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Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Confession: I rarely venture to Uptown anymore. The traffic, the pain-in-the-rear parking, the crowds of pretty, young folk who remind me that I’m a very uncool suburban mom who gets up for the day around the same time they usually go to bed. A few recent trips to Social House, the latest incarnation of Zeno and Fusion at the corner of Hennepin and Lagoon avenues, might not convince me to make the big 15-minute drive on any given day, but is it worth stopping by after my semi-annual trip to Penzeys? Absolutely.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
With the food definitely a notch above its Fusion days, Social House offers a menu mainly focusing on small plates — though the name can be deceiving as some offer quite generous portions — and sushi rolls. Traditional starters such as edamame ($5 with salt, $6 with chili oil garnish) and miso soup ($3 / cup, $5 / bowl) are all present, but look beyond the typical for a more interesting and flavorful meal. The chilled soba noodle salad ($7) boasted a lively vinaigrette that was enhanced by a squirt of fresh lime, and the perfectly cooked noodles were a delight to slurp. A few more wedges of mango and cucumber would balance the dish even better — we relished the sweetness of the former and crunch of the latter. The curry aioli on the shiso miso sliders ($13 for three) made a delightfully tangy schmear, and the tiny brioche-like buns put many burger buns in this town to shame, but the plate suffered from a lack of textural contrast. The miso-marinated ahi needed something besides a similarly soft slice of avocado to awaken the senses — the crunch of cabbage or slivers of carrot and radish, perhaps.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
The bacon cheeseburger egg rolls ($10), featuring Kobe beef and cheddar, proved the State Fair theory that deep-frying anything makes it better. Though the accompanying habañero ketchup didn’t live up to its promised heat, we dug the rolls’ crispy exterior and umami-rich interior. Continue reading Social House in Uptown Minneapolis »
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
One has to wonder about these restaurants with menus reaching from Italy to India to Iran. Can a chef ever do justice to multiple kinds of cuisine when he or she bounces between a pasta with Bolognese sauce one minute and a clay oven-cooked chicken kabob the next? In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, we’ve seen the “everything for everyone” concept thrive (Crave) and dive (Ringo), and local food service management company Taher Inc. recently decided to throw its hat in the ring when it made over its Alaska Eatery off I-394 in St. Louis Park into the St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill.
Investing in a tandoori oven and grills large enough to cook a brontosaurus, the Tahers hope “YOUR SENSES ARE DELIGHTED WITH THE RICH SMELL OF THE THE WOOD FIRE GRILLS” (yes, the press release was entirely in caps), but after several visits, we walked away more with a sense of mediocrity than amazement. While only one item sampled was a complete miss, only one dish met the hype, and tellingly, it wasn’t even one cooked on the grill.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
The list of appetizers circle the world from Asia (ahi tuna crisps), the Middle East (saffron chicken wings), Canada (poutine), and the good ol’ U.S. of A. While the woodfire avocado ($7) took a fun twist on a traditional guacamole by grilling a whole half directly, the slightly underripe fruit was overshadowed by the tomatillo salsa that accompanied it. A perfectly ripe avocado likely wouldn’t have held its shape on the grill, we understand, but when the avocado is the star of the dish, it’s hard to overlook its diminished flavor. More successful was the grilled house-made naan ($4) with a cilantro-mint topping that enhanced the bread’s smoky char from the grill and rendered the cucumber sauce on the side unnecessary. The Mexican chile verde soup ($4 / cup, $7 / bowl) also impressed with its tomatillo-based broth, chunks of tender chicken and fresh lime flavor.
The sandwich menu splits roughly 60 / 40 between grilled and deli-style sandwiches, and of the ones tried, the deli-inspired sammies get the nod. A tarragon chicken sandwich ($10) featured a pleasingly fresh, herby flavor that was only marred by the mealy out-of-season tomatoes tucked inside the nine-grain bread. (Hint to restaurateurs: If the tomatoes aren’t up to snuff, just don’t serve them. If they’re looking pink and pathetic, they add no flavor or appeal.) While the reuben ($12), chock full of corned beef and melty cheese, wouldn’t hold up to New York deli standards, the savory rye bread and ample filling made it a satisfying lunch. But the turkey burger’s ($10) bottom was so charred from the grill that it was hard to discern any other flavor, not even from the pepper jack cheese, and while the Asian-style slaw added a nice kick to the black bean burger ($10), the patty was the same Morningstar Farm variety I keep in my freezer.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Head to dinner at the North Loop’s newest fine dining establishment without an address scribbled down, and there’s an excellent chance you’ll miss it. With little in the way of signage (the only indication we were in the right place was a couple of trendy twenty-somethings asking for IDs and a subtle laminate on the door), at first glance the Bachelor Farmer seems more like a chic invite-only speakeasy than your standard Minnesota eatery. (Read our story about a dinner party that contains some of the restaurant’s origins).
While the chic speakeasy bit is partially true — the restaurant is owned by Governor Mark Dayton’s sons, and we spotted the governor and Senator Amy Klobuchar dining at a nearby table on a recent visit – the place seems more like a – well, a bachelor farmer. You know, a working class guy with an honest upbringing, aspiring to make it in the big city with a more modern spin on things than the generation he succeeds. Sappy, yes – but pale hardwood tables with industrial metal legs, old-school Scandinavian-inspired blue heart wallpaper, and simultaneously hipster-and-homey blue gingham awnings make the restaurant seem right at home in Minneapolis’ Warehouse District. Open for more than a month, the restaurant offers a menu that has experienced a number of minor tweaks and still reads “friends and family.” Whether that promises a final sweeping overhaul down the road remains to be seen.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
As it stands, the menu is packed with well-executed classic cocktails and Scandinavian standards with a modern spin. Excluding drinks, it’s split into five categories: appetizers, toasts, entrees, sides, and desserts.
DRINKS
Drinks at The Bachelor Farmer stick to the classics — if you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, head downstairs to the quirkier Marvel Bar (read our take here). In our experience, the Old Fashioned was akin to the pre-Prohibition Era drink — no sugar packets, Maraschino cherries, or Sprite — it was bracingly strong (in our book, this is a good thing) and eschewed the cloying sweetness so frequently found in modern incarnations of the drink. The Sidecar was similarly constructed: strong, well-balanced, no filler.
APPETIZERS
What better way to start a meal at a Scandinavian-style restaurant than with lox? This version was cured in-house to great effect – silky texture and buttery, dill-tinged flavor without an overwhelming presence of salt or fishiness. The accompanying scrambled eggs were topped with a potent mixture of herbs and onions that broke up the richness of the eggs and lox.
Fried Pacific Cod, Spring Onions, Green Beans ($11) was essentially tempura-battered bar food done right – the onions had give without being soggy; the fish was flaky and tender. The lemon caper aioli dipping sauce was tasty and added just enough kick for the cod – overall, a pleasant, non-greasy, balanced snack.
If you’re looking for a flavor bomb, get the Grilled Sausage, Lefse, Pickled Beets, Grain Mustard ($10). The sausage was packed with spices, which played nicely with the tang of the beets and the spice of the mustard. The lefse makes an excellent, flavor-neutral vehicle to carry the otherwise volatile flavors.
A healthier option, the chilled kale soup ($7), split our group. The earthy broth tasted like pureed kale with just enough body, in part due to a dollop of crème fraiche – however, there were a few objections that it tasted “too healthy” – a bit like something one might drink on a juice cleanse. We found the Bibb Lettuces, Montforte Blue Cheese, Walnuts, Cider Vinegar ($9) — really well seasoned and balanced, with the right level of acid — delicate and delicious.
TOASTS
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
By virtue of a charming little rack of toast (which, even after it grew cold, retained a perfect balance of crunchy-yet-chewy texture), the substantial appetizer or light meal toast options were reasonably filling. The Gravlax, Sweet Mustard, Cucumbers ($13) was a nice take on a classic, featuring spot-on, lightly pickled cucumber slices and house-cured gravlax. A rather tangy, country-style mustard offered a not entirely unwelcome, rustic spin on the smooth, sweet stuff often served with gravlax. Continue reading The Bachelor Farmer in the North Loop, Minneapolis »
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Two restaurants straddle either side of North Third Street between First and Second avenues in downtown Minneapolis. On the north side is 112 Eatery, with a kitchen run by a James Beard Award-winning chef and accolades from everyone from The New York Times to your mother. It’s routinely singled out for its sophisticated yet affordable cuisine and is on the must-try list of every foodie in town.
Or so I’ve heard. I’ve never eaten there.
With a menu that features a pork product in at least half of its dishes — and shellfish in many of the remaining — I, a Jew who doesn’t eat either of those foods, don’t have much left to choose, and so I’ve never been. But don’t cry for me, Twin Cities. The restaurant on the south side of North Third, Saffron, is the answer to my pork-free prayers. And it’s no consolation prize — the top-notch Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food that graces the warm and vibrant dining room rivals the best dishes coming out of any area kitchen, and they back up my long-standing argument that you don’t need proscuitto or lardons to create a winning meal.
Chef Sameh Wadi, whose Muslim beliefs inform his decision to keep pork off his menu, instead has homed in on the flavors and spices that make the food from this region simultaneously exotic and comforting. Gently cooked vegetables, fragrant sauces, and tender meats benefit from a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of garlic, or a blend of fiery peppers. A dab of yogurt or a shower of coriander seeds can do as much for a dish as a crumbled slice of pancetta. With each bite you can taste the love and layers of flavor that generations of cooks have perfected — and Wadi has updated them for the present.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
A recent overhaul of the menu has led to a new focus on mezze (small plates), and you’d be smart to start off your meal with a bunch of them. Perhaps the hummus (above left, $6 plain / $8-9 with toppings) doesn’t tempt you due to its ubiquity these days, but don’t overlook it. This hummus is the real deal — light, lemony, and bursting with freshness. That pasty puree you buy at the grocery store shouldn’t even be mentioned in the same breath at Saffron’s hummus. For an extra treat, top it with bastirma, silky, house-cured beef that offers a slightly salty contrast to the smooth hummus. Or, if you insist on skipping the hummus, order the charred fresh chickpeas (above right, $6), which you squeeze out of the pods like edamame, capturing the bits of lemon juice and sea salt with each slurp. The starters match beautifully with the non-alcoholic refreshments ($4.50) on the drinks menu — go for the Blood & Fire with watermelon and cucumber, or a Moroccan Chiller with mango, pineapple, orange, hibiscus, and orange blossom water.
A taste of Spain comes in the form of chicken and mushroom croquettes ($6), which win you over with their crispy shell and warm, umami-rich filling. Greece shows up as grilled haloumi cheese ($5) sandwiched between thick cubes of watermelon and a sprinkle of mint. The bready cheese features a tasty layer of char atop a crumbly, salty interior, providing a pleasing contrast to the sweet, juicy melon and cool mint. The crispy potato chips ($5) are addictive enough on their own, but the addition of za’tar yogurt and piquillo pepper sauce give your tongue a hot-and-cold roller-coaster ride that takes the chips over the top. If you’d rather steer clear of the fryer, the slow cooked green beans ($6) satisfy with a spicy tomato sauce that may cause you to reach for your cocktail a few extra times (try the Saffron Rose with gin, saffron, rose water, and sparkling rosé) but still leaves you wanting more. Continue reading Saffron in the Minneapolis Warehouse District »
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Let’s call 2010 / 2011 the year of the South Minneapolis neighborhood joint: The meteoric ascent of Tilia, the immaculate offerings of In Season, the auspicious beginnings of Patisserie 46 and Sun Street Breads, the pizza pie of Pizzeria Lola, and the debut of Corner Table’s breakfast and Community Supported Kitchen program all point to a remarkable whirlwind of edible awesomeness sweeping the Linden Hills, Kingfield, and Tangletown neighborhoods.
Add to this the recent opening of Wise Acre Eatery, a new restaurant owned by Dean Engelmann and Scott Endres, the folks behind Tangletown Gardens. There’s a strong farm-to-table connection here: As per the restaurant’s menu, “Tangletown Gardens’ Farm, a 100+ acre farm located outside of Plato, MN, supplies the farm-raised produce as well as raises Scottish Highland cattle and Berkshire Hogs for Wise Acre meat, and chickens for both meat and eggs.”
Two Lucia’s alumnae, Chef Beth Fisher and General Manager Caroline Glawe, give the neighborhood eatery a touch of farm-focused class. The menu is simple and elegant without being dull; the food elevated without even a touch of stuffiness.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Starters were as entertaining as they were generally well executed. The bacon steak with shallot marmalade starter (above, center left, $7) played salty and sweet flavors against crunchy and chewy textures to good effect; ham and pea fritters ($6) were equally well balanced and successful.
Wise Acre enthusiastically takes part in a current trend that should become a fixture: providing guests with non-alcoholic drink options that have the same thoughtfulness and flavor kick offered by their boozy cousins. The house-made sodas ($3) when we visited were cherry / ginger and blackberry / white pepper (a “black and white”). Both were spot on — flavorful, not oversweet, cleverly playing fruit flavor against a savory counterpoint.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
The chowder of the week ($4 cup / $6 bowl) during one of our visits was a beautifully executed vegetable soup with a strong celery base and a soothing freshness that seemed perfect for early summer. Small pieces of potatoes in the soup were properly cooked — still retaining some texture, but tender overall.
Continue reading Wise Acre Eatery in Tangletown, Minneapolis »
Lars Swanson / Heavy Table
For better or worse, sushi isn’t going anywhere — for every diner carping about freshness or sustainability, there are five lining up to get their fix of tuna nigiri. That said, with the current boom of sushi places throughout the Twin Cities (and Uptown in particular) an eventual die-off seems inevitable; soundly-run old warriors like Origami and Fuji Ya will likely maintain their footing as all but the sharpest of the new breed fight one another to death.
That said, local interest in Japanese food seems to be expanding, if not actually moving on — witness the success of Obento-Ya on Como (which has emphasized bento boxes and charcoal-grilled robata skewers, although the latter were recently dropped from restaurant’s lunch menu), the sake gastropub moto-i in Uptown, and the austere, wonderful, noodle-focused Tanpopo in St. Paul.
Lars Swanson / Heavy Table
And so: We come to the newest, biggest kid on the block, the Tim McKee-launched, sustainable-fish focused Masu Sushi and Robata. We previewed Masu after attending its press event in mid-April, but returned to explore its menu more thoroughly and get a sense of its long-term prospects.
The prospects seem bright, and we were encouraged to see Chris Olson (who successfully opened moto-i and had previously been stationed at Meritage) in the house in a sous chef capacity*.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
While showcasing its sushi offerings, Masu equally emphasizes intriguing small plates, numerous robata skewers, and serious noodle offerings. The menu ranges widely and borders on the overwhelming, but it’s organized well enough that an experienced diner should be able to patch together a well-rounded meal. We generally quite liked the robata (above) — the tsukune chicken meatball ($3.75) was surprisingly delicate and packed a flavor punch, and the miso-glazed grilled sweet corn ($2.50) was a novel and delicious choice. A chicken breast and scallion skewer ($3.50, not pictured) was a nicely balanced treat, but we found the pork belly ($4.50, above) to be 95 percent fat; it had a nicely charred crispy outside and pork fat lovers may savor it, but hopefully we’ll get a bit more meat next time.
Lars Swanson / Heavy Table
There’s quite a lot to like about Masu. From its clear concept to its smart-as-a-whip Japanese pop culture interior to its quirky, well-executed food, the place feels legitimately cosmopolitan. Japanese kewpie dolls, pachinko machines, and gorgeous sake bottle dispensers above the bar all contribute to an otherworldly feel, and a well-trained staff does a consistent job of explaining and interpreting everything from the menu’s shôchû “gummi” drinks, to the hospitality over-flow pour of sake, to concept of robata.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Multiple visits revealed some stunning strengths and occasional inconsistencies. The Firecracker Roll ($14) was recommended by our waitress, and it impressed our guests, visiting food journalists from San Francisco. Rice is what sets decent sushi apart from the good stuff, and this stuff was perfectly tender with a mild sweet / vinegar flavor. The texture and taste balance of the roll (between buttery avocado, crunchy shrimp tempura, crisp cucumber, and tempura flakes) was spot on, and it lacked the clown car over-ambition that is the undoing of so many big rolls at many so-so sushi restaurants. Also worth noting is Masu’s house-ground wasabi paste, which sticks out thanks to its pale green color and deep, nuanced flavor.
Less noteworthy was the Masu roll ($16), which felt cluttered compared to the Firecracker. Part of the problem: an overly spicy habañero masago (roe) that overpowered the mellow scallop and avocado and even the unagi sauce. Continue reading Masu Sushi and Robata in Northeast Minneapolis »
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