Prima Diners - Restaurant, Fine Dining & Food Reviews in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Twin Cities MN


Prima Maria Josefina	Prima Amelia	Prima Christina	Prima Susanna	Prima Patika	Prima Kalena

Our bohemian gypsy, Maria Josefina’s gifts included a witty, dry and unmatched humor that was, not only smart and clever, but transferred into the written word seamlessly. Nary an expression was penned without deep and laborious thought. So much so that a simple e-mail could take hours to compose. Maria Josefina’s desire to convene all thoughts shifted into the dining room as she strived to comprehend which dish on the menu would satisfy tonight’s taste. Each time she would inundate the server with thoughtful questions - meant to narrow the choice – and each time the result was no decision, other than ordering several dishes from each category.

For many years, Maria Josefina’s desire to create this website, and share the Primas dining highs and lows, sat primarily with her. Once we visited Solera however, things changed. Incensed by a rave review in the paper, Maria Josefina shot back a well-thought, articulate, humorous and specific retort to the author, outlining the Prima’s disappointing experience. It was the first step in the formation of our website, and the moment at which all Primas came on board when she posed the question: "How can you say Solera rocks?”

Prima Amelia is our newest Prima. Whether forcibly drafted by overzealous Prima veterans or voluntarily committed to her sister’s zany friends, Amelia’s seat at the table has become a favored tradition. Amelia’s knack for suggesting hidden gem locales that are budget friendly and conceptually fun earned her a permanent place in our Prima hearts. Imagine what happened when we realized that said hidden gems run the gamut from dining to retail! Amelia shares with Christina the title of Prima Mama. Stories of her towheaded darlings fill us all with Prima pride and pleasure.

Prima Susanna brings a remarkably adventurous and diverse palate to our group. From foie gras to cheese stuffed burgers, Susanna offers an intelligent perspective to our dining experiences that not only enriches our knowledge of foreign lands, but also usually expands our vocabularies. Susanna is just as likely to define amuse-buche as she is to suggest adding smashed Saltines to scrambled eggs to improve their texture. Modest by nature, Susanna’s lovely blonde locks belie a keen wit and linguistic prowess that would humble the greatest literary giants of our time. Who would those giants be? Susanna could tell you.

Prima Christina qualifies as the ardent carnivore among the Primas. She likes her protein rare and in creative incarnations of beef, rabbit, game bird and sushi. Christina’s lusty preferences emerge somewhat deceptively from a prevailing aura of refined elegance reminiscent of the inimitable Jackie O. As one of two Prima Mamas at our table, Christina astounds us with her ability to manage family, husband and career with nary a bead of sweat forming upon her youthful, perfectly arched brows. Our stylish Prima Mama is the quintessential woman of mystery—do you suppose Jackie O. had a tattoo?

Prima Petika an immutable sensei with the patience and curiosity of a Greek philosopher, pleases the group with her soft-spoken grace as much as her radiant smile and taste in shoes. Petika’s world-class dignity, style and refined tastes pale in comparison to her lovely heart. She is immediately loved by those surrounding her. Loving and caring, she can warm the coldest of days through her genuine connection with everyone she meets. The person you go out of your way to talk to, Petika will not only listen, but guide you – and when you think things could not be any worse, she winks and hands you a martini.

Prima Kalena is our resident Sommelier, so dubbed because she routinely makes wine selections for the table that please everyone. Our Kalena is a gifted storyteller, peppering her humorous anecdotes with animated vocal impressions that are oft punctuated with lively hand gestures. Her gestures are always befitting a lady and her bejeweled wrists, with their gentle whispered jingle, offer a melodic accompaniment to the table’s conversational hum. Kalena’s dramatic flair is represented in her natural red hair color, creative wardrobe and her talent for decorating.