The new facade of The Front Porch, formerly Picanha ...

The king is dead; long live the king! It’s true, the space that once housed Picanha Brazilian Steakhouse – Eau Claire’s No. 1 restaurant (according to V1’s 2014 Best of the Chippewa Valley reader poll) – has closed its doors. But when one door closes, another opens – and in this case, the old owner is also the new owner. That’s right. Mark Reams has decided to take his award-winning team and try something different.

The new restaurant is called The Front Porch and specializes in Southern comfort food with a Midwestern flare.

“When you taste homestyle meals that are made from scratch, you recognize that it’s worth the time and effort." – Front Porch head chef Gary Goldsmith

The signature dish is a pan-fried chicken – the “only way to do fried chicken” according to Reams – involving a two-day preparation process of brining and marinating.

Additionally Mark is excited about a Southern-style chicken and waffle dish drizzled in a sweet and savory syrup, a “chili slinger” hash-brown hamburger topped with a fried egg and homemade chili, and hand-dipped Olson’s ice cream shakes and malts for desert. Don’t like ice cream? Then try a home-made pie. As with everything else on the menu, it’s made from scratch.

“There’s something on the menu for everybody,” Reams said.

Can’t wait to try a plate? No reason to wait – The Front Porch opened its doors Friday, May 8. For those of you who have been to Picanha, you may not recognize the place.

“We replaced everything Brazilian with a whole new look – new floors, new paint, and new decorations adorning the walls. It has a more casual feel,” said head chef Gary Goldsmith. “We put together a great menu with our favorite Front Porch recipes. When you taste homestyle meals that are made from scratch, you recognize that it’s worth the time and effort.”

The Front Porch may have been open just over a week, but Goldsmith says their Friday Fish Fry, which features cod and walleye, has been extremely popular already. As the word spreads, we could be looking at the next No. 1 restaurant in the Chippewa Valley.