When chef/owner
John Chitko opened Yaffa two years ago, he redefined the experience of
Mediterranean dining in Milwaukee. The overall concept wasn’t new, but
Yaffa made it different by focusing on Middle Eastern and Moroccan
dishes, with a few touches from Europe.
The restaurant, which
occupies a choice spot on the RiverWalk, is close to the Bradley Center
and several Downtown theaters. The interior remains as welcoming as
ever. I prefer the front dining room, where roomy chairs, the warm glow
of the fireplace and Moroccan light fixtures create a soothing
ambiance.
But while the lounge remains the same, the menu has
seen major changes. The first came when lunches were dropped. This
meant the disappearance of an exceptional shawarma sandwich prepared
with arugula.
The
Yaffa veggie platter is also gone; the hummus, with its inspired touch
of preserved lemon, is sorely missed. Vegetarians are now limited to
one entree, and the four Moroccan tagines have also been reduced to
one. New items have been introduced in their place, including seared
duck breast, scallops and even Kobe beef. As such, prices are
noticeably higher.
A basket of pita bread begins the meal.
Accompaniments may include a fine hummus, some herbed olive oil and a
small dish of assorted olives. The pita comes with a dusting of zaatar,
a Lebanese spice blend, but the bread is not of the same quality as
before.
Appetizers such as harissa shrimp and a Spanish cheese plate call out
to be sampled, but it is creative items like the bacon-wrapped stuffed
dates ($10) that make Yaffa so interesting. A half-dozen medjool dates
are stuffed with cabrales, a Spanish cheese with pungent flavor. They
are wrapped in bacon and then skewered with bamboo. The bacon is
quickly cooked, just enough to melt the cheese. A roasted beet salad
($7) is a simpler affair, featuring diced and roasted beets with a few
field greens and pistachios in a gentle balsamic thyme vinaigrette. A
sprinkling of crumbled goat cheese provides a Mediterranean touch.
Entrees
include a rack of lamb, Moroccan chicken, bouillabaisse and even
moussaka. Then there is the duck breast ($24), cooked to order (on the
rare side, please) and served in slices with just a thin layer of skin
and fat—a succulent pleasure. It’s accompanied by polenta cake topped
with sauteed Swiss chard and a smaller quantity of fennel.
There’s
also a sherry duck demi sauce, which is rich and should be used
sparingly. The Mediterranean touch comes from the halved figs that
sweeten the demi sauce. The sole vegetarian entree is a novel one:
Mediterranean spiced tofu ($19). A slice of tofu is served over
zaalouk, a Moroccan blend of spiced eggplant, bell peppers and tomato.
Added to this blend are whole fried okra and fingerling potatoes that
are slowly cooked to perfect tenderness and topped with cilantro pesto,
which brings the crunchy texture of pine nuts. The tofu remains calmly
in the background, a platform for this interplay of flavors. The
attractive presentation helps to justify the price. The wine list
meanders though the northern side of the Mediterranean with side trips
to Australia, California and Chile. All but a few of the most expensive
bottles are also served by the glass.
While much of the
original menu is missed, Yaffa remains one of Milwaukee’s best
restaurants. John Chitko is on a par with the very best chefs in this
city, and he knows the foods of the Mediterranean very well. So sit
back, relax and enjoy a contemporary meal that does not slavishly
follow national trends.
YAFFA LOUNGE
106 W. Wells St.
Photos by Jessica Kaminski
Buffy
*/?>
