Pastiche Bistro and Wine Bar in Bay View will be closing its 3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. location and opening a larger downtown Milwaukee restaurant beginning in September 2016.
Chef and owner Mike Engel explained the decision in a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page, saying a lease for the downtown space has been signed that “will provide us with a larger venue that will accommodate a greater number of folks who wish to eat lunch and dinner.”
“We truly hate to have to go, as we’ve all developed such good friendships with everyone in our neighborhood and have always valued their support and best efforts to insure our success,” the post says.
The post did not disclose a location for the new downtown restaurant.
“I want to be very clear, though, in letting everyone know that Alderman Tony Zielinski has worked very diligently to keep Pastiche in Bay View. He’s connected me to other developers and locations, and has also called me to express his unhappiness upon hearing we were relocating. We’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with Tony, and he’s a great and passionate booster for this area.”
The post also discussed plans for a second location in Brown Deer that will just be called “Pastiche.”
“It’ll be less of a bistro and a little more country French in feel, with roughly the same menu as we have here in Bay View,” the post said.
That location could open as soon as February.
In an email to BizTimes, Engel said there wasn’t much he could disclose beyond what he included in the post. He did note that Chef Rachael Karr would have more input and that the menu and wine offerings would evolve according to what guests are asking for.
Engel added that Karr would be a partner and co-owner of the new restaurant, describing her as “a very talented, hardworking chef who has dedicated the last seven or eight years to honing her skills.”
“I felt that it was appropriate to bring her on in that capacity to not only thank her for everything she does to make us a success, but also, in a more big-picture way, to show other young cooks and chefs that if they are dedicated to becoming the best, and they work hard, they can achieve anything they set their sights on,” Engel wrote.
He said Angela Piskur would be stepping back from front-of-the-house duties to concentrate on producing breads and desserts for both restaurants. She will also be working on transferring the feel of the original restaurant to the new locations.
“She’s the one primarily responsible for the look and warm appeal of the restaurant, and is working very hard on the decor for the new places to make them evoke the feel of the original, yet be apropos for their very different locations,” Engel said. “It’s a real challenge, but so far she’s not only coming up with some great ideas, she’s also within our budget.”
He added that his sons Andrew, Nick and Robert, and Piskur’s son Frank would also be working on the transition.
“We’re all very excited about it, and even though we know that the next eight months will go fast, and we’re very sad to have to leave Bay View, the move is necessary to continue growing and serving the community,” he said.
