Rustico: Milwaukee, WI (Third Ward)

Well, our dining at Rustico Friday night with our friend Brian was quite an adventure.  Once we were there, everything was fine.  But let me tell you - it was not an easy time getting there.  We originally planned on using a restaurants.com coupon to dine at Bayou, very near my old apartment downtown.  We got there to find....it was now a new restaurant.  So I suggest Twisted Fork, this great little place on Farwell on Milwaukee's east side.  Guess what?  Closed!  So then we decide to go to Oakland Trattoria, and it is also something new "Solo."  Seriously?!?!  We've been out in the 'burbs far too long.  All our favorite restaurants closed when we moved away.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Finally, we settle on heading to the third ward to get pizza at a fabulous place, Riverfront Pizzeria.  We get up to the door to see a sign: "Closed for a private party."  UGH!  At this point we had driven all over downtown Milwaukee, it was a little after seven and I was starving.  We decide to try either Rustico or Milwaukee Ale House.  Since they're next door to each other, we figure our chances of one of them being still there and open must be better.  We find both still there and decide on Rustico.

Atmosphere:  It's a quiet little place that wasn't as busy as it should be.  Maybe not well known?  It was dark-ish inside with a muted candle on every table.  There's a bar up front, so you could just have drinks there.  It's long and narrow, so tables are set up in kind of a row formation, which is nice, because you don't feel like anyone is right on top of you (no tables on either side).  A very relaxed and casual feel.  Good for a casual date or dinner with friends.


Drinks: Not a lot of beer on tap, but Brad liked his.  Brian and I both got wines.  Brian got the house red and I had an orvieto classico.  I think we were both happy with our orders.  Pretty good sized drink menu, and with the bar there, I'm sure you could get whatever drink you wanted.


Menu/Food:  It is primarily a pizza place, but they have some pastas and salads.  We started with an appetizer of bruschetta ($6) and shared a sausage pizza.  The pizza was called the toscana, with cheeses, sausage, and mushrooms.  It had a thin, crispy crust.  I enjoyed it; the crust was my favorite part. Brad wished the pizza was a little spicier (he should have ordered the special of the day - a spicy crust, cheese and meat pizza).  The pizza was $18, so it was reasonable for three people to eat.  


Service: Service was good.  Our waitress was friendly.  She was able to tell us about the specials.  She refilled our waters and cleared our plates at appropriate times.  We were never kept waiting for anything. Our appetizer came out fast, and our pizza came out shortly after we finished the meal.  


Other: Street parking downtown can be tricky, so wear walking shoes in case you can't get a close spot. If Rustico has a long wait, I would recommend trying their neighbor, Milwaukee Ale House, as well.  There are lots of little nice bars around too, for after dinner drinks.  I didn't see many tables that could accommodate a large group of people, so maybe call and check if you're planning on something like that.  I think they may have a party area/room.  If you're looking for pizza downtown, I would recommend trying The Olive Pit first!


OVERALL: 
Jessie - 2.5/4 Stars
Brad - 2/4 Stars