It’s been nearly eight months since Mina opened at the Crossroads Collective, 2238 N. Farwell Ave., offering diners delectable small plates and both at-home and in person dining experiences that aim to capture the rich culinary traditions of Europe.
The concept is owned and operated by husband and wife team Ryan Hoffman and Patrice Gentile, whose travels, experiences and love for food and culture inspired them to share their vision with diners through simple, well-prepared fare that weaves together the cultural stories of climes from Greece and Italy to Spain and France through ingredients and distinctive flavor profiles. You can learn more from Hoffman and Gentile in this episode of the FoodCrush podcast.
And now, Hoffman and Gentile, are bringing their distinctive fare to a new audience during a two-weekend pop-up at the beautiful new Dubbel Dutch boutique hotel, 817 N. Marshall St.
The pop-ups will take place over the first two weekends in March (March 4-6 and 11-13, with dining availability Thursday through Saturday beginning at 4 p.m.
What to expect
Each night, dine-in customers will be treated to not only a dinner experience in the hotel’s beautifully restored environs, but also a collaborative and somewhat customized small plates dining experience.
From 4 to 6 p.m., guests can drop by for a drink from the Dubbel Dutch Tavern and choose dishes from a small a la carte menu of snacks and noshes, including selections like marinated olives, hand-rolled pasta and bacalao croquettes.
From 6 to 10 p.m., guests can reserve a table for a more immersive small plates experience (available for $30 per person) featuring surprise dishes from the kitchen that have been customized based on diners’ dietary restrictions, preferences and available seasonal ingredients.
“Everyone will have a slightly different experience,” says Hoffman, noting that the goal is to offer each table a unique spread of dishes (generally two to three per person), which can be shared or enjoyed however the diners prefer. Beverages (including beer, wine and cocktails) will be available for purchase from the Tavern.
Guests are also welcome to augment their dining experience with items from the a la carte menu.
“From the beginning, we’ve had a vision for putting this type of service in place in a brick and mortar restaurant,” says Hoffman. “So this is an opportunity to really explore how people respond to it. The Dubbel Dutch space is so cool, and they’ve done such a beautiful job renovating it. I think it provides a really fun environment to showcase this style of dining.”
Due to COVID-19 precautions, very limited seating is available. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phone (or text) at (414) 376-3439 or by email at hello@thedubbeldutch.com. Guests with food allergies are kindly asked to note them when making their reservation. Walk-ins will also be accommodated during the pop-ups whenever possible.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
