A New Location!

The Urban Diner has moved to a new location!  

Now find all recent and previous blog postings

 by The Urban Diner at the following link:

   

http://www.downtowngreenbay.com/_blog/THE_URBAN_DINER

See you there!

From The Field...To The Frog!

"From The Field...To The Frog!" they say at The Urban Frog.

Committing  to sustainable growing practices, using the freshest ingredients and organics whenever possible, The Urban Frog strives to provide a nutritious and great taste experience for all diners.

And so, one of the nutritious great taste experiences can be found under the Panini Sandwich section of the menu and goes by the name The Sweet Potato MeatLoaf.   "Grilled to perfection" on french bread are two wonderful, flavorful slices of  meatloaf.  The meatloaf has just a slight outer crust and is made from local organic grass-fed beef and sweet potato.  This delicious panini is trimmed with thin tomato slices, romaine leaves and a spicy sriracha mayonnaise along with a side of carrot and celery sticks topped with sprouts. 

Diners Note:  The Urban Frog 's entire menu is also available gluten-free.  Other sides available with panini sandwiches are chips or a small bistro salad.

Fork It

On the menu at The Pub, located at the Hyatt on Main, is this BBQ Shredded Pork sandwich.  
And it begs to be eaten with a fork.
Served open faced on a toasted pretzel bun is a heaping of tender house smoked BBQ shredded pork.
A cool crunchy coleslaw and rings of red onion complement the savory BBQ and completes the construction of the sandwich.
Slices of deli pickle and a side choice of seasonal fruit (seen here), coleslaw or seasoned french fries are part of the order.
Oh, and wet naps, which will be necessary if you decide to forego the fork.

Homemade Chicken Salad

GENEROUS SHREDS OF MOIST ROASTED CHICKEN TOGETHER WITH THE LIKES OF CREAM CHEESE, MAYONNAISE, CELERY, GREEN ONION, DRIED CRANBERRIES AND TARRAGON ARE BLENDED TOGETHER TO BRING INTO BEING HOMEMADE CHICKEN SALAD ON THE Kaleidoscope EATERY AND SPIRITS MENU.
NESTLED ON A BED OF MIXED GREENS, TWO LARGE ROMA TOMATOES ARE QUARTERED AND STUFFED WITH A LIBERAL SCOOP OF Kaleidoscope's  HOMEMADE CHICKEN SALAD.  
TOASTED PECANS TOP EACH STUFFED ROMA AND THE WHOLE COMPOSITION IS DUSTED WITH GROUND TOASTED PECANS. TWO WARM SOFT YEAST ROLLS ACCOMPANY THE SALAD.  
ALSO AVAILABLE IS A SMALL SIZED ORDER WHICH IS SERVED WITH ONE HOMEMADE CHICKEN SALAD STUFFED ROMA TOMATO.



DINERS NOTE:  THE SMALL SIDE CUP OF BALSAMIC REDUCTION WHICH DOES NOT COME WITH THE SALAD WAS SUGGESTED AND OFFERED BY THE SERVER TO DRIZZLE OVER THE MIXED GREENS.  IT ENDED UP COMPLIMENTING THE SALAD VERY NICELY.

Tempura Udon

While Little Tokyo may be known for it's sushi, they also serve up a Japanese noodle soup known as Tempura Udon. Simply presented, this soup consists of Udon, which is a spaghetti-like thick wheat flour noodle swimming in a steaming bowl of a rich dark brown flavorful Dashi broth and strips of dark green seaweed. Key flavors of the Dashi broth are a dark soy and mirin.  This soup is completed with crispy tempura shrimp, carrot slices, onion ring, green bean, and broccoli surrounding the bowl.


Dining fact: Little Tokyo was the first sushi restaurant to open in Green Bay serving traditional Japanese cuisine dishes.

Beyond Beef - Blackening Optional

Republic Chophouse is a upscale urban dining establishment where indulging in uncomplicated chophouse entrees like this Lamb Rib Chop are a must.  Simply, six rib bones of Australian lamb are served with compliment of homemade potato chips.  

To enhance your chophouse entree, Republic Chophouse offers a number of optional sauces and seasonings. This Lamb Rib Chop, ordered medium rare, was seasoned with Republic's Cajun spice blend and then charred, encasing the rib chops with a crisp outer blackened crust and tasty juicy meat on the inside.

South of the CityDeck

...down the path of the Fox River Trail and located just a little ways outside of downtown in the former Caffe Mario space is CasSANDRA'S.  
Chef Sandra, who prepared food in the Caffe Mario kitchen, recently purchased the business, changing the name and crafting the menu into her own South American roots keeping just a few favorite Italian items of the previous restaurant's menu.
CasSANDRA'S only uses the freshest of original ingredients and food is made when ordered to insure the finest of flavors.  Lunch, dinner and wines are available at CasSANDRA's.  

A side order of Yuca (addictive, think delectable, healthy fries!) and a half of a grilled sandwich, the Cubano, made for a deliciously satisfying lunch.

  Yuca- A crispy South American root vegetable, lightly coated and lightly fried, is served with a small mound of finely shredded cabbage and carrots, topped by a dab of spicy tomato sauce and a crispy piece of pork.

Cubano - Roasted pork - thin sliced ham - mustard - swiss cheese - pickles are grilled panni-style on fresh bread.

Diner's Note: The grilled sandwiches can be ordered half or whole and are served with a fresh fruit garnish.

EAT ~Since 1934~

The BIG AL at Al's Hamburger is a juicy beef wonder for burger eaters.  Simply, a half pound burger,  thinly sliced onions, raw or grilled, that's your call and plenty of crinkle cut sour pickle chips.  Ketchup and/or mustard is your choice however a number of napkins will be utilized that are located in the silver dispenser on the counter.  It all starts with a 1/2 lb. of ground beef that is rolled about the size of a baseball.  Once on the flattop grill the beef is flatten with a spatula and sizzles into a burger patty.  A soft hamburger bun toasts on the grill next to the burger.  Pictured here, the Big Al comes together. The 1/2 lb. burger sits on a bed of raw onion and topped with the pickle slices under the oh-so soft bun. EAT!

A Bread, A Spread and A Filling

The bread: Talera, which is a Spanish-style ciabatta, with a crunchy crust and soft inside.

The spread: A garlic-tarragon flavored mayonnaise.

The filling: Tender juicy slices of steak, spring mix and red tomato slices.

This is the Steak Sandwich on the menu at Red Restaurant, 

a new eatery in the historic Broadway district of downtown.

The talera is lightly toasted so it can soak up the steak juices without becoming soggy on the  bottom side.  Tender juicy slices of steak, here ordered medium rare, begin the first layer of the sandwich filling which is topped with tomato slices then a spring mix. The garlic-tarragon flavored mayo spread on the inside of the top slice of talera which brings this whole sandwich to another level of flavor.

Accompanying  the Steak Sandwich are large diced baby red potatoes, that are seasoned and roasted.  A pickle spear and sprinkling of parsley garnishes the plate.

Local Food Find

What began as a way to introduce people to the possibilities of what New Leaf Market, an evolving local food co-op, is about and to recruit member-owners to make New Leaf Market a reality, is the annual New Leaf Winter Farmer's Market held on select Saturday mornings in December, January and February.  New Leaf Winter Market hosts over 80 vendors featuring local meats, cheeses, veggies, jams, canned items, breads, pastries, and various local restaurants. Local chefs are doing cooking demos using only the local ingredients found at market.  Here is a small sample of some of the wonderful foods, many of them organic, that the Urban Diner found at market all provided by our area's very own local vendors. 

Organic Butter Chard, Ledgeview's Striped Spaghetti Squash, River of Dreams Beef Sticks, Villagios' Marinara Sauce, O So Good Kettle Corn Premium Chedddar Popcorn, La Fonda Fish Market Pickled Whitefish, Trust Local Foods Peace of Pasture Cow Milk Gouda, Amish Grown Radish, Sweet Temptations by Michael Gourmet Eight Piece Chocolate Sample Pack (Peanut butter Truffle, Bacon Truffle, Lemon, Oatmeal Stout Caramel, Sea Salt Caramel, Mango, Coconut Oolong and Earl Grey Lavender-flavors change at each market), Nala's Marcona Almonds, Ledgeview's Grape Tomatoes, and Irresistibly Healthy's Socko Taco Hummus.


Market Dates: Dec.15, 22, Jan. 12, Feb. 2, 23  Time: 8:00am-12:00pm.  Free Entry.
Located at the KI Convention Center, 333 Main Street.  Free parking.

Chinese Odds and Ends

Chop Suey literally means odds and ends or assorted pieces.  A Chinese dish that consists of meat and vegetables cooked quickly in a starch thickened sauce, Chop Suey has been widely adapted to suit Western tastebuds making it a part of American cuisine.

 At China Palace the Beef Chop Suey is fresh, fresh, fresh. Consisting of thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, pea pods, slivers of green peppers and carrots, Chinese cabbage and water chestnuts coming together in a silky brown sauce and served with a steaming bowl of rice. Other Chop Suey options at China Palace are: Vegetable, Roast Pork, Shrimp, Chicken or the House Special.  And as can be expected, a fortune cookie arrives at the end of your meal!

Koko Prelude

Spicy Ahi Tartare can be found on the menu at Koko Sushi Bar & Lounge under Preludes.  This delectable appetizer can be shared or easily consumed by oneself. A simplistic japanese plate presentation highlights a mound of Maguro Ahi that has a kick of heat from finely diced peppers and modestly embellished with a cucumber garnish. The plate is sprinkled with yuzu citrus soy and served with light puffy triangles of baked wonton chips. 

Diner notes that may be helpful:
Tartare=preparation of chopped sushi grade raw ahi
Ahi=high grade tuna that is best served raw or rare
Maguro (mah-goo-roh)=Japanese term for Bluefin tuna, a most commonly known fish eaten in sushi dining
Yuzu Soy: also know as Ponzu sauce, is a soy sauce blended with Yuzu fruit, an east Asian citrus, that has a distinctively sweet, sour, and slight salty flavor good for all kinds of seafood.  

Titletown Classic with an Honest Pint

Preserving 100 years of history in the former landmark Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Depot building, Titletown Brewing Company serves up hearty food and microbrews.

A staple on Titletown's menu  is listed as a "Titletown Original". The Cranberry Turkey Melt features layers of Smoked Turkey, Provolone cheese, and Baby Spinach layered between slices of their freshly baked Zucchini Bread spread with Cranberry Onion Marmalade. Pictured here with a side of Titletown's Cucumber Salad.  

The microbrew to wash it all down?

Rye The Helles 

Titletown's beer notes describes this as a malty golden lager in the Munich Helles style but with the addition of malted rye, whose spicy, almost tangy flavors compliment those of clean, grainy pilsner malt. Light in body with a clean lightly sweet finish.

DINER NOTE: Titletown serves an "Honest Pint" by pouring a pint (16ounces) of their beer in a 20 ounce glass.  This insures the best possible flavor.  A properly poured pint needs to have at least one inch of head (foam) so serving their beer in 20-ounce glasses provides a full 16-ounce pint with the proper head.

Cheez! Over 50,000 Sold!

One of the more popular sandwiches ordered at Kavarna is The Cheesy Artichoke. Their menu claims over 50,000 sold!  This hot wrap sandwich begins with an herbed tortilla, spread with cream cheese and filled with artichoke hearts, marinated tomatoes, black olives and provolone which is then toasted to create a warm melted bundle of goodness. It comes with crunchy kettle chips or can be upgraded to a side serving of fruit.

Diner Note: The Cheesy Artichoke is also available gluten free. 

Pasta Trilogy - Rajun Cajun Alfredo (3 of 3)

A robust Creole cream sauce stars in the Rajun Cajun Alfredo entree on the menu at Hagemeister Park.  Chicken breast strips, slices of spicy andouille sausage and shrimp are sautéed in the  spiced Alfredo sauce then tossed with steaming linguini.   An herbed vegetable medley of broccoli, yellow carrots and green beans compliment this dish along with a warm crescent breadstick.

Pasta Trilogy - Baked Lobster Mac & Cheese (2 of 3)

Black & Tan Grille  offers a decadent comfort food on their lounge and dinner menu.  Baked Lobster Mac & Cheese is a casserole dish of creamy white cheddar melding with chunks of Maine lobster and Cavatappi macaroni noodles that is topped with a grated blend of Romano, Parmesan, and Asiago cheeses and toasted crumbs, baked golden and served piping hot.  

Maine Lobster Chunks

Creamy White Cheddar coated Cavatappi Noodles

Pasta Trilogy - Spicy Drunken Noodle (1 of 3)

Spicy Drunken Noodle, Pad Khee Mao in Thai, features fresh large, wide rice noodles stir fried with tomatoes wedges, slivers of onion, sweet basil leaves, and fresh minced chili peppers.  This dish was accompanied by a crab rangoon which is filled with cream cheese, imitation crab meat, and onion, wrapped and deep fried in a wonton skin and served with a sweet more than sour dipping sauce.
Located in the historic Broadway district, Bangkok Garden Restaurant, serves up  "authentic Thai food".  Each dish is cooked to order and spicy dishes, like the Spicy Drunken Noodle, can be varied to your taste by specifying mild, medium, hot or extra hot.  Peppers can be served on the side.  
Diner Side Note:
A glass of Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc, which is a medium dry white available on Bangkok Garden's drink list, went very well with this dish.  Bangkok Garden Restaurant  also has a large selection of tropical drinks.

Seasonal Plates & Craft Cocktails

There's an authentic sense of cool within The Historic Wauters Building that is home to Three Three Five, where seasonal cuisine and hand crafted cocktails are served.  Three Three Five is a private dining studio which is usually only open to the public on Wednesday evenings when an often changing seasonal drink and food menu is offered.  Below is a sampling of menu possibilities at Three Three Five. With it's limited public availability, a few more photos are offered to explore.

Bleu Mule
Hangar One Blueberry, Lemon, Thyme, Ginger Beer

Preserved Tomato Bruschetta
Ricotta, Sour Dough, Basil

La Quercia Prosciutto Sweet Corn Crepe, Market Peach, Triple Cream, Saba Vinegar

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Fritters
Twin Elm Garden Cabbage, Chipolte Honey Aioli

Cuke Collins
Hendricks Gin, Lime, Mint, Cukes, Soda

Hidden Valley Lamb Chop
Peach, Frisee, Spring Onion, Buttermilk Blue, Celeriac, Chanterelles

Always The Soup du Jour

Manhattan Clam Chowder is hard to come across in the area and luckily, this chowder can be found daily on the menu at Fox Heights Pub & Grill, a recent addition in the downtown district and sister restaurant to Fox Harbor about 4 blocks down the road.  Clam meat rules in this chowder along with tomato filets, diced carrots and bacon in a steamy tomato broth.

StayFit Cuisine*

 The Pub is located in the Hyatt on Main hotel and while a hotel is generally not what may come to mind when looking for a restaurant at which to dine, the daily availability of The Pub's menu is convenient.  This salmon dish is featured as one of the StayFit Cuisine* items indicating it is a healthful dining choice on The Pub menu.  The salmon is grilled and served with steamed seasonal vegetables, a fluffy rice pilaf and grilled lemon.