What's in a restaurant? In this series, we ask chefs around the city to describe their restaurants in their own words and recommend three dishes that embody the best of what they offer. In this edition, we talk with Chef Christian Schroeder of Black Sheep in Walker's Point. 

Black Sheep
216 S. 2nd St.
(414) 750-7298
blacksheepmke.com

"In a nutshell, Black Sheep is a special place in my eyes," says Schroeder. "That bleeds through in everything from the decor to the concept and plays out in the way we try to treat our employees and customers. When it comes to food, it’s an open slate. We really try to showcase fun, creative things – including inspiration from places like France, Italy, Morocco and Asia – while keeping them relatable. It’s also a place where the menu changes on a regular basis, so we can really offer customers who are here two or three times a week something new and different."

"With new ownership in place for almost a year now, we’ve really worked to give Black Sheep a brand new identity as a destination with some of the best food in the city. Making the restaurant more food-forward has been one of the goals, and as the new chef, I’m really aspiring to take that to a new level and show people what we can do on the culinary side of things."

1. Country fried duck testes

Fried duck testes, huckleberry barbecue sauce, Cool Ranch Dorito onion rings ($11)

"This is a dish that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It’s a cool dish in terms of the fact that it brings fun and relate-ability to a dish that some people might not envision wanting to eat.

"The flavor is mild and a bit milky with a nice texture, and the breading is really crisp and spicy, so that adds another layer of texture to the dish. It’s paired with a barbecue sauce that uses red huckleberries from the Pacific Northwest. It’s sweet and tart with a little bit of kick on the back end."

2. Roasted cauliflower

Roasted cauliflower, cumin, beluga lentil puree, caramelized onion, mango, micro cilantro ($14).

"This entree is really pretty simple. I’m a pretty carnivorous eater myself, but spring and summer is the time that I switch things up and eat more vegetables. For me, it’s about taking a humble vegetable and just making it really, really delicious. The flavors conjure visions of India. There’s sweetness and caramelization from the cauliflower and the mangoes. And the curry brings in more complex flavors that really play on the sweetness. The micro cilantro on the dish is from Big City Greens, and it really ties everything together with a nice bright kick. And it’s vegetables, but this dish is substantial enough to really satisfy even a big guy like me.

3. Gnudi

Housemade gnudi, Pecorino Romano, morel mushroom, asparagus, everlasting pea, cream poached garlic puree ($24)

"Gnudi means 'nude' in Italian – really a reference to it being devoid of potato like a gnocchi might have. They’re little dumplings with thyme, chevre, lemon, pecorino romano and various aromatics. This is another vegetarian dish that really showcases some of the best that spring has to offer.

"It’s really spring on a plate with the asparagus and morels. The garlic is poached in cream, so there’s no bite and it really ties things together."

Fun fact: Black Sheep’s dinnerware (some of which is pictured) is created by local artist Jessie Voss of Pottery by Jessie in Mukwonago. Watch for select pieces available for purchase at Black Sheep in the coming weeks.