There was a time when I seldom ordered chicken in restaurants. A lighter departure is the sushi-grade tuna poke with toasted sesame and a crisp wonton ($15). Caramelized Brussels sprouts departs from its specter of healthiness thanks to the candied bacon and creamy garlic remoulade – a good, roasty-rich starter ($9). The evening menu will have a seasonal tone, with some staple items. Aria’s Cobb salad has some smart, delicious touches, too – pulled chicken, two earthy deviled eggs, peppery arugula and crisp baby cucumber. The best part of the madame is the Gruyère cheese crisp placed under the gooey knife-and-fork sandwich, adding a crunchy antithesis to the fried egg and respectably rich bechamel. We christened brunch with beignet-like pastries as tender as brioche and generously stuffed with a wonderful vanilla cream ($5 each), followed by the croque madame ($14) and roasted chicken Cobb salad ($15).
And so far, it fulfills that role rather well. But when your appetite doesn’t need a stylish fix, just a satisfying one, Aria fits the bill. Diners can dig into Neapolitan pies at Saint Kate’s Proof Pizza, tap and nitro cold brew coffee cocktails at The Bar, and sparkling wines at Giggly. The menus aim for accessibility and comfort (blueberry granola pancakes, Reuben sandwich, braised short ribs) with some elegant attention to plate presentation. Also drawing visual attention are photographer Lois Bielefeld’s realistic portraits of Milwaukee life.Ĭreative expression isn’t limited to picture frames. On my first visit, a leather banquette next to one of the room-dividing blond bookshelves served as my comfortable throne, in close view of Tom Berenz’s centerpiece-making painting, Picnic.
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