Pastiche Bistro

Really good food here at Pastiche. We were lucky enough to experience the place before they move to the Metro. Also it was the last Tapas Tuesday so truly a delight.
The atmosphere was inviting and stepping in you quickly realized your not on Kinnickinnic anymore, even though you are. Felt like a French Bistro. Very quaint and relaxing.
Food was phenomenal. I was very impressed. Every plate brought out had a ton of love put into it. It was our anniversary so we were looking for that special dinner that we wouldn’t forget. Well we found it. Pastiche didn’t disappoint, not even a little bit.
Favorite small plates included:
Pan Seared Scallops with orange-​pernod gastrique served on a bed of what I’ll deem the BEST risotto I’ve ever had. Saffron Risotto! Wowzers!
Roasted Duck Breast! Damn! I don’t think I’ve had a better duck anywhere. Seasoned to perfection and tender as all get out! Double Wowzers!
New york Strip grilled medium rare, you had me at rare with a giant prawn grilled and a bearnaise sauce! I ordered 2 of these.
Now we had a few other items as well but those were the stars of the show. What a memorable evening we had for our anniversary. Great atmosphere and superb food! Pastiche I hope your move to Metro proves to be a good one. Can’t wait to eat here again.

Used another city tin!
We really enjoyed the escargot that we had hear and the two drinks. We love sitting at the bar when we try new restaurants and this was no different. The bartender was very kind and service was fast.
I really didn’t expect it to be so high end being that it is in Bayview so we did feel a little under dressed.
Things I didn’t like: the fake flowers and we had a clear view of where the waitstaff congregates, it was obvious they were gossiping about customers and maybe other employees, made us uncomfortable so we only stayed for an app.
All the other food I saw people eating looked fabulous so maybe some day we will give it another try.

Pastiche is a family run Bistro and Wine bar in Bayview, Milwaukee. The restaurant and bar are at street level and upstairs there is a retail wine store in which you can relax and have a drink of wine before dinner.
The ambience of the restaurant is very nice and reminiscent of the french bistros which it is trying to imitate.
The food is excellent and the service was very good too. We were there on a Friday so the Halibut special was the choice of two of our group while the others had the Arctic Char special and the rack of lamb. All of the food was delicious and very well presented at the table.
The wine list is good too and we sampled an excellent Oregon Pinot Noir to accompany dinner.
This was a very enjoyable experience, although the price was exactly what you might expect for this kind of restaurant — higher than average but not over priced. I recommend
a visit, especially since they are moving to a downtown Milwaukee location later in 2016. i hope the move to a place that can accommodate 3 times the customers does not result in a loss of ambiance and quality.

Last night my fiancé and went to Pastiche for the first time to celebrate our engagement, it was our first time there and we had heard nothing but good things. Obviously short staffed our server, John, and his co-​associate were absolutely phenomenal. Being in the service industry we really appreciate great service and under the circumstances we can’t say enough good things about them. The food was wonderful as well, great place!

We had a lovely dinner – thanks in no small part to Jon, waiter supreme –and recommend the lamb (omnivorous him) and scallops (pescetarian me). Great service, not too loud, and a great date night spot that’s upscale without totally breaking the bank. Intimate setting and a menu worth coming back to. We’ll be bank.

So glad I came across this place while stopping in Milwaukee. The glass pour wine list was acceptable. Plate portions were perfect. Had the seared foie gras, mussels and a beet salad with breaded goat cheese. Excellent service — for the quality of food prices were exceptional.
Will definitely try to come back on tapas Tuesday.

Pastiche Bistro is a charming little french restaurant located in Bayview with wonderful service and great dishes. This place is THE restaurant for the perfect romantic dinner! It has everything from an intimate atmosphere to cloth napkins to low lighting with candles at every table.
My boyfriend and I went here on their Tappas Tuesday night and were pleasantly surprised. Each tappa was priced decently well and their wine list was quite extensive. We loved every dish we ordered, although some more than others. I would suggest staying away from the cheese plates, since I felt as if I could prepare it just as well at home (even though it was still delicious). The salmon and shrimp dish was cooked to perfection, while our pastry dish was fluffy and filled with the perfect amount of ingredients.
LEAVE ROOM FOR DESERT! The chocolate ganache cake was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had! It haunts my dreams. We will definitely have to go back for their regular menu soon.

What’s wrong with Pastiche? I’ve tried hard and can’t come up with anything. I started by coming in and having a glass of wine after work. The staff is nothing less than professional, friendly and attentive. Then, I discovered the wine bar upstairs. Danielle knows her wines and is very patient.
Tonight, I ate at Pastiche for the first time (mind you, only «Tapas Tuesdays,» not the main menu.) I had the oysters (amazing), the arugala salad, the pork tenderloins and the baked salami.
…yeah…I overate. Don’t judge!!!
Everything was awesome. If I had to pick the pork was the best. Perfectly cooked, including the risotto. Again, the staff was perfect. And, it feels genuine, not the lower-​end «I like you but I don’t» staff you get in so many other places.
It’s a cozy, warm interior space. Bring friends or your significant other.
If you haven’t been to Pastiche, get there. Now.

Fantastic. The meal was universally loved at my table, including by my fastidious father in law. I had the venison which was better than I had anticipated. Not too gamey. Mike clearly knows what he’s doing in the kitchen.
The service was friendly and conscientious. Jeff was knowledgeable about the menu and provided helpful recommendations for both food and wine.

I came on a Monday with a friend. We ordered the mussels, coq au vin, and beef filet. The food was delicious, the ambiance was nice, and our server was attentive. It’s hard to find a quality French restaurant that is reasonably priced but Pastiche fits the bill. I’m definitely planning on going back.

Sometimes I feel like I optimize the ugly american.
For starters, as a person who took an embarrassingly large amount of French classes in school, I really would be hard pressed to converse with you in French. (Except to tell you to close the window… some things you never forget.). And while dining at Pastiche the other night, my attempts at holding the escargot shells with those forcep implements had all the grace of the scene in the Blues Brothers where Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi visit an old friend («we’re putting the band back together!») at the fancy restaurant where he’s Maitre’d. There was a splash of butter, the clamp awkwardly closing, a hop skip across the table of that pretty shell, and well, then more butter. Thankfully I always wear black.
But the parle-​ing problem and snail snarfu aside… I really enjoyed my meal here! It’s homey in a French country sort of way, but leisurely paced and just fancy enough to feel slightly «more» than many restaurants in the 414. Yes, it’s a little bit pricey, yes a little slower paced (I’m sometimes horribly impatient.). But it’s definitely memorable and the food outstanding
Here’s a run down of what I mange-​d:
–amuse bouche of olives and blanched almonds (oh, almonds, where are you around 10am while I’m in snack mode at my computer?)
–a great dry red wine for $ 6/glass…and I don’t usually like dry red wine
–those snails
–perfect not too salty French onion soup
–crusty baguette bread and rustic whole wheat rolls with the best butter
–coq au vin. The bird was spectacular… I’m speechless thinking about it. If you can’t decide… This is a winner.
–a tiny (but seemingly never ending) strawberry n crème pot de crème, served with an orange Madeline, berries, and whipped cream.
Now, this IS a place for which I’d recommend making reservations… it was pretty filled on a random Sunday, mainly with parties who’d made a reso.
They also have a cute little bar… week days 4−6pm apps and wine by the glass is ½ off (per the bottom of the receipt.)
Bön appetit! (And ferme la fenetre, s’il vous plait!)

Food was very good from appetizer, soup, salad, entrée and dessert. And you have to try snails/​escargots. They taste sort of like oysters. Coq au vin was out of this world.
Ratatouille was very nice– (no meat). Went in late October and the asparagus was quite good and perfectly cooked. Went very nicely with the halibut and prawn. French onion soup was good, and not too salty as it sometimes is. Pastiche salad was tasty and refreshing– nice dressing and included berries and nuts.
Pot au crème was delicious– homemade of course and not too sweet.
Nice selection of wines– the two our table got were quite good.
Server was very helpful and prompt.
Nice atmosphere; the place is not that big– not much noise so easy to talk at table. Chairs are not padded but comfortable for wood.
Suggest making reservations. Only one empty table at 530pm on a Sunday. Was told all food is fresh, it sure seemed to be, and that toward the end of evening they may run out of items.
While not inexpensive, a la carte — was quite reasonable for quality and what is offered. I would go back and can recommend it.

My friends decided to take me to a «Tapas Tuesday» in the Bay View area for my birthday. The two locations we decided on were Pastiche and Odd Duck — both places I had never been before and both I was VERY interested in trying — especially considering their placement in Carol Deptolla’s Top 30 for 2015. I will generally reserve writing a review after more than one visit — but considering their accolades — I feel justified in doing so after one visit.
We showed up a little later at Pastiche as we started with Odd Duck and I must say that I was less than impressed. Overall, the atmosphere was nice. A small, quaint location with a nice setting. We ordered several «tapas» from their special Tuesday menu and also several drinks.
From the onset we felt rushed. The server explained that they were out of several of the tapas and we’d have to suffice with what was left — which didn’t seem to be a problem. Instead of staggering our food — they brought all of the tapas at once which made it difficult to enjoy (7 tapas, 2 of each = 14 plates of food on 3 tiny tables… all at once). We had the Grilled Salmon which was a nice portion — but came out luke warm with a flavorless risotto. The Grilled Confit Pork Belly was again a nice portion — but lacked any substantial flavor. The Grilled Lamb Chops were by far the best that were available — flavorful, tender and cooked very well. The Baked Salami was more or less a giant pile of cheese with slices of Salami, etc. embedded within the layers — after one bite — it was just too thick and chewy to really enjoy. The Crab Cake which everyone was excited to try was very bland and also dry and overcooked. The Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding was forgettable and not very appetizing and lastly the Apple Slaw was at best — ok. I will say — the desserts were excellent.
Overall, I was pretty disappointed in the food and service. After spending $ 300 — we had hoped there would have been something that called for us to come back — but in the end — there wasn’t. I am pretty sure that if it were available on a Tuesday — their regular menu would have been a better option and I might consider returning — but definitely not on a Tuesday.
The other thing that also irks me about this place is the «auto-​tip» that they put on your bill. This frustrates me at any establishment wherein they are not confident in their service/​food enough that they have to force a gratuity on the bill. Generally, I’ll tip 20−25% (regardless of the service as I have worked in the industry for years and know how important tips are to a server) — but when forced to pay a minimum — I’ll pass every time at an increase… I guess when you have a minimum tip enforced at a place — you also get minimum service — as was the case.

Point blank: Spend your dignified dollars somewhere else. I would give the place 0 stars if I could purely based on how rude and arrogant the restaurant owner is. What a pity for a otherwise charming restaurant. I live in San Francisco, I’ve dined in some of the best restaurants in the world. I went out of my way to come to Pastiche based on a previous experience. Never again.

Every time I go the presentation makes my heart flutter and the deep dynamic flavors make me take grateful bites. From chicken to rabbit to the magical variations on the rich, creamy and not cloyingly sweet Pot de Crème (which is as close as we are going to get to a pot of gold), Pastiche impresses with service that is as attentive to your place setting as your palate.

Pastiche has an extensive menu of French classics. The coq au vin and casolette are full of meat and very flavorful though the chicken in some cases was a bit dry. The Pastiche salad was tasty with a wide range of ingredients like nuts which made for a good salad. The entrees were all good and reasonably priced. We even tried a couple desserts like the pot du crème — which was like fudge in a bowl — wow! The server did a nice job with our group of six. No wonder my siblings who live in Milwaukee often return to this place.

The two stars is an average between their food and their service.
It really is a shame that they strongly recommend you have a reservation yet when I tried to call for one this Friday, the woman on the phone rudely sighed (yes– I actually heard your frustrated emission) huffed and then threw me a time. Really? I cordially thanked her and said I would call back. Then I promptly took my business elsewhere.
I was there about one year ago and had the Ratatouille. At that time we had no reservations, sat at the bar and the service there was great! Even then, the hostess had an ill disposition however, I brushed it off in the spirit of trying something new and celebrating the end of a long work week. For the food I would say it was a 4 star.
Of course the food being what it is and them being popular probably makes my little experience and the lack of my patronage insignificant to them.
You be the judge. I hope they read this and actually do something about it so that others can enjoy the food without being roughed-​up. Personally, I don’t believe any food regardless of how good it is (not even a 4), is worth bad personal service.
If enough people comment on their excellent service I MAY at some point try again. But then again there are so many places to dine well.
Update.
Oh and I read over the «not recommended» reviews. Interesting read. Seems I’m not alone in my opinion about the attitude in this establishment. Interesting how they all ended up on the «not recommended» list. Ugh. Now I am truly disgusted.

The atmosphere in this place is perfect. Comfortable, classy, simple, and intimate. Perfect for a relaxing meal with friends or a date night.
The food, on the other hand, was disappointing. Which was completely unexpected and unpleasant since I’d heard so many amazing things about Pastiche.
My boyfriend and I both ordered a special (the lamb shank with green beans and mashed potatoes) on the night of our visit. He also ordered the frog’s legs as an appetizer, and they were excellent! The same couldn’t be said of our entrées; the lamb shank was incredibly bland. No salt, no seasoning whatsoever. Just a chunk of meat that tasted a little odd (I’ve had lamb shank many times before — this didn’t taste like lamb). I’d like to give Pastiche another try, but because the food is so expensive, I’m not sure that I ever will.

This is the cutest place. Was lucky enough to enjoy it with 2 other couples for a group date. Dinner was fabulous – everyone loved their food. And dessert – oh the dessert! Boyfriend and I shared a lemony tart with cups of hot coffee post dinner and it was the most satisfying. The food and wine were perfect.
But what gave Pastiche its big win was the service and atmosphere. I don’t think I’ve ever had a more perfect dining experience. A group of six can be loud, especially when this particular group gets together. We were seated next to a window (which had these perfect little half-​curtains), away from other diners – hard to do, in a place as quaint as this! Our waiter practically made the night. He was incredibly patient and cordial. We never felt rushed to order, eat, or decide on dessert. We had reservations for 7pm on a Saturday and didn’t leave until well after 9. Never have I sat at dinner for over two hours and felt like the wait staff wasn’t rushing me. He made himself invisible, yet showed up just when you needed him, especially for his recommendations on food and wine. It was so awesome and refreshing. I will be back for more!

How do you day…“Can I try everything?” in French?
I’m a well established Francophile. I love France, the French, and their fine food (and their wine, too, but it sounded cooler because they all started with F). I cannot believe I haven’t been here before.
The food was very good. I would call it very classic French cooking. There’s something about French food that tends not to render people speechless, but it is simultaneously satisfying and just makes you feel good. Maybe that’s all the wine they cook with, though?
We had the mushrooms on toast, which were ok. The french onion soup was all of everything it should be and more. Top marks on that. My husband had the steak au poivre and I had the pork mignon. The steak was pretty good. My pork was pretty ding dang tasty. The little teeny cocktail glass of pickles and olives was fun. The bread and butter… come on, you can do better! Crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside is how this is supposed to be! And the butter was ice cold… have you ever tried to spread ice cold butter? I know you have, because this isn’t the only restaurant getting this wrong. It doesn’t work! To finish off, the crème brulee, which had the prefect texture, but not a lot of flavor.
This is a tiny place. Only ten tables. You should absolutely make a reservation. They were getting by with a bartender, hostess, and two servers. And they were working it. Our server, Frank, was well versed in the food and drink and a very nice helpful guy.
There is a wine shop upstairs, and you can wait there until your table is ready, or you can just go hang out there and/​or buy wine.
This is a very solid French offering for the Milwaukee market. Tres bien.

I really enjoyed my experience there. The food was phenomenal and was topped with great service. We even had the pleasure of meeting the chef/​owner. A lovely experience and we plan on returning.

It may be a small place but dynamite comes in small packages! Everything we are was just wonderful. Frog legs, oysters, bone marrow, the wine and the entrée thing I can’t recall the name of that had all of the meats. And I mean ALL of the meats. It’s a lovely setting for an intimate meal that you’d have to be crazy not to enjoy. There is a wine store up stairs as well if you’re looking to buy. Another nice feature is the proximity to few neighborhood staple bars. The Palm is next door. So, nice dinner then across the street for some nice scotch and BAM! You’re all set.
⁴⁄₅ because intimate also means cramped.

Outside I pull open the door and people are leaving, as I hold the door for them to exit I ask, «How was dinner?».
Man says, «Great, as always».
I walk in, employee behind bar says, «Pam?».
(I called that same day for a two top reservation at seven o’clock)
«Yes!», I say.
These scenarios tell me Pastiche is a neighborhood place. People know people. Patrons come back over and over.
If you want a quaint neighborhood place that’s a great value … Look no further!
This effing fantastic French Bistro is in southside’s sweet spot: Bay View.
It’s no more cost per entrée than it is at shitty Applebee’s or Chili’s and One Hundred times the food (respectfully).
Do it now.
And call ahead, it’s small and cozy, remember.
I indulged in:
Oysters
Bone marrow
Frog legs
Mushrooms
Wine
I want to go back to try one of my favorite things in the world: French onion soup.
The frog legs I prefer without breading, but I know I’m in a special segment of people. And I’m ok with that. I eat things the average Jane or Joe do not. Maybe on a slow weeknight I can ask for special preparation…
Pastiche is an unbelievable gem.
Prices were mostly at or under $ 20.
For what you are going to get… I left so happy :)

It was difficult for me to write this review because I don’t want people to discover what I have known for years that Pastiche is an amazing restaurant with great prices on fresh seafood dishes. This review is a culmination of over 20 visits to Pastiche with only one or two slightly negative experiences.
First, always look at the seafood special because it is typically one of the best items on the menu. Another seafood dish that is on of my favorites is the skate wing (Raue Au Beurre Noisette) which is a steal at $ 20. The owner gets his seafood flown in fresh daily so you can’t go wrong.
I highly recommend their pates, french onion soup, escargot, tomato/​mozz salad, cassoulet, osso buco, lamb, pork mignons, and the crème brûlée or the lemon tart for dessert. The menu does change periodically.
Here are a few tips:
— Get reservations this place gets packed — sometimes bar seats are available
— Try their Tapas Tuesday to get a good sampling of the tastes
— Give their nightly specials a try
— Get a Small Shops United card (free) and use it to rack up free gift certificates
— If you like pâté, call ahead and take out some for your next party
Our service has always been top notch with only a couple of glitches in the multiple times we have visited. If you have an issue please bring it up to them because they are very accommodating. The owner often pops out to tables to check on your dining experience.

I’ve lived in bay view for over 2 years and cannot believe I hadn’t been here yet. The place was warm and inviting, the service was wonderful, and the food was some of the best I’ve had in a long, long time.
Started with the charcuterie board, which was chocked full of meaty goodness and a complete steal at $ 10. After recommendations from the server, I opted for the steak au poive and I literally could not shut the hell up about how amazing it was. Boyfriend got the pork mignons which were also great. Both were cooked perfectly and came with flavorful veggies and this square of potatoes that I would murder someone for.
With so many new trendy restaurants popping up that seem to be hit or miss (and quite expensive for teeny tiny food I can’t always pronounce), pastiche was a wonderful, classic experience.
2 beers, 2 wines, an app and 2 entrees for about $ 80. And we left full and happy. With leftovers! Can’t beat that.
I need to go back to try the French onion soup immediately.

100^th Review! Closing out 2014 with another favorite local establishment. The husband and I decided to pop in for Tapas Tuesday. Pastiche suggests reservations, but I am just to lazy for this. Why would I think at 5pm, opening, they would already be busy. Well, yes, they were. So be more proactive than I am and call ahead. We waited, yes, waited for two open bar seats at 5:30pm. Worth the wait, oh yes indeed.
We started with some Hush Puppies. Little crab falafel like rolls with an excellent green goodness sauce. Yum! I then tried the Salmon – very tasty. I wasn’t a fan of the pork belly, a bit too much excess fat. The gentleman next to me, well his looked really good. So hit or miss, I guess. Pork Tenderloin, just delicious. I let our waiter pick my wine, this usually works best for me. Spot on. Dessert, crème bruele of course. Possibly the best in Milwaukee if our server is to be believed — yes, believe.
Bottom line, this is an absolutely great place to hang out with the husband, or take a friend to kick back, catch up with some wine, solid food. Mussels on Monday, Tapas on Tuesday, Excellent regular menu on all other nights.

Confession: I had written off Pastiche before ever giving it a try. It struck me (based on nothing) as highfalutin, inaccessible to a non-​Francophile and prohibitively expensive. It’s not cheap, and it’s not low-​end, but I was wrong to expect Pastiche would be pretentious.
Now, if I’m going to spend hard-​earned doll-​hairs at a nice restaurant in Milwaukee, I’ll happily do it at Pastiche.
Why?
— Atmosphere. Warm, intimate, good for a date or a night out with someone whose company you enjoy. I expected Pastiche’s interior to be ultra-​trendy but instead was greeted by a much more traditional, homey (but not down-​home) setting. Only 10 tables, and even on a weeknight the place was full. Reserve ahead.
— Service. The hostess was super friendly. We had a reservation but they were still waiting on a table to open, so she directed us to the wine shop upstairs (hey, who knew that existed?) where we could wait in the meantime. The girl working at the shop was also very friendly, offered us a tasting right away, and was knowledgeable about the wines. Prices on some bottles were surprisingly not horrifying; you could escape the place with a bottle for as little as $ 10.
— Food. We went for Tapas Tuesday. REALLY REALLY good, and I mean everything. We started with a cheese that was $ 5 and came with crackers, honey and assorted berries. I expected the typical small plate portion of cheese – maybe two bites worth – but instead we were served a generous slab. Other highlights: Lamb sausage and pretzel spaetzel with mustard cream sauce; veal sweet breads; fingerling potato salad. Dessert: the cherry claftois was incredible. People at the table over also caught me eyeballing their profiteroles, which looked damn good.
— Prices. Again, not horrifying. For two people sharing four tapas, a cheese and a dessert, with one beer and a glass of wine, our bill was just shy of $ 60 before a $ 10 City Tins discount. I expected the damage to be much worse.
Don’t judge fancy books by their covers is the lesson, I suppose, for me. I look forward to trying Pastiche again for dinner.

This is my 4^th time here and it’s definitely not going to be my last! From their ambiance to their knowledgable staff and obviously, great French dishes, I will always recommend this place. I started off with a glass of rosé which was recommended and it was definitely a great start. That followed by my predictable frog legs appetizer and then their salmon main course. Every one of those dishes was prepared to perfection and I had the privilege to compliment chef and owner Michael Engel in person as he made his rounds around the restaurant.
To make a long story short, I think everyone should try Pastiche at least once. DO IT! :)