Take a peek at the new fall and winter menu at Carbon Steak, 725 N. Milwaukee St., and you’ll find a new chef working in the kitchen and an Italian theme running through the offerings. 

Although he didn’t know it at the time, Chef Matt Molli learned one of the foundations of Italian cooking at an early age.

“My grandfather taught me to make spaghetti all' assassina,” he says. “He called it 'burnt spaghetti' and he showed me how great just a few simple ingredients can become.”

It was a concept that stuck with him as he worked his way up through the ranks, starting as a dishwasher and working his way up to roles in restaurant kitchens. He went from a job at Murf’s Custard to a position managing the kitchen at McBob’s. From there, he moved to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino where he worked in a variety of positions in catering, the FirePit, Bella Cucina and eventually Dream Dance Steakhouse and 5 O’Clock Steakhouse.

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“Once I started working in kitchens, I knew I was in the right place,” says Molli. “There’s nothing boring about working in a kitchen. And you can never know everything about food. So every day is a challenge. And it’s all about making the customers happy.”

When Molli joined the team at Carbon about two months ago, he says he saw a welcome challenge.  “When I walked in, I saw a beautiful dining room in a restaurant that was too often empty,” he says, “I feel like going out for a meal should be a relaxing, enjoyable experience. We want it to be a place where people can come to celebrate special occasions. But we also want it to be a place that has affordable options that can be eaten and enjoyed every day.”

It’s a philosophy shared by General Manager Benny Islami, who came to Carbon after years working at Carson’s. “Accommodating guests is what we’re great at,” he says. “It all comes down to what the guest wants. It’s about making people feel special, giving them dishes that are less expensive and more enjoyable. It’s also about adding little touches that make the food delicious but not unrecognizable.” 

It's in the details

Among the little touches that Chef Molli has added is an amuse buche, a little bite for each guest to start off their meal.

“I look around at what we have in the kitchen and I plan them spur of the moment,” says Molli.  What I make depends on what’s fresh and what my mood is. So far, I’ve made a variety of bites from beet pickled scallop crudo and shrimp ceviche to sweet pea puree and mini caprese salads.”

But Molli has also infused Italian flavors into a variety of dishes including antipasti like hand-cut fried calamari served with Negroni cocktail sauce and lemon ($17); Calabrian chili shrimp with butter and lemon ($24); and Truffle Spinach Artichoke Dip served with housemade pasta chips ($16).

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“It’s such a simple thing, but it’s all about the ingredients,” says Molli. “For the spinach artichoke dip, we’re using fresh spinach and lots of really great parmesan. We cook them together so you don’t lose any of the flavor. Then we give it a little hit of truffle to add umami and make it just a little bit different.”

He’s taken a similar approach with the pastas he’s added to the menu, using simple, high-quality ingredients to boost their flavor and make them stand out. Among them is Drunken Radiatori featuring fried eggplant, mozzarella and tomatoes ($24). 

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“It’s not quite eggplant parmesan but it has similar notes,” he says. “We cook the pasta in wine to give it color and depth of flavor. Then we add our rustic tomato sauce – just good, hand crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and salt – crispy fried eggplant and fresh mozzarella.”

For those who like things a little spicy, he’s created a Spicy Radiatori with Calabrian chilies, tomato sauce and cream ($22).

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“Again, it’s really simple: garlic, shallots, Calabrian chilies and cream. We finish the noodles in the cream and chilies so they absorb the flavor and then we add the tomato sauce for a boost of flavor.”

Guests will also find dishes like Chicken Parmigiano served with burrata, tomatoes and sweet peas ($30); seared scallops with mushrooms and risotto ($46); and Chilean sea bass with Caesar pasta, lemon and vegetables ($47).

Ultimately, Molli says, it’s about giving people a reason to return to Carbon over and over again.

“Good, high quality meat is a must for every steakhouse,” says Molli. “So, the things that differentiate the different places around town are the sides and the other entrees. The sides have to be just as good as the steak, and the entrees have to be high quality.”

“In the end, I cook food that I want to eat,” he says. “I want peoples’ experience at Carbon to be fun and relaxing. I look at it as if our guests are eating at my house. It’s about offering them the best possible experience.”