Uptown Steakhouse

Kevin and I tried Burch Steakhouse and Pizza Bar on a rainy Friday evening. I had been there previously with some friends to try out the pizza bar in the basement. The food at the pizza bar was fabulous but the noise was almost unbearable. This time, we sat upstairs in the steakhouse portion of the restaurant. I had heard great reviews of the restaurant and was eager to try a few dishes.

The Snow crab cakes with spicy mayo and beet slaw were flavorful and well balanced.

We also ordered the Roasted carrots with thyme and chevre. The carrots lacked flavor and were quite limp.

We had heard from several people that we had to order one of their dumpling dishes so we chose the Lobster spaetzle with caraway and mint. It tasted as though the lobster was just added at the end and no other lobster flavor was infused throughout the dish. The caraway and mint didn't seem to add any flavor to the dish, either.

Kevin ordered the Grilled pork tenderloin with cannellini beans, pickled shallots and fried oysters. He enjoyed the dish but didn't think it stood out from any other pork tenderloin dishes he tried at other restaurants.

For my main entree, I chose the Blackened Alaskan halibut with spinach, caramelized onions and lemon. It was flavorful but nothing I would go back for in the future.

We were hoping the desserts would help us overlook the inconsistencies of the previous dishes. We opted for the cream puffs and a lemon tart but unfortunately, neither dish was worth trying again.

I know many people have told me how much they enjoy Burch but I do not think the same after my experience. I did enjoy my previous experience at the pizza bar and would recommend that, but just be prepared to shout at your dinner guests the entire evening!

Burch Steakhouse and Pizza Bar

North Loop Italian Hot Spot

I have been to Bar La Grassa several times in the past few years and I was fortunate to have another great experience back in May. Our experience began with a white bean salad amuse-bouche. Even though I typically don't enjoy the texture of beans, I found this dish to be full of flavor and worth taking more than one bite!

The variety of bruschettas they offer are interesting so we chose the Charred Red Onion with Goat Cheese Bruschetta. It has the sweetness of the charred red onion with the smooth taste of the goat cheese, which blended well together on the bread that had the perfect texture without being too crunchy.

I really enjoy trying a little bit of a lot of different things when dining out so we chose a few items off the menu for our main entrees. However, what I really enjoy is that they offer small portions of their pasta. I appreciate this option because it helps both in controlling portions as well as allowing a table to share a variety of dishes. I have always been fond of the Silk Hankerchiefs with Basil Pesto. The fresh pasta is so much different than a typical pasta dish and worth every calorie!

Kevin chose the Smoked Spaghetti Alla Chitarra with Brown Butter and Lobster. The server told us they smoke the flour they use to make the spaghetti, which gives the smoky flavor and a richness that is so different from the richness you may experience from a sauce. The umami flavor was pronounced without being overwhelming. I recommend this dish for its complexity as well as creativity in preparation.

We added a side dish of Broccolini in Prosciutto Brodo. It was very rich and was a bit too smothered in the brodo, but certainly enjoyable for a few bites.

We couldn't pass up dessert after looking at the menu so I ordered the Salted Caramel Crespelle. The blend of the sweet and salty was the perfect ending to this Italian meal. 

Kevin chose the Gjetost Cheesecake. It was absolutely smooth and divine! The blend of flavors ensured that it wasn't too sweet and was a great ending to a fabulous meal.

The meal was complete after we received two small sweet treats at the end of the meal. They consisted of chocolate and sea salt and were another example of how Bar La Grassa handles service so well and treats everyone as though they are the only guest. I can't wait to go back!

Bar La Grassa

Uptown French Bistro

I hadn't been to Barbette for quite a few years and certainly not since the current chef (who has since moved to a new adventure) was the head of the kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised and look forward to going back, especially for another date night with my husband.

We ordered the steamed mussels as an appetizer and they did not disappoint. The simplicity of the white wine, lemon and garlic made the mussels shine and the bread helped soak up the deliciousness of the light sauce at the end.

For my main course, I chose the Fresh Orecchiette Pasta which included pistachio pesto, peas, tasso and parmesan. It had the perfect blend of richness with the fresh flavors of early spring. I also enjoyed the seasonal Brussels sprouts they added to the dish. I would highly recommend their seasonal orecchiette pasta dish.

Kevin chose the seasonal risotto, which was rich but yet offset by the fresh vegetables on top.

For dessert, I chose the Vanilla Beignets which were as fabulous as I expected at a French bistro. The addition of the cinnamon chocolate sauce and ginger graham cracker ice cream made them stand out from the typical beignets. Since I don't see beignets on a lot of menus, I would highly recommend ordering this dish for dessert.

Kevin chose the Roasted Apple Tartlet and it was presented in a different style than what you would typically expect. I appreciated the smaller portions of apple pieces which gave it a different texture than larger pieces of apple. The almond streusel on the bottom was a great diversion from the usual apple tart dessert.

This is a place that you can go for brunch, lunch, dinner, late night dinner or even a glass of wine and dessert. I would highly recommend Barbette and I look forward to returning soon! 

Barbette Restaurant

Highly Awarded Southwest Minneapolis Pizza

I am so pleased I asked my husband, Kevin, at the last minute on an early Saturday evening to go out for pizza at Pizzeria Lola. It exceeded my expectations. As we walked in the door, I was so grateful we were early for dinner since there was already a wait at 5:00. The hostesses were very friendly, took our name, and informed us that while we waited a server would come around and take our drink order. Then, they would just add it to our dinner bill so there was no need to mess with two different payments and tracking him down quickly to pay a bill before being seated. What a great way to handle the long lines of guests waiting! We were quickly greeted while standing by the bar and our drink order was placed. Just as we received our drinks, our table was ready and the transition was smooth. They have no buzzers so the hostesses had to keep track of everyone and they did a fine job of finding us and showing us to our table.

The superb service continued as our server Leah, introduced herself, greeted us by name and told us we were sitting at the highest prime number table in the restaurant! It was a great start to a wonderful meal.

I was truly hoping they would have Brussels sprouts as their seasonal vegetable and they did not disappoint! It was served with bite-size pieces of butternut squash, pearl onions and a generous amount of freshly shaved cheese on top. I loved all the burnt, crisp pieces of Brussels sprouts leaves along with the larger parts of the sprouts.

I opted for the The Iowan pizza. It consisted of ricotta, mozzarella, garlic confit, La Quercia prosciutto and arugula. The smooth and creamy texture of the ricotta was nicely balanced by the slight peppery taste of the arugula. The prosciutto gave just the right amount of saltiness which rounded out the entire pie. This is a great choice, especially if you prefer white pizzas but without a heavy cream sauce added.

Kevin opted for the special pizza of the evening which had the base of a Margherita pizza but they added 'Nduja salami and Peppdew peppers. Kevin thought it had the right amount of heat, delicious flavor, but could be too spicy for some. The crust was cooked wonderfully and had the right consistency to balance the flavors as well as tone down the spice. Again, it definitely had some kick to it!

We had to have dessert so we were deciding between their house made soft serve ice cream and trying to decide how to order it. Leah guided us perfectly by suggesting we order two of the DIY ice cream sandwiches, one with the vanilla with olive oil and fleur de sel and the other with mint topped with chocolate covered cocoa nibs. The ice cream came in the old fashioned tulip cups and the warm chocolate chip cookies were served on the side. We both preferred the vanilla with the olive oil and fleur de sel. It was a perfect blend between the creaminess of the ice cream and the smooth flavors of the olive oil. It was almost more savory than sweet. This was nothing like a Dairy Queen soft serve!

I highly recommend you try Pizzeria Lola as your next pizza outing. It will spoil you for what it means to have a high quality pizza for a reasonable price. And, if you are with friends or family, it is worth sharing a dessert! The service was outstanding and made the entire experience completely enjoyable despite the large crowds growing by the minute as we were dining.

And, for a little fun, they have a photo booth in the back you can check out and they post the pictures all along the wall by the bar. This is easily a place to take the entire family with choices for everyone. Just be prepared to wait...for a table but also for the deliciousness that will not leave your mind any time soon!

Pizzeria Lola

Nordic North Loop Establishment

Kevin and I dined at The Bachelor Farmer on a spring Friday evening. The iconic checkered blue awnings gave way to the warm and rustic feel of the restaurant. Although the hostesses were not overly friendly, our server Miadad, more than made up for the lackluster reception. He was informative, friendly and not the least bit pretentious.

The craft cocktails were very detailed, served simply and were complex in flavor. I opted for the Kloister which was made with Italian vermouth, black tea, black cherry, maple and smoked salt. It was a departure from what I typically order and it did not disappoint. The black tea flavor came through strong and the smoothness from the vermouth and maple helped round it out. 

Kevin opted for the Pacifik which consisted of mead, pineapple, pear vinegar and tonic. It was refreshing with the slightest hint of sweetness from the pineapple. 

The server presented us with an amuse-bouche at the beginning of the meal. It consisted of potatoes and beets which were thinly sliced and cooked to perfection. It was served with pickled creme fraiche and it was flavorful with the just the right amount of crunch. 

We ordered two different appetizers so we could try a variety of what Bachelor Farmer had to offer. The roasted celery root soup was divine. It was smooth and creamy without being heavy. They poured it tableside and in the bottom were toasted pistachios, shaved celery and tarragon. The crunchy bits from the pistachios gave way to the creaminess of the celery root puree. I highly recommend this dish.

The next course consisted of one of their toasts. They have four from which to choose and we opted for the fresh cow's milk cheese accompanied with toasted seeds, bacon-onion jam, pickled beets and honey. The intent is to make a little open-faced sandwich with the accompaniments. It was a great blend of flavors and textures. Some of the toast was a bit over toasted for my liking.

The market fish of the day was a pan fried trout, which was cooked to perfection. It had the right amount of salt, a crispy skin and a beautiful brown finish. The pairing of wild rice combined with yogurt and sumac did not add anything to the dish, especially since it tasted over salted. The wilted Swiss chard provided a smooth finish to the fish.

Since we have a fondness for popovers, we each ordered one, which was served with honey butter. I was disappointed as the popover was so crispy it was like eating the overdone toast again.

For dessert, we opted for two different desserts, both of which were cakes. The first was a vanilla bean butter cake with blood orange, bitter orange ice cream and creme fraiche. It was a nice blend between the rich butter taste of the cake with the slight sweetness of the blood oranges.

The final dessert was a baked chocolate mousse cake with red beet ice cream and white chocolate. The chocolate had the right amount of sweetness and the ice cream provided just enough additional flavor so the chocolate wasn't overwhelming.

I can understand why this restaurant has been a popular favorite since it's inception. Overall, the experience was pleasant, the food was high quality and it's in a great location. We look forward to their summer menu and trying more items.

The Bachelor Farmer

North Loop Seafood Stop

Kevin and I went to Smack Shack on a Sunday evening at the beginning of Restaurant Week. The scene inside was vibrant, modern and certainly fit the seafood theme. The decor was a blend of warehouse style brick walls with large doors that opened up to the sidewalks.

Unfortunately, the vibe weakened slightly since it took at least ten minutes for a server to even greet us at our table. Once he did, he was very attentive the rest of the meal.

We chose the Restaurant Week menu since it offered such a range of their food. The first course consisted of crispy calamari with a spiced aioli. The calamari had a perfect crispness to it and was complimented well by the slight kick of the aioli. Since it was Restaurant Week, we were each served our own portion, which I really enjoyed. It saved us from having to do the usual awkward transfer of food from one plate to another which is typical when sharing plates.

I ordered the Lobster Guacamole for the appetizer and Kevin had the Crab Cake. The Lobster Guacamole looked beautiful, but didn't add anything extra for flavor. It was just guacamole with a few pieces of lobster on top.

Kevin's crab cake was smooth, yet lacked flavor. However, since it was paired with a corn salsa of sorts on the bottom and a few peppers on top, it helped add some flavor when eating.

The main entree consisted of the Fried Shrimp Po'Boy. It was delicious. I appreciated their use of mixed field greens as opposed to iceberg lettuce. The shrimp added enough crunch that you didn't need any iceberg lettuce. I chose the Lobster Mac & Cheese as a side since I figured it was one of their signature dishes. I was underwhelmed. I don't tend to thoroughly enjoy mac and cheese but I figured with lobster it would be okay. I didn't feel it was worth the calories or the cost (if you were to pay the typical $11 for the side).

Kevin ordered the Lobster Roll. It was served on thick Texas toast. It was smooth and rich, but again, it lacked flavor. Kevin chose the cornbread, with which I was equally disappointed. It was a bit dry and had some peppers in it, which although makes it unique, didn't add any extra flavors that made it better.

The dessert was fantastic. It was a Lemon Meringue Whoopie Pie with blueberries and lemon curd. The bright flavor of the lemons paired well with the richness of the blueberries. I would highly recommend this dessert; however, I am unsure if it is on their regular dessert menu.

Overall, I could see where this place could be a fun place to go with a group of people in order to share a few sides. The portions were more than enough for two people although a good value since it was Restaurant Week. I would not return often as the food was extremely rich.

Smack Shack

Suburban Szechuan restaurant

My mother and I chose to dine at Grand Szechuan on a Friday evening. It's located in a strip mall in Bloomington. Right away, we could tell we were going to receive friendly service and good food.

We ordered far too much food as I didn't realize how large the portions were going to be! However, I wanted to be sure to try a few new items in addition to some items I would typically order at a Chinese restaurant.

We began with the tofu vegetable soup. I appreciated the bounty of vegetables, in addition to the the soup not being over salted.

Next, we ordered sesame rice balls. This was a completely new dish for me and my mother. They were served in a broth and were quite sweet. The texture was quite different so it takes some getting used to but the flavor was fabulous.

We shared the Szechuan green beans, which were flavorful without being served with so much watery soy sauce, which can happen at other restaurants.

Next, my mother ordered the Kung Pao Shrimp. She liked that the shrimp was not overpowered by a thick coating of breading and was just lightly breaded.

I ordered the Shrimp and Vegetables with Pan Fried Noodles. I don't know what I was expecting but I didn't expect it to look like it did. However, it was nice that by the time I ate some of the middle portion of the dish, the noodles were soaked with the sauce and a bit easier to eat than the noodles that were crispier towards the edge. There was probably a bit more sauce than what was needed for the dish but it was light and flavorful.

The service was outstanding. Our server, David, was very attentive and willing to answer any of our questions. Every server and employee went out of their way to greet us, ask us if we needed anything, and thank us for coming. I would recommend dining here if you have a large group, so you can try a lot of different dishes. Or, expect to take a lot home as leftovers!

Grand Szechuan

French twist on Vietnamese on University

I didn't know what to expect when deciding to dine at Ngon Bistro. I had read a bit on their website about their commitment to fresh, local and sustainable ingredients but I didn't know much beyond that. Kevin and I chose to eat here prior to attending an event at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. It was very quiet when we entered but it soon became lively and evident that this place was a favorite among many.

We began with the shrimp Vietnamese egg rolls. They were small, light and scrumptious. They were served with a traditional sauce, which added some additional flavor. I even enjoyed the way they cut and plated the egg rolls.

Next, I ordered the Shiitake Mushroom Ravioli. It was delightful. The Red Dragon cheese sauce was an adventurous departure from a traditional cream sauce and it added just the right amount of heat. I highly recommend this dish, especially if you are a vegetarian.

Kevin opted for the Atlantic Sea Scallops and the dish was absolutely divine! The scallops were seared perfectly. The mix of wild rice with the couscous to create the risotto was a fabulous way to shift away from the typical method. The basil ginger cream sauce was just the right amount without overshadowing the rest of the dish.

We had to order two desserts because they sounded so good when reading the description. I am so glad we weren't disappointed. The first dessert was Citrus Panna Cotta. It was served with a mixed berry compote, orange mango sphere and raspberry jus. It was a perfect blend of bright flavor from the citrus followed by the creaminess of the panna cotta.

Our second dessert was one of the best I have had all year. It was a Pot de creme featuring Surly Darkness beer, chocolate, toasted walnuts and whipped cream. The blend of the chocolate with the beer kept the dessert from being overly sweet and it was incredibly smooth. I could easily have consumed more than one of these!

I highly recommend this restaurant. It is now in my current Top 5 restaurants I have experienced in this past year. I look forward to going back with friends and spreading the word of what this restaurant is putting out for flavor, atmosphere, philosophy and service. You know it has to be good when a local chef walks in for dinner while you are dining! 

Ngon Bistro