According to owner De Von Dent, Scene 1 – a new restaurant and lounge we reported was moving into the space at 5526 W. North Ave. – is hoping for a mid-May opening.
Dent is the former co-owner of Paje Restaurant & Lounge, a restaurant which served up Southern and soul food fare in the Bronzeville neighborhood beginning in 2012.
The venue, which plans to serve American style small plate style fare in a relaxed environment, originally planned to open in February, but met with construction delays that postponed progress on the building remodel.
The restaurant will be part of an ongoing development of the Uptown neighborhood, which has seen recent growth, particularly in the area of minority owned businesses in the past year or two.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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