Milwaukee--who is this guy, Sanford?

[scordelia]

I was watching Channel 56, Gary IN PBS with my daughter and this cooking show came on. It was a chef from Milwaukee (I think) who did a show on ramps, includng where to pick them on the shores of Lake Michigan. Anyway, the guy's food looked really good.

Any idea who this fellow is and what is his restaurant and is it good?

Thanks!

[robert40]

Could it have been Sanford D’Amato? He is one of the more popular chefs from Milwaukee.

http://www.sanfordrestaurant.com/

[mlarue]

I didn't see the show, but if the show featured Sauteed Ramp in Orange Oil or Ramp Cappuccino, the host would have been Marcel Biro Restaurant and Wine Bar in Milwaukee (http://www.birointernationale.com/dine). I'm guessing this may be correct based on a web search.

[scordelia]

Could it have been Sanford D’Amato? He is one of the more popular chefs from Milwaukee.

http://www.sanfordrestaurant.com/

←

Looks like that's it. So how is Sanford?

[slbunge]

Looks like that's it. So how is Sanford?

←

Haven't been in about 2 years but it is very good. Interesting 'tasting' concept on the menu with the items loosely organized by categories that help identify how to pull flavors together. My memory fails me now so I dont' have good examples of the category names but it works.

Nice wine list as well.

[gmi3804]

Looks like that's it. So how is Sanford?

←

Haven't been in about 2 years but it is very good. Interesting 'tasting' concept on the menu with the items loosely organized by categories that help identify how to pull flavors together. My memory fails me now so I dont' have good examples of the category names but it works.

Nice wine list as well.

←

Sanford is extraordinary. But as of our visit last spring, the menu had been reimagined into a more conventional appetizers/entrees layout. We wanted more corses, so they gladly did two half-appetizers for each of us. We each ordered an entree and then two desserts so that we had more of a "tasting menu" experience. Sanford is one of those places where so many things sound so good that it's hard to decide what to order, so their accommodation was much appreciated.

[KendallCollege]

Marcel Biro's restaurant/wine bar, culinary school, and his tapas restaurant "O" are all located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin...55 miles north of milwaukee and, proudly, my home town.

Trevor Williams.

-Kendall College-

[slbunge]

Marcel Biro's restaurant/wine bar, culinary school, and his tapas restaurant "O" are all located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin...55 miles north of milwaukee and, proudly, my home town.

Trevor Williams.

-Kendall College-

←

Wow. Thank you for this information. Have you been to the restaurants?

[KendallCollege]

Sadly...I have not eaten the man's food. However, I've enjoyed quite a few glasses of wine in his cellar/wine bar. I have no excuse for not ordering tidbits to munch on while relaxing in the cellar.

Ironically...The chef of the first restaurant that I worked at ("NY8") introduced chef Biro to the wine representatives in the area (our restaurants were separated by a design firm) and I did have the pleasure of doing numerous wine tastings with them. fun detail.

Trevor Williams

-Kendall College-

[Bret Beall]

I had been hearing fantastic, amazing things about Sanford for years, not the least of which was the chef's Beard Award nomination. So, this past June a friend and I went to Milwaukee for a long, fun weekend. We had 6pm reservations at Sanford, and were greeted warmly (by name!) when we arrived and were seated promptly ... and abandoned. My friend doesn't eat meat, so we bypassed the tasting menu, and once we flagged down our server, explained that we wanted to create our own tasting menu off of the regular menu (which TOTALLY confused her), and asked for advice on wine-by-the-glass pairings (one needs to know how the foods are prepared to do this properly). Mrs. D'Amato came over, made some bizarre (to our ears) suggestions, but we went with her recommendations.

First course was a "spring vegetable hash" with ramps, fiddleheads, yukon gold potatoes and chile oil. It was a disgusting brown mess (any fry cook could have done a better job), accompanied by a Sanford (northern CA) pinot noir that overpowered the mess and fought with the flavors (and happened to be the most expensive wine by the glass). The evening's meal and pairings went downhill from this initial travesty.

I'm not inclined to ever write anything negative about restaurants or chefs on my website or others (though I will share experiences in private consultations), but felt that it was important to add another perspective on D'Amato. It could have been a bad night, but it was bad enough that they would have to pay me to ever return.

Be Happy! Be Well!

Bret S. Beall, MS, PhD (Cand)

www.god-dess.com

[KendallCollege]

To be fair.

I've been to Sandy D'Amato's restaurant on two occasions.

The first occasion was a special treat to myself (i dined alone) because i was about to leave Wisconsin to come to culinary school here in Chicago. I was greeted (by name) when i arrived for my 6pm reservation. I told their sommelier that I usually prefer sparkling wine/champagne with my dinner (because i don't like the idea of constant wine pairing, total palate blow-out by the end of the meal in my opinion) so he recommended a half-btl of bollinger, which worked for the entire meal.

The amuse was a radish broth (in a 1/2 shot glass w/ demitasse spoon, adorable.) with candied radish and scallion, perfectly sweet and savory at the same time. I ordered the squab/foie gras app. The squab was chargrilled and beautifully medium-rare. I think it was lacquered w/ some sort of bold "bbq" sauce, but I can't quite recall. The foie was served as pate with grilled brioche, a standard. There were radishes, scallions, and a rhubarb essence. I thought it was fantastic.

I ordered lobster/scallops as the entree. The lobster (claw and half-tail) was immensely tender. The huge scallops underneath were that perfect medium rare that only a scallop can convey. You know the scallop...translucent, sweet, buttery, etc.,. These two sea creatures were served on top of creamed leeks and wasabi-whipped potatoes (i didn't understand the potatoes, wasabi?!? i just didn't get it.). The dish was tied together by a red wine/lobster reduction. I stopped drinking the sparkling wine and switched to my water during this course so the wine and the sauce wouldn't get confused. I'm glad I did because the whole dish (minus the spud confusion) was a success.

I didn't order dessert. I chose to finish my half-btl and switch to a glass of eiswein, instead. I think it was Inniskillin (sp?) from Ontario. Either way, great choice and a great meal.

My second trip to the temple of Sanford was with my GF. I took her up to Wisconsin for christmas and to Sanford as the present. As far as the food, the night was virtually a mirror image of my first experience (except the potatoes for the lobster had been switched from wasabi-whipped to garlic-whipped, thankfully). The amuse was a fennel broth w/ a single shucked mussel and saffron. My GF had Squab/Foie for her app and Lobster/Scallop as her entree (i asked her to try the same experience that i had). Her foie was flash-seared this time. We shared a grilled-asparagus salad in between the app/entree. I had rare tuna w/ cumin wafers and cilantro as an app, which was so straight-forward that it tasted exactly like it sounds, clean. My entree was Bison/Quail with red wine polenta or red wine grits or something. The dish also had an amazing chorizo element, but my memory is alittle foggy from that night. My GF was too beautiful and the wine came too fast. We shared a small, passion fruit sorbet for dessert. The kitchen sent out a chocolate cake of some sort as a bonus course. We'd been there for over 3 hours and never noticed anything other than each other, the food, and the amazingly funny sommelier who my GF asked to pair wine with our courses (it was her night, not mine.) I was impressed more by his personality than his pairings.

I will continue to be a patron to Sandford D'Amato's restaurant until his doors close. Period.

Trevor Williams

-Kendall College-

Edited October 27, 2005 by KendallCollege (log)

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm heading to Sanford this weekend for the first time and I'm very much looking forward to it. Bret's negative experience is the only one I've ever encountered. I surely hope our experience doesn't match up with his. In either case, I'll be sure to report back on our experience.

=R=

[Varmint]

I'm heading to Sanford this weekend for the first time and I'm very much looking forward to it.  Bret's negative experience is the only one I've ever encountered.  I surely hope our experience doesn't match up with his.  In either case, I'll be sure to report back on our experience.

=R=

←

Ronnie, how was your dinner?

I ate at Sanford a half dozen times, but that was over 10 years ago. Nevertheless, all my meals there were great.

[ronnie_suburban]

Dean,

Our meal was fantastic. And I've been working on a post about it but I keep getting waylaid.

Let's see what I can recall off the top of my head . . .

Even the whole-grain breadsticks which we received at the start were distinctive. They were absolutely delicious; nicely salty and with a perfect hint of rosemary. A very portentious start, as it turned out.

We ordered the Mushroom and Yukon Gold appetizer described above by Bret and, without wanting to step on any toes, the four of us were nearly clanking forks trying to snarf it down. We all thought it was delicious. From there, the meal just got more enjoyable. Different strokes and all, I guess.

For my appetizer, I ordered a terrific salad of Field Greens, Serrano ham, Aged Asiago Cheese and Brittle Pear Wafers. It was served with an Orange-Garlic vinaigrette that was sublime. The flavors married up well together and the salad was just excellent. And I personally liked the "riff" on ham and cheese, that being in Milwaukee, provided me with a chuckle. This salad was so great, even my shirt loved it

My wife's appetizer was the Shrimp and Pea Ravioli with Green Papaya Salad and Thai Curry Broth. I was expecting that this dish would perhaps be a milder "esque" version but instead, it blew us away with its heat and distinctively bright flavors.

I also tasted the signature Grilled Pear and Gorgonzola Tart with Caramelized Onions and Walnuts. Damn! It was just out of this world. I can see why it's become one of Sanford's signature items.

With the appetizers we enjoyed a bottle of 2001 Weinbach Cuvee St. Catherine Clos du Capucins. It was absolutely fantastic and paired up very nicely with my appetizer.

My entree was the Seared Sea Scallops and Lobster on Kohlrabi and Tarragon Potatoes with Red Wine Lobster Sauce. This dish really hummed. The seafood was incredibly fresh and cooked to delicate perfection. I love kohlrabi and this was absolutely delicious . . . tender, starchy (but not overly so) and packed with flavor. The sauce tied the dish together very nicely.

My wife ordered the Grilled Breast of Duck with Parsley Napkin Dumplings and Bacon Paprika Vinaigrette. Duck, bacon, paprika . . . hard to go wrong there and this dish was fantastic. The vinaigrette was "dip worthy" and I was happy that I had some great house-baked bread to sop it up.

With the entrees, we had a 2000 Domaine Leroy Auxey-duresses. As much as I loved the first wine, this one was even more enjoyable. Again, it paired nicely with my entree but this would have been good with anything. It was liquid velvet in a bottle. Both wines were selected by our friend Greg. He's a wine maven and I highly recommend taking him along to any dinner you might be attending.

Desserts, ordered at the outset, were also remarkable. We each ordered a tart: Plum, Banana, Cherry (actually a Clafoutis in tart form) and Macadamia Nut, the last of which was the hands-down winner, but they were all great. Macadamia nuts just become something else when they are warmed and served just slightly soft. Wow! And even better than the tarts were the house-made ice creams served alongside them. I especially love the Banana Rum version served with the Banana Tart but the Cinnamon version which was served with the Plum tart was among the best ice creams I've ever had. The Coconut and Morello Chery ice creams (served with the Macadamia Tart and Cherry Clafoutis, respectively) were also fantastic. It's no surprise that in the Dairyland that is Wisconsin, they turn out great ice cream. I believe that Sanford could close up his place, open an ice cream shop and become wildly successful all over again.

Service was exceptional and friendly. Sanford and Angie were very kind to us as was everyone else at Sanford. Even the valet had great advice for us on how to best navigate the annoying closure of I-794 on our way home. As expected, prices were a bit lower than they would have been at the same dinner in Chicago -- a bonus! But let me say that meal would have been worth it even Chicago price levels. Dinner at Sanford was a truly great dining experience and one that I hope to repeat in the near future.

=R=

Sanford Restaurant

1547 N Jackson St

Milwaukee, WI 53202

414 276-9608

[KendallCollege]

Ron.

Great review! Sandy D'Amato restaurant is truly a gem in the midwest. A location that we all should be very, VERY proud of. It's a rare glimpse of perfection set in a very obscure location. But it all makes perfect sense. Thank you for taking the time to travel to brew-city and enjoy Wisconsin's finest...and thank you for reviewing it so accurately!

Trevor Williams

-Kendall College-

[Judith Gebhart]

Could it have been Sanford D’Amato? He is one of the more popular chefs from Milwaukee.

http://www.sanfordrestaurant.com/

←

Looks like that's it. So how is Sanford?

←

We were repeated customers of Sanford until our last visit when Sanford returned to his restaurant and reclaimed his menu. This was for us a devastating disappointment. We will never return to Sanford and lament the loss of the prior chef. Milwaukee had a tiny window of excellence with Sanfords prior chef.

Today, the heart of it's creativity has been excised. What a misfortune. Milwaukee has a world wide, magnificent art musee. Chicago never had such a remarkable museum.

We don't think that Milwaukee understands their international position. If you keep a totally provincial food approach, you will deter international visitors. We lament this food reality. We also realize that no where in the mid-west is there a museum of such quality as Calatrava's contirbutiion.

As a Chicagoan, we hope that Milwaukee employs an exceptional chef AT LAST. We will return for the museum. Keep us happy with a great restaurant. Judith Gebhart

[repoman]

I haven't been to Sanford but everyone I know who has just raves about it so hearing about these bad experiences is kind of a surprise.

I would highly recommend his other restaurant, Coquette Cafe. Great bistro food at incredible prices.

I believe the show you are talking about is "Always In Good Taste" which features segments with Sandy D'Amato, Jason Gorman, and other Milwaukee chefs.

Edited December 2, 2005 by repoman (log)

[gaf]

North Chicago -- Sanford Restaurant

As I frequently announce, my favorite Chicago restaurant is to be found in Milwaukee (perhaps I exaggerate, but only slightly). Sanford, the eponymous restaurant of Chef Sanford D'Amico is a gem, benefitting from its relative absence of the glare of national publicity. (It did make Gourmet magazine's list of the Top 50 American restaurants). Since 1989, Sandy D'Amico has been turning out complex, thrilling dishes in a room that is quiet and sedate. Sanford is a restaurant that doesn't feel the need to hire Norman Foster to design their toilets. After meals at Moto, Alinea, or Avenues, Sanford may seem a bit old-fashioned, but fashion is not always what it is cracked up to be. Sanford's dishes have more in common with those of Trotter, a thoughtful global cuisine, but with a penchant for game (a delightfully undercooked chargrilled loin of elk was on the menu.

My friends and I ordered from the menu (declining the seven course tasting menu at $85; most main courses at Sanford are priced in the low $30s).

My appetizer will surely make my list of the top ten dishes of the year, Lacquered Squab with Salt Cured Foie Gras, Candied Leeks, Rhubarb Compote and Maple Gel. Just like Chicago in an alternative universe that lacks a Councilman Joe Moore. As good as the slightly salted duck liver was, the squab, with its Chinese taste notes, was even better. Although the dish had a sweetness, the sugar was never overpowering. Diners may believe that they love a stark cuisine, but a little bit of maple is a joy. While I sometimes complain about excess complexity, on this plate, all the ingredients combined in exquisite harmony.

To complete the theater of culinary cruelty, only veal can match foie gras. (Once we win the battle of moulard, let us celebrate with some ortolans.) I selected Chargrilled Loin of Strauss Veal with 17 Hour Veal Breast, Crispy Onion Potatoes, Tart Apple and Endive. And no, the veal wasn't slaughtered 17 hours after its birth, that refers to the slow cooking, capturing the essential juices of meat. Here was another excellent dish that reveled in its complexity. The veal was splendid, and the accompaniments added much to each bite. The weakness of the plate was in the chef's generosity in providing accompaniments, which lacked poetry apart from the meat.

Dessert was a richly adequate Banana Butterscotch Toffee Tart with Banana Rum Ice Cream. It was precisely what one might imagine from the description. Very pretty, but more at home at a restaurant with a less creative vision. Chef D'Amico has just opened a high-end Bakery in downtown Milwaukee (Harlequin Bakery) and the dessert seemed not all that different from a tart one might purchase from an excellent public bakery.

On the basis of this recent visit Sanford D'Amico shows no sign of slowing down. His dishes seem neither stale or trendy. Perhaps being head chef in a one-veal town allows one to escape the harsh, hot spotlight of the national gourmet maw. And we Chicagoans like that just fine.

Sanford

1547 North Jackson Street

Milwaukee

414-276-9608

http://www.sanfordrestaurant.com

camera unavailable

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[nsxtasy]

I dined at Sanford a while ago, and it was one of the best dinners I have ever had. Simply outstanding, as good as the very best places here in Chicago.

It's also interesting to hear the references to Biro and Sheboygan in this topic, as I have eaten there as well. Biro may get more attention due to their television series. However, my favorite place in Sheboygan is Margaux, where I had an excellent dinner last year.

[scordelia]

We went to Sanford for our 10th anniversary. What a great place! We had the 7 course menu (I'll have to post the courses later). And it's a great deal--at least compared to Chicago restaurants. Milwaukee seems to be becoming a bit of a food town.

[nsxtasy]

I agree with you that Sanford is simply wonderful, world-class in every way. However, as for Milwaukee "becoming" a bit of a food town, Sandy d'Amato has helped make Milwaukee "a bit of a food town" for quite a while now. He has been working his culinary magic at Sanford for over twenty years!

Edited December 15, 2009 by nsxtasy (log)

[budrichard]

Funny thing, we live in Wisconsin and have been going to Carlos since they opened. We had lunch last Monday, Prix Fixie $42.50 and the whole party(10) judged it one of the best ever at Carlos.

Our one soujourn to Sanford's was miserable, food and interaction.

Carlos also has no corkage on Monday's and now Friday. At Sanford, they spouted some Wisconsin statute about not allowing diners to bring in beverages which is nonsense.

The sweetbreads at Sanford's were tough and had been frozen. Nothing was memorable.

BTW lunch continues until XMAS at Carlos.-Dick