Looking to switch up dinner plans? Visit any of these 5 ethnic food restaurants in Appleton
APPLETON - Modesto Santander has been at Apollon, a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in Appleton, since 2006 when he started as a chef. Roughly seven years later, in 2013, Santander officially took over as the owner.
While there's an abundance of Asian and Latin cuisine restaurants throughout Appleton, the number of other ethnic foods options isn't nearly as high.
Apollon is the only restaurant in the city that serves the cuisine it does.
Alongside Greek cuisine, Appleton has a few other restaurants for those looking to switch up their dinner plans and try something different.
From Jamaican to Venezuelan cuisine, here are five ethnic food restaurants in Appleton, outside of Asian and Latin cuisine.
Apollon
Address: 207 N. Appleton St.
Contact: 920-739-1122, apollonrestaurant.com
Cuisine: Greek/Mediterranean
Apollon prides itself on its seafood and lamb, and the mix of Mediterranean dishes that it offers its customers.
Most popular dishes: Santander said anything made with lamb is popular at the restaurant. The lamb a la creme, cubes of lamb cooked in a whitewine cream cheese sauce; and lamb sofrito, braised lamb shank with white wine, red wine vinegar, honey and vegetables, are top-selling dishes.
Owner's recommendation for first-time customers: The flaming rack of lamb, a 16- to 18-ounce rack of lamb, coated in a house mustard blend, roasted in the oven and then flamed table-side.
What makes Apollon special: "Our menu is small and focuses on fresh ingredients and homemade recipes," Santander said. "Any of our dishes will take you out of your everyday experience."
Area 509
Address: 1025 N. Badger Ave.
Contact: 920-364-9239, area509appleton.com
Cuisine: Caribbean
Area 509 serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch options. Customers can find traditional island meals like Haitian patties, jerk chicken, goat and griot, marinated and braised fried pork belly. The restaurant offers its own take on meals like the loaded plantain chips, jerk macaroni and cheese, and garlic pork.
Most popular dishes: Co-owner Roxanne Adams said the restaurant's meal deals are the most popular menu items as they come with the choice of three sides. "Of the meals, I would say the most popular is the jerk chicken, followed closely by the goat or oxtails," Adams said. She also mentioned the pork mac bowl, jerk macaroni and cheese topped with shredded pork loin and a house made garlic aioli.
Owner's recommendation for first-time customers: For customers who like some spice, Adams recommends the jerk chicken. For those who prefer less spice, the griot, fried pork belly, is the best option.
"We also have options to accommodate different eating styles and allergies," Adams said. "We have vegetarian and vegan options."
What makes Area 509 special: "Area509 is special because we are authentic, with the culture richly engrained in everything we do," Adams said. "We put our all into our food, making everything in house. We are a small, casual dining establishment but have expanded to build an outdoor area that includes a shipping container bar, a stage for live music, seating, fire pits, yard games and lights to help create the vibe. Entering the yard makes you feel like you aren’t in the middle of the city. We regularly host food truck rallies, fundraisers, and live music onsite. We are doing something different. Food brings people together and we love to see it."
JB Arepas
Address: 2303 S. Oneida St.
Contact: 920-886-5778
Cuisine: Venezuelan
JB Arepas specializes in authentic Venezuelan cuisine with over 10 variations of arepas, a flatbread stuffed with various ingredients, including vegan options.
Most popular dishes: Co-owner Esther Palermo said one of the most popular items at the restaurant is the JB arepa, made with beef, pork, chicken, carrot and cabbage salad and green sauce. The cachapas, cheesy, savory and sweet corn pancakes; the patacones, sandwiches with fried plantains as buns; and empanadas are also very popular and fast-selling.
Owner's recommendation for first time customers: Palermo recommends, the JB arepa to any first-time customers. The combined dish, chamos combos, comes with a combination of mini empanadas, arepas, cachapas and tequenos, a fried and breaded cheese stick stuffed with queso.
What makes JB Arepas special: "Apart from putting all of our heart into each of our dishes, the attention we give to our customers is unique," Palermo said.
The Jerk Joint
Address: 1619 W. College Ave., Suite D
Contact: 920-364-0763, jerkjointappleton.com
Cuisine: Trinidadian/Caribbean
The Jerk Joint serves a combination of classic island-themed entrees and signature dishes that are unique to its restaurant. In March, the restaurant suffered a small fire, and is still closed for repairs. Owner, Roderick Goodwin anticipated the restaurant to reopen in July. During the closure, the restaurant also underwent a small remodel.
Most popular dishes: The curry chicken, jerk chicken and rum pork are the most popular and fastest selling dishes at the restaurant, said Goodwin.
Owner's recommendation for first time customers: Goodwin said he would recommend the curry chicken, which does have some spice to it. He also recommends the restaurant's signature dish, mango tacos, made with curry chicken and topped with a mango pico.
What makes The Jerk Joint special: "We are the first Caribbean restaurant in the area," said Goodwin.
India Darbar
Address: 2333 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Contact: 920-560-4967, indiadarbar.com
Cuisine: Indian
This authentic Indian restaurant has an extensive menu including vegetarian options.
Most popular dishes: The chicken tikka masala and butter chicken are the two most popular dishes, according to manager Sonu Singh.
Owner's recommendation for first time customers: Singh recommends the chicken tikka masala to customers or those who have never tried Indian cuisine. He said India Darbar's chicken tikka masala is made with fresh ingredients and has a unique creamy flavor.
What makes India Darbar special: At India Darbar, everything is made by hand and made to order, said Singh. From the bread to the sauces and spices used in each dish, none of the ingredients is frozen or imported. Additionally, Singh said the restaurant's ability to customize any dish to cater to each customer sets it apart from most Indian restaurants.
What's your favorite ethnic cuisine restaurant? Let Jelissa Burns know at 920-453-5107 or [email protected]. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @burns_jelissa or on Instagram at burns_jelissa.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: 5 ethnic food restaurants to visit in Appleton
