A friend's recommendation led me to Christie's Pub and Grill, 3261 S. 13th St., a hidden gem whose exterior blends so easily into the stretch of 13th Street at Ohio Ave. that you've likely driven by the long-time, family-owned pub for years without even realizing it was there.
Without the head's up, I would likely have continued to drive by, never realizing what I was missing.
Places like Christie's represent a Catch-22 for me. Part of me wants endearing places like this to remain "off the radar," so that I am always guaranteed a prime spot at the bar, where I can be surrounded by the people I've come to know (yes, you eat at the bar here, with a custom-made oak tray that fits over the top for easy, comfortable dining; and no, they don't allow smoking). The other part of me wants to share places like this by screaming from the mountaintops so that fellow lovers of good food, company and ambience can also find and enjoy them.
Jason Schultz runs the tiny bar and restaurant along with his mother, grandmother and girlfriend Jackie. In addition to the cozy bar seating, Christie's offers a few small booths and cocktail tables. Dim lighting, a deep, comforting palette of colors, a tastefully mirrored wall, and original Pabst and Schlitz memorabilia that has been handed down for generations intermingle with a collection of family photographs from the pub in the 1950s.
Jason proudly shows off a photograph of the then-Christie's Inn's 1950's Blatz emblazoned menu reflecting 35-cent hamburgers and quarter tappers, while Jackie, who does all of the cooking with assistance from mom, Eileen, busily places breathtaking vases of flowers from the backyard garden on the bar in between prepping items for dinner in the kitchen.
The family classifies food here as "Gourmet Pub Food" and indeed it is. The star of the daily menu is fried squid. For $8, savor fresh tentacles and rings with a Thai influenced dipping sauce. Another menu favorite pairs prosciutto wrapped scallops over pears and drizzles all with a balsamic reduction sauce for $12.
But the magic doesn't end with the appetizers. Christie's features a two-sided sandwich board at the door that offers another half-dozen options, and Jason carries a list behind the bar with another four or more entrees and an abundance of sides including mashed or au gratin potatoes, vegetable offerings like sautéed garlic spinach or grilled asparagus and pastas with various sauces.
Recent visits proved relaxing and delightful. At Christie's, the family doesn't forget your name or your drink once you've wandered in once. The kitchen hums with the constant work of family hands working together. The result is a warm, welcoming environment with nearly flawless food, and a chef who obviously has no fear -- and with good cause -- with influences across various cuisines and an emphasis on simple, well-executed preparation, she never goes wrong.
A tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella salad ($6) delivers a punch with balsamic over the classic Italian trio. And like all dishes at Christie's, the portion is plated to share, and priced so reasonably it's nearly irresistible. Specials of bacon wrapped, barbecued shrimp ($13) drip with a Southern influence which is also reflected in a Jamaican Creole medley of grilled jerk chicken kabobs with pineapple, zucchini, yellow squash and red onion over red beans and rice ($13).
A fried lobster dinner ($16) perched one fried 6-ounce tail over a mound of buttery mashed potatoes that had been just slightly twice baked, and garlicky spinach to balance the tail, which was pure divinity with a splash of melted butter. A shrimp po' boy ($12) layered a crunchy roll with fried shrimp dressed with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo, and a generous side of homemade fries that are so well-seasoned you'll never want pre-made fries again.
As if the entrees weren't enough, sample Christie's ingenuity with fried wontons ($5) for dessert. They feature homemade wonton dough stuffed with chocolate, fried, and garnished with more melted chocolate and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. The simple, flawless end to a flawless meal.
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.
