In an indoor / outdoor space that can be described as no less than breathtaking, Agavé Southwestern Grill, 18380 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield, offers up a small, well-considered menu of entrées and sandwiches, tapas, cevichés, sliders, and Southwest-inspired pizzas.
With seafood selections (oysters on the half shell with salsa!) mixed in with simpler options like homemade guacamole and chips and salsa, appetizers provide a good snapshot of the rest of the menu.
Diners at Agavé (named for the plant that forms the base for tequila) can expect to see a Mexican / Southwestern theme interwoven into the entrées and sandwiches as well, with rum-based baked beans coming in alongside pork and beef selections. And the more complex seafood options featuring clams, shrimp and oysters may surprise diners until they discover that Agavé is owned by the Pandl family (of Pandl's in Bayside and Eagan's on Water) and Dave Kelley; the knowledge of which simply makes these elevated options expected.
A recent scouting trip to Agavé proved fruitful and fun. The outdoor fireplace, stone patio and bar are more than accommodating, and an even more illustrious interior shows that the trio of owners spared no expense in Agavé's design or development. The building itself is nearly cavernous, and carries a warm, welcoming, and extraordinarily high-end feel in comparison to other local Southwestern establishments. Even the bathrooms at Agave are something to write home about, with beautiful tile, fully-walled stalls and copper sinks.
If you're looking for cheap Southwestern or Mexican cuisine, look elsewhere, as the price tag of the ambience is reflected in the menu pricing, and the parking lot is thick with heavy metal in the form of Hummers, Mercedes-Benz and BMWs. But, the food here showcases an ingenuity that seemingly makes it worth the cash outlay, and the atmosphere is priceless.
Dinners begin with the basic starters portioned for one to two or three to four diners ($5.95 to $18.95), or move to tapas made for one or two including seared day boat scallops or grilled shrimp with avocado horseradish (both priced at $4.50).
Then, for a main course, select from burgers and top sirloin sandwiches in the $8.95 to $14.95 price range, or venture into dinner selections like sautéed pork tenderloin or flat iron steak with jalapeno butter hovering closer to $20. Entrées come served with generous heaps of a steamed corn and peppers, pasta, potatoes, or a combination therein. And the children's menu finds a spot squarely on the regular menu and offers cheeseburgers or chicken tenders for kids who aren't taco-inclined.
Nightly offerings include two house specials and a soup of the day, and Sundays feature brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. On our dinner visit, one of the specials paired a bacon-wrapped pork loin with clams in a spicy red sauce over linguini ($15.95). Case in point -- Agavé is not serving up your typical rice and beans fare and, with a heated patio, you can enjoy their cuisine outdoors for another month or two.
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
