Both the Ardent tasting room and its reimagined casual lounge at 1751 N. Farwell Ave. have taken a winter hiatus with a reopening planned for May. But the Ardent Lounge will be open this weekend for a very special pop-up with Chicago Chef Brian Fisher
The pop-up – which Chef and owner Justin Carlisle describes as having a “neighborhood wine bar feel” – will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. No reservations are required; service will be first come, first served.
The menu will feature a combination of snacks and larger plates including:
- Anchovy olives
- Caviar onion dip, potato chips, malt vinegar
- Sardines, dashi mayo, fried garlic, chili
- Celery root, adobo, apple, onion
- Bucatini, Sunday Gravy
- Fish, Brussels sprouts, Bentons Country Ham
- Ring bologna, French lentils, mire poix
- Pork chop, buttermilk, spring peas, yuzu kosho, shallot
- Mochi doughnut, smoked cheddar, truffle
- Canéle, Fior do Latte gelato
To accompany, Ardent Bar Manager Kyle Yost will be serving up a variety of cocktails as well as pours from a substantial list of wines curated for the occasion.
Fisher’s career has included work across the U.S., from New York to San Francisco. But a position as Chef de Cuisine at Michelin-starred Schwa in Wicker Park drew him back to Chicago in 2016. His recent post at Chicago’s Entente earned him his first Michelin Star.
In 2018, he was a James Beard semifinalist in the category of Best Chef Great Lakes. Over the years, Fisher also led the charge for Saved by the Max pop-ups in Chicago and Los Angeles. Fisher is also behind the menu at Dorian's, a bar, small plates restaurant, record store and music venue. Fisher was a guest chef for a collaborative dinner at Ardent in September of 2019.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
