Looking for great food, a fun place to explore, and a menu featuring the best of the Midwest, plus other food favorites from the open road. Look no further than Motor, the restaurant at the Harley Davidson Museum located just south of downtown Milwaukee. We made plans to visit the museum in August, but by the time we drove to Milwaukee from Madison, we were hungry. After checking out the menu at the Motor, we just had to check out a few of their specials before walking through the museum. And we were really glad we did.
The menu was full of unusual offerings, but we couldn’t make it past the “starter” menu. I was fascinated by the Reuben “Potato, Potato, Potato” Pancakes. The menu describes them as “a deli in a single bite, with slow-simmered corned beef piled on gas cap-sized potato pancakes, plus Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, chives and Russian dressing.” They were totally yummy. The meat was piled thick and lean, the dressing tangy, and the potato pancakes done to a crispy perfection.
When I spoke to the manager, he explained the unusual offering. The menu was created by members of Harley, and they wanted to include potato pancakes on their menu. What better than to combine the pancakes with Reuben ingredients. The name comes from the sound a Harley seems to make as it rumbles. You know – “potato, potato, potato.” Just like an engine pu-pu-pu-purring.
To complete our lunch, we had the Italian Sausage Flatbread. I think it is one of the finest flatbreads I have ever eaten. The crust was thin, properly crusty, and topped high with fire-roasted peppers, extra-virgin olive oil, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and topped with fresh basil. The Italian sausage was spicy enough to satisfy my husband’s adventurous taste buds, yet didn’t start any unwanted fires on mine.
We explored the museum after our meal. What a great way to walk off a few calories. Filled with Harleys and Harley memorabilia of all kinds, it is a fun visit whether you are a Harley rider, aficionado, or just a casual fan.
Motor is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 AM to 9 PM (10 PM for the bar) and Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 11 PM (bar til 1 AM). There is also a cafe on the site open from 7 AM to 7 PM Sunday through Thursday and 8 AM to 7 PM on Friday and Saturday. The museum’s hours are 9 AM through 6 PM everyday, with extended hours to 8 PM on Wednesdays, through the end of October. See the website for winter hours after November 1, directions, and further information.
–Bo Mackison is a Madison area photographer and writer. She travels throughout the state of Wisconsin, taking photographs, enjoying good food, and visiting fun places. See her photographs of Wisconsin at Seeded Earth Photography.
Wandering Wisconsin with Bo 