Amy Stocklein
Lamb dishes are excellent.
My dear readers: When I last spoke to you in this medium, I urged you all to patronize the excellent eateries of Robinia Courtyard: Madison Tap and Black Locust Cafe. So when I returned to the complex on a recent Friday night to dine at Jardin, the much-anticipated (by me, at least) farm-to-table restaurant that has now replaced the upscale southern joint Julep (RIP), I worried that I might have to wait for a table.
I was wrong.
The bright, warm and elegant space in the back of 829 E. Washington Ave. was almost completely empty at what should have been prime dining time, save a four-top of older folks enjoying a (very) quiet meal. And while private dining feels luxurious, my heart broke a little bit as the meal went on, because Jardin is putting out some of the most interesting food in town — and people are missing out.
The menu isn’t huge: four small plates, seven larger entrees, two desserts. But each dish is a universe unto itself, drawing inspiration and ingredients from all over the place. The offerings are familiar enough — lamb, steak, chicken, vegetables — but the flavors and preparations are bold, inventive and, in some cases, almost shocking.
We began our meal with a dish that I still can’t get out of my head — Filipino ceviche, made with flash-seared red snapper. Delicate slices of almost-raw fish come surrounded by a truly showstopping coconut cream vinegar sauce, dotted artfully with spicy Thai chili oil. The dish comes topped with marinated cucumber, jalapeno, red onion and beauty heart radish. It’s as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. On a return visit I tried the caramelized Vietnamese shrimp, which come five to an order and topped with the same cucumbers, plus thinly sliced red chilis and a crunchy slaw. The flavor was intense and sour, with plenty of zippy lemongrass and fish sauce.
A server recommended the lamb pappardelle, saying it’s become the restaurant’s signature (and most popular) dish. Tender, perfectly braised meat comes atop a mound of pasta and dusted with chives and finely grated parmesan cheese. It’s hearty, filling and tasty, but I could have done with more of the braising liquid and more presence from the heirloom tomatoes promised in the menu description. My date and I both preferred the flank steak, which features a knockout combination of flavors. The meat is marinaded in ‘nduja (a type of spreadable pork salami) and served on a base of cream corn. On top, there’s a mild salsa verde, pickled red onions, charred shishito peppers and crumbled Humboldt Fog cheese, which is made with goat’s milk and best described as a mix between brie and chevre with a hint of moldy goodness.
Amy Stocklein
Cap off dinner with an adult milk shake and cookies.
Another lamb dish starred a mustard- and herb-rubbed chop served atop couscous studded with braised figs and turmeric cauliflower. The crust on the meat was so perfect I almost cried. Executive chef Brandon Reid sources almost all Jardin’s meat locally, with the lamb coming from Fox Heritage Farms. A roast chicken (breast, wing and thigh) was crispy outside and moist within, surrounded by diced celeriac, potatoes and kale and drowned in a heavenly rosemary broth. My friend, who was raised on farm cooking, declared it the best chicken he’s ever had.
There were a few missteps. On both my visits, at least one dish came out partially cold. With such elaborate preparations, the kitchen should be extra mindful about timing and plating. Some of the flavor combinations need to be dialed in, too. The roast duck was cooked to perfection, but the intense, almost candy-like garnish of pickled strawberries threw off the balance of the savory demi-glace. The parsnip puree underneath was inexplicably sweet, too. I was not impressed with the Spanish salad. The olive medley tasted like pizza toppings, and there wasn’t enough jamon or manchego (but I know those are expensive ingredients). The melon salad was better, though, especially the spicy marinated pineapple.
Dessert at Jardin is fun and surprising — when’s the last time you had a boozy milkshake and housemade cookies? I was a bit skeptical about the deconstructed cheesecake — and even more when it reached our table, looking like a modernist painting — but the flavors were intensely delicious.
The menu at Jardin is set to change this week, and Reid plans to add a dish with pork and apples and a vegetarian dish featuring tofu. He had hoped to add the seasonal fall flavors earlier, but the restaurant got a late start opening and had to run with its summer menu longer than anticipated. Madison should come out and give Jardin the chance it deserves before the seasons change again.
Jardin
829 E. Washington Ave.; 608-478-0101;
Tues.-Thurs. 5-9 pm; Fri.-Sat. 5-10 pm; $9-$25
