamb for just a few bucks more. Taste wise, the dish was okay. Nothing super memorable, it was kind of on the saltier/garlicky side. We also had two bottles of wine that were good. The Shiraz and Pino Noir. I would come back, but maybe for some of the smaller shareable plates and drinks. read more

Braise - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great little find! Well-rounded menu, comfy and cozy seating by the bar, festive and intimate setting. Laura took care of us tonight. Trayjan and Kayla helped out too :) went on a Saturday night at 6 and had a leisurely meal. Made reservations through yelp app the night before. Very professional - everyone was super friendly and attentive. There was a wedding upstairs which I learned about well into the evening. Wouldn't have known it the way we were attended to- these guys know how to roll. Menu is sourced 90% local. Whaaaat?! That's amazing. All items are updated regularly according to availability so do go soon if you want to try what we sampled! We had sweet corn soup with puffed wild rice and herb oil. I actually missed part of the conversation (what'd you say???) because this soup was so freakin amazing. I don't know where I went in my head...but it's not too miss. Try a bowl. Or four. The sheep's milk cheese, berry jam, hazelnuts, and watercress was also a hit. Nicely pairs with the bread and butter platter. Dirty Chai beets and Steamed Pork Buns also a delightful pairing. We liked these but there were other standouts that really topped the flavors in these two dishes. Smoked bone marrow custard with onion jam, pea shoots, and crostini was OMG. Wish there were three crostini instead of only two. To drink we ordered an Oaxacan stout, a cream city brix, and a Monstars --all are enjoyed. See our photos for the deets on these. Desserts were Raspberry tiramisu and roasted brioche bread pudding. Both were out of this world. Really unique flavors and would come back just for these. Don't forget to check on the the back, go-to shop, with soups, butter, sausages and more! read more

I've been holding back on a write up of Braise for some time now but thought it fitting to do my 50th review as a 5-star. Braise anchors the South end of Walker's Point and is my top pick over the other half dozen fabulous choices within a few blocks radius. What makes Braise the bomb? Chef Dave Swanson is legit. He's been doing farm to table for years. Besides the ever-changing daily menu, each month they host a community style Sunday dinner with a three-course theme paired with beer or wine based on items available from a local farmer. I've done several Sunday dinners now with family and friends and have never had a disappointing meal. Presentation is fantastic and portion sizes are perfect. You'll only be longing to come back next month! The staff at Braise is also fantastic. I don't think you can find a more accommodating group anywhere. Braise also offers cooking classes and other cool activities like cross county skiing on a farm. Their RSA program provides product to many other fine establishments in town. Skip the other 5th Ward options and make a reservation for Braise right now. You won't be disappointed! read more

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We came here for the Valentine's Day prix fixe event; worth EVERY PENNY! The food here will literally pamper your palette. I can't say enough great things about Braise and staff. I don't know which was more enjoyable: our dining experience or the food. I'm going to have to go with BOTH. Highlights of the night were the pan-seared gnocchi with sweet corn purée and the salmon. Talk about love at first sight on Valentine's Day. Our server was personable and relatable. Atmosphere feels like that of a cozy home decorated with a buzzy feel. Management did a great job with the huge crowd that populated this location during Valentine's Day. Smiles all around. I would love to come back here for dinner. "Lick your plate" kind of experience! Bravo, Braise. read more

Host your private event at Braise - it's wonderful! We hosted our rehearsal dinner in the private upstairs space and we're so glad we did! Not only does Braise serve delicious food, their private space is perfect for having a cozy intimate event. They are very easy to work with and are happy to help you customize your menu, bar list and seating arrangement to your liking. During the event itself, the servers were very friendly and made sure our guests were never without a drink! read more

Pop up Chef Yia Vang event was delicious. The staff was attentive and very personable. We arrived early for our reservation and was offered the bar area to be served earlier. The venue is very clean and is a great place to host pop up chefs and events and I hope they continue in the future! read more

Braise - Hmong pork sausage - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Six couples went here on a couples night. Had an amazing experience and will be back here for sure. The ambiance, the staff, the food and the drink were all 5 star. They were very accommodating with all our unique food quirks and worked with us on right amount of food to order. Wonderful evening for everyone! read more

Great service, food and cocktails. Our server was lovely, and the hostess when making my revelation over the phone actually took the time to call me back when disconnected! Looking forward to trying a late summer/early fall menu. read more

Great food and great service! Ambiance was a little sterile. Would definitely eat there again!

I've been meaning to go to Braise for years now; my expectations were definitely met, if not exceeded. There were so many good vegetarian options and exciting cocktails that I will definitely be needing to go back soon. I love that everything is seasonal and that they use so many local ingredients! You can really feel their emphasis on community, whether it be where the food is sourced or how you enjoy your meal: everything on the menu is sharing style, from small plates to two person family style meals. My husband and I did a couple smaller plates to start and one of the vegetarian family style meals as an entree. Everything we had was flavorful and creative. Its easy to eat more than necessary, because everything on the menu sounds amazing. And their cocktails were delightful! Also, the dining area by the kitchen is really neat, as there are two very long tables that are more communal style. It also opens up to the kitchen, so you get to watch the chefs at work! Can't wait to go back. read more

Got braised beef and polenta (to go) for our family of 4- AMAZING. Staff was friendly, professional and so so kind. Wish we could have eaten in! I'm going to be thinking about that meal for a long long time. Thanks for giving me the best meal since this whole quarantine started! read more

5-stars. Done. Easiest decision I've made all day. And quite possibly my most favorite dining experience since I've moved to Milwaukee. Geoff and I went to Braise for date night and sat at the kitchen counter (different from the bar). Unless we come with more people I will never not sit at the counter- I love watching the different dishes come out and talking to the chefs. Such a great experience!! And the food was to die for! I always have to order the bread when it's made in house and it was so worth it. Absolutely delicious. The chefs behind the counter were very interactive and communicative and every dish we ordered was a recommendation from them. Our server was wonderful with a great wine bottle recommendation [Side note: I really appreciate when they don't just recommend one of their pricier bottles] that didn't break the bank. We had such a fun evening at Braise with amazing food and will absolutely be back! Highly, highly recommend! read more

This is a culinary school/restaurant. With the smaller shareable plates and family style my family of 3 was able to experience more of the menu. The cocktails are delicious. Even the old fashioned and I'm picky. The bartender really knows his game. Down side is the seating. I don't enjoy sharing seating with people. That's a personal preference so it isn't included in my rating. read more

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This place just never disappoints it's really good we had the pork buns they come with shredded cabbage, the white fish Entree it came prepared with some sort of rice Im not sure I liked that part of the dish. Cauliflower soup with pesto i did enjoy. read more

Braise - The cauliflower soup with pesto. Very good - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I cannot say enough about Braise and their rooftop greenhouse. I reserved the space for a bachelorette party dinner and it was perfection. We had a group of ten and the space was set beautifully. They even had a Bluetooth speaker so we could link up and play whatever music we wanted. Preordering everything worked perfectly for us, portions were so generous, and we didn't have to worry about a thing. A must-do for a private event! Reserved online and preselected the menu on Tock, cannot recommend it enough. read more

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I'm pissed. First of all, this should be two dollar signs. After years of dinners and drinks at Braise I still have a hard time racking up a three-digit bill for two people. Hands down the best value for good food in Milwaukee. This restaurant confuses me to no end. Imagine if every time you went to a restaurant they told you the same riddle but you never got to hear the answer. That is the nature of the mystery of Braise and the empty bar. I'm referring to the fact that at 8 PM on a Saturday night my wife and I were (and often are) the only patrons at the bar, while a quiet and small group of diners occupy the regular tables. I can't overemphasize this: Braise has some of the absolute best, most consistently delicious, creative, flavorful, and unique food and cocktails in Milwaukee for a shockingly fair price. But price aside, I would eat here over Sanford any night of the week. It also happens to be a third of the price with better ambiance, so that's a plus. One of my favorite parts of eating at Braise is the bartenders. They are always friendly, chatty, super talented, fun, and interactive. They're nerdy and cool and just all around good dudes. Like I said, I'm pissed. I'm pissed because I've seen great restaurants in Milwaukee close their doors for no apparent reason. I'm pissed because the bar was empty tonight. For the price and quality, there should be a line out the door to get a spot at Braise, but instead you can just walk in any time of any day and eat and drink at a moment's notice. At this rate, someday, this establishment will close its doors and I will be stuck reminiscing about the pork buns and Crazy Dave's Old Fashioned, and it will be a damn shame to lose such a great, hidden gem of a restaurant. This is Milwaukee's best kept secret, and you should go there tonight, tomorrow, and the next night because they deserve it. Rant over. Peace. read more

Good but not great. A party of 4 of us recently dined there on a Saturday night and had the chance to sample alot of their plates. I love the dining room with communal tables made from bowling lanes. The place has a upscale yet relaxed vibe to it with decent acoustics given the small footprint of the dining room. The menu is set up with both vegetarian and meat small plates, side dishes along with larger, family style dishes. Hits: Pork buns are a must try. Coming two to an order, they are excellent. Pillowy bun with unctuous pork stuffed in between. Coffee roasted beets are also very good. The dusting of coffee plays well with the earthiness of the beets. Humba-braised pork, scallion rice cake and carrot radish slaw. Melt in your mouth pork with a soy based sauce, My second favorite dish of the night. The charred sweet potato tacos were also a hit. The mole sauce and the pickled beets tasted amazing with the sweet potato. Misses: The red curry braised goat and grilled lamb sausage was a huge miss. From the description, we were expecting a big bold dish. It arrived a whimper. Dry lamb patties (not really understanding the sausage component) and a very plain tasting goat utterly void of seasoning. Throughout the meal, we were trying to figure out where the red curry was and still have no answer. Petit Nuage. Some fresh sheep's mile cheese and some mushrooms. Again, I expected a richer dish. It was fine but not something I would order again. Service was relaxed and comfortable and the food came out at a good clip (almost too good as we wanted to dine vs just eat). I would definitely come back (the pork buns alone warrant it) as I know the menu often changes. read more

Phew! I was in charge of picking a spot to entertain a few friends from out of town who are definitely foodies, and this place was a huge hit!!! It got their stamp of approval, and even those of us who are not as fancy :) were quite pleased with the dinner!! They change the menu pretty often, I think, so what I enjoyed may not be there for you too, but rest assured this place is great! They have a nice patio for the good weather as well. read more

Walker's Point is where it's at these days, friends. Neighborhood revitalization may not move at the pace that many of us would like it to here in the good ol' Mil, but if there's one thing that's for sure, it's this: The Fifth Ward is quickly becoming the four-one-four's "foodie" 'hood of choice. With La Merenda & Crazy Water leading the charge, there's also Triskele's (Walker's Point-ish) and INdustri amongst others that are contributing to this palpable Fifth Ward buzz. (The Noble, etc.) Enter Braise. I really dig on their concept -- Braise is Milwaukee's first-community supported restaurant. Become a member and partake in cooking classes, special dinners... all while supporting other community-centric entities. Their commitment to what's locally-sourced is not only apparent, it's the driving force behind this spot's identity. A membership to Braise also provides support composting, vermiculture, rain barrel and water conservation measures, rooftop gardening, and solar hot water system initiatives. (You don't have to become a member, though... just dining there supports the restaurant and thus, its causes!) Very rarely -- if ever! -- do I bestow five stars to a restaurant upon first try. That said, I simply cannot not give Braise five stars... and it's not just because of their warm fuzzies, either. Yes, Braise is community-centric and their mission is a fabulous and noble one, but... The food was fabulous. The wine list was nuanced and inventive and priced well, to boot. The craft cocktails were on point. The beers are from WI + the midwest. The service was fabulous (if not a bit over-attentive), but we were there on just the second night that the restaurant had been open, so whatever. It doesn't even matter. A bit more on this topic: The wine list features bottles from small purveyors and family vineyards. I selected a young Amarone from a small vineyard in Italy and it was amazing. Also, I think it was 32 bucks. Score! Two friends opted for the Crazy Dave's old-fashioned, featuring local spirits and some house-infused cranberry delightfulness. (I sampled, and was a bit jealous... ) I don't really eat bread at restaurants -- why fill up on bread? -- but this bread was the tops. Stone ground, it had a chewy, slightly crunchy crust and a moist, dense center. This bread was perfect. Perfect bread, served with a whipped herb butter, I couldn't help myself. I had two. Our starter (a caramelized onion/apple tart) was delightful. Served with sprouts, it was substantive yet fresh, the flavors balanced, and the whole thing on point. And my entrée? Seared Trout with fingerling potatoes, brussels sprouts and goat cheese. Fabulous. The fish, cooked to perfection, the flavors? Impeccable and more importantly, impeccable together. And what's more? Anodyne coffee served pour over style (the only way to go!) and a dessert menu that made my head spin. Very rarely, if ever, do I throw down a five star rating after a first visit. Braise, I think I love you. I'll certainly be back. read more

Braise - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Being completely honest now, I wasn't sure how I'd like braise. The themes: small plates, farm-to-table ingredients in creative dishes, & craft cocktails have become so pervasive in Milwaukee that I worried this would be just another restaurant hopping on the bandwagon. After the meal Tuesday though, I really think Braise nailed these categories better than any of the other places I've tried in the city. First off, the building is all warm lighting and restored wood, with a bar just in front and open kitchen in the adjoining room. Bread with flavored butter is served in cute little paper lined tin pails. -drink: I had something called (I think) garden's last gasp. Chartreuse was one of the ingredients and although I'm usually just "eh" on craft cocktails, it was absolutely "to die for" as the name implies! Bright green and served in a martini glass, all the flavors mixed perfectly. Too often I feel like I can taste each liquor separately. (So st. Germaine, gin, simple syrup, etc can be tasted.) Not the case here- it was probably one of the best drinks I've ever had (that, in a lifetime of many.) - food: I had two smaller plates, a mushroom tart and smoked trout parfait. The mushroom tart was in a creamy cheesy sauce on a pastry. Delicious! Now "trout" and "parfait" are two words you don't see too often together. I usually shy away from trout (too fishy) in general, but this came with a vinaigrette and everything somehow worked perfectly together. -dessert. They all sounded interesting but I got the black walnut cake with squash panna cotta and pumpkin seed brittle (and another ingredient that escapes me.) It had beautiful presentation (see pic) & nice seasonal flavors. Truth be told tho, I sampled a fellow yelpers chocolate pot de creme, and that dessert definitely stole the show. Overall, a great edition to the Milwaukee and fifth ward area (everytime I'm in walkers point I see something new-it's a totally new city over there!) A solid choice for a date night or catch up dinner with friends. read more

Braise - Smoked trout parfait! - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I had the fortune of attending a class at the Braise Culinary School a few weeks ago. The topic was all things Ice Cream with one of my favorite newish local companies, Purple Door. Steve and Lauren Schultz started PD in 2010 and have grown the business exponentially. Earlier this spring they opened a free standing retail location on 2nd and Pittsburgh in the artisanal food haven also known as Walker's Point. The class began at 6:30pm but we were invited in to the Braise Lounge at 6pm for a complimentary cocktail and Braise bite, which was a great precursor to our food filled evening. We were then led behind the scenes of the busy farm-to-table kitchen and in the very, very, back of the building there's the coolest of cooking school classrooms. It's a full functioning working kitchen with two large video displays and high top table class seating. The class consisted of three parts 1) general ice cream making 2) the history of PD and how they make ice cream, and the obvious favorite, 3) tasting! General ice cream making was pretty interesting and the friend that was with me was taking crazy notes to put to use at home. And there was an abundance of great information as well as some trade secrets regarding technique. And tips regarding materials and flavors were much appreciated. The history of PD is also very captivating. It's wonderful to hear the story of small local business made good through the hard work and dedication of the owners. Of emphasis was PD's practice of using whole and natural ingredients. There's nothing you cannot pronounce in their products. We smelled and tasted the actual juniper berries, cardamom and coffee beans they use and heard nothing but passion is both their voices as they shared what their story. And the closing was the long awaited (well at least for the duration of the class awaited) ice cream tastings. I've been to the new PD shop, and their former digs in the Clock Shadow Creamery many times. But I've never, ever had the vanilla ice cream. There are always too many other flavors on my list, but hold the phone, this vanilla is amazing. I mean make a special trip there right now amazing. And this makes perfect sense since it's the base for all their other flavors. And flavorful those flavors are. The Lemon Cardamom is divine. The light citrus tones dazzle the front of your palate and the smooth spice glides along the back. The Chocolate leads with a deep, rich creamy flavor but never gets too sweet, like artificially flavored chocolates do. The Mint Chocolate Chip was perfectly infused with handmade fresh mint syrup and a good number of blissful chips. And we even got to try PD's newest creation, a graham cracker ice cream that was spot on in taste, texture and invoking childhood memories of the popular snack cracker. We ended with the taste that was my far and away favorite of the evening. The Juniper Berry and Lime ice cream with a light drizzle of Rehorst Gin; one of the best adult ice cream flavors one could experience. All of these ice cream flavors need to be experienced by you, and everyone you know. So be sure to check out the new Purple Door. And when you want to know more, learn more, see more about all things food, Braise Culinary School is one of the best educational sources in town! read more

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Hands down best Creme Brule I've ever had. The Fogged Up gin cocktail.. very good. Bartender and waitstaff very friendly and accommodating. My dinner didn't disappoint either, the Rainbow trout was delicious. I love how the menu changes with the season. Makes this one of my favorite places to eat in Milwaukee. read more

Braise - Eggnog Creme Brule - New American Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I went here with a group of 9 people for a leadership meeting in order to enjoy each other's company and also talk about some of our plans for this coming school year. They were very accommodating to our group and had a large table set up for us before we got there. The interior design was stunning. I loved the decor and the fact that our table was right next to where the chefs were cooking our meals. I always love restaurants like this because it really makes you realize how fresh everything is! The food was amazing!! I was a little wary about the type of food and the idea of small plates. We decided to get a lot of them to just pass around the table. I do not have a complaint about any single one of them. Even the bread they start the meal out with was amazing! Our server was also very knowledgeable about the restaurant itself and also the wine list. We told him to pick a couple bottles that would fit with the meal we had ordered and he did an excellent job. I will be returning to this restaurant in the future. read more

We had to check out Braise after hearing so many good things about the place. They're pretty serious about local food and run a CSA program (see below). The chef worked at Sanford so the dishes tend to be pretty complex. I would say that the kitchen likes contrast - sweet elements in savory dishes, cool things added to hot dishes. Sometimes it worked, sometimes....not so much. I think I'd rather have a chef go too far vs. making me boring food, so i appreciate what they're doing here. More on that: Drinks: A A comprehensive, thoughful, reasonable wine list. I had a nice white Bordeaux for $6 - most glasses are $6-8. Local beers and spirits are featured as well. Apps: B+ Hubs had "crispy pig" - pork belly and polenta with a drizzle of sorghum (the sweet/savory thing). It was delicious and everything worked well together. I had a cheese plate which featured a very mild sheep's blue. I didn't care for the corn cakes this came with. They were crumbly and sweet (!) and really didn't work with the cheese. Bread: A At most places a bread basket is just that. Here, you get a little bucket with samples of 3-4 of their homemade breads. And they serve it with garlic herb compound butter. Completely deserving of it's own category, this bread was great! Entrees: B Hubs had a grilled ribeye with mustard spaetzle. It was ordered medium rare but came out all of medium (still tasty though). He wasn't a fan of the anchovy butter it was topped with. I had roasted chicken with salsa verde. My dish was topped with a lightly sweet creamy something - again sweet/savory...not a huge fan of the sweet part but the actual chicken was well cooked and flavorful. Desserts: A We ordered chocolate pot de creme, served with homemade Anodyne ice cream - hubs loved this, especially the ice cream. My choice was a rosemary cake with rhubarb rose jam - unususal but wonderful! Not too sweet and the rosemary wasn't overwhelming, i would order it again in a second. Service: A Friendly and very knowledgeable - our server delivered good recommendations. They staff a full time butcher, can you believe that? Mission:A+ a great concept! They support 400+ local farms and you can get in on the action by joining their CSA. There are a few options - I chose the one where you place a custom order weekly and they deliver to your HOUSE! And it's not just veg, you can get bread, meat, dairy and more.basically, you're tapping into their supply chain - why don't more places do this? Overall - go here! This is a place worth supporting. (Sorry for the LONG review) read more

Went to Braise food truck, "Braise on the Boulevard" today at Hawthorne Coffee Roasters and had a phenomenal experience. The Braise staff is friendly, welcoming, and practicing covid safety. In just a few moments we had delicious pork buns, a ham and potato hand pie and salted caramel brownie. Not to mention chicken & herbed goat cheese Mac n cheese! The Braise truck has the same, excellent quality of the restaurant and is sure helping us make it through this time of social distance! And best compliment? After eating our breakfast my husband confirmed, "Chef Dave is doing God's work." read more

Braise had been on my list for years, and as I'm moving away from Milwaukee, I was finally granted the opportunity to dine here. Worth the wait/bummed that I seem destined to only eat here once. The place: I actually am not a huge fan of the communal tables that they have in the main dining area - 2 solid wood tables that each seat 12 people, I think, but luckily they have enough tables around the perimeter, so I was able to eat with the people I came with. Maybe it's personal preference. Maybe they use the large tables for large parties or events, but beyond those 24 seats, there aren't too many more. Maybe it seats 50 total? There are some awesome collaged/decoupaged walls with recipes and food pictures. There also is apparently a garden on the roof, where they harvest from when they can. Our server was friendly, fun and gave good explanations of everything. The taste: The bread. Baked in house. Came to us warm. Divine. At $4 a pop, we stopped with 1 order, but I could have easily eaten another order myself. (My waistline probably appreciates that I didn't, though). I had the spring green soup, with cardamom cream. It was springy. Salty. Rich. Creamy.....all things I want in a soup, and perfect for the surprisingly (or not so) cold and gray June day. I opted for the turnip tart, and cleaned my plate. Every bite was good. I left stuffed. My face: With 3 soups, the bread, and a plate for each of us (and 1 cocktail) the damage was $90 pre tip. Worth it, IMO. Well done, Braise. Keep it up. read more

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Mixed review for Braise. Ambiance & service were great. Really knowledgable staff. The mixed review comes in regards to the food. The Humba under the small plates was simply delicious. In fact I wish it had been my entree. Crispy rice cake with braised meat. Yum!!!! Order! So after such a delicious starter I had high hopes for my pork cannelloni. The cannelloni is essentially a crepe filled with shredded pork & ricotta. It's topped with a turnip sauce and a more ricotta. Overall is was pretty dull. And I'm not really sure why they toppled it with more cold ricotta mixture. It being cold was odd and in fact I thought it was a big glob of butter before I tasted it. Wrapped up the evening with the olive oil cornmeal cake. Again not horrible but not something I'd recommend. The cake was overly dry. The blueberry compote and citrus white chocolate mousse were good. read more

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I'm not a Milwaukee resident so I automatically assumed that their dining would consist mainly of burgers and beer. Boy was I wrong! Braise feels like it is right out the Portandia sketch "But, is it local?" As other reviewers have noted, all the ingredients are from local farmers so you know you are consuming quality ingredients. We ordered several appetizers off the menu and everything was so fresh and flavorful. My two favorite dishes were the heirloom tomato plate and the mushroom risotto. You MUST order these!!! The bartender even made us a special off-the-menu drink that was a twist on sangria with red wine mixed with lemonade! If you have a choice of where to sit, try and get a seat at the kitchen bar. You can see all the meals being freshly prepared. Braise really nailed the whole "farm-to-table" trend that's going on right now. read more

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