The Red Cow – She’s Blushing in Edina

Posted on June 7, 2013 by jfoodeats

Eater.com posted the “10 New Twin City Burgers to Eat Right Now” in April and Red Cow was on their list, was convenient and fit nicely into my schedule. When I arrived a little before 6PM on a Wednesday night, the place was 80% filled with families, young couples, and several tables of retirees, a very eclectic group…all looking for the high-end diner experience. I was quickly seated (would not have been the case when I left an hour later when the waiting area was jammed). The walls were adorned with large paintings (Ms. Red Cow herself watch my every move) and the feel of the space was very family oriented and relaxing. The staff darted around the restaurant to serve customers. The relaxed atmosphere of the décor was definitely offset by the rushing servers. Since I was there for the burger, the first order of business was to choose one from the many choices available. Red Cow does a great job in offering a variety of meat and non-meat options. I chose the Manhattan, which included an 8-oz patty from NY butcher Pat LaFrieda plus Cotsworth cheese and bacon, and I added caramelized onions. To start, I ordered the Pork Belly Sliders (offered at a discount prior to 6PM) to start.

The pork belly appetizer consisted of three sliders, a slice of pork belly topped with a slaw of red cabbage, corn, red pepper, onion and cilantro, encased in a mini bun. The buns were, as others have described, soft and delicious. The pork belly carried great flavor and the slaw added a slightly spicy element to the sliders. Overall this appetizer was a great choice and the highlight of the visit. The burger was good, but not great. On a positive note the kitchen cooked it perfectly to my requested medium-rare, the patty released a little juice, but it was extremely compressed, losing all the great qualities of a loose grind. I always question the use of LaFrieda meat as it just does not have the great flavor I look for in a burger and this was again the case, but at Red Cow there was also a subtle bitterness to the meat. I cannot give high marks to either the texture or the taste. The cheese was my favorite part of the burger, great flavor and perfectly melted. There were two strips of bacon that delivered a little flavor but I would have preferred additional saltiness and smokiness. The caramelized onions were soft but the flavor was a little acrid, the sugars were not fully released. The sweet potato fries (the limited amount they included with the burger) were very dense and did not have the soft interior texture to complement the crispy exterior. Likewise the flavor was not as sweet as many other sweet potato fries. I would guess they were frozen and merely fried on site. Overall these were not to my liking. The burger and fries were served with an aioli, no ketchup. If requested there are two choices of ketchup, prepackaged bottled and a house made. The latter was outstanding with the addition of a small amount of balsamic vinegar, which really added great flavor. In addition to the pork belly sliders, the house-made ketchup is highly recommended.

Service was actually fun to watch. The servers were young, as in high school. They were incredibly friendly and ran around the restaurant with passion. Everything I ordered was “a great choice.” There were two managers who wandered to tables to check-in so there was some supervision, but this is a hamburger joint and is staffed as such, which is a good thing. Unfortunately in my case I sat for ten minutes before anyone approached the table, so patience is a virtue. The worst aspect was after one bite of my appetizer, no exaggeration, one bite, my burger arrived. “I’m really sorry, but the hamburger came out really quickly.” The server thought that was acceptable and tried to place on the table. I just told him I was not even close to ready for the burger. He seemed befuddled but eventually understood and removed the burger. A little more training and staffing is something the owners should consider.

Overall I thought the place was a fun atmosphere to take the family for a burger. I would recommend avoiding the surcharge for the “Manhattan” with the LaFrieda meat and look into the regular versus the sweet potato fries. But be advised that a family of four could easily spend $100 for a burger dinner.

Brilliance @ Burch Steak & Pizza (Minneapolis)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by jfoodeats

When I was told that one of my favorite chefs, Isaac Becker, was opening another restaurant I was anxious to try. And when I discovered that he was dedicating the cuisine to two of my favorites, pizza and steak, I knew I needed to go as soon as I came back to the twin cities. I secured a single reservation on a slow Tuesday evening and drove through normal rush hour traffic to Burch, the newest addition to the growing list of great restaurants in Minneapolis.

The parking is difficult and valet for $8 seemed a bit high, but well worth the price. Once you enter the restaurant you see a large dining area directly in front of you that seats 50+ overlooking the open kitchen, a la BLG, and to the right is another large dining area with a bar that seats 20 and table seating for another 50+. The spaces are quite large, yet the use of woods, soft lighting and large windows gives the feel of romantic meets hip, they did a great job on creating a cool, yet intimate dining environment.

The menu is typical Becker-eclectic, combinations of flavors that you would never expect; his genius in combining flavors and textures shine with every dish.

I am a huge carnivore and the list of grass-fed steaks was amazing. You can choose either 100% grass-fed to grass-fed or grain finished Niman Ranch Natural (Choice of Prime); then various cuts within each category; then you choose a medium or large sized chop.

A steak is great but I wanted to taste the combinations of flavors I have grown to love at 112 and BLG. I designed a personal 3-course adventure, starting with the “Lamb meatballs” with carrot slaw, followed by the “Spicy soft shell crab” with lime and yogurt and for my main course I chose the “Coppa Cotta” pizza made with wood roasted red peppers, smoked pork shoulder, mozzarella, and hazelnuts and I added some BLG sausage (I thought it needed a kick).

As I waited, the server (who was fantastic) brought a basket of three breads, slices of a baguette, a slice of beet bread and a pretzel roll. They were warmed, which I always appreciate. A bite of each was very disappointing. There was all flavorless, and even the beet bread was boring. The good news was that I would not fill myself on the breads.

The meatballs arrived, five skewered meatballs, each slightly larger than an inch, plus a mound of slaw. I would not characterize the slaw as carrot slaw, but a delicious and slightly spicy combination of red cabbage, arugula, red pepper and carrot, accented with just a hint of cilantro. The meatballs were seasoned with Middle Eastern spices, with rich earthy spices. The meatballs and the slaw were each delicious on their own and together the spiciness of the slaw perfectly complemented the richness of the lamb; and the addition of the cilantro was delightfully subtle.

The soft shell crab was a single small- medium-sized crab dusted with a slightly spicy coating and fried. Sitting atop the crab was another mound of a different slaw from the meatball version, this one tinged with a citrusy lime background. The crab was nestled in a yogurt dressing which was further accented by a circle of olive oil. The slice spiciness of the crab, combined with the citrus slaw was a great combination and then both were cooled by the yogurt. Another fantastic dish.

The pizza arrived. The first item I noticed was the color of the crust, it was more blonde than I expected and had a few circles of char, indicating the oven was piping hot. I first tasted the crust and it had a great flavor, one of the best I have ever tasted. The kitchen was not shy with the topping and I think they removed the pizza about 30 seconds too soon, since the dough at the center was not crisped enough to handle the topping. I was required to use a knife and fork for the first tastes of the center. The tastes were perfect. And the key differentiator to the pizza was the addition of the hazelnuts, yes the hazelnuts. How this idea came to be is unknown, but the addition created a level of flavor and texture I have never tasted. In addition the mozzarella cheese, the peppers and the sausage were great. The smoked pork shoulder was sliced in the manner of prosciutto and was the least flavorful of the toppings. Since I added the sausage I wanted to taste the pizza as designed, so I removed the sausage from one of the slices. The taste profile of the “as designed” pizza was more mild in flavor and still delicious. But I think adding the sausage created a much more flavorful choice.

I had no room for dessert, but wandered over to the cake display and almost wished I ate one less slice of pizza to leave room for one of these options. They looked fantastic.

Overall this is a go-to restaurant only weeks after opening. I only wish Becker would consider expanding his geographic reach and bring these flavors to Connecticut. His food would be incredibly well received.

Major Potential in the Sample Room (Minneapolis)

Posted on June 6, 2013 by jfoodeats

As I drove past Psycho Suzie’s and the throngs of cars serpentining into the valet parking area ($5 valet parking at a motel pizza place?) I was glad that I chose The Sample Room, a more subdued restaurant, for my first night of this visit to MSP. Parking was incredible easy on this Monday evening and numerous spots were available on the street (and free).

As you approach the red brick stand-alone building you notice the awning covered terrace on the left that seats 20, and any of these would be a great seat in the warmer summer months. I originally tried sitting on the terrace, but each time the wind gave a little gust, it was just a little too chilly and there were plenty of tables inside where I could focus on the food versus the weather.

The interior is very cool. There are regular height tables that seat 22, three booths, three high-top tables for 12 more guests, plus 12 seats at the bar. On one wall, the infamous mug shot photo of Frank Sinatra overlooks the entire room (coming from NJ I felt right at home) plus paintings from a local artist, in the tradition of Picasso, adorn the other walls.

The prices are incredibly reasonable. Appetizers are in the high single digits, and most entrees are priced in the mid-teens.

For my appetizer I ordered the “Short Ribs,” described as stout braised grass fed beef short rib with cauliflower & yam purée and demi-glace. The single boneless rib was perfectly prepared; fall off the bone tender (well I guess it already did) with a deep flavor from the braising liquid. The cauliflower/yam puree was delightful; a sweet complement to the deep flavor of the beef and then the demi-glace was drizzled atop for another flavor component. The server told me that many split this dish, the dish was not large enough to share unless the entire meal is a shared tapas-style event amongst friends. And it was so good to share.

For my entrée I chose the “Bottineau Burger,” one-half pound of house-cut and ground grass-fed beef, pork belly, cheddar, fried onions, mustard aioli served on a toasted bun. This was full of various and bold flavors; unfortunately they were too bold and fought each other. This combination was better on paper than palate. The meat was less flavorful than many other grass-fed burgers that I have enjoyed; the Cheddar cheese was excellent, and I really liked the bun. The mustard aioli was way too strong, overwhelming all the other aspects of the burger and the fried onions were not fried to order and were cold and soggy. Likewise as much as I thought the addition of a slice of pork belly was a nice idea, it added nothing to the burger.

For dessert I wanted something sweet and ordered the “Bunet” described as Northern Italian (Piedmont) light chocolate custard with cacao powder, amaretto cookies, eggs, milk, and cream…basically this is a chocolate terrine. This was good, but not great. It almost felt it was prepared a day earlier. The cake aspect brought a weird texture, but I really liked the custard portion. And the texture of the two chocolate custards was excellent.

My overall impression was that this neighborhood is very lucky to have the Sample Room. For the price, the food is a great deal. The chef is not afraid of flavors, which is a huge positive. As he learns to balance the components, the restaurant should grow into a go-to northern suburb restaurant.

Butcher & The Boar (MSP) Approaches Perfection

Posted on February 21, 2013 by jfoodeats

The Butcher & the Boar has been on my must-try list for a few months and with only one dinner in Minneapolis for this visit I decided to pull the trigger and make a reservation. Coincidentally, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2013 nominees that day and the Butcher & the Boar was nominated for Best Restaurant. Call it Karma, call it divine intervention or call it pure dumb luck, I call it a sign from the culinary forces that I made the correct choice.

Driving through artic conditions of 5-degrees plus a stiff wind I was grateful when I arrived at 12th and Hennepin and saw valet parking on the side of the building, only accessible from 12th Street. Upon entering you are greeted by an enormous bar spanning the left wall, serving thirty beers on tap, a wide variety of wines plus an assortment of blended cocktails, with various cute names. There are a few tables to the left of the bar, sort of tucked away from the main action; some would say these are either the B-list tables or the quiet tables. I think these are a good choice for some quiet conversation. There is a single large table tucked into an alcove across from the bar on the way to the main dining area, which is large and open. The interior is very cool.

The menu is broken into appetizers and salads, in-house prepared meats, plus entrées of meats, poultry and seafood. A separate menu of sides completes the options.

I ordered the “Turkey Brunschweiger, Vidalia Onion Jam and Milk Stout Toast” for an appetizer, the “Double Cut Berkshire Pork Chop with Pineapple Rum Glaze, Macadamia Nut Salsa” as an entrée plus the “Skillet Cornbread.” All of these were recommended by the server, who was spot on in her knowledge and guided me through the menu and the sheer volume of food it represented, “these dishes are normally split” was her challenge.

The appetizer arrived quickly. I was first impressed with the small glass jar that contained the turkey liver mousse, there was a small layer of fat on top, a great way to preserve as well as deliver added flavor, the Vidalia onion jam was neatly placed on the plate and the milk stout toasts arrived in a small, rectangular bowl. A small spoon protruded from the Brunschweiger and my first taste informed me that the night would produce some special flavors. It had an incredibly deep flavor, liver on overdrive, absolutely delicious. Placing a small amount on the toast and then topped with just a touch of the onion jam created an extraordinary balance of flavors and textures. The smooth, richness of the mousse, the sweet jam and the slight bitterness of the toast perfectly complemented each other. Now the fun began as I played with various combinations. I found that placing the jam on the toast and then the jam gave a slightly different flavor profile and then placing the two toppings side-by-side implanted even a slightly different flavor profile. The one consistent feature was that each bite was fantastic.

When the pork chop arrived I sat in awe. This was the largest pork chop that has ever graced my plate. It was 3-4” in height, sitting proudly in the pineapple sauce, with the nut salsa perched on top. The size would rival any NY steak house. I carefully sliced the longer arced side so my first taste would contain both meat and just a touch of fat. The meat was incredibly moist, served medium, slightly pink throughout, and the texture was perfect. The first bite confirmed my thought from the appetizer; the flavors for the evening would be extraordinary. This was an incredible piece of meat, first brined, so the saltiness was evident, but smokiness was the primary flavor; and this was Berkshire pork, known for juiciness, fat content and fully capable of handling the long and slow cooking processes. The sweetness of the pineapple rum glace was a perfect complement to the salty-smokiness of the pork, Texas meets Hawaii. As much as the Macadamia nut salsa delivered great flavor contrast, the soft texture of the Macadamias was not to my liking, I would have preferred more crunchiness.

The skillet cornbread was nothing special; in fact mine was a little burnt on the bottom. The flavor was basic, there was no textural contrast (I prefer the inclusion of corn kernels) and the depth of flavor was not present. If not for the addition of butter, I would classify the cornbread as dry. With the other choices available I would recommend going in a different direction on the side.

Service was excellent. My server knew the menu, was willing to make recommendations, understood the size of the dishes and guided me to a more reasonable order. The one major drawback was the pacing. I am not sure if this was caused by my dining solo, but the appetizer arrived within minutes after the order was placed and the entrée arrived within one minute of my finishing the appetizer. I felt incredibly rushed. There was no time for relaxing, digesting or just contemplating. I prefer a 5-10 minute interlude as a single and 15 minutes as a couple or group. Hopefully this was the exception, not the rule.

Overall the two main components of the meal were outstanding. The appetizer was extraordinary and the pork and sauce were perfect, but given the salsa, cornbread and the pacing, there is still room for improvement.

Corner Table (Minneapolis) Still Serving Delicious Local Food

Posted on December 21, 2012 by jfoodeats

It has been a little while since my last visit to Corner Table, the management has changed but the focus remains sourcing and serving local flavors. And the end result is still delicious food.

On this cold winter evening I sat with my back to the windows and I wish I would have worn a sweater as I was cold throughout the meal. I ordered the pork belly, braised cabbage, apple puree, and mustard seed ($9) for my appetizer and the pan roasted duck breast, sweet potato gnocchi, black garlic, and winter greens ($26).

As I waited, the server brought a plate of bread that was still cool; I never understand why a restaurant starts the meal on a note that could so easily be better with 30 seconds in the oven. There were two slices of Focaccia that had a mid-level of flavor and two slices of a baguette that had good texture and crispy exterior. It was a good start to the evening, but could have been better.

The belly was brought and visually this was one of the most beautiful dishes I have seen in a while. The pale yellow apple puree was plated, then topped with the shredded red cabbage and finally crowned with a large piece of belly. A few dollops of whole grain mustard dotted the puree and snipped chives added green contrast.

The belly was prepared confit-style in its own fat for 6 hours and then pressed to hold the shape. It was tender, flavorful, and maintained a high level of juiciness. The braised cabbage maintained its crispiness while braised and had an earthy quality and the apple puree had a slight level of sweetness but not too sweet. Together the salty warm pork, the slightly cooler and crispy cabbage and then the cool and creamy puree created perfect complementary textures, temperatures and flavors. I can characterize this dish as a brilliant interpretation of the seasonal flavors.

The duck was not in the same league as the belly, not many dishes I have tried recently are. The duck had a mild flavor, served rare with the skin slightly salted before the kitchen sliced and plated. Although technically the sweet potatoes were Gnocchi, they were more mashed sweet potatoes that were slightly sautéed; a more apt description would be small, round sweet potato croquettes. The sauce was not as rich in flavor as I hoped for and the flavor of the black garlic was almost missing. Overall I was looking for more contrasts in this dish as presented in the appetizer. There was a salty component, but my tongue wished for a sour, sweet or spicy for some contrast. Likewise the texture was one-dimensional.

With the perfect appetizer, it would be hard for an equally brilliant second course, but Corner Table is still serving delicious, locally sourced food in a relaxed environment. Would I return…absolutely.

Jfood Eats

Eating and Enjoying

Category Archives: Minneapolis