The Dynamic Duo
Earlier this year, Omar Shaikh could barely contain his excitement about SURG Restaurant Group’s plans for the former Charro Restaurant (17800 W. Blue Mound Rd., Brookfield). He said it was going to be big. As SURG revealed yesterday, the restaurant-to-be, called 8*twelve, is a partnership between the restaurant group (which operates Umami Moto and Ryan Braun’s Graffito, among other establishments) and two Wisconsin sports stars – Milwaukee Brewers left-fielder Braun and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. According to SURG, the duo “had a hand in developing” 8*twelve’s concept. Regarding the interior part of that concept, beyond displaying sports memorabilia and offering big-screen TVs, I don’t know what other visual pleasures await. And I must wait – until June, the projected opening month. As for the menu of American-style cuisine, executive chef Aaron Patin shared some potential menu items – a Caesar salad prepared tableside; a butter burger on a house-made pretzel roll; roast pork loin sandwich; smoked BBQ brisket with Texas toast and baked beans; and sirloin steak frites. Another menu component would include steaks and higher-priced fare. For dessert, Patin mentions a menagerie of cream and fruit pies. More? Coming. And are you curious about the name? Beyond the references to the players’ team numbers? Read Sports Nut Howie Magner’s take on it in the Daily Mil.
Beard, At a Glance
Last night, if you were chained to your Twitter feed, you might have learned who took home the Best Midwest Chef honors in the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards. And that chef is… Tory Miller, co-owner of Madison’s L’Etoile. Miller’s fellow finalists included Justin Aprahamian, chef de cuisine of Milwaukee’s Sanford Restaurant. The few Wisconsin names in the awards aside, you’d probably expect culinary kingpins like Wolfgang Puck to take home an award. (This year, Puck’s was for Lifetime Achievement.) Charlie Trotter, a UW-Madison political science grad who opened his eponymously named restaurant in Chicago 25 years ago, picked up the Humanitarian of the Year Award. Earlier this year, Trotter announced that the restaurant will close in August, at which point he plans to pursue a master’s degree. My pick for the coolest award winner? Christina Tosi, pastry chef for NYC’s Momofuku Milk Bar, went home with the Beard for Rising Star Chef of the Year. There must be something to that Momofuku “crack pie.”
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