Milwaukee diners will get a rare taste of Chicago's West Loop next month, as Lupi & Iris prepares to hand its kitchen over to chef Paul Virant of Gaijin for one night only. The pop-up is set for Monday, Nov. 2, beginning at 6:30 p.m., and will feature five courses built around Japanese-inspired comfort food with a creative Midwestern twist.
The collaboration pairs Lupi & Iris with Virant, chef and owner of Gaijin in Chicago's West Loop. As OnMilwaukee reports, the dinner gives local guests a chance to experience Virant's cooking without a trip downstate. Tickets run $153 each and are available online, with beverage pairings offered for an additional charge.
What's On the Five-Course Menu
The evening opens with kombu-marinated vegetables.
Course three turns toward noodles, with vegetable yakisoba.
Okonomiyaki and a Sweet Finish
The fourth course centers on Osaka-style beef okonomiyaki made with slow-cooked Black Angus beef, roasted garlic, scallions and bonito, rounded out by a tsukemono trio of Japanese-inspired pickled vegetables. Dinner closes with a sesame-yuzu kakigori, a shaved-ice dessert layered with black sesame ice cream, yuzu syrup, strawberry compote, honey-sesame brittle and a snowcap finish, according to the same account.
The restaurant's own FAQ page on Tock confirms the one-night-only nature of the event. With tickets already live online, Japanese-food fans hoping to sample Virant's style without the drive to Chicago will want to lock in a seat before Nov. 2 arrives.
