Ten years ago on a quickly developing stretch of Downer Avenue, Elena Salas and family opened a modest Spanish eatery which introduced Milwaukee to Spanish tapas, the forefather of today's "small-plate dining" movement, and paella, a marriage of seafood, chicken and chorizo in a delectable saffron and wine rice dish which is the heartbeat of Spanish cuisine.
These days, Don Quijote, 704 S. 2nd St., has found a new home in Walker's Point, and a unique reversed restaurant structure with bar below and dining area upstairs. The food here is better than I remembered it from a visit at the former location nearly a decade ago, and service, in part provided by Salas' daughter Tabatha De Leon, proved remarkable.
The dining room at Don Quijote was at near capacity when we visited on a recent Wednesday evening, but we were quickly seated at a table in the dining area with crisp blue linens. When our waitress first arrived without a wine list, I was somewhat perturbed to hear their wines were listed only on a chalkboard in the bar area below, however, when I inquired if they had a tempranillo (a Spanish red wine with rich velvety undertones that is often compared to cabernet sauvignon or a cousin of pinot noir) our waitress proceeded to quite literally "be" our wine list.
With practiced ease, she gave us recommendation on a Castillo Tempranillo ($7.50 a glass) after running through some of their other selections, and would later duplicate this art of good serving when we asked about amontillado sherries (dry Spanish sherry with a delicate bouquet) for after dinner.
We started our dinner with several selections from the tapas frias (cold tapas) and tapas calientes (hot tapas). Garlic is prevalent in these dishes, and we loved the rich olive oil they use in preparation here. Aceitunas($4), a tapas frias, featured plump Queen Spanish olives marinated in garlic, red and green peppers, onions, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Our hot tapas counterparts of champinones al ajillo ($5.50), mushrooms in more rich, garlicky olive oil and loads of fresh parsley, and queso fundido ($7.50), smoothly melted goat cheese with more garlic and fresh parsley, were splendid with our aforementioned wine, and we could eagerly see ourselves returning for a casual dinner strictly of assorted tapas and Riojas (red wine).
However, a Spanish restaurant is truly untapped until you have sampled the paella. Paella, which is thought to have originated in Valencia, Spain, is a pleasant meld of shrimp, squid, mussels and clams, and is named after the paellera, the flat, round pan in which it is cooked. Traditionally, paella was cooked outdoors over a wood fire, but the kitchen at Don Quijote does quite well with its inside version.
Reviews of the paella here have been mixed over the years, but we found it to be excellent on our visit. Diners can order this saffron rice dish for two or more guests and have the options of Paella del Mar (just seafood), Paella de Tirra (chicken and chorizo), Paella Mixta (a combination of both) and a Paella Vegetariano (vegetarian). We opted for the Paella Mixta ($15 per person) and were delighted with the results.
Our server took great care to ensure we had a bit of each of the meats and seafood on our plates, and we found the rice to be rich and deliciously flavored with wine and chicken broth to complement the opulent saffron.
Other menu items include Spanish influenced renditions of beef tenderloin with bleu cheese (Salomillo Cabrales, $17) and Salmon Elena ($17.50). Desserts, if you have room after your paella, include a tres leches con guayaba ($4.95) a dish we will certainly return to try; a Spanish three milk cake with guava cream.
Don Quijote is open for dinner seven days a week from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations accepted. Don Quijote is non-smoking, and vegetarian options are available. Call (414) 221-9850 for more information.
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.
