Restaurants such as Braise add food trucks
Food trucks aren't just for new businesses. Established restaurants have been adding food trucks for their flexibility, which has been an asset in the pandemic.
The newest is Braise on the Boulevard, an outgrowth of Braise the restaurant, 1101 S. Second St.
The big orange truck has hit the streets twice since the beginning of December. Its next appearance is 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Gathering Place Brewing, 811 E. Vienna Ave. in Riverwest.
The Gathering Place appearance Saturday coincides with the brewery's last canned-beer release of the year: Oracle of Hipsters, a dry-hopped lager, and Brother Rowland, a Nordic dubbel style.
Braise on the Boulevard serves a changing street food menu based on international cuisines. Some items for sale Saturday at the truck will be familiar to restaurant customers — humba, the Filipino braised pork dish with rice and pickled vegetable slaw, and steamed pork buns.
Other dishes Saturday will be chicken pozole verde, beef short rib sandwich with horseradish aioli and hot giardiniera, and coconut curry dal with winter squash. Prices range from $4 for a steamed bun to $12 for the beef sandwich.
David Swanson, the founder of Braise, said he originally intended to use the truck for catered events and the destination farm dinners that Braise has held for years in the summer and fall.
“Now with COVID, it's forced us to be a little more of a year-round thing,” he said.
The colder weather doesn't seem to deter customers; the truck sold out of food at its debut. “It exceeded our expectations,” Swanson said.
He had decided in April that the truck would be part of the restaurant's plans to help get it through the pandemic, along with the domes and greenhouses on the restaurant's rooftop patio and the awning over its sidewalk seating.
Originally expected to be ready in August for a September launch, the truck took until recently to be completed. Heating, ventilation and cooling parts were delayed because of the pandemic, Swanson said.
Rather than parking streetside daily, the truck will appear for events and collaborations with bars and taprooms. So, Braise on the Boulevard doesn't have a set schedule, but diners can watch for announcements by Braise on Instagram and Facebook.
Another restaurant that added a food truck this year is Le Rêve Patisserie and Cafe, 7610 Harwood Ave. in Wauwatosa.
Petit Le Rêve also is used for catering, but it frequently can be found on weekends a few steps away from the restaurant at Root Common Park. It will be there from 5 to 8 p.m. this Friday and Saturday.
It's typically at the park Thursdays through Saturdays unless it has catering commitments. (Petit Le Rêve will be closed next week because of Christmas.)
Recently, the truck was away to serve at a family Christmas party, where it was parked in the driveway; a business reserved it for an employee holiday party.
Le Rêve co-owner Andrew Schneider said the restaurant acquired the truck in summer “to feel our way through COVID.”
“It's a good option for people, where they have minimal contact,” he said.
Customers can order at the truck or, for quicker pickup, order ahead online at
The truck sells items such as the Frenchie burger (with Gruyere, arugula and black pepper aioli), sandwiches such as chicken Cordon Blue, and tomato, brie and pesto on baguette, kale salad, frites and sweets such as brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Prices range from $2 for a cookie to $9.50 for the chicken sandwich, although specials might be more.
“We wanted to keep the brand the same, just more casual and more comfort food-y,” Schneider said.
The truck also sells packaged beer and wine to take home, as well as batch cocktails.
In the coming months, Schneider plans to collaborate with chefs around Milwaukee for special menus at the truck. Keep an eye on Le Reve's Facebook and Instagram for announcements.
Bakers Against Racism sale
Bakers Against Racism is having an online holiday bake sale — think items like sea salt and vanilla bean shortbread, chocolate-almond bear claw, caramel-stuffed miso snickerdoodles and 20 or so more — so people can eat well and do good at the same time.
It's Holy Serpent collective and MKE Bakers together, and all proceeds go to Niche Book Bar, the start-up Black-owned bookstore on wheels, and Love on Black Women, a grass-roots fund that provides support to Black women in Milwaukee.
The bakers include chefs from Bavette, Goodkind, Hot Knife, Dairyland, SmallPie and more.
To order, go to
The online store is open until Friday, unless it sells out. Pickup is Saturday at Muza Church art studio in South Milwaukee and Sunday at Goodkind in Bay View; details for pickup will appear when ordering.