We were seated in a beautifully windowed room next to a roaring fireplace with our stomachs full of quiche, carved lamb and roast beef, pecan pie and eggs Benedict, and drinking flirtinis (cranberry and raspberry juices mixed with Citron and champagne). I looked over the now frigid, but still lovely Friess Lake in Hubertus and wondered why I had not found the Copper Dock, 1474 E. Friess Lake Dr., Hubertus, much, much sooner.
During two recent visits, the Copper Dock, formerly Anderson's, provided the best dining experiences I have had in a long time. Even though the restaurant underwent a menu change during the course of the past month, the transition was seamless, and while some rave-reviewed items on our first visit (shrimp cocktail, $9.95, panko breaded fried shrimp, $19.95, and pan seared ahi tuna, $9.95) are no longer regularly on the new menu, our server said a simple call ahead will have them awaiting your arrival (all three are worth a call).
It was this type of warmth and true service at The Copper Dock, that, when paired with the lake view and the extraordinary simplicity, but near perfection of the food, makes this restaurant a rare find, and well worth the 20 minute drive from Milwaukee.
Fare at the Copper Dock is no-frills seafood and steaks with solid presentation and excellent flavor pairing combinations. My dining companions, two regulars, were so taken with the Friday night offerings of baked cod ($10.95) and walleye pike ($14.95) in a lemon beurre blanc that our foray into appetizers was their first. After finding every appetizer delightful, The Copper Dock is one of their -- and my -- favorite places in the Milwaukee suburbs.
In lieu of the aforementioned three appetizers, the new menu offers a smoked salmon pate ($8.95) and a stuffed Portobello mushroom ($8.95) spun in with basics like bruschetta ($7.95) and spinach and artichoke dip ($9.95). A beef carpaccio ($10.95) over baguettes with a light horseradish aioli was extraordinary, with just enough pepper to bring out the flavors of the meat, and the horseradish providing enough kick to make the dish outstanding.
And if you haven't already noticed, the prices here are beyond reasonable, especially when you note that the Friday fish and other entrees at The Copper Dock are served with vegetable of the day, your choice of potato and a house salad or traditional spinach salad with hot bacon dressing (on Fridays and for Sunday brunch, the salads are served buffet style).
Duck in a wild berry Cumberland ($21.95) had me craving it for days afterward. The duck was so flawlessly roasted that the outside of the skin was brown and crisp and the inside was butter tender; the Cumberland, a Port-based berry sauce, had just enough citrus bite to it to perfectly foil the duck and the result was divine.
Brunch at the Copper Dock ranks high as well for buffet-style brunches. For $16.95, patrons can expect eggs Benedict, quiche, carved ham, lamb and roast beef, scrambled eggs, chicken livers, seafood pasta salad, omelets made to order and a large and impressive spread of salad bar options and desserts.
As with most brunch buffets, temperatures varied, but the items were of such good quality that The Copper Dock is a fantastic destination spot, especially for large family brunches or get-togethers.
And the dessert options here are phenomenal, with smaller portion samplings of the dinner menu offerings, including a must-try bourbon pecan pie ($5.50) that will bring pecan pie lovers to their knees.
In the summer months, The Copper Dock offers deck seating on the lake, but I, for one, cannot wait that long. I must get back there soon for that duck and a piece of pie.
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.
