El Fuego

909 W. Layton Ave.

Milwaukee, WI 53221

Phone: (414) 455-3534

http://www.elfuegomke.com/

Hello everyone! We have changed it up a bit and dined at a Mexican Restaurant this time. This restaurant is a family favorite and it is called "El Fuego." El Fuego has a variety of traditional Mexican dishes, but it also has a few American classics such as burgers and sandwiches. This time around, we were able to have the Picky Eater and Busy Mom to join the Young Hipster and Empty Nester for lunch.

The Young Hipster

Above is the Chicken Tamales. All entrees are served with rice and beans. The Chicken tamales are homemade in their kitchen and steamed. If you aren't scared to try a traditional favorite, this is definitely a great dish to try! Its warm and the chicken is a nice surprise inside. I love to add a little guacamole, sour cream, and salsa to add a little extra flavor. The best part was that this was only $6.95.

The Empty Nester

The Mini Combo (Chicken Enchilada with a chicken taco) for $7.95.

This dish was a very flavorful cheesy goodness. The chicken was seasoned very well and juicy. 

The Busy Mom

The Combination Platter #3 (Taco, Tamale, and Chile Relleno con queso) for $14.95

The Busy Mom typically gets an enchilada on the side. This restaurant allows her to get a filling meal for herself and it caters to the needs of her Picky Eater.

Our little Picky Eater opted for french fries. That is her typical food of choice along with tortilla chips. Thankfully, the servers keep the tortilla chips and salsa replenished throughout the night.

If you are looking for authentic Mexican fare, we would suggest checking out El Fuego!

Cafe Perrin

5901 W. Vliet Street

Milwaukee, WI 53205

http://cafeperrin.com/menu/

The Young Hipster and the Empty Nester are back to report on another restaurant gem. Cafe Perrin is a quaint place that reminds you of being in the comfort of your own kitchen or dining room. There is art on the walls and its an open concept. One of the things that we loved about this restaurant is that it uses locally sourced ingredients on there menu. Their burgers are made with grass fed beef and they utilize locally sourced dairy products. This is also a great place for individuals who live a Gluten-free lifestyle because they offer gluten-free options with a lot of their items on the menu.

The Empty Nester's " Gourmet Grilled Cheese" with homemade potato chips

The Young Hipster's Gourmet Grilled Cheese with pasta salad

Now lets get down to how the food tastes. It was great! It's amazing how you can take something as simple as a grilled cheese sandwich and make it gourmet. We loved this idea so much that we both ordered it. At Cafe Perrin, they take Gouda, Goat, and White cheddar cheeses along with avocado, bacon, tomato, and red onion and put it in between fresh asiago-cheddar bread. It's warm and gooey with a nice crunch from the bread. The chips are crunchy with a flavorful seasoning and the balsamic pasta salad adds a fresh touch to the dish.

Please feel free to check out this cozy cafe!

Foodie Fridays

Every Friday we will have post our favorite homemade dishes.

Korean Beef Tacos with Pickled Onions, Broccoli Slaw, and Cucumbers (optional)

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Fennel, Pears, and Shaved Parmesan cheese dressed with a Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

Smoke Shack

332 N. Milwaukee St.

Milwaukee, WI 53202

I am happy to say that this is our very first post for "Savory Chat" and we could not have started off with a better restaurant. If you are ever in the mood for a laid back scene with Blues playing in the background, an intimate family style atmosphere, and good BBQ, then the "Smoke Shack" is the place for you.

This evening, the "Empty-Nester" and the "Hipster" will be reporting about what we ordered and what we liked most.

I represent the "Hipster" diner who is looking for good food at a reasonable price. Above is a picture shown of the "Carolina Pulled Pork" sandwich that I ordered. You get a choice of either kettle chips or sweet potato fries with all of the sandwiches that they offer. In this case, I ordered the sweet potato fries. I must say, this sandwich was one of the BEST pulled pork sandwiches that I ever had! To keep up with the "Carolina" theme, I added the "Carolina" mustard-vinegar sauce, mixed with the House BBQ sauce to add a nice zing to the sandwich. The pork was tender and moist, the bun was fresh, and they are generous with portions. You can choose to add slaw on the sandwich to truly have it Carolina style, but I opted out in this case. I received all of this for only $11.50.

I finished dinner off with a dessert of course! Who could resist this gooey treat. Above is the "Bourbon Praline Cake" made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon. It's the perfect mini cake with a little spice with a Bourbon and Pecan caramel sauce drizzled on top. It's a great way to end the meal and it didn't break the bank. It was worth the $7.50.

This is the "Empty Nester" reporting on this lovely feast pictured above. I had the Rib Tips on a bed of Homemade kettle chips and a side of the "Cheesy Mac and Cheese". I added a "Memphis Iced Tea" for my beverage. The rib tips come fresh off the smoker at 5:00 pm and are available until they are all gone. The appetizer was only $9.25. The Mac and Cheese was $4.50 and the Iced Tea was $8.50. The rib tips were succulent, tender, and packed with flavor. I added the "Memphis" BBQ sauce to the rib tips, which took it to another level! The Mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy with a nice crunch on top. All of this was washed down with a tasty "Memphis Iced Tea" that had a hit of Bourbon. It was a great meal, worth the price!

We enjoyed ourselves at the "Smoke Shack" tonight. They catered to all kinds of diners including Vegetarians. Everyone can come and enjoy a good home cooked meal in a hip and cozy environment.

To view the menu, go to http://smoke-shack.com/  and for further inquiries, just call (414) 431-1119.