Restaurant Review - Twisted Cuisine of Kenosha, Wisconsin
Creative Casual Gourmet with an Unassuming Facade
Twisted Cuisine has been called the best-kept secret of Kenosha, a small southeastern Wisconsin city that is not particularly known for fine dining. Creative cooking with imaginative ingredients enhances the aesthetic and gustatory experience for locals and visitors, from Chicago to Milwaukee.
Co-owned by Michael Hill (executive chef) and Rhonda Eidsor (general manager), Twisted Cuisine offers moderately priced gourmet cooking. Converted from two storefronts, the restaurant also boasts a small full-service bar. (Until February 2006, the space belonged to Chilito's, a Mexican restaurant. Before that, before the two spaces were combined, it was a butcher shop and a diner.)
The dining room is really two adjacent and open rooms, adorned by paintings-for-sale by local artists. Wood flooring and a stamped-tin tile ceiling add charm.
Specialties vary seasonally. Dinner offerings might include Blackberry Duck Breast, Key Lime Grouper, Tabasco Pork Chop, and several steak offerings. Creative appetizers and side dishes are a forte, including Tempera Brie (served with apricot chutney), Krispy Chicken Strips (with pineapple dipping sauce), a Lobster Cobb Salad, and Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. (A children's menu offers traditional favorites for younger diners.)
During a recent visit, we sampled the Spinach Artichoke Dip (with pita chips), Shrimp Pizza (topped with red pepper relish and goat cheese), and Red Pepper Soup. For entrees, we ordered Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Rosemary Garlic Chicken, and Filet of Beef. The food was artistically presented, quickly delivered, and quite tasty. Portions were modest, but adequate. The pasta dish would have been enough to feed a family of four.
Dinner entrée prices range from $11 for Fried Cheese Raviolis to $24 for the Guinness Stout Ribeye. Soup or salad, starches, and a daily vegetable are included. (A separate menu is available for lunch.)
Twisted Cuisine is open six days a week (closed Sundays) for lunch and dinner.
Our only complaint was this: We dined quite early in the evening, while few of the red-topped tables were occupied. Several wait-staffers visited together near the full-service bar while we ate. Even so, our early-course dishes remained on the table when our desserts arrived.
What is twisted cuisine? Perhaps it's the addition of parmesan cheese and garlic to curly fries. Maybe it's marinating a first-class ribeye steak in Guinness stout before cooking it. It could be the innovative but tasty Froot Loops cheesecake.
Whatever it is, I like it!
This cozy 70-seat bistro is located at 7546 Sheridan Road, on the south side of Kenosha, just minutes north of the Illinois border.
Published by Linda Ann Nickerson - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle and Sports
Linda Ann Nickerson brings decades of reporting and a globally minded Midwestern perspective to a host of topics, balancing human interest with history, hard facts and often humor. View profile
- Tips for Eating Out with a ToddlerUse these tips to make eating out with a toddler an enjoyable experience.
- Staying Healthy While Eating OutIf you are on a diet, there is no reason you should stop enjoying restaurants. Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy while you continue eating out.
- Dining Out on a Budget: How to Curb Your Eating Out ExpensesIf you track your eating out expenses for one month, you'll be surprised how quickly the total adds up. Here are a few tips to get you on track.
- Secrets to Eating Out on a Budget!Eating out can be an expensive proposition that few can afford on a routine basis UNLESS you follow the simple secrets of dining out "on the cheap".
- How to Save Money While Eating Out in Your Favorite Restaurants!Eating out in restaurants can be expensive. Here are 10 ways to eat out and still save money.
- The Eating Out Diet
- Eating Out the Heart-Healthy Way
- Your Guide to Eating Out with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Part I
- Eating Out with the Kids on a Budget
- Vegetables, Fish, and Seafood, Risky Business when Eating Out
- Your Guide to Eating Out with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Part II
- Your Guide to Eating Out as a Diabetic
4 Comments
Post a CommentWhen I went there, the food was great. Like you said, the waitstaff hung out by the bar. I thought that was tacky. They were also extremely loud and obnoxious. The food was also very pricy, and our waitress Kelly didn't seem too excited to be there. The food came out too quickly so we didn't have time enough to enjoy it. I think they have some work to do. Nice article anyways.
I thought the food was a little high for what you received. Also, not a lot to choose from on the very limited menu.
Ah, good ol' K-Town. Haven't been there, but maybe I'll check it out this weekend.
Sounds good. I may have to look them up.