What’s in the vault? A delicious place to eat

The entrance to the renown vault at The Treasury in Ripon reminds customers of its original purpose. Customers can eat in the vault, however, reservations are encouraged.  Connor Cummiskey photo

Bank turned restaurant offers unique dining options

by Connor Cummiskey

Located in the shell of a former bank, one of the more popular restaurants in Ripon, The Treasury, is the perfect place for casual fine dining.

The restaurant’s stone facade covers an elegant and comfortable dining room. It offers tapas (a variety of small dishes) and dining in The Vault, among other services.

“I think it is a beautiful fixture in the community,” Executive Chef Patrick Isajiw said. “Obviously, it is pretty breathtaking, if you ask me. I think there is a certain charm to it that is not really something you can replicate just anywhere. A lot of the fixtures are original, and it is really quite a nice layout. I am always in awe of it when I come to work.”

The restaurant is located at 114 Watson St. in downtown Ripon. It serves food Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. The building has stood since 1930, when it housed the First National Bank of Ripon, which was chartered in 1856.

A series of businesses had taken over the building in the years between when the First National Bank left and the current restaurant opened.

“It has been a restaurant a few times before us and we reopened Oct. 8, 2011,”  Isajiw said.

The history of the building combines well with the atmosphere and service of the restaurant, attracting diners from around the state and beyond.

“I think it has become a kind of destination restaurant,” Isajiw said. “People will come from Chicago through Green Lake. It just has a really great lure to it.”

One of the most famous attractions of the eatery is the room known as “The Vault.”

“A lot of the lure to here is The Vault,” Isajiw said. “People really enjoy that and is what most people talk about. It is actually the original vault and we converted it into an eight-to-10-person seating area.”

To eat in the vault, customers should make reservations. Aside from that, there is plenty of seating in the main dining hall.

The time a customer has to wait for a table can be passed by sitting at the ample bar.

The restaurant takes pride in its food specialties, making sure to use the freshest ingredients possible.

“Mainly, [we have an] emphasis on tapas, and then entrees and desserts,” Isajiw said. “We keep it local as much as possible. We change the menu once or twice a week, so it is really what is in season.”

The small size of the dishes offered at the restaurant and the regularly changing schedule are best for sampling a variety of food.

The Treasury of today is the product of a lifelong dream of the owner.

“Our owner, David [Dolata], grew up in Ripon and he was really infatuated with the building, even as a child,” Isajiw said. “He wanted to own it one day and when he had the means to do it, he bought the place and revamped it again.”

The stark, stone facade of the lounge reflects the spirit of the food served.

“It harnesses the philosophy of the restaurant where we try to create the best dishes that we can honestly and we try to use what is local and what is around us,” Isajiw said.

To make a reservation, call 920-748-2677 or visit its website at ripontreasury.com.

Mealtime will be healthier with a stop at Silver Creek Market

MANAGER JENNIFER CUMMINS, left, and owner Shirley Lenz will run Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe, as soon as the former Dairy Queen building’s renovations are complete later this summer.   Ian Stepleton photo

Shop, cafe will offer all-natural items at former DQ building

by Ian Stepleton
ians@riponprinters.com

Eight years ago, an area couple was ready to move on to a new chapter of their lives. The children of farmers, Jerry and Shirley Lenz passed their car dealership on to their two sons, and purchased more than 200 acres near Green Lake.

That passion led to Lenz’s Green Lake Meadows, where they have several hundred head of grass-fed cattle. Now, their dream has taken the next step.

Knowing the benefits of eating grass-fed beef, they’re hoping to share it with others at a new store in Ripon. Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe will open in the former Dairy Queen building, located just west of the intersection of West Fond du Lac and Union streets.

It will be managed by Jennifer Cummins, while the Lenz family owns the property and business. By June or July, the store and cafe will open, offering all-natural foods — including the grass-fed beef the Lenz’s raise — as well as serve meals that may be eaten on-site or taken to go.

So far, people have been receptive to the idea.

“We went around town, and … [one guy] couldn’t wait until we open up because his wife goes to Milwaukee for this stuff,” Shirley Lenz said. “We find a lot of people who are going, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me; my doctors don’t know what’s wrong with me,’” Cummins said. “But before you know it they start changing up their food, they get more energy, they feel better.”

Cummins got to know the Lenz’s because she, too, was seeking a healthier option.

“She started coming out to my farm and buying my meat three years ago,” Lenz said. “At first she found it at the village market in Fond du Lac.”

“Then, one day, I went out to the farm and that’s how we met,” Cummins said.

“That’s when I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got the right person here,’” Lenz said of choosing Cummins to manage the new store and cafe. “She said, ‘You know so much just from [your] own personal experience,’” Cummins said, noting she has experience shopping for such items, but also “then I also have food and restaurant skills behind it.”

When the store opens this summer, it will specialize in harder-to-find, healthy foods. Available will be the grass-fed beef from Lenz’s farm. Also sold will be all-natural pork, chickens, eggs, butter, juices, milk, cheeses and produce.

“There wasn’t anything around like this anywhere,” Lenz said. “You really have to travel to find good, all-natural food. I think people are going to appreciate what we’re going to have.” Want all-natural ice cream, too?

Sassy Cow Creamery will sell its cold treat at Silver Creek All Natural Market. “They’re nice, Wisconsin farmers we’d like to support …,” Cummins said. “We’ve actually met the farmers and toured the facility out of Columbus.” Renard’s Bakery will sell its breads, while the market also will carry gluten-free and allergy-sensitive items.

“All they have to do is come into our store and say, ‘Can you carry this because we go to Milwaukee for this?’” Lenz said. “We are very open to helping people. We don’t just want to put what we want on the shelf; we want them to tell us, ‘This is what I need …’ We won’t have a huge retail section, but we want to cater to those special needs as well.” “Even if you can’t eat gluten, at least you can come here and get a burger with a gluten-free bun,” Cummins said.

That will be one of many items available on the cafe side of the shop. “We’d like to have a place you can come to pick up your staples, and if you want to pick up your meat from us, we’ll cook your burger,” Cummins said, “because not everybody loves to cook.”

The menu, which is still in development, won’t be extensive but will offer a nice variety and will change from time to time. Items could include a pulled-beef sandwich, sloppy Joes and other favorites.

“They can go ahead and order their lunch; we’ll make it for them, or they can take it or eat it here,” Lenz said. “Anything from hot sandwiches to soups, salads, desserts,” Cummins said.

“We will have things sitting in the deli case you can swing in and go [as well].” It will be a few more weeks, though, before such items will be available. Lenz is still completing a major overhaul of the building. “We’ve gutted the whole building out, from top to bottom,” she said, noting they stripped the building down to the bare cement walls.

“This whole place is brand new.” Soon, the outside will be renovated as well to reflect the farm-fresh business it houses. “We were trying to make it look more like a little farm,” Cummins said. “I think there are a lot of people who are excited to see [the building get put back together]. I think it’s kind of ironic that we’ll be serving ice cream and burgers … Just a little twist on [what’s always been served here].”

Others have said they’re ready to shop at Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe just as soon as it opens. “We’re very excited. We’ve met some really nice people,” Lenz said. “Our insurance guy said, ‘Yeah, that’s all we eat,’” Cummins added. “I’m surprised at the open arms to this. We just went out for lunch around town and talked to people who said, ‘We’re so excited; we can’t wait.’ Wow! “… It’s really reassuring,” she said.

Want to know more about the business as it gets ready to open?

For now, the best way to keep tabs on Silver Creek All Natural Market and Cafe is to follow it on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SilverCreekAllNaturalMarket.

Highway is like a long-lost friend

HIGHWAY 23 TRAFFIC resumes earlier this month between Green Lake and Ripon. The stretch was closed since April 21. Through-traffic still needs to maneuver around the city of Green Lake, however, since the Puchyan River bridge remains closed until late November.    Aaron Becker photo

by Aaron Becker

First thing on a recent Monday morning, I happily took our new highway for a test drive.

That stretch had been closed since Monday, April 21. Exactly 20 weeks prior.

A third of the year, 140 days, 12 million seconds …

Not that anyone was counting, of course.

Before making a ceremonial trip to Green Lake, I parked at Alibi’s restaurant in Ripon and watched as westward drivers first noticed the wide-open black carpet before them. They were like whitetail deer approaching a hunter’s bait pile — curious and hopeful, but wondering if it’s a dirty trick.

Can I … Can I actually DRIVE on this?

Then …

Wow … This is awesome!

VROOOOM!

Crews had initially planned a “soft opening” of sorts later in the day Monday, but they instead dropped the gates at 6 a.m. for the morning commute.

Not everyone got the memo right off the bat, but word spread quickly.

We posted the news on the Commonwealth website and Facebook page, and soon there were 90-plus “likes” and lots of happy comments.

‰ Ya Hoo!!! Skippy Hooray!

‰ [I] had to drive it just to say I did it.

‰ I know a bunch of people who are very excited about this news!!!

And a mighty cheer went up from residents of Spaulding Hill and McConnell roads, which were used by everyone but three people to avoid the detour.

So when the highway opened, I took some photos on the edge of Ripon, then eagerly jumped back in the car and drove to Green Lake, like I had just waited in line for a roller coaster.

With the morning sun behind me and a freshly minted road ahead, the driving surface was crisp and clean. The vibrant paint had barely dried. The grass along the fringes seemed greener, the sky clearer than normal.

All the trees were just the right height.

There were several new changes and improvements to the roadway, but the journey was as familiar as ever. Like reuniting with a long-lost friend.

Plus, traffic was light, since the region was just waking up to the news.

Moments like this make a man feel like singing. I flipped on the FM radio and was greeted by Willie Nelson.

On the road again … Going places that I’ve never been … Seeing things that I may never see again … And I can’t wait to get on the road again. 

In reality, I had seen these places a thousand times, but it seemed like a distant memory.

I reached Highway 49 just outside Green Lake and pulled a delicate U-turn, careful not to leave a skid. I turned as one might cradle an expensive gadget for the first time.

In a week, it’ll be more like “Out of my way!” SQUEAL

For now, just relax and enjoy cruising the Green Lake-Ripon artery with ease.

No, this isn’t the end of the Highway 23 construction, with work continuing farther to the west (including Green Lake’s Puchyan River bridge) until late November. But still, this is a reason to celebrate.

Everybody now!

On the road again … 

Aaron Becker can be reached at 748-3017.

P.S. Check out an exciting time-lapse video of the trip from Ripon to Green Lake on our website, http://www.RiponPress.com

Fireworks? Sure … But Green Lake area offers much more

A Disney castle makes a 3-D appearance last year during Green Lake’s annual boat parade, while the castle’s royal stewards wave to the crowd. This year’s theme for the parade is “Who Let the Dogs Out.”  Katie Warczak photo

by Connor Cummiskey

The smell of grilled brats and burgers will mix in the air with the sharp tang of ignited fireworks again this year as citizens all over our country unite to celebrate our independence.

Among the local Fourth of July celebrations are:

Green Lake

Green Lake has an extensive celebration planned.

Festivities will take place Friday, July 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at both Playground Park and Deacon Mills Park.

Madison Malone, a singer and piano player, will perform from noon until 3:30 p.m.

The boat parade’s theme this year is “Who Let the Dogs Out” and it will begin at 2 p.m. near Sunset park.

The live music will continue with Random Maxx, who will perform from 6 to 9 p.m.

For entertainment, the American Legion will put on a game of “Sink the Bismarck.” There also will be kids’ games, a face painter and a petting zoo. This will all take place from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Playground Park.

Starting at 3 p.m. at the dam in Playground Park are the duck races. Competitors will be able to sign up for a duck at the Green Lake Chamber of Commerce’s booth by Deacon Mills Park.

The parade will begin at 4 p.m. and anybody is welcome to participate. The line-up for the parade will start at 3 p.m. outside the public works building.

The Green Lake Rotary will be selling brats and burgers alongside the Boy Scouts, who will be selling funnel cakes in Deacon Mills Park starting at 11:30 a.m. and going until 9 p.m. There also will be cheese curds and kettle corn to eat.

The fireworks display will take place over Dartford Bay starting at dusk.

Berlin

There are three musical groups that will be performing Friday, July 4 throughout the afternoon in Berlin.

First, from 2 to 4 p.m., Old Time Sounds will perform. Then, from 4 to 8 p.m., DJ Ryan will put on his show. Finally from 8 to 11 p.m. Big Boomba’s Boppers will provide some classic rock ’n roll.

During the day, the Berlin Fire department will put on a display. The Street Cruisers also will be displaying classic cars and trucks.

Food-wise, there will be a corn roast and the Boys’ and Girls’ Club will sell funnel cakes.

A petting zoo and inflatables will entertain the children — along with pontoon rides for a relaxing ride on the water.

Fireworks will commence at dusk. If it happens to rain on the fourth, everything will be happening on Saturday the fifth.

Princeton

Princeton will celebrate the Fourth of July almost a week early as its festivities are set to take place Saturday, July 28.

It will begin with its famous flea market, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The market will run from around 6 a.m. to no later than 4 p.m. (most vendors leave between 1 and 2) at City Park.

The celebration will then continue with a parade that starts at 5 p.m. near American Bank and works its way through downtown and into City Park

Following the parade, there will be free activities for children including games, birdhouse building, a water fight put on by the Princeton Fire Department and a face painter,

The VFW band will play from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

Performing after it will be Spin from 7 to 11 p.m.

Throughout the day the American Legion will be selling refreshments in the park.

The fireworks display will take place across the street from the park at the public school, commencing at dusk.

Ripon

The annual fireworks display will occur Friday, July 4 at dusk in Murray park.

Before that, country-music favorite Avalanche Lilly will rock out at the Villae Green from 7 to 10 p.m. as part of the downtown Ripon summer concert series.

The Birthplace of the Republican Party Museum, located off Blackburn Street, also will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.