Uncle Wolfie’s is now open on weekend nights for Nite Wolf ramen concept
When you head to Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern, 234 E. Vine St., you typically think breezy mornings or afternoons spent with cozy brunch dishes, but a new concept has opened Uncle Wolfie’s doors to evening diners.
The Nite Wolf, its new evening concept, serves ramen and other Japanese-inspired dishes every Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. The bar is open during dine-in hours, too, serving signature cocktails.
The Nite Wolf is the brainchild of Executive Chef Elijah Loebbaka, a Milwaukee service-industry veteran who has worked in kitchens such as Lake Park Bistro, Morel, Ardent, Third Coast Provisions and most recently Uncle Wolfie’s Breakfast Tavern.
Diners got a sneak preview of the Nite Wolf at a handful of pop-up ramen dinners hosted at Uncle Wolfie’s since November. But now, the full menu is available every weekend — with a few more evenings of service likely to be added by summer.
Loebbaka has created a menu built around his Japanese roots, split simply into two categories: “ramen” and “not ramen.” Easy enough!
On the ramen menu are three types of brothy ramen: miso (chashu pork belly, naruto, menma, scallion, nori, ajitama, miso tare and chicken fat — $21), shoyu (chashu pork belly, menma, scallion, ajitama, nori, fried red onion, naruto, shoyu tare and chicken fat — $19), and a vegetarian mushroom option (black garlic mushroom broth, shiitake mushrooms, beech mushrooms, ajitama, scallion, nori, yuzu and mayu — $21). The shoyu and mushroom ramen can be made gluten-free and the mushroom ramen can also be made vegan.
A brothless ramen is also available: a spicy tantanmen ramen with sesame tare, pork soboro, housemade chili oil, cilantro, scallion, crispy shallots, dashi poached bok choy, house-made spice blend and a soy cured egg yolk ($20).
On the “not ramen” menu is a marinated cucumber salad with shiro dashi and chili oil ($9); a “yamazaki” egg, which is a giant dumpling with pork gyoza filling and aged dumpling sauce ($10); a chasu rice bowl with pork belly topped with egg yolk and scallion ($12); and a side order of koshihikari rice ($3).
Diners are encouraged to make reservations online ( exploretock.com/unclewolfies), but walk-ins are welcome.