Walking into the beautiful setting on Eerie Street in the Third Ward, the place evokes innovative up north charm. The streamlined bar, with wicker short-backed bar stools and the comfy high backed grandmother chairs with short tree stumps as side tables beckon a modern cabin feel.

Write down all of the stereotypes and things you think you know about remarkable restaurants and connoisseur cuisine. Now crumble up that piece of paper, toss it in the trash and prepare to broaden your horizons.

In no way are you required to wear a suit jacket. In no way should you feel out of place wearing your jeans and t-shirt you bought at The House of Blues last year in the dining room. In no way should you get a headache thinking about what fork to use or what kind of wine to order…at Hinterland, nothing matters but the forward flavors and the arresting atmosphere.

Walking into the beautiful setting on Eerie Street in the Third Ward, the place evokes innovative up north charm. The streamlined bar, with wicker short-backed bar stools and the comfy high backed grandmother chairs with short tree stumps as side tables beckon a modern cabin feel. A bowl of seasonal fruit used for decoration in martini glasses as well as for eye-catching color, adorns the bar in a wooden bowl.

My dining companion and I called about a half and hour before our arrival just to make sure there would be enough room for two. When we arrived at the restaurant, sans reservation, our table was waiting for us with menus and chilled water.

For only being open three-weeks prior to our visit, the restaurant had a fair crowd. Our server told us they are choosing to go more by word of mouth than big banners and radio commercials. A classy and laid back approach—these are exactly the qualities the restaurant conveys.

Before restaurants were even in the picture for owners Bill and Michelle Tressler, they opened a brewery by the same name in Green Bay more than 10 years ago. Transferring their artisan micro-brews to tap in Milwaukee was a perfect fit.

We started off our meal with a small beer flight, recommended by beer enthusiast server, Nick, was astonishingly assertive in flavor. I could write another review entirely on the beer selection alone, which will piece more evenly together in part two of Hinterland’s review on their separate and more affordable (for the typical student budget) Lounge Menu.

After sipping up the rest of our beer aperitif, we got down to the business of ordering.

Navarino bison tenderloin capriccio ($12) was thin slices of raw beef served with sharp manchego cheese from Spain. The added saltiness of capers and trumpet royal mushrooms forced this cold appetizer to warm up my palette.

Our final appetizer was the Hinterland honey wheat dusted veal sweetbreads ($13). Sweetbreads are everything that actual bread is not. They are the pancreas glands of a small, less than one-year-old calf. If a sweetbread is cooked correctly, which they are often times not, they will immediately start to melt in your mouth. Better than chocolate, these savory glands were drizzled with chili oil and set on top of a cabbage and marcona almond puree. On the ever-changing menu, I hope the sweetbreads stay consistent. They were nothing less than extraordinary, Chef Kelly Cowley should be proud.

On to our entrees.

I ordered the Wood-fire grilled navarino elk tenderloin ($38). It came to the table a beautiful crimson of a medium rare. The slices of elk were astonishingly tender and when dragged across the butternut squash puree and tart cherry reduction that was drizzled thickly across the plate, my mouth exploded with autumnal flavors. The way Chef Kelly Qualley employed the pistachio and pickled cherry salad with the elk was a fabulous combination. Just when I thought that my night could not have gotten better, my dining companion ordered the Wood-fire grilled U.S.D.A. Certified Angus Beef hangar steak ($32). Again, gorgeously grilled to a perfect medium rare, placed on top of an intense pile of smoky blue cheese grits. The flavors of the meet and grits alone were enough to blow this place out of the ballpark. Then, next to the grits was one grilled gulf shrimp, in all its peachy-pink glory, with buttermilk fried onion and a perfect veal reduction for sliding any part of the meal through. These meals were beyond perfection and again, just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we ordered dessert.

I had to order the pumpkin bread pudding ($8), but as plain-jane as it sounds, there is no way this dessert could be replicated anywhere else. The flavors were outstanding; I can’t even compare it to anything, it is a muse all its own. Brown butter ice cream sat on top of the bread creation and was a perfect Au revoir to the dish.

My dining companion needed some persuasion from me to order the Apple dessert trio ($8). This three part dessert was the star of the evening. The lime green tart apple sorbet kicked my palette into high gear. The buzzing sourness of the sorbet was a true shock; it was nothing like I had ever tasted before. Made in house, hot brandy apple cider, came in a 2 oz glass and was a perfect apple sipper. The tart was not only tasty but a work of art.

As I sat in the back lounge of Hinterland, where the vibe is loud and records were spinning on the turntable, I was wondering, “Where have you been all of my life?” As I took the last sip of my oak cast Winter Brew, I couldn’t wait to come back and try the lounge menu. A more affordable and smaller menu that features Kobe beef sliders and fish tacos, all under $10.

Hinterland is a wonderful addition to Milwaukee, something everyone who loves dining out can take advantage of, no matter your income. Stay tuned next week for Part Two of Hinterland’s review.

A+

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