Before you get in the car and head for West Allis, there are two things you should know about SteakHouse 100.
First, unlike its predecessor, it's not on Highway 100. Look for it on the northeast corner of S. 73rd St. and Greenfield Ave.
Second, steaks aren't the only great things served here. The Pan-Fried Walleye Pike ($12.95) and Baby Back Pork Ribs ($19.95) are good enough to warrant a special trip to West Allis.
That's getting a little ahead of things. Here's some steakhouse history.
In the late 1980s, Tom Miller took over as sole owner of SteakHouse 100, a restaurant that took its name from its location at Highway 100 and Greenfield Ave. Five years ago, he opened a second restaurant by the same name in Oconomowoc.
His old West Allis restaurant was razed to make room for new construction, and business at the Oconomowoc location became so spotty that Miller turned that restaurant into a banquet facility, he said.
About two years ago, he took a liking to a property on Greenfield Ave. formerly occupied by a sports bar called CW's. That is now SteakHouse 100, where Miller spends a good deal of time in the kitchen cooking, with help from chef Joe Castro. Miller's goal is to serve good steaks, chops and fish at reasonable prices in a pleasant atmosphere.
Judging from two recent dinner visits, he has accomplished his goal nicely.
One of the first things I liked about SteakHouse 100 is the feeling of openness that comes from large windows lining the dining room's west and south sides. Even on a dark winter evening, a steady flow of traffic gives the place a pleasant bustle. It's a little like going downtown without having to fight for a parking spot.
The tables are covered with white cloths and the walls hold pictures of hunting dogs. I could have done without the paper Valentines suspended from the ceiling.
While steaks and chops are house specialties, the restaurant's menu reaches wider. In addition to a fresh fish special every day, six seafood entrees and rotisserie chicken are available.
On my first visit, I checked out the meat department and started at the top of the menu with a 10-ounce Steer Filet Mignon ($21.95; a 5-ounce is available for $16.95).
I had eaten steaks at both SteakHouse 100s in the past and found them better than average. But this filet was one to remember, delivering steady flavor and tenderness from one crispy side crust to the other. Ordered medium, its center was the perfect warm pink that it should have been.
Despite the perfection of the filet, I couldn't help asking my companion for sample after sample of her pork chops. The two 11/2-inch-thick chops had a slightly smoky, autumn-like flavor of fire and a tender, moist interior. Taking a pork chop to that perfect point of doneness without overcooking is a challenge for any chef, especially since pork these days has so much less fat than it did in the past.
At the end of that first dinner, I told our server that I planned another visit and asked if she had any recommendations about the seafood.
"The walleye is wonderful," she said. "Just be sure to order it pan-fried."
We took that advice on the next visit and also ordered Broiled Whitefish ($12.95). Both were as good as the meats.
Two walleye filets had been evenly battered and fried to a perfect golden brown. Beneath that crust lay sweet, moist fish that tasted as if it had just been pulled from the water.
The whitefish was just as impressive. Most of the time when I order this fish, I have to remove the skin and scrape the strong-tasting dark meat from the filet before I eat it. (It's easily done with a spoon). But this whitefish needed no scraping, and was far fresher than most I've eaten around the Great Lakes.
Expertly delivered little details accompanied the entrees.
Both dinners started with freshly baked bread served hot from the oven. I just wish it hadn't been wrapped in a paper napkin.Soups and salads scored equally high marks. The house specialty soup is Five-Bean, a thick, hammy creation so filled with beans and vegetables that, with the bread beside it, could have passed for a light lunch. Chicken Minestrone was just as hearty with rotini noodles, carrots, onions, celery and beans. Salads were attractive mixes of field greens with tomatoes, red cabbage and cucumbers.
Side dishes weren't as strong. Pasta was available with garlic butter or marinara sauce, and the butter was better. The marinara sauce had an unpleasant tart taste.
For appetizers, Pork Riblets did a great job of piquing my appetite. Available in quarter-, half- and 1-pound servings ($4.95, $8.95, and $16.95), they had a flavor that could have only come from time in a smoker and were slathered with a slightly spicy, slightly sweet sauce.
They made me want to head back to SteakHouse 100 just to order a full rack ($19.95) or to at least nibble my way through another half-pound of riblets.
Scungilli ($5.95) was another treat. It started with cooked, canned conch meat livened up by Italian spices and a marinade made with dark balsamic vinegar. The marinade was so good that I used still-warm bread from the basket to soak up the last few drops of it.
Most of the desserts at SteakHouse 100 are cheesecake, and I listened carefully for something out of the ordinary. Caramel Pecan Cheesecake ($3.25) sounded good - and it was.
Service at both meals was very good, and I appreciated our server's willingness to make suggestions. If it hadn't been for her, I probably would have ordered another steak instead of that great walleye.
But considering how good that first steer filet was, that would have been just fine with me.
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