Restaurant Review of Beans and Barley in Milwaukee
2 07 2007
I went up to Milwaukee last weekend with some friends to see some bands at the Cactus Club — White Savage, Magas, and The Mistreaters — and on our way back to Chicago the next day, hungover and starving, my friends and I stopped to get some food at Beans and Barley.
The cafe and market is located on 1901 E. North Avenue, and on that Saturday, there appeared to be something like a farmer’s market out front, although since there was an unlistenable, Sheryl Crow jam going on, we didn’t investigate the outdoor activities further.
The cafe side of Beans and Barley was open and very sunny, with the walls covered in pleasant, colorful landscapes and paintings of vegetables. Although there was a fifteen minute wait for a table, it was definitely worth it.
The menu was full of amazing sounding, and amazingly affordable vegetarian options like an artichoke parmesean dip, a vegetable stir fry, a walnut burger made of walnuts and cheese, and a tofu scrambler, just to name a few. Meat lovers of the world need not be afraid though, as there were plenty of other options like the baked turkey sandwich, the cajun chicken sandwich, and the option to add shrimp, salmon or a grilled chicken breast to any salad.
I ordered the tempeh reuben, which was a delectable medley of tempeh strips, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. As a huge fan of corned beef or turkey reubens, I was skeptical that I’d find satisfaction with a vegetarian version of one of my favorite sandwiches, but satisfied I was. The sandwich also came with a tasty side that appeared to be made of lentils, risotto, feta and tomatoes.
Two of my friends ordered the black bean quesodillas, which I must admit I was slightly disappointed by, although the tahini sauce they got for dipping their chips was delicious.
The place was packed, and we’d gotten so much food that we didn’t mind that our waitress forgot to deliver the blueberry smoothie we’d ordered, as the coffee cake served with jelly and butter did magic for our sweet tooths. Sweet tooths? Sweet teeth? Whatever.
All in all, I’d highly recommend Beans and Barley to anyone looking for cheap, delicous, and fresh vegetarian fare!
Pros:
Vegetarian/Vegan/Omnivore friendly
Affordable
Fresh
Good quality food
Nice staff
Has a market and deli under the same roof as the restaurant
Cons:
Got really, really busy on a Saturday afternoon, service declined a little as waitresses got overwhelmed
Website:
http://beansandbarley.com
