Ardent fans make namesake restaurant a regional favorite

“Ardent” is an adjective that means, among other things, characterized by warmth, passion, emotion or desire.

Those meanings — and more — capture the spirit of Ardent restaurant at 1751 N. Farwell Ave. on Milwaukee’s east side.

So appropriate is the name “Ardent” that chef/owner Justin Carlisle leads off the restaurant’s website with the word’s full definition.

“Ardent is how we feel as a family and restaurant,” says Carlisle. “I didn’t open Ardent to make a million dollars, but to create happiness for my family and my employees and provide us with a means to grow.”

The tiny eatery has topped local and regional “best-restaurant” lists since opening in 2014.

A chef’s trajectory

Carlisle grew up on a beef cattle farm near Sparta, eventually following his brother into the world of restaurants. Their first stop was Beau Rivage Biloxi Resort & Casino, the MGM Grand property in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Carlisle’s trajectory continued from Biloxi to The Greenbrier, the prestigious resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. He next found his way to New York City’s Gramercy Tavern and then to Restaurant Tru, the former Chicago eatery.

From there, Carlisle landed in Madison at Harvest Restaurant, founded by former L’Etoile forager Tami Lax. He also helped sushi wizard Shinji Muramoto open his various Muramoto restaurants — and even got around to scoring a culinary degree from what is now Madison College.

Carlisle arrived in Milwaukee in 2010, opening Ardent four years ago this month. The chef’s “less is more” ethos earned him a place as a Best Chef: Midwest finalist among the 2016 James Beard Awards nominees.

‘Creating layers of flavor’

At just 900 square feet, Ardent is the size of a studio apartment, Carlisle says. It seats 23 people at a time, boasting six tables and seven bar seats, with two seatings a night. Reservations are required.

“We’re open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner, and weekends always book up a week or two out,” he says. “But on Wednesday and Thursday you can often find same-night seating.”

The kitchen runs entirely on electric power, with no gas available for cooking in a space Carlisle says is smaller than some home kitchens. Planning and coordination are critical to keep food production on course, especially since the cooks, including Carlisle, also act as servers.

Ardent’s intimate dining experience is matched by the restaurant’s tasting menu — the only option — offering roughly 17 small-bite courses for $90 per person. Wine pairings are offered at $60 per person, or by the bottle or glass for the whole meal. The list is limited to the 18 wines used in the pairings, five signature cocktails and seven craft beers.

On any given night, the tasting menu might include celeriac served with white chocolate and trout roe, beef tarter paired with deviled egg and bone marrow, and spaghetti topped with white clam sauce and seaweed.

“We are very flavor-forward,” Carlisle says. “We don’t manipulate ingredients much, and aim at creating layers of flavor, rather than identifying something as just ‘meat and potatoes.’”

Ardent sources its food locally, including purchasing whole beef halves from the Carlisle family farm and then having them butchered at Craig Meats in Melrose. Carlisle also buys produce and herbs produced in Milwaukee area gardens and greenhouses.

“My mother knits our napkins, afghans and aprons,” he says. “We offer dining in a setting directly related to us and get to share that with our customers.”

Ardent’s success has fostered the development of two additional restaurants. Carlisle owns Red Light Ramen, located next door, and The Laughing Taco in Walker’s Point.

Carlisle says the goal for Ardent’s offshoots is much the same.

“I want to leave a legacy that supports the family setting,” he says. “I care about my employees and we enjoy what we do.”

Small bites

Ardent, 1751 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee

Chef Justin Carlisle offers diners a locally sourced, high-end tasting menu. A prix fixe of $90 brings diners up to 17 different small-plate and bite-size courses.

On the web: ardentmke.com

Phone: 414-897-7022

Hours: Wednesday–Saturday with two seatings, 6–6:45 p.m. and 8–8:45 p.m. Reservations are required.