Each week on This Bites, dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie Tarik Moody dig into the city’s culinary and restaurant culture to help you find new spots, old favorites and the best ingestibles around Milwaukee.
Milwaukee food lovers and restaurant-goers got a big helping of tough news over Thanksgiving weekend, as Justin Carlisle announced that Ardent will close at the end of December. As Ann and I are both lovers of food and goers of restaurants, we couldn’t really start this episode anywhere else.
Ann connected with Carlisle for a Milwaukee Magazine article that sounded a few somewhat-hopeful notes. For one, Ardent’s chef/owner exceeded his own expectations for the business, saying that it was “never expected to last that long” but also that “[it] doesn’t mean it’s over. This chapter’s over.”
It turns out that’s true on a couple fronts. Carlisle’s personal next chapter will involve consulting and enjoying some time off. As for the space at 1751 N. Farwell Ave., we have one of those rare “breaking news” moments on this episode, which includes some information you won’t find in Ann’s article.
Mary Kastman, the former executive chef at Driftless Café in Viroqua and a James Beard Award finalist for Best Midwest Chef in 2022, will take over with a Mediterranean approach that mirrors the pop-ups she’s been doing of late. The new restaurant will be called Purslane (a leafy green used in the regional cuisine) and will offer plenty of small plates when it opens in late spring or early summer.
Ann has even more information to share in the podcast, which also features these bits and pieces from around the area:
- Three Black-owned food businesses in Wisconsin were awarded grants from the Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative.
- Food critic Keith Lee named Milwaukee as one of the most underrated food cities in the country.
- Just in time for the holidays, Ann has brought back her list of the best new books for foodies.
- Ann also made a recent trip to Brisa Do Mar and shared her thoughts about the Mediterranean menu.
- Milwaukee’s far northwest side will get a taste of Hmong cuisine from a new restaurant slated to open late this year or early next.
To paraphrase a wise man, This Bites is never late or early. We arrive precisely when we mean to. If you appreciate that consistency as Milwaukee’s longest-running culinary podcast, leave us a rating or review wherever you listen. Thanks.
