I was back at hq meeting with our USA team. We had a lot o fun and looking to have a good team dinner. Our marketing manager who is a foodie in the area suggested Moxies. Even living in Atlanta I never really have grown an appetite for southern food. Too rich, to much.

I was not looking forward to it, but it's funny how when you least expect it a southern restaurant in the mid west will impress you. We had a prix fixes but I ordered some other items off the menu as well to sample. Fried pickles, red beans and rice & Mac and cheese. All were good but the Mac and cheese was crazy good! There were a few varieties of which we ordered the regular and one with chicken and jalapeños. Aside from the sweet tomatoes, and corn bread this was a good start. For the entree we ordered jambalaya, shrimp and grits, brisket and pulled pork. I don't eat pork so my options were limited but very good! Overall a wonderful place that I am looking forward to coming back to.

I recently visited the wonderful state of Wisconsin, home of the cheese heads and home of my beloved employer. Our head office is based in a city just 8 Miles outside of Milwaukee. I get here every once in a while and have had a chance to dabble at a few eateries, nothing earth shattering but this small little city has some nice pockets of urban renewal that give it as a close an experience to big city life. Obviously those who are looking for that will venture down interstate 94 to Chicago!

Upon checking into my hotel I asked the front desk staff where I could go that was in walking distance. There were two option each providing similar menus; The Chophouse and then Butch's. I was in the mood for something casual and frankly not too pricey as it was late and wanted a quick bite. My colleague was joining me as well who had already eaten and was going to just hang out and provide table side company while I chowed down. Butch's was the favored venue offering a laid back environment without the stuffiness of some of the more conventional old school steak houses and at bargain prices.

http://www.butchssteakhouse.com/

Walking up to the place you start to reconsider your selection! It appears run down and worn out with cheesy big writing on the outside of the building proclaiming it's world famous steaks and seafood. At this point I am committed. We get in and it definitely has character, rich wood bar, tables, and staff that look like they have been working here since the place was founded greet you. The bar is loaded with blue collar patrons that argue about the Brewers and Packers and know the staff well.

The waitress looks mean but is very sweet and walk you through the simple menu. The appetizer of choice is the cheese with marinara. They make their own cheese and roll it in house. The marinara is also made from scratch and is a house specialty.

The entree recommended by the staff is their steer filet. I did not know the difference between a filet and steer filet. It was defined to me by the waitress as corn fed, dry aged, organic beef. Well sure I guess is my first response, for the extra 10 bucks why not go all out! I ordered the 6 oz steer filet that came out topped with sauteed mushrooms and a baked potato with the fixings. The meat is pretty good, steak is tender and cooked to order.


Understanding that this is not a fancy joint and on the blue collar side it may not be for everyone. But if you want to mingle with locals, and have decent meal for a relatively cheap price, this is the place!


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After New York I took a quick detour to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin where I flew in and out for our sales meeting. This action-packed week has been fun but a little tiring. Nevertheless I was excited to meet up with my fellow co-workers...we always have a great time.

I flew in on Tuesday night and met some folks for dinner. My boss had a particular Mexican restaurant in mind which took some time to find it but it was worth it! The area of Milwaukee we were in was close to downtown and seems to be going through a fairly significant revitalization. There is a heavy Hispanic influence and therefore a lot of Mexican dining options.

Let me give you a little background on my experience with Mexican food. First, I have never really been a big fan of Mexican food. It's not something I can put my finger on, but for whatever reason it has just never really appealed to my palette the way other cuisines do. Recently, however, I'm finding out that maybe I've just been just eating at a lot of crappy Mexican joints! My boss was pretty adamant that this place was the bomb and anyone with that much conviction about a restaurant probably has just cause.

La Fuente is off the beaten path a little, very much a casual place with a good crowd of folks in the bar area and lots of diners. A full house is always a good sign! As is customary in a Mexican restaurant we were promptly served chips and salsa to munch on while we perused the menu. The chips are homemade, as is the salsa. I ordered an extra spicy salsa that I didn't think was very hot but mixed well with the regular salsa.

The menu had all the usual suspects. I have attached a link to their site for you to check it out for yourself: Click here.

I ordered a number five combination which came with a ground beef burrito, a chicken tostada, and chunky beef enchilada. These items were served with Mexican rice and re-fried beans.

Out came the platter and it looked pretty standard. Then I took a bite! The difference between this place and others was amazing. You can tell with one bite that the quality of ingredients used here are far superior to many other establishments. The meats are all seasoned to perfection, and I especially liked the chunky beef that was marinated, cooked and then baked for the enchilada. The cheeses used were not processed crap - very creamy and authentic. I polished down everything on my plate except the beans. I forgot to ask for black beans as I am not a fan of the re-fried stuff. Regardless, it was an absolutely fabulous meal that made my night!

With the high-quality ingredients and the prompt service one would expect a price tag just as high. Fortunately, their prices were as bargain basement as their food wasn't! I think they definitely bank on you downing some of their frozen margaritas to make up on the food costs. As you scan through the menu you will see the prices are great. Frankly, everything about this place is great. Next time you are in town check it out!