MILWAUKEE — North Shore Bank's Southside Dinning Week is back and this year over 40 restaurants are taking part. Whether you're in the mood for Mexican, Indian or something uniquely Wisconsin, you can take your taste buds on a trip around the world just by heading to Milwaukee's south side.
Ruta's in Walker's Point is one of the newest restaurants to open in the area. On Monday the owner's daughter, Mira Kahate-Desouza, sat at one of the tables working on her classwork from Marquette University. On Fridays, she works a few hours at the family restaurant.
"Right now we do what we like to call modern Indian fare," Kahate-Desouza said of the food they serve at Ruta's. "That involves a lot of freshness, vibrancy and just making sure it's food you can eat without falling asleep at your desk afterwards."
Her family moved from to India when she was just six years old. There they owned various restaurants. After returning from the U.S., Kahate-Desouza said her mom "wanted to bring our experience in India with us in the form of food."
The restaurant started at Crossroads Collective in 2020. Ruta's opened it's own location on Pittsburgh St. this past summer.
"We've loved the process of getting to know the Walker's Point community," Kahate-Desouza said.
For Southside Dinning week, Ruta's special is their tikka bowl, which has a base of rice, choice of chicken or tofu and tikka curry sauce. It's also topped with vegetables, like turmeric, carrots, and pickled onions.
Kahate-Desouza also recommends the naan melts, which she said are like paninis, but made with naan.
Ruta's hopes Southside Dining Week inspires the community to try something new in their own neighborhood.
"It's a great opportunity to re-imagine your impression of Indian food. It's very diverse. I think out selection kind of emphasizes that fact," Kahate-Desouza shared.
If you're looking for a different kind of spice, in Bay View Cafe Corazon is also taking part in Southside Dinning week.
General Manager Louise Schimmel said the week is extra special this year as more and more people are getting out following the pandemic.
"A lot of people are re-meeting their neighborhoods," she said. "I think it's just to shed a light on different restaurants."
Cafe Corazon is featuring the Taco Truck Dinner as the special for Southside Dinning Week.
"There's three tacos, you can choose your tortillas as well as your beans. We chose to feature the pork pibil, it's a wonderful protein option, it's sweet and tender. We top it with pickled onions, cilantro, and watermelon radish," Schimmel said of the special.
To find out more about the restaurants taking part in Southside Dinning Week, click here.
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