Recently, three friends and I met at Piccolo, Doug Flicker’s new baby.  Or rather ,I suppose, his toddler in restaurant years, as it has now been open for several months at 43rd and Bryant, Minneapolis.  I’d heard mixed reviews, including one example where someone had an $8 meatball as part of their recent dinner.  Really, could that be true, I asked myself?

Then I started doing the math, dividing the cost of other multi-course meals I’ve enjoyed and an $8 meatball could be on par.  However, it better be an out-of-this-world sphere of ground beef!  From Flicker’s days at Auriga, I knew he and his team put out some fantastic food there, so I was eager to check it out his new place for myself and at the same time reminisce with my dining companions about our recent trip to France.

Kevin arrived first and, unbeknownst to me, was the only one that had been to Piccolo prior to our evening together.  He conveyed to us at the table that while he was waiting for us to arrive, he was chatting with the waitperson.  He asked if it would be possible to add one extra bite to the portions as four would be dining this evening.  He had enjoyed dinner before with 2 other friends and the portions were perfect for three.  We weren’t expecting something for nothing, he said.  However “out of the question” was the response given to him.  “Portions are not meant to be shared.”  Well, okay then!

Reflecting on it further, I would have never dreamed of asking any of the restaurants in France to accommodate such a request, so why would we expect it here?  The difference is that in France, it is drilled into your head that there are no substitutions and no changes to the menu. Here in States, we get what we want, when we want it, right?  I’m not inferring that this is a good philosophy and kudos for Flicker for sticking to his guns.  As so often is the case in a conversation, the delivery is paramount.  It wasn’t what the waiter said, it was how he said it.

As we were escorted to our table, it wasn’t until we marched through the kitchen that I realized there was a back dining room. That wasn’t an issue for me because: 1) you get to see how clean the kitchen is and 2) you might actually have the opportunity to say hello to the chef as you pass through on the way to your table.

Once seated, we began perusing the menu and the two wine lists.  I’m still not sure why there were two lists ,though from what I could tell, one had exorbitant and the other affordable prices.  In the end, we chose a Burgundian red from the affordable list.  Of the 17 choices on the menu we decided on 12, though we knew the upcoming portion sizes.  Reluctantly we decided to share each, as there were so many that looked tantalizingly delicious.

The first four plates to arrive included Spanish mojama with fried artichokes, radishes, black olive puree and arugula $10

Avocado with asparagus, cucumbers, hen of the wood mushrooms and pickled sunchokes $9

Roasted beets with strawberries, tomato washed pecorino and olive oil jelly $9

Bone marrow gnocchi with veal heart, Italian parsley puree and bread crumbs $11

Next were Ocean trout with English shell peas, sea beans and king crab stuffed pasta $12

Seared tuna with salt packed anchovies, Swiss chard, black olive puree and onion “tart tartin” $14

Berkshire pork jowls with plum confit, asparagus, green top radishes and whole grain mustard $12

Rabbit loin with pistachios, artichokes, smoked eggplant and bacon aigre doux $13

Callister Farms chicken with golden raisins, smoked bacon, wild mushrooms and purslane $13

Stone Bridge Farms veal with fava beans, potato and miso pave and white shoyu $14

Banana crostada with housemade ricotta and chocolate $7

Coconut cake with white chocolate, bergamot mascarpone and butter almond ice cream $7

We enjoyed a lively conversation about who’s taking French classes where, what was happening in each of our lives this summer, and favorite new restaurants we had tried recently.

What struck us as unnerving though was the attitude of the gentleman serving us at the table.  It was somewhere between arrogance and nonchalance.  Finally after the second round of plates, he decided to change our silverware and offered us new tasting plates.  My sense was that doing that seemed odd to him.  However, had I’d ordered four courses myself; it would have been natural to have new silverware for each course.  I’m not sure if that was an unfounded expectation on our part or not.

As an aside, I had a conversation with another friend who dined there recently and the experience she and her husband had with their wait staff was totally pleasant.  Maybe the poor guy was having a bad day — who knows?  Did it ruin the evening?  No.  The whole experience just made us all a little uncomfortable.  Maybe it was the sharing of each dish that threw him off.

As much as I wanted to taste all of the dishes, if there is a return visit, I’d opt out of sharing .  One bite is not enough to enjoy all the complex flavors on the plate.  I hope that Piccolo succeeds in the neighborhood and that folks will appreciate the craft that it takes to produce wonderful food both for the eyes and palate.  Good customer service takes energy and training as well, so I hope that our experience was just a fluke.

It was a long day at the Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience a couple of weekend ago. By that Sunday afternoon we were dragging our tails, when we happened to meet Nick, the Director of Sales and Marketing  for Seven.  We mentioned that we had never been to Seven before. As an excellent Marketing Director should, he mentioned that there was a $30 All-You-Can-Eat Sushi menu on Sunday evenings.

Knowing full well that there was no way I was going to cook that evening, we called Joe to ask if he wanted to join us somewhere for dinner that evening.  Well, wouldn’t you know, he had a hankering for sushi. We got Nick on the phone who called us back tout de suite with a reservation and a recommendation that Jenny be our server.

We arrived about 7:30 pm and climbed three flights of stairs to the Sushi Ultra-lounge. The décor was stylish, and it wasn’t noisy, other than the person unloading the dishwasher.  Jenny was a blast from her Esquivel glasses to her overwhelming enthusiasm about everything — including her Hello Kitty card holder.  And, her service was superb!

While perusing the menu, I started with a Pomegranate and Ginger Martini then moved on to a Peach Cosmo. For $30 apiece got ourselves seven large plates of sushi and gorged ourselves silly. But, try as we might, we just couldn’t finish it all. Highly recommended is the Seven roll:   tempura shrimp, cucumber, and tuna with Japanese mayo and unagi sauce.

The only complaint I have would be the music. One could actually hear it, since it was not crowded and/or noisy as mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, like so many restaurants, they were playing funk. Maybe its just me, but in this case, Ohio Players and James Brown do not blend well with tai and unagi in my gastronomic opinion. It’s a tiny issue compared to all the positives.

We are actually contemplating calling Nick back to ask for a standing reservation on Sunday evenings — at least once a month.  It’s wonderful sushi, beautiful surroundings and a great value. And, what is also great is the fact that there’s complimentary valet parking.  Seven is located at 700 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis MN.

Of all the places in the world, who would have thought that one could find excellent sushi in Little Rock, Arkansas? To my pleasant surprise that’s just what happened on a recent but unexpected trip to Jon’s home state.

It had been a long week on the road via planes, trains and automobiles; eating way too much junk food. Jane and Michael Stern’s RoadFood.com couldn’t even provide us with relief by recommending any good diners between Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida nor between Little Rock, Arkansas and Shreveport, Louisiana.

Jon’s cousin, Sissy, suggested this place called Sushi Cafe. It not only serves sushi, but rib-eye steaks, rack of lamb, and burgers as well. I was a bit skeptical. We arrived about 8:00 pm and were greeted by a friendly enough fellow, standing outside, who welcomed us in and had a place for us at a booth. We even had a bird’s eye view of the sushi bar.

Given our state of mind, we immediately asked if the bartender knew how to make a Side Car. He had never heard of such a drink, but was willing to give it a shot as he had all the ingredients; Grand Marnier, Courvoisier, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and sugar (for the rim). Giving him the recipe, we sent him off to attempt this classic libation. Our attentive server came back moments later with a respectable rendition. It was tasty enough that I suggested that it should be added to their cocktail menu.

While we were enjoying our drinks and pondering the menu, we noticed a beautiful plate of food at the sushi bar. Our inquiry confirmed that the vision we had was indeed Tuna Tartare, or as the menu stated, Hawaiian Fusion Big Eye Tuna Tartare, $13. It looked too gorgeous not to order, so we did just that! Plus since I am teaching a Sake Pairing class coming up at the end of the month at Cooks of Crocus Hill, and one of the recipes will be a Tuna Tartare Napoleon, it was research.

Arriving at our table it was a beautiful sight to behold: exquisite in color and texture. However, with three of us having forks, it was devoured in short order. “Wait, wait, what was the sauce again?” I asked. Oh nertz, too late!

We are also suckers for soybeans; this time it was an order of Spicy Edamame, $5 with soy ginger, hot sauce and chili flakes. They were a spicy treat and another recipe I may have to add to my sake class.

The website of the Sushi Cafe touts over 180 menu creations and I believe it, reading over their extensive menu. We ended up ordering a variety of specialty maki rolls; including a Rainbow (California topped with tuna, salmon, snapper, and yellowtail), a Blue Dragon (coconut shrimp, cabstick, cream cheese, kiwi on top with a sweet chili vinaigrette), Kamikaze Roll (grilled eel, crabstick) and a Cowboy (mango, New York Strip). If the Kamikaze and Cowboy roll seem a little, sparse — it’s because I lost the maki menu and these two rolls are not on their website. I did email the cafe asking for the ingredient list, but never heard from them… sorry!

Anyway, my question is why did the tuna, salmon, snapper, etc., taste so good? It doesn’t seem possible that getting those fish in Little Rock can be any faster than getting them in Minneapolis. Regardless, every morsel was delicious and a welcome respite from funeral hot casserole (hot dish here in the north country). So if you ever find yourself in Little Rock, Arkansas and need your sushi fix, be sure to check out the Sushi Cafe. It Rocks! Sushi Cafe, 823 Kavanaugh Blvd, Little Rock, AR, 72207. (501.663.9888).

Jon called me at the office the other day with a hankering for sushi. So we picked up our good friend Joe after work at the Light Rail Station and headed over to Midori’s Floating World Cafe. It’s not far from our home in the Longfellow Neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Now, I’ve lived in the Longfellow Neighborhood for more than 10 years and Midori’s Floating World Café’s has been there for more than six years, yet this was our first visit. I thought to myself, “Where have I been?” Then I remembered oh yeah, I was one of my friend Matthew’s caregiver’s for a couple of years then we remodeled our kitchen which took more than 2 years — my how time flies!.

Looking back, waiting this long is no excuse. We ate way too many times at the Longfellow Grill during our days without a kitchen when we could have been eating at what, I think, is one of the best sushi restaurants in the city. And we’ve eaten at quite a few, including Origami, Fuji-Ya, Saji-Ya, Bagu, Jade (in the Global Market) and most recently Tiger Sushi (Tiger Sushi is a whole other story and not a pretty one at that.) Thank goodness the neighborhood supported this family-run gem until we were able to get our feet in the door and chopsticks in our hands.

We started our leisurely Tuesday evening dinner with an order of Edamame – boiled & salted soy beans in the shell $3.95. They were hot, tender pods with the perfect complement of salt. Joe and I were also intrigued by the Takoyaki – octopus dumplings $5.50. According to Wikipedia it is made with batter, diced or whole baby octopus, tempura pieces (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion, topped with okonomiyaki sauce and japanese mayonnaise, originating from Osaka. The ones we had a Midori were much simpler but very tasty. This may be a stretch but they reminded me of a miniature savory aebleskiver. Both are fried dumplings cooked in a half-spherical molded, cast iron pan.

Shrimp Tempura – deep fried shrimp & vegetables in light batter $6.95 came next to our table by the window. Three perfect shrimp in a tempura batter cooked to perfection and without a hint of oil. Accompanying these tasty morsels were vegetables including a sweet potato spear, broccoli floret and a wedge of sweet onion. The $4 maki rolls during happy hour included a Spicy Tuna Roll – tuna, scallions, with spices, a California Roll – crab, cucumber and avocado, a Philadelphia Roll – smoked salmon, cream cheese & cucumber and a Dynamite Roll – tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and spices. All were fresh, delicate and full individual flavors.

Jon and I made a second visit to Midori’s Floating World Café, this time to check out their new space at the corner of 26th Avenue South Lake Street. While their new digs have more “room” it doesn’t have quite the atmosphere their former location had. The new space of 40 seats seems cavernous with tables just a bit too far apart. The walls are painted a light pink with darker maroon accents and a natural pine bead board wainscoting. The ceiling was painted, what looked to be the original tin ceiling near the front entrance. Beyond the greeting space you will find parasols hanging upside down from the ceiling. On the walls there were, what I would classify as, modern Japanese art – pleasant and colorful. Hanging over the bar area there are arts and crafts-styled lighting. The opportunity for a larger kitchen and the fact that the new space sits on Lake Street was the impetus for the move.

The music left much to be desired as they were playing a combination of Beatles along with some other older styled music. When we arrived, there were only two other tables occupied so it was much too loud and distracting.

For dinner, we again had the Octopus Dumplings, along with a Dynamite roll, California Roll and a veggie tempura roll as it was happy hour. I wasn’t as bowled over this time around. Atmosphere plays a huge role when I am dining whether in or out. The aforementioned music, unfortunately, put a damper on our second experience.

We’ll definitely go again, as it’s in the neighborhood and locally owned. My hope is that they will get in the groove in their new space and that the experience of the new will be a good as the old.

After stopping at the local ACE Hardware (so glad they’re still in the neighborhood) we stopped by CITIZEN – Café for the People, formerly occupied by “Sweet Lorraine’s” at 2403 East 38th Street, Minneapolis. It’s only 5 blocks from the 38th street light rail station.

Owners Michael and Seaen MacKay spent from March to June of this year completely renovating what is now a charming space. They’ve added picture windows on the west side over looking an outdoor patio, pulled up the old carpeting, painted and updated both the interior and exterior.  Now comfortable wooden chairs pull up to white tablecloths overlaid with brown butcher block paper in two dining rooms. If there’s such a thing as a comfortable church pew, they can be found along one wall with pillows provided for extra cushion.

Michael MacKay, also the chef, most recently came from the “Sample Room” in Northeast Minneapolis. Previously he had stints including the “Boundary Waters” – Dayton’s Southdale, Dayton’s Catering Division with Chef Tim Scott and as the corporate catering chef at Marshall Fields-State Street, Chicago. He’s also been in the kitchen at Patti’s, Chez Paul and the Loring Café.

We arrived about 5:00p on a recent Saturday evening and were immediately impressed by the funky, colorful, visually appealing menu design. There were plenty of options from which to choose. We started with the house-made gravlax with dill crème fraîche accompanied by thick crunchy onion and pumpernickel toast points ($5). Four succulent slices of perfectly cured salmon were topped with large capers and diced red onion. We couldn’t resist sharing an order of old school country pâté with house-made mustard ($5). The pork and chicken pâté was pure pleasure paired with the mustard, but try the mustard with the gravlax as well, for a hot, sour, salty, sweet sensation.

Moving down the appetizer list, we landed on the braised beef short rib with rich shallot broth ($7). It was fall off the bone tender, but as much shallot broth as there was, I wished for more. It would be something else to eat with the variety of breads from Saint Agnes Bakery.

With so many appetizers under our belt as it were, we decided to split one of their entrée salads; a large Caesar Classic ($6). It was dressed with a perfect balance of garlic, freshly ground pepper and parmesan. Three to four large anchovy fillets lay neatly over the top. There are plenty additional options on the menu for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

According to Seaen they source as much local product as possible. We gave them the name of Love Tree Farms for some local artisan cheese options as well as Maple Leaf Orchards. Since they’ve only been open less than two weeks, they are not sure how often the menu will change. Also, they are still working on a couple of details; more substantial napkins for one and by the middle of July they should have a wine and beer license.

CITIZEN – Cafe for the People is a welcome addition here in Southeast Minneapolis. The map puts it in the Standish neighborhood, but I’d like to claim it in Longfellow.

Check it out at 2403 E. 38th St., Minneapolis, 612-729-1122. Open 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Four of us finally snagged a spot at Heidi’s Minneapolis recently. Well we didn’t technically snag one as we made reservations early in the week for a Sunday evening 6:45p dinner. Upon arriving I made a note to self: ask what the dress code is when making a reservation.

We walked in wearing business casual but the hostess was wearing jeans. Geez, I wanted to wear jeans. Though within a half hour we all wished we were wearing Bermuda shorts as it was so blankety, blank, blank HOT. Even our waiter was hot; but we weren’t ready for that prelude to summer.

After an extended perusal of the menu and a couple of samples of wine we landed on a Macon Lugny, “Les Charmes” 2006 Chardonnay from Burgundy ($24). It was light and crisp with hints of green apple and pear; having a pleasant mineral finish.

Knowing that Chef Woodman was at the stove, we decided on a variety of appetizers including a tri-colored cauliflower soup. The hot cream was brought table-side in a ceramic tea pot and poured over the other ingredients. It was amazing how the different varieties of cauliflower each had their own distinct flavor. We also shared a Spinach salad with a porcini mushroom vinaigrette, pink peppercorns and shaved Asiago (6.50) and a crêpe with foie gras, curried Beluga black lentils and hibiscus syrup ($9). The crêpe was a perfect balance between the creaminess of the foie gras, saltiness of the lentils and the sweetness of the hibiscus syrup. I thought an unusual ingredient combination but in the end a classic flavor profile.

Woodman has also added an intermezzo course to the dinner menu which could be either the Shefzilla’s or a Chef’s Surprise. The night we were there, the Surprise would be $14. With the silver lid removed at the table we were presented with 5 plump oysters, topped with mined shallots in an arugula broth. It reminded me of an Oysters Rockefeller stepped up a couple of notches.

Our entrees included handmade ravioli stuffed with beets, with goat cheese and chives, served on a bed of truffle scented beet and fennel broth ($11). We were informed that the chef omitted the beet broth component as it was just too overpowering, substituting a parmesan ‘foam’ instead. The vegetarian “Bolognese” porcini stew on fresh pappardelle, with Swiss chard, Grana Padano, and Armando Manni’s olive oil ($9/$12) was chock full of mushrooms and chard. The Grana Padano was delicious but didn’t have enough salt to balance the remaining flavors. The Atlantic lobster soup with lotus root, bamboo shoot, scallion, savory cabbage and vinaigre de citron was a bowl large enough for an entrée. As good as they all were, I wished I had ordered the sautéed Australian sea bass which the fourth in our party savored. It was enjoyed with a parsley puree, parsnips and creamy mussel foam ($18). The one taste that I managed to pilfer was melt in your mouth heaven, perfectly seared and delicious.

Had we not all be glistening and ready to faint, we would have delved into the desserts starting with the Dreamsicle Crème Brûlée ($5); Mango Sorbet with Leche Cake ($5.5); Vanilla Poached Pear with Yogurt and Pistachio ($5.5) and finishing with the Chocolate Cake with Espresso Ice Cream ($7.21). If I missed any details, I’m blaming it on the heat

Hopefully, the AC will be functioning by the time summer really hits, or we’ll plan for a cool evening the next time we visit this great neighborhood restaurant.

Heidi’s Minneapolis
819 W 50th St
Minneapolis, MN 55419
612.354.3512
www.heidismpls.com

Sometimes it pays to be spontaneous on a Friday evening. We had every intention of going to Café Ena’s in South Minneapolis. Driving by we saw that it was packed so we ended up calling the Corner Table in the same neighborhood to see if a table was available there. Luckily Scott Pampuch (chef/owner) answered the phone as he was working the front of the house and said come on over. Arriving shortly before 9:00 pm, which is late by Midwest standards, we got a table straight away.

Perusing the menu at length we leaned toward the tasting menu but ended up creating a tasting menu of our own starting with the “nosh” plate ($8). It included a perfectly spiced chicken rillette, delicious charcuterie, superbly brined green olives, fresh goat cheese, house made cornishons, pickled turnips and toast points. Every flavor was a different dance on the tongue while we enjoyed a bottle of Les Deux Rives from the Languedoc region of France ($27).

We shared a velvety smooth carrot and parsnip soup with hints of cinnamon ($5), a creamy risotto with melt in your mouth lamb ragu ($10) and a croquette ($8). The croquette was a pillow of cream and potato in a panko crust surrounded by treads of saffron in a butter sauce, topped with tiny celery leaves and fresh tarragon.

Plenty of silverware allowed us to share tender ribbons of pappardelle with plenty of slow cooked pork ($15), a fillet of trout with preserved lemons ($23) and rare new york strip with creamy polenta ($28).

In front of me for dessert were three sorbets from Sebastian Joe’s a – grapefruit with mint, strawberry with black pepper and a raspberry were the perfect finish ($5). We also shared a flourless chocolate torte ($7) that was pleasantly light but gilded the lily by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on which we poured a cup of espresso; also known as an Affogatto ($5). Of course three desserts were not enough so we also indulged in the chef’s choice dessert which included the chocolate torte cut into squares and tossed in cocoa powder, it becoming then a chocolate truffle. Also in the plate was a taste of fig bread pudding with caramelized apples ($9)

As lovely as the food was, it was great that Scott had a chance to stop by the table to say hello. Our conversation included his continued quest for cooking with locally grown, sustainable ingredients. Wouldn’t it be great if every restaurant not only the Twin Cities but across the country would serve locally produced food at every possible opportunity?

My dinner companion, David, and I tried to get into Heidi’s, Stewart Woodman’s new bistro named after his wife this past Saturday. Of course without a reservation it was an hour wait.

Since Blackbird, co-owned by Chris Stevens and Gail Mollner, is right next door, at 50th and Bryant, I thought to myself, “I really should give the restaurant another shot.” I wanted to see if I could get past the antlers. I have to say that this time around they didn’t bother me. I guess the first time it was just the initial shock.

We started at the bar with a Bell’s Winter White Ale while we waited for a table. It’s a wheat ale brewed with American Wheat and a blend of Hefe and classic Belgian-style yeasts. Even for me, who really enjoys a dark beer “that you have to chew”, this was quite refreshing.

I don’t know if it was Chris or Gail that made the decision, but we were fortunate enough to catch their extended prix fixe menu from Valentine’s Day for $30 per person. I don’t often make cream of celery soup, so I decided that it should be my first course. It was velvety smooth with the subtlety of fresh celery and not overpowered by cream. I decided to go vegetarian for my second course of gnocchi: handmade potato dumplings tossed with garlicky mustard greens, roasted tomatoes, olives and manchego. This is on their regular menu at $12.95. Mustard greens, being hearty winter fare in their own right, really hit the spot. I should have asked for a soup spoon to savor every last drop of garlicky sauce.

David had the Pork Confit: a braised pork shoulder served with oven roasted grapes, root vegetable hash and a red wine reduction. Again, this was another regular menu item at $16.95. He let me taste a cluster of roasted grapes which actually went quite well with my gnocchi. The fact that they were roasted on stem was novel, yet made perfect sense.

We shared a trio of desserts which included a chocolate tart with a lemon sauce; a jasmine tea crème brûlée; and a carrot cake with goat cheese frosting. David finished off the brûlée, while I enjoyed the carrot cake the most.

We’re glad we didn’t have to move our cars to find another place to eat and even happier that we gave Blackbird another look see. Even though it was packed when we arrived, the bar did not seem crowded nor did we feel as if we were intruding on anyone’s space. Now that I’m comfortable with the surroundings, I’m looking forward to my next visit and what Chris may have up his sleeve for spring. Oh, and thanks, Gail, for coming out and saying hello.

Blackbird, 815 West 50th Street, Minneapolis MN – 612.823.4790 ]]> http://www.bretstable.com/restaurant-review/blackbird-revisited/feed/ 0 http://www.bretstable.com/restaurant-review/recent-restaurants-worth-noting/ http://www.bretstable.com/restaurant-review/recent-restaurants-worth-noting/#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:56:00 +0000 Admin http://bagakienterprises.com/bretstable/uncategorized/recent-restaurants-worth-noting/

Saffron Restaurant, 123 North 3rd Street, Minneapolis MN
A lemony hummus with warm bread started our small plates menu. Following are some of the mezze plates we enjoyed: Bulgarian feta ($4.50) marinated with fresh oregano, peppercorns and olive oil. The cheese was crumbly on the plate and had a nice bite on the tongue. Pickled Vegetables ($3.50) including cauliflower and shaved salsify were marinated with an “English” style curry. Haloumi Cheese ($5) was served with piquillio peppers and capers. The peppers and capers were an enjoyable piquant accompaniment. Kofta Meatballs ($4.50) were served in a tomato-harissa sauce. The mint in the sauce was gave it nice zip and a refreshing taste. A small plate of Deviled Eggs ($6) with preserved tuna, capers and black olives rounded out our experience. While I was enjoying them, I was thinking a duck rillette would be very tasty in a stuffed egg.

The 112 Eatery, 112 North 3rd Street, Minneapolis MN
We started with a Meritage from Portugal: Lavradores de Feitoria, Vinhos de Quinta, SA. 2004. It had a very complex nose of black cherries and a hint of barnyard. The amuse bouche of spiced green olives and spicy/hot almonds were a delightful treat to begin the evening. The crostini with white anchovy and avocado ($8), were simple yet delicious. We each enjoyed a lamb scottadito with goats milk yogurt ($12), pounded out slightly and quickly seared on the grill. We also sampled a spicy sweet potato with honey ($6), crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Cafe Maude, 5411 Penn Ave South, Minneapolis MN
As soon as I noticed confit, the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Tempura Duck Confit and Frisse was a must. I thought what a great idea to tempura confit and frisse. Both added a wonderful accompaniment of succulence and crispiness to the soup. The Fennel Crusted Braised Short Ribs ($22) is usually served with Roasted Garlic Baby Red Potatoes and Onion Rings. Instead we substituted the Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter Onions, Honey Crisp Apples and raw Red and Gold Beets ($7). The ribs were fall-off-the- bone tender, mahogany glazed with the perfect balance of fennel. The portion was enough to share with my dinner companion and still have a sweet tooth for dessert. Desserts were a Scone Bread Pudding with Ginger Ice Cream ($6) and Chocolate and Hazelnut Fried Raviolis with Pistachio Ice Cream ($7).

Another lovely evening was spent at Il Vesco Vino – Bar Napoletano in Saint Paul, MN. It was the third visit to this Victorian Mansion, which about a year ago was transformed from a French to an Italian restaurant. According to our top notch server, Il Vesco Vino means “bishop’s wine”, which is apropos since it is just a few blocks from the Cathedral of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Why it took me three visits to discover that tidbit of information is something I had to ponder.

This latest visit had my partner Jon and I sitting at a cozy granite topped table for two next to a fireplace and adjacent to the bar. Music of the holidays was playing, mingling with the boisterous voices of those sitting at the bar.

From experience I’ve learned that most often any restaurant that pours wine by the glass will let you have a taste if you ask. So of course I did, starting with a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, La Caldora 2005. Montepulciano is a type of grape as well as a type of red wine made from these same grapes in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy. Up to 10% of a sangiovese grape is permitted to be added to the blend. It is typically a fruity, dry wine with soft tannins and is often consumed young. Ruby red with garnet reflections, intense with the fragrance of fruits, like black cherries and ending with vanilla nuances.

It seemed a little light for my anticipatory pork shoulder ragu so I moved on to another sample, a Rosso di Montepulciano, Poliziano 2005. It had a forward spicy nose with vivid berry fruit ending with a nice savory twist. With some fairly good tannins, it had a pleasant grip on my tongue but the fruit balanced it nicely. By this time our server was asking what I might enjoy for dinner. When I mentioned the pork ragu, she steered me toward the Nero d’Avola-Syrah Re Noto, Feudi Maccari 2005.

It’s a blend of 85% Nero d’avola with the balance being syrah. A deep plum red it gives a nose of violets and dark plums. The tannins are sharp but once past those, the dark fruit bloomed to a pleasant finish. It was a perfect match to the spices of the Riccia al Ragu ($9/half order) a pork shoulder ragu, with tomato, cream and parmigiano.

But I digress; we started dinner with a duck liver pate with crushed hazelnuts atop toasted crostini with a fried sage leaf garnish. ($5) It had none of the chalkiness that can fail paté and all of the sweet, buttery goodness with the crunch of the nuts. The Zuppa di Zucca ($6) a butternut squash with chestnut honey & crema fresca was silky smooth. It was perfectly balanced with the chestnut honey so as to not overpower the delicate flavors of the squash.

We split the Calamari with Sea Salt and Lemon ($12) sans sauce of any kind. No dipping sauce, no tartar sauce, nothing was needed. These tiny rings and tentacles were ever so lightly dusted with flour and flash fried to crispy, tender perfection. Freshly squeezed lemon juice was all that was needed to bring the sea salt to the front

While I was enjoying the Riccia al Ragu, Jon was savoring the Mare e Monte ($10/half order) a creamy bowl of rigatoni, shrimp, baby portabello mushrooms, lobster and parmigiano. Using the last couple of slices of the warm baguette as a spoon, he scooped every delicious drop of the creamy sauce.

Be sure and add Il Vesco Vino to your list of restaurants to try in 2008, if not before. If you can’t get there be sure to check out any of the wines that I mentioned earlier. They were all delicious!