Grand Cafe – Brunch

Grand Cafe is not a new restaurant to me, and I’m pretty sure I’ve blogged about it previously. However, I haven’t been there since Jamie Malone took the helm as the chef. If you aren’t familiar with Jamie Malone, she’s been the opening chef at several Minneapolis restaurants and while at Sea Change was a semifinalist for a James Beard award in 2013 and 2014. She currently is nominated for the James Beard 2019 award for Best Chef: Midwest.

Today the hubby and I made a return visit to Grand Cafe to check it out. I would say run, don’t walk, to brunch at this place! The space is as quaint as ever with touches of pink among the greenery. They had old movies playing on one wall which was a fun touch. We were early for our reservation but only had to wait a few minutes before being led to a nice two top out of the way of the main flow of the servers.

The hubby ordered a Mimosa, which you can get with orange or grapefruit juice. We also had cute clear pink water glasses and small water pitcher on the table – so much better than constantly having to have a server refilling the glasses. We each ordered a “sweet treat” to start with – the hubby with the Brown Butter Apple Galette and me with the Coffee Cake. Both were served warm with soft butter on the side. Neither of us offered the other a bite, nor was there much talking during that time. The coffee cake had a nice crispy outside with a moist, chocolate chip cake in the middle. The Galette appeared to be filled with thinly sliced apples and was quickly devoured.

Our main entrees came out a short time later. The hubby ordered the Ham and Egg Cocotte with Black Truffle Cream. Grand Cafe has had the Egg en Cocotte in the past, but add the Black Truffle Cream and there was zero chance he’d have anything else. He really enjoyed it. “Word.” – verbatim from the Hubs.

I had the Classic Eggs Benedict with Fingerling Potatoes. I don’t typically order Eggs Benedict, but I’m so glad I did. The poached egg was perfectly cooked, the hollandaise had a touch of lemon taste to it, the ham was fork tender and the English muffin was toasted just right. The potatoes were nicely roasted with sea salt sprinkled over it.

We will definitely be back for brunch again and my vote is for Jamie Malone for Best Chef: Midwest!

Happy Eating!

PLate

As often is the case, the hubs and I found ourselves with the age old question one weekday evening recently…”what do you want for dinner?” We wanted something close by, but none of the usual haunts were calling out to us. Debbie for the win in remembering this new restaurant…PLate.

We stepped into this new restaurant in Prior Lake which describes itself as “an upscale American Eatery.” When you enter the restaurant there is a bar area to the left and the dining room to the right. The bar area had high top tables, couple of TV screens and a well-stocked bar. We chose to eat in the dining room and were seated at a two-top near the windows. The restaurant had a modern decor that fits well with the space. The one thing that seemed a little off was the lighting – a bit too bright to provide good ambiance. Perhaps they just hadn’t dimmed them yet, we do tend to go on the early side.

The dinner menu has quite a few seafood dishes, especially in the small PLates section. They also have a selection of steaks and other entrees. The steaks are served ala carte. There are a selection of sides to order along with your entree to complete the meal.

We were not in the steak type of mood, so I went with a PLate Burger with cheese and sauteed onions and french fries. The hubs went with the Chicken Parmesan which was a breaded parmesan chicken breast, angel hair pasta, and marinara sauce.

The hubs enjoyed the Chicken Parmesan. He said it would have been nice to have some vegetable served with it – maybe broccolini. Otherwise it was a good dish with lots of flavor. The cheeseburger was good, cooked to my liking – some pink. The seasoned fries were good, not overpowering with the seasoning but enough to give it a little different spin on regular fries.

All in all, it was a good experience. My concern is the price point of the menu. In looking on the website, I realized that there are no prices referenced. I remember thinking the prices were a little on the steep side. I’m hopeful the owners have done their research and that the neighborhood will support this type of restaurant. The town definitely needs more dining options and this is a nice edition.

I think we’ll give it a try for brunch some weekend and see how that goes.

Happy Eating!

Mevyn

The first new restaurant of 2019 goes to Mevyn, a Tim Nivers, Laurel Elm, and Adam Eaton collaboration.  They also are the force behind Saint Dinette and Mucci’s Italian in St. Paul.  Both of which I would highly recommend!

Picking the first new restaurant of the year is always a challenge.  You want it to live up to expectations and help to set the stage for a year of awesome dining.  It also means the restaurant could be up for consideration of our “restaurant of the year” (aka, New Year’s Eve dinner).  Though truth be told, in the decade we have been picking our NYE dinner this way, we have yet to name a restaurant any earlier than April.  Thankfully, Mevyn did not disappoint!  While I don’t see it being NYE dinner material, could be a good NYE brunch spot.

We stopped in on a Saturday shortly before noon.  You could smell the wood-fired oven from outside the restaurant, just inviting you to come in and check it out.  The space is something between a coffee shop vibe paired with a cafe.  Not as laid back as a coffee shop but nothing that makes you feel like you are being rushed from your table the minute you finish.  You order at the counter and then they bring the food to your table when it’s ready.  They also clear your table when you finish, no need to bus your own dishes.

After reviewing the menu, the hubby ordered the bagel special which was the Croque Monsieur which consisted of a wood-fired bagel with spiral-cut ham, béchamel, and Gruyère.  I ordered the Egg Sandwich which was served with egg, American cheese and a choice of meat on a Sesame Challah Roll.  I went with the Smoked Turkey.  My sandwich came with a choice of a side so I ordered the potato salad.  This garnered a “very good choice” from the gal taking our order.  We ordered 2 sodas and then headed to find a table.

We didn’t wait very long before my sandwich was brought out.  The hubby waited just a couple of extra minutes for his bagel.  My sandwich was excellent!  The bread was a great pairing with the sturdiness of the smoked turkey, egg and cheese.  It held its own without completely falling apart.  The smoked turkey was piled high and extremely tasty.  The sandwich was served with half of a large pickle.  The potato salad had a pickled flavor that was very pronounced.  While it was good, I could only take so much of it.  I’m not a pickle fan and it got to be a little much after awhile.  The hubby was able to help finish it off for me.  If you like pickled food, you’ll like this potato salad.

The Croque Monsieur bagel looked excellent.  I can’t comment on the taste of it because even though I shared my potato salad, apparently sharing does not always go both ways.  It looked great though and you could tell it was heated in the wood-fired oven as the ham had a nice crispness, with a touch of black edges on it and the cheese was melted perfectly.

After finishing our meal, we decided to take home several plain bagels for the next day.  We used these for breakfast and they toasted up great.

I would highly recommend Meyvn for a breakfast/lunch stop.  The menu is a little pricy, but the quality of the food is definitely worth it.  The location is great as it is in between Lyn-Lake and Uptown.

The 2019 restaurant scene is off to a great start!

Happy Eating!

 

 

The Hasty Tasty

Memorial Day weekend began with a stop at The Hasty Tasty for a late lunch.  This is a relatively new restaurant (at least for me) in the LynLake area of Minneapolis.  Near Uptown, but easier street parking.

We entered the restaurant and it had a fun vibe to it – the bar seemed to be a focal point and would be a great place to hang if you were in the neighborhood.  We took a bar type table near a window that faced outwards.  Great for people watching!  They have some outdoor seating as well.  Given the 90 degree temps we are seeing this weekend and the higher humidity, we stayed with the nice AC and a window view.

The lunch menu is rather small, but definitely some winners on the menu!  The hubby was going to go with the pork sandwich, but I gently reminded him that they had mac and cheese on the menu and that is always a favorite.  He went with the “bubbling four cheese blend” mac and cheese and added smoked tofu.  The dish came out and was steaming hot with the tofu sprinkled across the top.  The tofu was actually not hot which made for an interesting combo – it worked well.  The hubby was very happy with the choice and would highly recommend it.

I went with a good old burger – angus beef, cheddar, worcestershire, b&b pickle, aioli.  This burger was amazing!  Juicy, flavorful and just the right amount of cheese, lettuce and aioli.  (I held off on the pickles.)  The burger came with a side of potato wedges.  The wedges were deliciously seasoned with a crispy skin.  The hubby thought they were cut a little too big and had too much inside.  I agree, but still managed to eat them all anyway.  I think this might be my favorite burger in the cities right now.  While we go to Miesville quite a bit for King’s Place burgers, I would argue this one was just as good if not better.  The hubby asked if it was better than the Parlour burger.  Hmm…not sure, may need to head back to Parlour to see.

This was a great lunch stop on our way to Mia to see the exhibit “Power and Beauty in China’s Last Dynasty: Concept and Design by Robert Wilson“.  I would highly encourage everyone to check out this exhibit before it closes on June 10th.  Amazing!  Oh and stop by The Hasty Tasty for a bite to eat!

Happy eating!

Bellecour

To get the reservation we had last night at Bellecour, I booked on Open Table in the early hours of March 27th.  That’s right – 2 months prior to the actual reservation!  This restaurant opened earlier this spring and immediately became THE reservation to get.  Good for the Minnesota born Gavin Kaysen!  This is his 2nd restaurant in the cities since he returned from his various forays in California, New York and Europe.  The first restaurant of his is Spoon & Stable.  I have been to that restaurant 4 times I believe.  It’s good, but not a place that I would tell people they have to go to.  Bellecour on the other hand…is in the lead for restaurant of the year and thus New Year’s Eve dinner.

Reservations for One, the hubby and I had reservations at 5:00 pm.  Yes, we are earlier diners and it still took 2 months to get the reservation!  The hubby and I arrived on the early side and was amazed at how busy the area around the restaurant already was.  It was a gorgeous day and of course we were right by the lake.  Anyway, we decided to head to the bar at Bellecour and start with a drink.  The bar area was very nicely appointed and the bar chairs were substantial – ones in which you could sit for some time and not find your backside going numb.  We sat at the end of the bar and the bartender was friendly and ready to guide us through the cocktail list.  I ended up going with The Daily which is a daily special.  Unfortunately the ingredients aren’t listed anywhere and my memory is not great.  I know there was lemon juice, watermelon juice, tequila (I think) and another kind of alcohol.  It was a very nice, refreshing drink for an early summer afternoon.  The hubby went with The Metropolitan which was also very good.  We “scored” with an order of frites that were made but had no home.  Sometimes you are in the right place at the right time.  The gratis frites were amazing!  Thin shoestring like fries with rosemary served with a garlic aioli that was “drinkable” according to the hubby.

After finishing our drinks, we were led to the dining room and to our table.  We were seated in a rounded booth/chair table.  Very similar to the seating at Spoon & Stable.  While the dining room at first blush looks a bit on the small side, we soon realized there is another room and a sizable patio area.  The room is much more spacious than I originally thought.  They also have the bar and a small bakery outlet at the front of the restaurant.

We were thrilled to discover our server was none other than Ricardo whom we have a long history with.  We first met him at Pane Vino Dolce, then Al Vento, and most recently at 4 Bells.  So thrilled to see him again!  He is the ultimate server.  Makes you feel that you’re the only table that matters and he truly gets how to make the evening that much more special.  And of course he appeared to recognize us and that always is good for the ego.

He took our drink order and brought two great tasting reds for RFO and myself.  I would list them here, but their online presence doesn’t have their wine menu online unfortunately.  I had a Cotes du Rhone and RFO had a Cabernet I believe.  Ricardo didn’t steer us wrong with our selections.  He also brought over a fresh baguette that literally was too hot to break apart at first.

RFO and I split the French Onion soup after he said it was the best soup he’s had – even better than when he was in France.  What I truly appreciated was that he suggested we split the soup as it was a generous portion and they’d bring it in two separate dishes.  This was the way to go.  The soup was delicious and plenty to split.  The cheese had just the right amount of browning on top, the croutons held up to the soup and the onions were cut in a manageable way so as not to have onions hanging off the spoon.  Very well done!  The hubby started with the SALADE FRISÉE with sourdough crouton, crispy bacon, poached egg, and sherry vinaigrette.  He said it was fabulous.

Under the recommendation of Ricardo, RFO and I both ended up with the KING SALMON served over hummus, black olive, panisse, and preserved lemon.  I’m not an olive fan but it was so limited in appearance on the dish that I didn’t even notice it.  The salmon from Washington State was seared to perfection and had a crispy skin that added a nice texture to the dish.  The chickpeas, hummus and panisse provided a wonderful backdrop of the fish.  None of the dish made it home with me.  The hubby went with CÔTE DE PORC which was a roasted pork chop, red cabbage, green apple, and cider glaze.  It looked and smelled amazing!  I managed to talk the hubby out of a bite it and it was melt in your mouth good.  As a side for the table we ordered the CAULIFLOWER RÔTI with capers, brown butter, raisins, madras curry, and lemon.  There was definitely a flavor of curry, but I also noticed the smell of a morning walk in nature and that earthy smell of morning dew on trees in the forest.  The cauliflower was a hit by all three of us.

We then ordered dessert.  Who can go to a French restaurant and not get dessert?  The hubby went with the PARIS-BREST which had hazelnut mousse, vanilla ice cream and a chocolate sauce drizzled over the top.  RFO went with the Chocolate Opera Cake with espresso butter cream and candied almonds.  And of course a decaf coffee – black.  I had HONEY VACHERIN with morello cherry sorbet.  It was pretty good.  It was meringue like which was good, but I was a little envious of the other 2 desserts on the table.  I would say that the hubby won on the dessert round of the evening.

One thing to note about this place is they do not lack for servers.  Our water-glass never sat empty, plates were cleared appropriately, and there were always people around to ensure guests were enjoying their meals.  We also did not feel rushed.  While it is a difficult place to get reservations for, they don’t rush you through your meal.  We didn’t leave until almost 8:00.  A 3 hour delightful evening with friends!

Still determining if this is going to be our ROTY.   It’s definitely in the running!

If you are in Wayzata, definitely give this place a try.  If you can’t get a reservation, go early and grab a seat at the bar or stop in during the day and get something from the bakery.  Definitely worth a drive to Wayzata as well!

Happy eating!

Esker Grove

My friend Heather (formerly known as RFO) had a birthday last week.  And all birthday girls deserve a good dinner to celebrate.  We chose to go to Esker Grove at the Walker Art Center.

We arrived about 45 minutes prior to our reservation for dinner.  This gave us time to check out a few of the Walker exhibits.  The Walker is a contemporary art museum and we definitely had a lot of discussion about what constitutes art in a few of the exhibits.  We both are more into the art at the MIA across town.  However, it’s good for us to get out of our comfort zone every so often.

After being confused, awed, and amused, we ventured to the new restaurant for dinner.  The restaurant was well-appointed and had interesting lighting and decorations throughout.  A nice atmosphere and not too loud, but rather an energetic vibe.  The wait staff dressed in gingham shirts – seems to be a theme as our recent trip to Red Rabbit also has a similar “uniform” for the wait staff.  Our server was very nice and spent quite a bit of time explaining the menu to us.  It’s not a large menu, but it was nice to have a few things explained and get her opinion on favorites.  The menu is grain/vegetable forward, so if you are looking for this type of food – definitely some choices for you.

We started with a glass of Malbec which was a tasty, full-bodied red at a reasonable price.  We both ordered the Celery Root Tart which was served with sour milk, crispy chip, and dried apple skin.  This was definitely the highlight of the meal for me.  It was warm, creamy goodness wrapped in a crisp shell.  The dried apple skin was a great add to the dish.  We discussed if it was tacky to lick the dish.  Agreed it probably was.  So good and definitely a must have if you go!

For our entrees, Heather went with the NY Strip which was dry aged and served with carrot, black truffle, and cabbage.  The preparation recommended was a bit on the rare side.  Not being one to question the chef’s opinion, Heather went with the reco.  It arrived and was almost borderline too rare.  I had a bite of the meat and we were a bit disappointed in the lack of flavor.  Perhaps it was missing a bit of salt?  The rest of her dish was fine, though a bit of a disappointment after the awesome start with the tart!

My entree was the Capon with a chestnut pain perdu, artichoke, and jus.  The chicken was really good!  Very tender and full of flavor.  The chestnut pain perdu had a bread pudding texture.  My entree was good and I would definitely recommend it if you are there and it’s on the menu.  I ordered a side of Potato with harissa and olio verde.  The potatoes were a very creamy mashed potato and the harissa added a little kick.

Next up was dessert.  It was a birthday celebration after all, so dessert was a no-brainer.  We ended up getting the same thing – the Budino which was a butterscotch, chocolate, pretzel layered dessert that was served with a scoop of malted vanilla ice cream.  I think Heather enjoyed it slightly more than I did, but it was still a great way to end our meal and time together.

I think we both would agree that Esker Grove was fine and a nice option if you are going to the Walker.  We might be interested in trying their brunch sometime.

Happy Eating!  (And happy birthday to Heather!!)

Grand Cafe – Closing

I just saw the sad news that a favorite restaurant is closing next week, February 5th.  If you have not tried Grand Cafe, you have 1 week.

I’ve had many great meals at Grand Cafe over the last 10 years.  We tend to go there more in the winter as it has such a cozy atmosphere that just calls out during the cold winter days.  We often would meet there after the hubby landed at the airport after a business trip.  I’d get there early and enjoy a glass of red at their tiny bar.

They had a great brunch including the hubs’ favorite, Eggs en Cocotte – poached eggs, puff pastry, Gruyere truffle cream, ham and sourdough.  I didn’t have one “go to” dish there, but everything was tasty.  One evening we were looking for a Sunday dinner option with my friend before she flew back to Arizona.  We tried one place that was closed and then ended up at Grand Cafe for Sicilian pizza night!  We absolutely loved the pizza that night – so much so that we got a second half after polishing off the first half.

I suppose all good things must come to an end, but I am very sad to see this one go.  If you are a Mpls reader, figure out a time to get there in the next week.  You won’t be disappointed!

Happy eating!

 

 

Red Rabbit

This past Friday we ventured out to Red Cow’s sister restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, Red Rabbit.  The impetus for the evening was a text earlier in the week from the blogger formerly known as RFO.  “Ok, for whatever reason I’ve been craving pizza – what are you guys doing on Thursday or Friday?”  While she gave several options, I went with Red Rabbit on Friday.

First thing to note, they do not take reservations.  This is not an issue for the three of us as we tend to go early and get the early bird specials.  However, by the time we left at 6:45, the entry way was packed with parties waiting for a table.  The good news is that the waiting area is very close to the bar.  So, grab a drink and wait if you go after 6ish.

The space is great.  Tall ceilings, brick walls, space between tables which is always a plus.  Nothing worse than having a dinner with someone and being so close to the other patrons that you hear their conversation better than your own.

The hubby and I arrived early and enjoyed a social lubricant prior to RFO’s arrival.  He tried the Zen and Now – matcha infused vodka, lemon, honey, mint, on tap… on nitro.  A great refreshing drink.  I ordered the Drunken Latte which was rye, averna amaro, branca menta, espresso, steamed milk, coconut whipped cream.  The drinks arrived and mine was super sweet and strong.  About half way through the drink, another latte arrived at the table.  The bartender didn’t like how the cream on top was for the first drink and redeemed himself with another one on the house.  This one was not nearly as sweet but still packed the same punch as the first.  Social lubricant indeed.

While we waited, we ordered a starter of Grilled Toasts with ricotta, local bare honey, and black pepper.  Two generous slices of toast arrived right before RFO sat down at the table. The creamy ricotta spread over the grilled toasts was out of this world.  Moment of silence at the table after the first bite – so good.  We ordered another toast with bresaola, lemon aioli, and arugula.  It was also very good, but didn’t touch the ricotta toast in my opinion.

We then ordered the main entrees.  RFO ordered the pasta croquettes – trofi pasta, pesto, triple cream.  She paired this dish with the Roasted Cauliflower entrée which was a head of cauliflower roasted and served with turmeric, pistachio mousse, rosemary and black olive oil.  It was fabulous and would be a great dish to share as a table.  She didn’t eat the entire dish – but had some great leftovers.

The hubby went with the grain salad which consisted of farro, rutabaga, pine nuts, fresh herbs, creme fraiche, and lemon vinaigrette.  For his entrée, he chose the tortelloni (“killer good”).  The pasta dish was served with swiss chard, chevre, roasted garlic, spiced hazelnuts, and rosemary.  He gave it a 5 out of 5 and thoroughly enjoyed the leftovers the next day.

I went with the cauliflower soup special.  Very good and always a nice addition to a winter meal.  I then went with the pasta dish of Bolognese pappardelle which was fresh pappardelle, house bolognese, and grated parmesan.  The dish was good – though I had Broder’s bolognese dish not that long ago and it is hard to beat.  My main complaint about the dish was how salty it was.  I drank a ton of water with that meal in part because of all of the salt.  I did have leftovers the next day and the salt didn’t seem as bad second day.

All in all it was a good dinner and I would definitely recommend Red Rabbit to others.  I would order something different next time.  I liked the space, the vibe, the gingham shirts of the wait staff and the fact that while there is an energetic atmosphere, you could still hold a conversation among your party.

Good meal, good friends, but no one ordered pizza.  Maybe next time.

Happy Eating!

 

 

 

2016 Restaurant of the Year…

Heirloom was the winner for us and our choice for NYE!  A close second was Upton 43, which was picked as the local paper’s favorite of 2016.  We had a great time with our friend, formerly known as Reservations for One (RFO).  A bottle of Prosecco, a cheese plate and great entrees closed out 2016 in style.  If you haven’t tried Heirloom yet, please go!  Their weekend brunch is great and their dinners are fabulous too.

2016 was the year of restaurant closings.  Sadly we saw our favorite go to restaurant, Cafe Levain close not long after their long-time chef departed for a non-chef position at a local co-op.  Also closed/closing…Heartland, Brassiere Zentral, Piccolo and many others.  Some of which were past “restaurant of the year.”  I hope we haven’t doomed Heirloom.  Though, there is a season for everything as they say and I know that the owners/chefs at these now shuttered restaurants will be back doing something fabulous in the not too distant future.

Plenty of new restaurants to try for 2017…so never fear.  We’ll see how early we pick NYE 2017.  April was the earliest a few years ago.  Trying a new place in February with RFO.  Doubt we’ll be able to call it that early, but stranger things have happened…especially throughout the year we just went through.

Here’s to 2017!

Happy Eating!

Xavi Restaurant

Recently read about a new restaurant in the old First Course space on 56th and Chicago in South Minneapolis called Xavi.  It’s been open 1 week today.  Nothing like a mid-week new restaurant visit to mix it up a bit.

The hubby arrived before I did and was seated in a half booth/ half table location that faced the kitchen.  I thought it was nice space – though at times it felt awkward to be facing the area where all of the workers were gathered.  They definitely had extra staff on hand to train and continue to get used to the cadence of diners on the different evenings of the week.

When I arrived, there was an almost empty dish of pickles and pickled red peppers that the hubby had been noshing on while he waited.  Just fine by me as I’m not a pickle person.   Currently there is no alcohol served as they await the final licensing, etc.  They will start serving beer and wine on July 1st.  If that is a must for you, suggest you wait until then.  As for us, I had a diet coke and the hubby was sipping on lemonade.

The overall look and feel of the restaurant was good.  I liked the lighting and the color for the most part.  The one thing that was a little odd was the location of the bathrooms.  They are right in the middle of the restaurant between the kitchen and the bar.  I did visit one of the restrooms and I just hope the lock never breaks or someone doesn’t forget to push the lock button.  The potential for major embarrassment is high – those at the bar facing the kitchen might get an eye full.

Anyway, onto the food…

We both started with the Mushroom Broth as a first course.  The broth came with mushrooms and a few pork dumplings.  It was very good and had a variety of flavors.  It was savory, but every so often it had a hint of sweet.  It seemed a bit like a French Onion soup base but a bit sweet.  It was a good soup choice for the first day of summer – not heavy.

The hubby then went with the red wine braised short rib with shishito peppers, and lemon polenta.  I wonder if they were able to actually braise it in red wine given their liquor restriction until July.  The meat was very good and a nice combintation with the polenta.  It was served with a lot of peppers.

I went with the monkfish with saffron couscous, pea shoots, slow roasted tomato and preserved lemon.  The fish had a nice crispy top, I would have preferred to have a bit more of that flavor throughout.  I’m not sure I had ever had monkfish before.  It was a lot meatier than I was expecting.  I did have to use the knife they brought with it.  The couscous and tomatoes were awesome.  I had to put the block on the hubby with the couscous or he would have eaten it all.  I thought the dish worked well, but I might have put the couscous with the shortribs and the polenta with the fish.  Just seemed like it was a better combination.

Given we were “all in” on the restaurant, we gave the desserts a try.  He went with the chocolate hazelnut trifle and I went with yuzu poundcake with shiso and blueberries.  My dessert was like a strawberry shortcake.  Very refreshing on a summer evening.  The hubby thought his was ok, but not great.  Definitely had a lot of chocolate for chocolate lovers.

The staff was very attentive and the manager/owner visited our table several times.  I hope this restaurant does well.  Not sure we will rush back as there are so many restaurants in the cities to try, but I would give it a try if you like the menu.

Happy eating!