Top 30!

So the phone rings the other day and I see on the caller ID that it's the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel. I think to myself it's either going to be someone selling something or the food critic. As soon as the person on the other end started talking I new it wasn't an intern working the phone banks. I immediately became nervous. She quickly informed me that we made Milwaukee's Top 30 Restaurant list. I took a breath and relaxed, then I got real happy. It's been ten years since we've opened. It's been ten years of cussing under my breath when that list came out. The late great Dennis Getto, former critic at the Journal gave us a "worth the drive" blurb in conjunction with the top 30 once but it's not the same. He also gave us 3.5 stars out of 4. We were certainly worthy but I always felt that they may have considered us a Racine restaurant and not a Milwaukee restaurant, despite being only 30 easy minutes from downtown Milwaukee. (The route I take doesn't contain a single traffic light between downtown and the restaurant) So when Carol Deptolla informed me that we made the list it was a big deal. It means a lot to Patrice and I. I thank her for her insight-fullness and grasp of what dining is all about. Her intro to the piece was if I wrote it.

I'd like to give the staff credit for their professionalism, patience and perseverance. They make this restaurant what it is. Whether they believe it or not, I love those guys.

This 9/11 is a bitter sweet day.

To my fallen brothers....."I'll see you at the big one."