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Al Vento
5001 34th Ave S
Minneapolis
612.724.3009
www.alventorestaurant.com

Visited: Summer 2004

Here’s the Thing: We Need to Try it Again
Style/Cuisine: Southern Italian
Cost: Starters $4-$5; Antipasti and Salads $5-$15; Pizza & Pasta $9-$13; Entrees; $16-$20
What Makes it Special: The “made from scratch” cooking
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Is it hot enough for ya?

When trying to come up with a place to visit this month, Prima Kalena suggested al Vento, as she had it on great authority (from a co-worker) that it was fabulous from start to finish. We were excited to try this little trattoria in south Minneapolis, and off we went.

It was one of those hot and muggy weeks. When the heat of the sun bakes into the pavement until your stilettos sink in like quicksand. The air was thick and we felt sticky all day long. Stepping out of the air-conditioned comfort of the car or the office was like entering a blast furnace in a steam room. The air conditioning was working overtime and at times - not all that effective.

It was on one of those blistering hot and humid days that the Primas were scheduled to dine at al Vento. We skipped the patio for the cool comfort of the restaurant’s interior, but the little air-conditioner was out of cooled air for now, and the restaurant quickly became as hot and thick as outside.

This, my friends, is why we must try al Vento again. You know how – when you are so freakin’ hot - eating is just not that interesting? Well, that was our experience. What we did try, bruschetta, salad, pizza and tomato bread soup were quite amazing, as was dessert. However, the Primas are certain it was the heat and the fear that our poor server would sweat in our salad that took the spirit out of everything, and not the food, the drink or the atmosphere.

Would We Go Back? Yes and you should go too. Chef Jonathon Hunt has put this darling little place on the Twin Cities dining scene and you owe it to yourself to visit--perhaps you will run into the Primas as we try again, only this time on a cooler evening.

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Blackbird Restaurant
815 West 50th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55419
Phone: 612.823.4790
www.blackbirdmpls.com
Reservations not accepted, but you can call ahead

Visited: January 10, 2008

Here’s The Thing: Nice local restaurant that ultimately underwhelms.
Style/Cuisine: Modern American
Cost: Appetizers $4-$10; Entrees: $8-19; Dessert: $6-$10; Wine: decent selection of wines by the glass
What Makes it Special: It’s not really that special.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Post-holiday recap

We chose Blackbird Restaurant partly for its proximity to Patina at 50th and Bryant. We always like to stop by Patina when we’re in the neighborhood. And Blackbird seems like a real neighborhood spot that fills up nicely on a Thursday night. It’s a small place with small tables and antlers all around the room. Apparently, you can bring in your own trophies and they will hang them there for you (a tip to the ladies trying to clear out the rumpus room).

The staff is friendly and the service is good; a pleasant place overall. The downside is the food is good, but nothing special. We started with the spicy lamb meatballs, which was the culinary highlight of the evening. They were tasty and tender and served in a yellow curry sauce that was a little spicy and a little sweet and overall yummy. They were served in a crock that our server warned us was hot and Prima Susanna managed to burn herself a little on it anyway. We’re not sure if it’s her natural skepticism or ADHD, but she is frequently nursing a slight burn. Why, just the other night she singed her fingers on an meat thermometer that just moments before had read 160° (which is of course, the temperature at which you want your pork tenderloin – just a tip).

We followed up with a selection of salads – the house greens, butterhead, and fried liver salads, to be precise. The house greens was basic, dressed in balsamic vinaigrette; perfect for Prima Kalena, who was counting her points. The butterhead included roasted beets, sundried tomatoes, spricy pecans, maytag blue cheese, and tarragon vinaigrette. Prima Patika found it tasty and considered it a solid four out of five. Primas Christina and Susanna (the organ meat aficionados) found the fried liver salad highly satisfying – the liver was tender and served inventively with apples, chicory and frisée in a mustard vinaigrette. The chicory and frisée were a nice offset to the sweet and rich liver.

For dinner, we tried the Vietnamese pulled pork sandwich, London broil, and pork confit. The overall feeling was that it was okay, but we could probably prepare the same thing a home with little trouble and (in Susanna’s case) minimal injury. The pulled pork was well spiced and tasted good, but just not to Christina’s taste. It was service with handcut fries that were good, but no great shakes. The London broil is normally served with fries as well, but they we kind enough to allow us to substitute sides, as most of us are still dealing the after affects of the Christmas feast. We chose the sweet and sour parsnips and carrots as well as the green beans. The root vegetables were fun and lived up to the promise of the concept; the green beans on the other hand, were pretty pedestrian. The same could be said for the steak, which was simply grilled and a bit on the tough side. The pork confit was just overall bland.

And now. . .the obligatory restroom review. It’s a small place, so there are only two restrooms (one for each). Susanna’s wait was almost long enough for her annoyance to turn to concern. Finally, she resorted to the men’s room. Upon emerging, the other room opened up and the occupant finally emerged. Susanna concluded that the woman was probably having some difficulty with her Depends. The annoyance-to-concern conversion was clearly incomplete. One odd thing to note: there was a Method soap bottle that had clearly been refilled with Dial soap. Not a huge thing, but isn’t it a bit odd to try to pass off soap you bought at Target as slightly fancier soap you bought at Target? It’s the little touches that often make the difference.

Would We Go Back? Probably not. There’s nothing wrong with it, it just lacks oomph.

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Chambers Kitchen
Chambers Hotel
901 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612.767.6900
TTD: 877.767.6990
Fax: 612.767.6801
www.chambersminneapolis.com
Reservations through opentable.com

Visited: February 15, 2007 

Here’s The Thing: Wonderful food; beautiful décor; can the attitude
Style/Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Cost: Appetizers $7-$14; Entrees: $18-36; Dessert: $7-$10, but go for the sorbet at $3.50; Wine: good selection and not outrageously priced
What Makes it Special: The food is delicious, artfully presented and served in a lovely modern space. Definitely for the hip crowd.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Things that disturb us

We chose Chambers for February primarily for the opportunity to experience the Ice Bar. Yes, it’s a bar made out of ice in an outdoor courtyard in the middle of a Minnesota winter. As odd as the concept sounds, it turned out to be better in concept than execution. The bar itself was, in fact made out of ice. Okay, that’s cool and all, but it was housed in a corrugated plastic shed, which cut into the ambience a tad. The Cosmopolitan was good, but (Grey Goose and all) a bit pricey at $14. There were heaters and a fire in the center of the courtyard, which made standing outside in the middle of February more bearable. That said, it was February and standing outside on the stone is eventually going to freeze your feet. We went inside shortly before hypothermia set in, secure in the knowledge that never again could we say we hadn’t been to the Ice Bar. 

Inside, the upper bar/restaurant and lower level restaurant are modern and chic. The hostesses gave Kalena some attitude, looking her up and down as though to say, “How was the drive from Champlin?” And we should point out that Kalena was wearing her really, really cute hat, which matched her cute blue suede jacket. She looked darling, really. In the end it’s all okay, since someday they won’t be 20 years old and a size two and all they’ll have to fall back on is their marginal hostessing skills. But it’s just that kind of thing that we find annoying when you’re there to drop a chunk of change that will partially go to their clubbing expenses. 

We were seated downstairs in the “group-of-women” special table RIGHT by the kitchen, which again, we find annoying. It may have something to do with the age-old myth of women being constitutionally incapable of tipping well. Just for the record, we tip VERY well. 

Once adjusted to our less-than-all-that location, we noticed that, although dimly lit, the restaurant is pleasant and modern, with dark wood and white leather seating. The bathrooms (always a major factor in the final review) were cool and “pool-ish,” decorated with aqua glass and subway tile. We likey. 

Our waiter, Chuck, was a welcome respite from the attitude. He was attentive and accommodating, and he smelled good, too (just saying). He provided all the information we needed to select from the menu, which provides a wide variety of choices, but isn’t overwhelming in that weird Cheesecake Factory (“we make everything, but nothing very well”) way. Obviously, the chef (Jean-Georges Vongerichten) knows what he wants to do. Again, something we like. The entrée menu changes with great regularity, which makes return trips more intriguing. 

We chose bacon-wrapped shrimp, king oyster mushroom and avocado carpaccio, and rice-cracker-crusted seared tuna for starters. None disappointed. The shrimp was served with passion fruit mustard and cumin honey, which we were ready to lap up off the plate. This may go a long way toward excusing our proximity to the kitchen. The tuna was perfectly prepared, tender and tasty. 

We give Chambers Kitchen a perfect ten for presentation. Each plate was artfully presented and even the plates themselves were unusual, all lopsided and off kilter. The butternut squash soup was poured from a pitcher into a tilted bowl, which in this case made the presentation more interesting than the dish, which was good, but nothing special.  

Okay, we don’t remember what we had for entrée’s or the wine, of which much was consumed and perhaps the culprit causing the memory loss? At any rate, we need to take better notes. 

Maybe it was our relegation to the crap table, maybe it was the exposure to the elements, but the conversation veered toward the disturbingly hilarious. What do you do when you see a commercial featuring your mother-in-law, while in a public restroom? It happened to Patika’s unfortunate husband in the worst possible circumstance, and he still has nightmares. Christmas may be uncomfortable. Does walking like a horse make Julia Roberts less attractive? We vote no, but she’s pushing the envelope on that one. Can Susanna’s cat channel Woody Allen if Woody Allen is still alive? Apparently so. Is it possible to discuss paella without imitating George Costanza’s mother? No. No, it is not. (Our position by the kitchen suddenly makes perfect sense.)

Even after a wonderful dinner without a bad dish among the many we tasted, desserts managed to be the best part of the meal. This is by no means the standard, as many restaurants lean too heavily on the crème brulee to get you to the check. While the dessert menu offered a number of tempting choices, we opted for the sorbet – the chocolate and the raspberry with chili. This is the point where we became very, very happy. We don’t think it was the attractiveness of the assistant waiter who brought the sorbet that put us, and particularly, Christina, in an amorous frame of mind. We’re pretty sure it was the raspberry sorbet. We can’t share her actual comments about the raspberry sorbet, but she wasn’t wrong. The flavor was intense without being overwhelming and the chili gave it just the right kick – it made us happy all over. Suffice it to say that this is the first time we have asked for an additional dessert to go.

Would We Go Back? Yes. We’d like to try the courtyard when it’s not two degrees below zero. The food and service more than made up for the attitude.

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Ciao Bella
3501 Minnesota Drive
Bloomington, MN 55435
Phone: 952.841.1000
www.ciaobellamn.com
Reservations through opentable.com

Visited: July 5, 2007

Here’s the Thing: Great food and service, but for ambience head to the bar or patio.
Style/Cuisine: Italian (real Italian. Not spaghetti reheated in water and then placed under a heat lamp on the buffet next to the meatlovers pizza)
What Makes it Special: It’s clever way of being an upper crust restaurant where one never feels out of place, or being judged for initially seeming to lack crust. Oh, and did we mention the delightful patio?
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Waxing and What Men Ought Not Wear.

We chose Ciao Bella’s patio for dinner because we live in Minnesota. For those of us who live here, we understand this to be a comprehensive reason. For those who do not – listen up; Minnesotans live for All Seasons Not Winter. We yearn (yes, yearn) for the long warm days of summer, the gorgeous days of spring, and the lovely hues of fall. All Seasons Not Winter permit us to dine outside, therefore a location with the perfect patio is a must this time of year. Ciao Bella’s delightful patio, added a few years ago, is not situated near a dumpster or on a street with a busy bus line. Hence, it is a heavenly Prima spot.

Ciao Bella’s location has proven to be less than ideal for its restaurant predecessors. All hints of the garage doors, which once campi-ly adorned the facade of the building’s former occupant (a failed Mexican eatery), are gone. Now only this enchanting restaurant remains.

Ciao Bella is well known for it’s crowded bar, often heavily comprised of traveling businessmen, hopeful of hitting on unsuspecting and unaccompanied women. Uninterested in (and all too often targets of) this ritual, Prima Susanna and Prima Kalena each elected to grab a table on the patio to wait for the others. Unbeknownst to the other, each of our two punctual Primas sat a mere few tables apart, independently sipping drinks and wondering “why hasn’t she shown up yet?” After 30 minutes, one spotted the other and the Primas were joined at the same table, amidst much “oh, isn’t that funny” discussion and laughter.

It is worth noting that as Kalena patiently awaited her dining companions, a growing happy hour bunch seated near her began to invade her table (“are you using this chair?” UM, YES!”). Her wait was made more unpleasant by the crabby server who (she believed) had been torqued off earlier by an annoying guest, but whose crabby pants behavior lingered nonetheless. So it was best she moved to Susanna’s table where our server, David (or Steven, as Kalena repeatedly called him) was charming, not too invasive or hovering and always there when we needed him. Christina appeared within minutes. As the other Primas had prior commitments, it would be only the three of us this night.

With a mere three months tenure under his belt, David was a pro, easily recommending menu and wine items, and showing just the proper amount of enthusiasm at our selections, which can become tedious as the Primas don’t always seem to know what we want.

It was 90 degrees outside, but perfectly comfortable under the trellis and we had gin and tonics and Pinot Grigio to start. It is summer after all and the white wine seemed the obvious choice. By the glass, wine was rather spendy (Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio at $11) but that really is the going rate anymore, isn’t it.

David recommended the Halibut cheeks ($14.95) as an appetizer with the promise of a lobsterlike experience. OOH! The morel mushroom and merlot reduction was yummy as was the halibut, however the Primas did not pick-up on the lobster connection. Maybe it’s us.

We also shared the Caprese salad ($10.95) with fresh perfect tomatoes and it too was a summery treat – although the question did arise; is it best with balsamic vinegar or olive oil? We decided both are good, and this was top notch. (Olive oil was used here and a teensy bit too oily for some.)

For dinner Kalena ordered the only salad. Chopped Bacon and Blue ($7.50) with Blue cheese dressing and it was delish.

Entrée’s were selected mostly according to David’s recommendations. Christina chose the Rosemary Copper River Salmon ($27.95) as it will no longer be available in a couple of months and it’s damn good. Susanna chose the Pesto Chilean Sea Bass ($27.95) with David’s assurance that it wouldn’t be as oily as her previous experience with this dish. As for Kalena, a half order of the Tagliolini and Shrimp ($14.95) tossed with a little oil, garlic and tomato was the ticket. All were excellent, but Susanna’s Sea Bass with it’s Thai Chile Buerre blanc and white and wasabi mashed potatoes was hands down the best treat at the table.

Although the Primas did visit the restroom several times, we did not consider it a worthy destination stop. It is quite tastefully decorated though, and furnished with Caldera hand soap. Mmmm. Inside Ciao Bella is beautiful with tile and Tuscan colors, however it’s a bit cavernous and loud (in a banging headachey sort of way). If you must dine indoors (and sadly we usually must) the better choice is to eat in the more intimate and interesting bar. The Primas have not yet collectively visited Ciao Bella’s sister restaurants; Bacio (Minnetonka) or Zelo (Minneapolis) as a group, but those of us who have experienced these establishments agree that Ciao is the crowning culinary achievement of the three.

Oh, you thought we’d forget to mention dessert, didn’t you? Of course the Bodino, a molten chocolate (hello!) cake with Tahitian vanilla gelato and chocolate fudge sauce ($7.95) and the sorbet o’the day - Key Lime Margarita ($3.50) were both nummy! A total of $226.58 was well spent.

The subject turned (as it often does) to battles with unwanted body and facial hair. Sigh. Susanna’s lip wax went badly and it’s time to return to the girl she trusts, so as not to endure holding her finger over her lip for days after the procedure. It being summer and all, we all agreed waxing was the answer for the legs, and wondered, just how far should we go with the bikini??

We also wondered what is in the minds of those parents who opt to let the wanton naughtiness of their ill-behaved children continue unchecked in public, much to the annoyance of those around them. Although Christina’s two little darlings rarely act up, when they do she simply states “we leave”. We applaud this, and her kids learn quickly just how far they can press Prima Mommas buttons before she reacts. Bravo Christina!

We were pleased to hear the plans in the works for a “Sex and the City” movie. As much as we enjoy being able to view reruns on basic cable, they do lose most of the hysterical charm, language, sex talk, nakedness and adult humor available on HBO. Susanna’s husband does remind us much of Mr. Big – news he surely took quite well, if Susanna chose to boost his ego with this observation.

We discussed what men ought not to wear, like belts that are too narrow for the loops on their jeans, or shorts while visiting Prague - just good sound Prima advice. We did decide we were all looking pretty cute tonight (not in a vain way, just in a relaxed summer apparel kind of way) and that remembering everyone’s birthdays can be hard. We all have our preferred methods for housecleaning, but agreed pod cleaning does not work. And why is it always annoying when someone asks “what are you doing?” In the wise words of Auntie Sabra; “I’m not doing anything, but I’m doing things!”

Would we go back? Yes, as it offers consistent excellent fare and generous service. And oh, did we mention the lovely patio?

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Corner Table
4257 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN
612.823.0011
www.cornertablerestaurant.com

Visited: December 1, 2004

Here’s the Thing: The Twin Cities is home to many great neighborhood chef-owned restaurants and this is one of, if not, the best.
Style/Cuisine: Regional American
Cost: The menu is ever changing and items are priced from $6-$9 for starters and salads, $14-$22 for entrées and $5-$7 for desserts.
What Makes It Special: The attention to detail in food and wine pairing, along with its use of primarily Minnesota grown produce and meat.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Christmas

There are few things the Primas look forward to more than our annual Christmas gift exchange. Because it is such a special and festive occasion for us, it is with great care that we choose the place at which we will dine and celebrate. This year, Corner Table was selected because it too is special.

Owner, chef and our friend, Scott Pampuch, has created a most delightful space, with perfect menu and wine selections, at his neighborhood gem of a bistro. Corner Table prides itself on serving dishes prepared in a unique and artful manner. The wait staff is well versed on menu items, as well as wines to pair. Our server, Jimmy, made some recommendations and, although nothing on the menu would likely have disappointed us, we were very happy with our choices. The Foie Gras Confit with Green Lentils was masterful and the Artisan Cheeses with Fruit and Bread went beautifully with our 2001 Sonoma Zinfandel. Might we add that the wine is served in Riedel glasses, which never ceases to impress the Primas, as we are certain the wine truly is superior in a Riedel glass.

The menu at Corner Table may be brief, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult to decide what to order. Each menu will likely offer beef, fish or seafood, pasta and pork and each dish is creative and well thought out. Four Primas, four different entrées, all were delectable.

Only four Primas were present for this Prima Christmas, as Prima Maria Josephina has gone home to her parent’s farm in Wisconsin. It is there she is receiving her treatments under the watchful eye of her mom, Betty. As always, she is sorely missed and we do try calling her – but Betty tells us she is “pooped”.

The Prima Christmas is great fun for all of us, as we discover gifts throughout the year to exchange. At our table there were many, many colorfully wrapped presents and our little corner, at Corner Table, was most merry indeed. It was Prima Christina’s first week back at work, since her baby was born, and the littlest Prima was none too happy with the change in her routine. Therefore, Christina must unwrap and dash, to get home to attend to her own bundle of joy.

Corner Table is quite quant, cozy and charming, but not all of our neighboring diners were thrilled with that on this particular December evening. A couple at one table seemed annoyed at the body waxing discussion we had, and shot us the “stinky-eye” more than once. Hmmm. Another group of women nearby could not even attempt to hide the gift envy they were experiencing, which of course pleased us, in a bitchy sort of way. When stinky-eyes departed, a man in plaid, and his dinner companion, sat next to us and he was much louder than we were, so now all was right with the world.

All gifts were perfect and loved and being together in this darling spot made this Prima Christmas a night we will forever cherish.

Would We Go Back? Of Course. Don’t be Ridiculous. In fact we did return the following Sunday for a Wine Pairing Dinner, with our spouses, to benefit Lance Armstrong charities. The food (as always) was magnificent, but the Riedel glasses were never empty and we had far too much cheer that night, the night now referred to only as; the Drunkfest.

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Cosmos Restaurant
Graves 601 Hotel
601 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-677-1100
Fax: 612-677-1200
www.cosmosrestaurant.com
For reservations call 612-312-1168

Visited: June 14, 2007

Here’s The Thing: Sleek and upscale, with excellent food and superb service. A bit pricey, but not outrageous. Avoid the bar if you’re alone.
Style/Cuisine: Global fine dining
Cost: Appetizers $12-$16; Salads: $11-12; Entrees: $18-32; Dessert: $9-$12. Wine: excellent selection of Pinot Noir, though a bit steep.
What Makes it Special: The food is inventive and delicious and the servers are knowledgeable, professional and not too cool for school.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Susanna’s preternatural ability to attract the deranged.

As usual, Prima Susanna arrived much too early. She arrived in the very cool modern bar at the same time as an older gentleman, which turned out to be an unfortunate coincidence. The gentleman introduced himself as DJ Dave, the leader of a traveling band of Elvis impersonators. One might think that would be the worst of it, but no. Mr. Dave proceeded to bend Susanna’s ear for the next half hour about all the people he knows in the music business and all the formerly famous women he bedded back in the day. Apparently, Patty Duke had issues, but we already knew that, didn’t we? The woman was fairly straightforward in her autobiography as we recall. According to Mr. Dave, Prince is a freak and gay (he used another, offensive word), but we’re not buying it. In fact we weren’t buying anything he was selling. And nobody, but nobody, talks trash about Prince around us. Mr. Dave offered to buy Susanna a drink, but she declined, wanting to owe Mr. Dave nothing and hoping against hope that he would disintegrate into a small pile of carbon. Do you remember that Star Trek episode where the Away Team lands on some planet or another and the evil overlord there has a ray gun that removes all the water out of a person’s body thereby reducing them to a dodecahedron of a granular substance? And then the overlord kills one of them (most likely the new guy on the Away Team) by crushing said dodecahedron? We spend all this money on the space program and they give us Teflon, when what we really need is ray guns to turn annoying men into trapezoids of crushable grit.

When the bill for Susanna’s Cosmopolitan arrived, Mr. Dave expressed relief at not having to shell out the $15. Verdict: annoying, crude and cheap. The Cosmopolitan was well made by Shaun, the solicitous bartender. Susanna is on a quest for the best Cosmo in town and this was in the top three, although not up to the (thus far) gold standard of Palomino.

After entirely long enough, Mr. Dave left for Rossi’s Blue Star Room, asking once again to have Susanna and her friends join him there. For the fifth time, Susanna said that wasn’t going to happen. She also made a mental note to avoid Rossi’s Blue Star Room.

Still waiting, Susanna was next subjected to twenty minutes with Charlie, the bar drunk. She made the mistake of replying to his greeting, which may partly explain why she so frequently ends up in these situations (an unfortunate side effect of being born and bred in Minnesota). Based on his elfin appearance, he seemed harmless enough, so she put up with it, under the watchful eyes of Bartender Shaun and his cohort Angel. Charlie jabbered on, occasionally trying to sip from Susanna’s (second) Cosmopolitan (very bad form) until, like an Angel from heaven, Prima Kalena materialized (seriously, suddenly she was just sitting there; it was almost freaky). Finally, the managers escorted Charlie from the premises, hopefully to a taxicab for his trip home to St. Paul and his twin brother Ed (the idea that there are two of him blows that Intelligent Design Theory right out of the water; on the other hand, it does no favors for Evolution, either). The odd thing is, you’d expect the annoying men in a hotel bar to be from out of town, but they were both locals. To be fair, it should be noted that, while the ordeal was somewhat discomfiting, the staff was attentive and at no time did Susanna feel in danger of anything except exposure to halitosis.

Shortly after Kalena’s felicitous appearance, Prima Petinka and Guest Prima Erica arrived. Sadly, Prima Christina was unable to join us this evening. We all enjoyed another cocktail before moving to the restaurant. Kalena’s gimlet was excellent, which is saying something, and Petinka and Erica’s exotic cocktails – a Cosmos (house specialty) and Flamingo Rum Cocktail (with pomegranate, pineapple, lime and star fruit) – were fun and overall yummy.

Our waiter, Daniel, was from the south of France and truly delightful. He was knowledgeable, attentive, fun, and not snooty at all. We like. We enjoyed several appetizers and salads, including the Cosmos Lettuce Blend with roasted shallot vinaigrette and Roasted Baby Beet Salad with Stilton panna cotta, raspberry gelee, and aged balsamic. None disappointed.

For dinner, we chose the Wild Rice Crusted Ahi Tuna with rock shrimp, lemon sunchoke puree, and root vegetable remoulade; Confit of Halibut with cauliflower “risotto,” basil, caper berries, olives, and tomato water, Vanilla Butter Poached Lobster with sweet onion risotto and red curry reduction, and Venison Chops. All were flavorful, inventive, and well-balanced. As a matter of fact, we were each so pleased with our selection that the usual sharing of the entrees was more limited than normal. One could almost characterize it as grudging.

The wine list is impressive, though a tad on the high side. Cosmos offers fine selection of Pinot Noir, which we took advantage of with Daniel’s advice. They also offer a good selection of wines by the carafe, which helps with the budget when you want only a little bit more for dessert, which we did.

Dessert was a trio of sorbet and the Spring Selection, which offered a small taste of six different treats, including a tomato and rhubarb confit, which was much better than it sounds.

As for the obligatory bathroom review, it was lovely, with a modern Asian feel. Unfortunately, on the far side of the bar and around the corner, so a bit inconvenient.

Total cost for the night came to about $440 including tip, which is on the high side for us, but reasonable considering the quality of the food and the service. It was really the wine that put it over the top.

Would We Go Back? Yes. The service and food make the cost well worth it. Consider it a special treat.

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Café Maude
5411 Penn Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612.822.5411
Hours: Monday-Thursday 5:00pm to 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday 5:00 pm to midnight
Sunday 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Reservations recommended

Visited: September 13, 2007

Here’s The Thing: Great local spot providing good food and friendly service
Style/Cuisine: Modern American
Cost: Appetizers $7-$13; Entrees: $9-16; Sides: $5-$8; Dessert: $5-$7; Wine: $20-$38
What Makes it Special: A friendly neighborhood spot with above-average cuisine
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Politics and how cute Prima Christina’s bambinos are

Café Maude is a fairly new restaurant next to Ace Hardware on Penn and 54th in South Minneapolis. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but it’s worth the trip. Outside of Broder’s there’s not much in the way of dining in the neighborhood and Café Maude is a very welcome addition.

Prima Kalena called for reservations and the first available was at 6:30 on a Thursday night. Call ahead! Prima Susanna arrived first (will she never learn) and seated herself at the only available seat at the bar. As she is on the quest for the best Cosmopolitan in town, she perused the cocktail menu. The closest thing was the “Natasha,” a blackberry Cosmo. Let’s just say she is still on her quest. It wasn’t bad, just too fruity. If we want fruit juice, we order fruit juice. If we want a cocktail, we expect to taste some vodka. This would appeal to those people who stand ahead of you in line at Starbucks and order a hazelnut vanilla mochaccino with extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup. We always wonder why they don’t just go to the ice cream parlor and stop clogging up the line. We are not very charitable when we need caffeine. Another quick look at the cocktail menu confirmed Susanna’s worst fears: they all look pretty fruity. Fortunately, there is a small, well-selected range of wines by the glass. Stick with the wine.

There is a category of “soft cocktails,” which are low alcohol drinks. A good choice for those who want to indulge without overindulging, or for the day after a drunkfest (see Corner Table).

The restaurant is small and warmly decorated; almost Doug Wilson-esque, had it had more blue in it. The walls have a faux-Venetian plaster look to them, and there is velvet, velvet, and more velvet. Looking around, it does seem like a real neighborhood place with a wide variety of “types” in the room, from hipster to senior citizen. The staff is quite cool looking, but surprisingly friendly – very “Minnesota nice.”

Upon Prima Kalena’s arrival, the staff was kind enough to find her another stool on which to perch. We ordered the carpaccio with a curried vinaigrette and roasted beets (red and yellow). Lots of different flavors and all of them good. The dish was presented with crispy basil on top. We think they fry it, but however they prepare it, it was yummy.

Prima Patika was unable to join us for the evening and Prima Christina was first attending Parent’s Night at her son’s school, so the two Primas moved to the dining room at 6:30 to relax and order another appetizer. Susanna explained the political caucus and convention process to Kalena. She attends every two years and finds a perverse enjoyment in the combination of stultifying boredom and excitement of participating in the democratic process. As a Democrat, she of course needs to put up with some loons, including Granola Boy who ALWAYS shows up and drives her to distraction. He’s always going on and on about putting a plank in the party platform to institute a Department of Peace. She actually had to vote against it and she felt bad voting against peace, but for crying out loud, it’s a cabinet level position so it would only be as worthwhile as the president naming the Secretary. If we had it in place right now, John Bolton would be Secretary of Peace and he’d probably be declaring “peace” on Iran right now. Susanna can’t stand Granola Boy. We’re not sure that Kalena is completely sold on attending next year.

We ordered the sautéed spinach with fried egg, basmati rice and feta cheese, which was interesting and really quite good. We also settled on a bottle of the Cusamano Nero D’Avola, partly because we’re almost certain there was a character named Cusamano on the Sopranos and we miss the Sopranos. Susanna thought the ending was great once she figured out her cable hadn’t gone out. The wine was delicious, not too sweet, but almost syrupy.

Prima Christina finally arrived, brining new photos of her incredibly cute children. We all awwwed for a while over those. She is the in process of finding a new day care provider, as she recently discovered that the current one is giving her son donuts for breakfast and letting him watch television all day. Not exactly Maria Montessori, that one.

Our server, Bree, provided good recommendations throughout the evening. She suggested selecting a number of dishes to share rather than putting together three meals, which would get a little overwhelming. Good advice.

We chose the spinach salad, lamb skewers, grilled blue prawns, house cut fries, and grilled asparagus. The salad was unusual for a spinach salad, with a smoky flavor we found pleasing. We were surprised by the ground lamb on the skewers, but they were spicy and very tasty. The shrimp was good but not wonderful. Best dishes were the asparagus, which were not Morton’s –tree-trunky at all and the house cut fries – we nearly inhaled those.

We got a little wistful remembering Prima Maria Josephina and her bravery in battling her cancer. Susanna recalled the time at the Fair (MJ’s favorite happy place) when a rude man shouted, “Nice hair! Who’s your hairdresser?” and a bald Maria Josephina cheerfully replied, “My oncologist!” His was mortified and got the business from his wife. We miss her terribly.

For dessert we selected the Bucheron cheese with fig molasses and the chocolate and hazelnut fried raviolis with espresso ice cream. Heavenly. The manager brought over a lemon cheesecake as well. We think it might have been for someone else, but he let us keep it. We like these people.

Total for the night came to $110 with tip. Not bad.

Would We Go Back? Yes. It’s a happy place with good food, and doesn’t put too big a dent in the wallet. We’d like to try it on a weekend and enjoy the live music in the bar area.

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The Craftsman Restaurant & Bar
4300 East Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN
612.722.0175
www.craftsmanrestaurant.com

Visited: January 2005

Here’s the Thing: Excellent dining in the setting of an Arts and Crafts style restaurant that reflects the bungalow style of many of it’s neighboring south Minneapolis homes.
Style/Cuisine: Regional American
Cost: Starters $6-$12; Entrées $15-$30; Pizza $10; Burgers $12
What Makes it Special: Well prepared familiar food with just enough unique Asian flair to make it more interesting.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Prima Predictions

We had to start the new-year without Prima Maria Josephina as she has moved back to Wisconsin to her parent’s farm. Within the loving fold of her family she continues to receive treatment for the cancer that has now moved to her brain and is taking it’s toll. We correspond with our dear friend via email, where, with each sentence typed in response, she shines with her wit, humor and tenacity in fighting this horrible fight.

We met at The Craftsman, on this chilly January night, and find its cozy Arts and Crafts style, with warm colors and textures, a welcoming place to be. Our server, Bob, offered to cork the bottle of Champagne Prima Kalena brought along (sharply dressed in a tuxedo) to celebrate Prima Susanna’s new job, for a corking fee of $25. The off-hand remark of “that’s a little steep” did seem to raise his dander for a second and he retorted “no, it’s not! It’s the standard, if not lower!”

Now Bob. We know you know better. We know we know better too. Not unheard of, of course, but this restaurant is merely on the Twin Cities dining map yet, so discouraging people with a high corking fee may not be the way to go. We’re just saying. The really great thing was a card was given for $25 off the next visit to the Craftsman, which we gave to Susanna, as it was her celebration after all. We should mention The Craftsman does have a nice wine list with quite reasonable prices that would not discourage.

We started with Mussels, which were rated excellent by all save Kalena, who became skittish at the thought of eating one. The two salads we shared were good, but nothing to write about.

Prima Petika tried the Minnesota Pickle Martini (now you cannot get that Gedney Pickle song out of your head, can you?) that actually had pickles in it and was not exactly the liquid treat she had hoped for. She also tried the opah accompanied with edamame and noodles. Bob explained that opah was a marine fish that can reach a weight of 200 LBS whose succulent pink flesh was delicious baked, poached or steamed. He also enlightened us by letting us know that opah served in the U.S. usually comes from Hawaii. How could she ignore this great introduction? Quite the sales pitch from Bob, but in the end - Petika just thought it was “fishy”.

Kalena and Susanna went for the Risotta with squash and both enjoyed it. Prima Christina’s choice of Braised Short Rib was the best at the table and, lucky for all, she was willing to share.

Conversation stemmed from the reading of Prima Predictions made last year. It was interesting how many of them came true, like Susanna’s new job and her cooking injury. Last month, in a loving attempt to make Maria Josephina the Swedish meatballs from scratch she had requested, Susanna took off a good chunk of her pinky finger with a mandolin. OUCH!! Strangely enough this event was predicted, by Maria Josephina, in 2004.

Dessert was also devoted to Maria Josephina as we huffed down the Chocolate Pot au Crème (something she and Susanna would not have shared; see Solera review) and fried fruit spring rolls, which could have passed as Minnesota State Fair food (Maria Josephina’s favorite event of the year)!

Would we go back? Its location is a bit out-of-the-way for most of the Primas, but would be worth another visit. Just steer clear of any beverages with pickles in ‘em next time!
 

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Duplex
2516 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis
612.381.0700
www.duplexmpls.com

Visited: Christmas

Here’s the Thing: Great food at great prices within a great atmosphere
Style/Cuisine: American
Cost: Appetizers $7-$11; Soups & Salads $5-$8; Entrees $11-$17; Desserts $5
What Makes it Special: it’s affordable and super cute in an actual duplex
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Prima Christmas

It was a long awaited visit to Duplex in Minneapolis for the Primas, we love our Christmas gift-giving extravaganza and we love to choose a special place, Duplex was it. At Duplex you can sit in the den, on the porch or a bedroom and the upbeat staff doesn’t seem to mind a bit if you linger to chatter or – perhaps - tear open a Christmas present or two.

Duplex is very intimate and, although the menu isn’t extensive, it is creative and innovative (but not weird) and it changes by the seasons, so you will never be bored with the choices.

We met at the darling little wine bar and then were escorted upstairs to a cozy space for dinner. It was here Susanna regaled the other Primas with stories of her recent travels in Thailand, as the others dined on pasta, imaginative proteins, zippy soups and anything with beets. Armed with photos and tales of her adventures Susanna kept all enraptured and excitedly presented the others with gifts toted home from across the world as well.

We sat for hours and even after we were completely finished knoshing and sipping, no effort was made to kick-us-out, and for that we are pleased and grateful.

Duplex is a wonderful way to sneak in a unique and fine dining experience, without breaking the budget. It will impress all who visit there, so bring a friend or a date and lounge all you want.

Would We Go Back? Oh definitely! It will be fun to try the porch in better weather.

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El Meson
3450 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis
612.822.8062
www.elmesonbistro.com

Visited: Late Summer/Fall 2004

Here’s the Thing: Great Place, but we often forget it is there
Style/Cuisine: Spanish/Caribbean
Cost: Starters & Salads $6-$9; Rice Dishes $13-16; Entrée $14-$22; Paella (serves 2-4) $50-$60
What Makes it Special: The authenticity of yummy food at affordable prices!
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Cruises and Maria Josefina

All Primas like a great meal, which you have figured out by now, and we also REALLY appreciate a great meal that doesn’t tax our bank accounts for the next month. These are only two of the reasons El Meson is such a perfect spot to meet.

Several affordable bottles of wine are on the menu – which of course we love – and we started with a nice Spanish red. We then ordered calamares (even though Maria Josefina could not join us this night and she is our expert on squid) which were crusted in a citrus concoction and paired with a smoked aioli that was nummy! We also had Peras, which were to die for. Pears roasted perfectly, stuffed with Brie and wrapped in proscuitto? How fun is that? It was fabulous. Since that evening Kalena has made (or tried to replicate) both the Peras and a stuffed tomato she tried, with a fair amount of success and has managed to impress at least two people. The tomato dish was stuffed with an avocado mixture (not unlike guacamole) and topped with cilantro and grilled shrimp. It was delightful.

For entrees there were no lowlights, only highlights are our table this eve. Simply because it was accompanied by smashed plaintains, we could not resist the sautéed pork tenderloin. We also had to try one of the popular “arroz” dishes and – of course – who goes to a Spanish restaurant and doesn’t try paella? Well we had to!

If you have time, and friends who will enjoy paella with you, it is worth the wait and every penny. Done to perfection, it was plenty for all to try and the seafood was fresh tasting. Again, for dessert, what other than flan (this is Spanish after all) and it was quite tasty indeed.

Prima Patika’s upcoming cruise to the Greece was a hot topic this evening as she looked forward to all that she and her DH would experience on this trip of a lifetime. We are also quite concerned about our dear Maria Josefina, as she is mysteriously ill and hoping she will be okay.

Would We Go Back? Oh yes, when we remember we have the best little quaint gem of a restaurant right in our backyard.

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Forepaugh’s
276 South Exchange St.
St. Paul, MN
Phone: 651.224.5606
www.forepaughs.com

Visited: December 11, 2003

Here’s the Thing: Charming and unique restaurant located within a historic mansion.
Style/Cuisine: French Inspired
Cost: Hors D’Oeuvres $6- $10; Entrées $17-$30; Specials; $20-$25
What makes it Special: The serenity you feel when you cross the threshold of this eatery tucked near the madness of the Xcel Center.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Varied and Lively

It was time for a Prima holiday gathering and so we chose Forepaugh’s as we knew this restaurant, located in a Victorian mansion, would be decorated in Christmas finery, and we were not disappointed.

Prima Susanna and Prima Kalena were the first to arrive and met in the bar. Susanna thoughtfully ordered a glass of wine for Prima Patika, as we knew she was on her way, yet delayed by the horrific hockey game bound drivers, and would need a glass of wine to regain civility once she arrived. She was touched.

The restaurant was cute and decorated festively for the holidays. All the senses needs were met as merry music floated through the space as well. We were seated in an upstairs room near a fireplace lit with candles, making it quite cozy. Prima Kalena brought a bottle of wine, which the server happily opened and served for a minimal corking fee.

We chose to start with crab cakes and pate. Both were outstanding. We each followed that with a salad tossed in a house dressing of mustard vinaigrette that had a nice zip to it.

For entrées Prima Susanna selected an evening special of Beef Wellington and it was perfect. Kalena tried the two Petite Fillets, ordered cooked to medium but arrived rare. They were sent back for a bit more cooking and did not return until the others were halfway thru their meal. This is not something we would openly protest, but it is not acceptable. A seasoned server would be on top of this situation, however our server was not polished and did not grasp the faux pas, nor offer any apology or compensation, something expected in a restaurant of this caliber. Tsk Tsk.

Prima Petika chose to try the Medallions of Veal, which were “okay”. Patika felt she should have read the menu closer and then she may have realized the sauce would be too heavy. A side of gnocci was promised with this dish, but it was more a polenta that arrived and was the least tasty of the three. We also ordered an extra of Brussels Sprouts prepared with bacon, receiving thumbs up all around.

All desserts looked quite fabulous but none of us wanted to send ourselves over the edge into misery due to gluttony, so we had Bailey’s and coffee for dessert.

Dinner conversation ran the gamut; movies, actors we love and hate (Tom Cruise), TV shows, bothersome body parts (boobs), music (Kalena managed to nab a Cities Sampler before they sold out), puppies and the rumor of a Coach outlet going into Albertville Outlet Mall. (whee!)

This was an ideal place to meet during the holidays and, just as we were ready to leave, a perfect gentle snow began to fall. Happy Holidays Primas everywhere.

Would We Go Back? Probably. Although the food and service are inconsistent, Forepaugh’s is one of the most exclusive and charming in all the Twin Cities. It’s a great place for a special occasion and quite romantic, so maybe return with a date.

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Visited: Spring 2007

Here’s the Thing: It’s the Place to be for the Love of Meat
Style/Cuisine: Brazilian
Cost: Prix fixe….Expensive but you get your money’s worth!
What Makes it Special: The cute gaucho’s with their swords
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Meat

It is true, Fogo de Chao (pronounced Cho. As in Margaret) is a chain restaurant. But it is a chain done well..out of Brazil to be exact. Many of you may have tried Fogo in Chicago, so you know what we mean when we say “come hungry and lovin’ meat or simply do not bother”.

A few Twin City restaurants have tried the Brazilian tradition of strolling gauchos slicing grilled meats from a sword at your table, but none perfected it like Fogo does. We wouldn’t recommend Fogo on your first date as it’s not a romantic first date location, nor it is it the ideal spot for small groups, as it’s too much fun (and food) not to have a few folks to share it with.

Beware, for there is a system to eating at Fogo and it may not be for the Prima who is faint at heart. Each diner receives a block with a “green” side and a “red” side. Green side means you want the gauchos to bring swords of meat to your table. Red means you are taking a break, or eating, and do not wish to be served at the moment. Christina, our resident carnivore, was chomping at the bit to get this party started, so she and Susanna headed to the salad bar first. They returned with tales of a heaving salad bar filled with fresh delights like palm hearts, artichokes, artisan cheeses, exotic vegetables, beets and more. Immediately upon seating they turned their blocks to green. This signaled gauchos, each toting a sword loaded with one of seventeen different types of meat, to turn and head toward our table.

Petika and Kalena were more wary and perused the salad bar, procrastinating the meat course a bit - nervous to go from red to green as it seemed a bit overwhelming..all those swords burdened with chicken, pork, beef, lamb and the like. They did take the plunge and - when the other two went once again from red to green – they did too. Then they screamed, just a little, in tiny voices.

Gauchos swarmed the table there must have been ten – all of whom carried a sword with a cargo of meat. It was a bit overpowering to say the least. Although Christina and Susanna seemed to revel in it, Patika and Kalena were frightened and changed from green to red so quickly, we are certain they set some kind of record. Even if you plan to eat light, or at least not too heavy, at Fogo, leave that dream outside for it will never materialize. This place is for eating and eating lots and lots, whether you meant to or not. Truth be told, three out of four Primas admitted to a meat hangover the next day. That’s what happens when you allow yourself to indulge in a Meatapalooza.

Would We Go Back? naw – at the end of it all – it was just kind of “’eh”. Despite all the pomp and circumstance around the meat, it’s not all that good. We thought it mostly tasted the same and not worth the hangover.

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Ike’s Food & Cocktails
50 South 6th Street
Minneapolis
612.746.4537
www.ilikeikes.com

Here’s the Thing: It’s a neat watering hole for all types with an amiable feel to it
Style/Cuisine: American
What Makes it Special: It feels like a spot the Rat Pack would have hung-out
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Not remembering – must have been the strong drinks

Ike’s hadn’t been established all that long before the Primas chose it for our next outing. We were immediately charmed by the low light, heavy millwork and long narrow bar. We found a great corner table toward the front and ordered drinks from our completely adorable server.

When we visited Ike’s we felt it was a place Frank Sinatra or Sammy Davis, Jr. would have fit right in. Amazingly enough we felt as though we fit in as well. It had a great vibe to it, sophisticated but not too complex. If you like that, and a strong drink – you will like Ike’s. If you like a good burger, or a great steak – you will also like Ike’s – and they served up some of the best onion rings we’ve had to date as well.

We sat contented in our little corner for the entire evening laughing and talking with everyone around us. Maria Josefina bumped into an old acquaintance who was kind enough to take a photo of our group. It isn’t every month all Primas are together at once and it turned out to be a great picture of everyone, which pleased us greatly.

Perhaps the reason there is no topic of the evening listed is because we weren’t just talking amongst ourselves. Ike’s can be likened to a neighborhood bar where - perhaps not everyone knows your name but – the patrons are friendly and outgoing. Then again, the strong drinks could have something to do with that as well.

Would We Go Back? Yes. What a great place to pop in for a cocktail and wait for a friend – since you’ll most likely find someone to talk to, to help pass the time.

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Here’s the Thing: Cute location
Style/Cuisine: Thai
What Makes it Special: the ever changing curry selections
Topic/Theme of the Evening: the perfect Cosmo

Being a lover of all things Thai, Prima Susanna had dropped the name King & I Thai several times and, to her content, the rest of the Primas conceded.

The King and I’s location has hosted several restaurants Ciatti’s comes to mind, but King and I has been there quite awhile, so something about it has stuck and for good reason. The curry dishes alone are worth a visit. You can trade those off with noodley selections or vegetarian too. There is a nice heat, but not too spicy flavor to all the foods. If you are still nervous about fiery flavors and seasonings, you could ask your server for an entrée that’s “Minnesota spicy”.

Unfamiliar with that term? Well, Minnesota’s general public finds mild salsa too hot (?). Could be because most Minnesotans are raised on white food and not accustomed to the piquant interest a well-seasoned dish can bring. Sad really. At King and I you will never find a dish over-seasoned – so go ahead and explore a little!

We sat in the more charming lounge and the cocktails were fun and exotic. Patika had something with an umbrella and Susanna tried the cosmopolitan, since she is on a quest for the Twin Cities best. We don’t believe it could top Palamino’s. Kalena’s expressive way of speaking (ie: using the hands) led to the spillage of her chocolate martini. Another one was delivered tout suite, but she probably didn’t need it. Just saying.

Would We Go Back? The vote is split – we believe there is better Thai in the cities. When we find it we will let you know.

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La Belle Vie
510 Groveland Ave
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: 612.874.6440
www.labellevie.us
Reservations Recommended

Here’s the Thing: Lots of hype for the great food and setting.
Style/Cuisine: Mediterranean/French
What Makes it Special: That they get away with it.

La Belle Vie’s long awaited arrival, from its Stillwater location, to Minneapolis had finally come and all Primas were giddy at the prospect of dining at this exclusive establishment. Much ado had been made about LBV and we were anxious to try it.

LBV is located in the former 510 Groveland space. A restaurant the Primas never had the opportunity to try. All we remembered was that Jodie Foster had dined there many years ago, when she was in town for the Twin Cities premiere of Silence of the Lambs. Prima Kalena read that Jodie dined on lamb at the 510 that trip. The other Primas thought it odd she would remember such a stupid thing.

Okay, so La Belle Vie landed closer to home and it was finally time to try it. We met in the lounge and, once we were all there, were ushered to our table as though we were royals. As it turned out, all presentation at LBV was fabulously over-the-top with pomp and circumstance and flair. We were whisked to our table and, once seated, the snap of table linens could be heard as each Prima’s lap was sufficiently covered.

You will read that LBV is expensive. Yes, that is true, and all were prepared to spend big this night for the experience and the food that were going to be more than worth every Prima penny. Dining off of the tasting menu was recommended, and this is what we came for after all, so we quickly agreed it would be the most adventurous choice and opted for the less expensive $65 menu, which included fewer courses as we felt the $80 menu would be far too much food.

Silly foolish girls were we, unsuspecting fools.

Each course was brought to the table with the flourish of a dance production in a Broadway musical. Our lovely server described each dish as it magically floated from the seemingly endless procession of waiters. Exquisite dishes glided from their gloved hands to the table in perfect harmony and the waiters disappeared as swiftly as they had arrived. Each course was clever, unique and beautiful. The Primas clapped with girlish glee over the divine way in which our meal was presented. The only thing missing was food.

Okay, Okay. We get it - it’s a “tasting menu”. But this was ridiculous. Understand the Primas are not gluttons impressed by mass quantities of mediocre food. We do appreciate the small taste and portion, and prefer it, as it always means a more interesting meal, one we cannot make at home. At LBV however, each course provided, literally, one bite per dish. No opportunity to have a second taste, distinguish a flavor or simply enjoy. No. With the added cost of a $40 wine flight, this was one expensive meal, from which we all left hungry.

La Belle Vie has a sister restaurant, Solera, and you know how we feel about that one. The Primas do not agree with the other restaurant reviewers in the Twin Cities who sing the praises of LBV and Solera to the nth degree. While crowds have answered the cry by jamming into these restaurants, what is the true attraction? Overcharging for pixie-sized fare doesn’t make a restaurant great, does it? Restaurant critics all have their own take on the Twin Cities dining scene and we all agree and disagree at some point, but consider this.

Somehow, these two restaurants have fallen under a myth, akin to the children’s fable “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. The marketing and slick arrival of LBV and Solera, with critics and media touting their glories has made everyone blind to the fact that they just aren’t that great – and - perhaps the Primas feel a need to announce to the kingdom that the Emperor is indeed; naked.

Would We Go Back? No. When one must go home and eat a bowl of cereal after spending $120 on dinner, something is wrong.

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La Grolla
452 Selby Ave
St. Paul
651.221.1061
www.lagrollastpaul.com

Visited: July 2008

Here’s the Thing: Nice little spot everyone should try
Style/Cuisine: Italian
Cost: Salads & Starters $3-$12; Pastas $10-$22; Entrées $17-$27
What Makes it Special: The patio and warm friendly staff
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Barbie and Beyond

Each year, when the weather gets nice the Primas like to make our annual expedition to La Grolla in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of St. Paul. We do this to feel like gentile Europeans while relaxing on the charming patio, dining on wonderful cuisine and being waited on by a stellar staff. This trip did not disappoint.

Truth be told, wicked thunderstorms rolled thru this day and we wondered, “oh no! Will we be able to sit on the patio?” But soon those fears were gone as the accommodating La Grolla team offered to open up the patio for us and soon other patio lovers arrived for the alluring al fresco experience.

We started with a nice bottle of white (did you have any doubt?) and the ceviche of shrimp along with La Grolla’s unique offering of beet carpaccio. Both were absolutely wonderful. We then decided to feast on salads, as La Grolla has some of the best choices we’ve ever seen. We soon chowed down the Barbabietola (with more beets) a perfect staple at LG - and Caprese salad with ripe yummy tomatoes and an ample serving of fresh mozzarella.

While consuming salads we had an animated conversation about the toys we had as children, mainly Barbie, a doll for which Prima Kalena has a strange obsession. Susanna revealed that she had a Tammy doll instead of Barbie, for which her mother made clothes. Since Kalena’s childhood friend had a Tammy doll she simply had to confess that they called that doll “fat Tammy” because she was bigger and unable to wear Barbie’s clothes. Undaunted, Susanna insisted she liked her handmade Tammy clothes and admitted that, as a child, she loved wearing Tammy’s fur evening wrap as a sort of bracelet.

This comment prompted Christina to share the anecdote that her grandfather, when describing a formal dress, used the term “gownless evening strap” which sent all the Primas into gales of laughter!

Dinner then came (and another bottle of white) and the fish entrées were all stellar. Sea Bass with a nice spicy crunchy crust, Ahi tuna with a fresh tasting avocado drizzle and Christina (our adventure Prima) chose the mixed plate of fish and seafood, which was positively huge. Kalena’s evening special of spinach and mushroom pasta turned out to be only so-so. She should have gotten fish.

Dessert is a must when one is attempting to linger at the outdoor patio, so we ordered the recommended Tiramisu and a lemon sweet treat with mascarpone. The Tiramisu was absolutely fabulous, but the lemon dessert was not as light as promised and didn’t get the thumbs up from all Primas.

La Grolla is such a delightful place to be with cordial, informed and prompt service and food that is carefully prepared, but we wonder, would we love it so much if we sat inside?

Would We Go Back? Already have!

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MASA
1070 Nicollet Ave
Target Plaza
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: 612.338.6272
www.masa-restaurant.com

Visited: January 13, 2006

Here’s the Thing: A nice twist on Mexican cuisine done well, but one must know what to order, since only a few of the menu items are done extremely well.
Style/Cuisine: Mexican (with a twist)
Cost: Appetizers and Small Dishes $7-$10; Salads and Soups $6.50-$8.50; Tacos and Tostadas $7.50; Light Plates $12-$18; Entrées $17-$25; Sides $4
What Makes it Special: It’s airy atmosphere, authentic food and the best margaritas this side of the river.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Hair color and looking your age.

Only weeks after the holidays, the doldrums of winter had begun to set in and the Primas needed a lift of the spirits, which this warm and inviting eatery promised to provide. It has only been in the last decade or so that the Twin Cities (okay, Minneapolis) have begun to see versions of Mexican food that live up to the name. Typically tortillas overfilled with greasy meat, cheese and sour cream were the primary choice for “Mexican” fare. Thankfully the tide has begun to turn and, with its Primaworthy potential, Masa was our dining choice to start the new-year.

Much had been read preceding the opening of this latest D’Amico venture, and the Primas were quite eager to give it a try. Research told us that chef Saul Chavez and his D’Amico partners planned to bring the authentic flavors and cuisine of his homeland (with a twist) to the Minnesota tundra. There are also liquid treats to be found in the extensive creative flavors of Masa’s margaritas.

Nearly all the Prima birthdays fall between December and February and we were excited to meet and celebrate the crowning of yet another year we have gotten older, yet never act it. Feliz Cumpleanos to all the Primas, and many more.

We met in the bar that, as is often the case, turned out to be the fun place to sit and eat and people watch. A trendy and hip crowd graces this popular spot and (for some reason) surprisingly, it seems to be a bit of a meet market too. Never to be deterred by such distractions, the Primas devoured chips with three types of yummy salsa, and washed them down with margaritas that made one think of vacationing in Tex-Mex territory, or perhaps south of the border.

Once all the Primas had arrived, we were seated in the dining room at a large round table that was, in fact, too large and too round and in an awkward corner. We had difficulty participating in conversation, due to the massive distance between us, and wondered, “why are we often seated in the least desirable location at the restaurants we choose to visit?” The food service industry’s myth that groups of women do not tip, or are difficult to serve, simply must be stifled as the Primas tip quite well and find ourselves loads of fun to be around. Perhaps our animated and vocal demeanor precedes us, or hostesses everywhere have radar, warning of guests who may be more entertaining than nearby diners can handle. “No,” we decide, “that cannot be, or the unruly offspring of our neighboring diners would also be seated at the too large table in the awkward corner next to the kitchen”. Yes, it is the myth, and it must be squelched.

Moving on. We discovered that the appetizers were for odd sized parties. Our quesadillas came three on the plate. For one thing, that’s $3.00 per tiny tortilla. Second, how now were we to share? And what of a pair of diners? Are they to split the third tortilla? We were assured this conundrum was being rectified.

Our apologies to our cute, friendly and helpful server, as we neglected to jot down your name, but enjoyed your service very much  Salads and soup started our meal, nothing special. The tortilla soup was fairly tasty, once a spoon was located to taste it. Spoons are helpful for soup.

Per our server’s recommendations, most of the Primas elected the entrée of Camarones en Salsa Guajillo (shrimp with guajillo sauce and cilantro-lime rice). Prima Kalena, a huge fan of mole, hoped to try the Pollo con Mole Poblano (chicken with mole sauce) but wisely took the advice of our server who implied it was “really messy”. Kalena was uber-happy to see that her shrimp dish was not like the encounter of an earlier experience at Babalu, where the oily and unpeeled shrimp caused much untidiness and unnecessary stress. The only other entrée chosen was the Bistek (10 oz rib-eye) that turned out to be quite the letdown.

Dessert was not worth mentioning, but we did concur we don’t care much for flan. It has unfortunately been perceived as the Latin version of crème brulee, a dessert that has become ho-hum, losing its once unusual and rare appearance on the dessert card and, sadly, taking flan down with it.

We found the location of the restroom, in the bar, rather bizarre. There were tables situated immediately outside the door, which must have made those seated there feel as though they were practically in the ladies room themselves. Why is it crammed into a teeny space, when Masa clearly has other space? We’re just saying, a little weird.

Conversation led to Prima Petika’s sheer delight in having been carded. Something Prima Christina seemed surprised over, until it was pointed out to her that she looks 13 years-old and it is only natural she would get carded. It is, however a flattering occurrence for the rest of us.

Prima Susanna wonders what hair color would suit her, other than her lovely flaxen locks, and we suggest chestnut, or perhaps butterscotch. She promises to kibitz with her stylist to see if he has any suggestions. Prima Christina has seen, and covets, the most adorable pink thermos. It has become an obsession of which there may be no end until said thermos is in her perfectly manicured hands.

We discussed in what way we would like to honor our fallen Prima and founding member of the Prima Diners, Prima Maria Josephina. Perhaps tattoos? What about an honorary bench, on the parade route, at her favorite summer fiesta; the Minnesota State Fair. We will consider and regroup on this thought. The importance of Prima Maria Josephina’s memory is too monumental for us to decide over margaritas and shrimp.

Would We Go Back? Definitely. Knowing to order the Puerco Veracruzana or Shrimp, because they are what Masa does best, and leave the flan for someone else.

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Pepito’s Tex-Mex Bar & Grill
4820 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55417
Phone: 612.822.2104
www.pepitosrestaurant.com

Visited: 5/5/05 Cinco de Mayo!

Here’s the Thing: Great neighborhood joint with history and the ability to make you feel right at home.
Style/Cuisine: Mexican
Cost: Quite Fair
What Makes it Special: The longevity. Pepito’s has flourished for over 35 years.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: The way women deal.

Pepito’s is the kind of place everyone loves. There is a reason it has thrived for decades, it’s family-owned friendliness is reflected in the atmosphere, the customers and the people who work there. Pepito’s took a simple idea; serve good Mexican fare, at fair prices without making it too complicated - and never forgot it. What does that mean for us? A fun and familiar place to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!!

The Primas all enjoy a good Cinco de Mayo celebration, but Prima Maria Josephina loved it the most. Now we must celebrate without our friend – but know she is dancing to a Mariachi band wherever she is – which makes us smile.

Pepito’s menu has loads of choices and each Prima has her personal favorite. The menu offers Mexican munchies, soups and salads, house specialties such as; Chile Rellanos, Tamales and Chicken Mole, as well as “Fire Grilled” items like; Pork Ribs or Fajitas in surf (or turf) protein selections. Family favorites offered include Mexican Pizza or Mexican Baked Potato. All menu items are reasonably priced and portioned large enough so everyone can try some of yours.

Of course, Primas being Primas we do love the margaritas, sangria and, did we mention, the best salsa ever? That is if you like a salsa that sets your lips to tingle and your eyes tearing. Now that’s good salsa! At our table the salsa goes quickly, which the server seems accustomed to, since the salsa is positively addicting! Enchiladas, tacos and tostadas grace the Prima table during this visit, as the Mariachi entertain us and make us feel, just a little bit, as though we are on vacation.

When we hear the story of Prima Amelia’s sister-in-law riding from Wisconsin to Sturgis South Dakota, on the back of an old shovelhead Harley-Davidson, we realize- you do things on your honeymoon you will never do again.

Sometimes we think, wouldn’t it be more fun to spend holidays with your friends, like they do on TV shows? We believe Thanksgiving might be more enjoyable with the Primas, than with certain family members. What is the old adage? You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family. So true.

Prima Patika shares that she once was involved in a girl fight. Apparently she hip-chucked a woman across the floor and proudly claims she would do it again. These days, Petika is dealing with an annoying co-worker who is snarley to Petika because she is threatened by her skills and talent. Ever the problem solver, and with perfect Prima style, Petika’s plan is to kill her with kindness. Said co-worker will never know what hit her.

Finally we have come to the conclusion that, if you had to test for prostate cancer the same way you do for breast cancer, they’d find another way.

Would We Go Back? Si! Because we always enjoy this neighborhood joint, and it won’t be long before we get a hankering for that salsa.

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Salut Bar Americain
50th and France
Downtown Edina, MN
Phone: 952.929.FROG (3764)
www.salutbaramericain.com

Visited: September 2006

Here’s the Thing: Good Food, Nice Space, Needs Focus
Style/Cuisine: American/French
Cost: Raw Bar $10-$80; Entrées $15-$30; Appetizers $5-$14; Soups & Salads $5-$13; Sandwiches/Burgers $9-$13; Specials $17-$30; Sides $6
What Makes it Special: It’s Campy Little Attitude - Right in the Middle of Edina
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Mothers. Need we say more?

It was one of those lovely September evenings when summer is over but we can still dine outdoors, free of mosquitoes and humidity so thick a Prima may sweat while merely sipping her wine. Ah yes, the glories of autumn had arrived and we thought the little French restaurant, in the center of charming downtown Edina, would be a perfect stop for this months dinner.

Now you must be warned, there have been occasions when the Primas were negligent in keeping copious notes of all that transpired during our monthly restaurant summits and our trip to Salut was one of those moments. Never fear however, once you have read this assessment you will know whether or not to visit Salut yourself.

Although we passed through the indoor restaurant quickly, a swift evaluation was that it might be a little too open and vast to provide much ambience or coziness. The patio, on the other hand, was just perfect - as was our server, Mindy. When we noticed all of the menu options with in-season mushrooms, we asked Mindy if we could please have an appetizer made up of the various selections. Without hesitation she said “certainly” and her accommodation of our request made the Primas quite happy. After a brief visit from the manager, to find out what exactly this mushroom plate was to be, a yummy platter of sautéed mushrooms arrived and all Primas were content.

We found the wine selection nice but the menu quite confusing. It had many sketches of food on it. Is that all part of the kitschy and campy image? Some of the text is quite scrolly and tough to peruse, particularly for those Primas over 40, and in need of longer arms to read the menu. We found several items listed in more than one place and decided if menu items were listed only once, wouldn’t it make the menu less cluttered and easier to read?

We began with Amuse’ Bouche made of watermelon and balsamic reduction and it proved to be a great start for the palette. The Steak and Heirloom Tomato Salad with red onion, Amish blue cheese and malt vinaigrette was HUGE and very tasty. The French onion soup was good enough, but salty. We feasted on the Knife and Fork Chicken Club Sandwich with bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato, and the Salut Steak Sandwich made with tenderloin and topped with caramelized onions and Gruyere. The favorite had to be the Pomme Frites (hand-cut fries with béarnaise sauce) that were quite flavorful and well salted.

As we are all daughters of our mothers, they often enter into our discussions, for we realize they have shaped the women we are today. Prima Christina’s mom is certainly the youngest and most hip of the Prima’s moms. She is, in fact, more a peer to Kalena and Susanna than Christina herself. It is rare, if ever, that we express amusement (or despair) over her actions or teachings, however the mothers of the other Primas have offered many a thought to ponder. On this night we chuckled over one mother’s advice that tampons could not be used “until you get married”. Another choice pearl of wisdom was to not take a shower too soon after laying in the sun, so as not to “wash off the tan”. When Christina swallowed wrong and coughed a little, Kalena shared that, when that happened to her, her mother would say, “it went down your Sunday throat”. No one knows what that meant, but it was a great source of speculation and laughter.

Would We Go Back? Yes. Our delightful experience with our server, the food and our patio table far overrode any confusion the menu may have provided.

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Spill the Wine
1101 Washington Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
Phone: 612.339.3388
www.spillthewinerestaurant.com

Visited: July 29, 2007

Here’s the Thing: Cool new wine bar with potential, although service needs a bit of polish.
Style/Cuisine: American with Continental Influence. Vegetarian friendly too.
Cost: We visited for brunch, which was reasonable. For dinner you will pay $9-$14 for Starters, $5-$16 for Salads and $13-$26 for Entrées
What Makes it Special: STW is located in an old plumbing supply store that you may remember passing, en-route to the Dome, where homemade signs and sinks or commodes adorned the sidewalk. STW owners Karl and Katie have refurbished this fab old space in keeping with its city warehouse feel, charming and romantic.
Topic/Theme of Day: Prima Maria Josephina

Prima Amelia scheduled this brunch, and opened the invitation to all Prima Maria Josephina’s friends, so that we may celebrate her birthday together. Maria Josephina had a month-long birthday celebration in life, so we felt it only proper that we celebrate in style to honor her memory. Amelia heard STW had a good brunch, so it was at this newly opened wine bar and restaurant that we met. Honorary Primas Katrina and Susanna joined us on this lovely Sunday, along with DH of Prima Kalena. There were a couple diners occupying a table when we arrived, but once they left – it was only those of us celebrating our friend’s birthday remaining in the restaurant. One would think then, that we would have received stellar service but, alas, it did not pan out that way.

Our server (who’s name we did not catch) seemed new? Perhaps preoccupied? Whatever the reason our service was quite poor. We happened to choose the only table in the restaurant that was the recipient of a full blast of air conditioning aimed right upon us. When it became too unbearable for a few, we asked the server, “Could the air conditioning please be dialed back?” This query caused major confusion, so we asked, “shall we move?” (it was that bad). To which she replied, “that would be easier for me” Maybe not so much.

The moving of silverware, water, tables and chairs proved to be a fiasco of Keystone Cops proportion. It was quite comical and unbelievable that this task could possibly be easier than lowering the A/C…anyway, we were moved and ordering prevailed. It was at that time that our server came over to our table and quipped off a list of those items we could not have. Twice.

Several of us had Mimosas in the most beautiful glasses and most ordered the Family Style Brunch. Brunch started with a lovely Brie baked in a wine reduction. Delicious. Eggs to order followed and it was topped off with a yummy homemade French toast. For those who ordered omelets, approval was shown with two thumbs up, so as not to speak with mouths full.

Before we left, Kalena’s DH suggested we have a toast, with champagne, to Maria Josephina. He ordered a bottle, of which the restaurant was out, so they offered us Moet & Chandon White Star in its stead, at the same price. It was quite decadent and we knew Maria Josephina would have loved it!! Thank you Spill the Wine for that generous substitution.

Since we did not visit Spill The Wine for dinner, we did not take-in its wine bar, with over 100 wines from which to choose. For those who wish to try several wines, wine flights are offered, you can even purchase a bottle from the boutique and have it with your dinner. STW also offers catering for events and a private room upstairs for parties. It schedules wine dinners (Prima favorite!) and has a lounge.

This brunch was a special and bittersweet occasion for all of us who met to remember our Prima Maria Josephina. Although it wasn’t an official Prima Diner dinner – we wanted to offer a little insight to those of you who might be interested in trying Spill the Wine.

Would We Go Back? Is the Pope Catholic? Does a bear shit in the woods? Does a Prima drink wine? Hello? Yes, we would. If the food at dinner is as good as brunch it’s definitely worth a return trip. Hopefully the wait staff will be more seasoned by that time.

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Signature Café
130 Southeast Warwick Street
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Phone: (612) 378-0237
www.signaturecafe.net

Hours:
Sunday through Thursday, 4:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday and Saturday, 4:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Visited: April 5, 2007

Here’s The Thing: Cozy neighborhood café serving excellent food at reasonable prices.
Style/Cuisine: Homemade gourmet
Cost: Appetizers $9-$15; Salads: $6; Entrees: $16-23; Dessert: $6-$12. Wine: small selection at reasonable prices (generally under $40).
What Makes it Special: Homey atmosphere, good food, friendly service. Reservations highly recommended.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Politics and the appropriate role of men in decorating.

Prima Susanna had been urging a visit to the Signature Café for some time, primarily because it advertises on her most favorite radio station in the world, Air America. Also, the owner is a former advisor to Paul Wellstone, and she just loved Paul. The other Primas acquiesced, which was very kind of them, and particularly kind of Prima Christina, as she abides on the other end of the political spectrum (though not the far end). See? We CAN all get along!

Their advertising says they are tucked away in Prospect Park, and they really mean it. It is located in a small former storefront in a residential neighborhood. If you’re not from the immediate area, consult Mapquest. Also, after consulting Mapquest, call for reservations. We arrived before six on a Thursday night and were lucky to get a table until the smart people with the 8:00 pm reservation showed up.

Susanna was happy just to be there among her people and particularly enjoyed the “Beware of Attack Democrat” sign. Unfortunately, it was a gift to the owner, so we don’t know where to purchase it.

The owners are friendly, helpful and accommodating and the food is wonderful. We started with the Trio of goat cheese, artichoke gruyere gratin, and red pepper spread, served with pita. At $15, it was the most expensive appetizer on the menu, but well worth the extra cost. All the spreads were delicious, and when we ran out of pita, they quickly brought more.

As we were a little tight on time, we moved directly to dinner. We chose the Signature Crab Cakes on wild rice pilaf; Gulf Coast Sugar Cane Shrimp Risotto on artichoke spinach risotto with red pepper coulis; Marinated Pork Short Ribs roasted in sesame plum sauce with sweet and spicy udon noodle and cubed sweet potatoes; and the Ravioli Special. (We seriously considered Grandma Larson's Swedish House Made Pot Roast served with mashed potatoes and oven roasted carrots, but the more adventurous choices won out.) All were well prepared and flavorful.

Susanna’s financial advisor (such as he is considering her finances) requested that she inquire as to whether any of her “women’s group” would be interested in his services. The response was as expected, but we had a good laugh over the appellation. Sounds like we should be quilting or something. Perhaps setting up a Dorcas sewing circle at the church.

Most women will agree with us that men should be allowed design input into the outside of the house, but never the inside. This is now the rule. We all agreed to this without even needing to think, with the exception of Prima Petika, who as a Myers-Briggs “amiable,” always thinks before thinking.

Total cost for the night (including two bottles of wine) came to about $280 including a healthy tip.

Would We Go Back? Yes. The service and food were wonderful. Also, you can easily get to it off Highway 280, so the current travel difficulties around the University are not a concern.

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Solera
900 Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: (612) 338-0062
www.solera-restaurant.com
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Friday and Saturday, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Visited: Twice in 2003

Here’s The Thing: Not nearly as good as you have been told.
Style/Cuisine: Tapas, tapas, tapas.
Cost: Tapas $5-$10; Paella: $18-24. Wine: wide selection at high prices.
What Makes it Special: We guess the reputation.
Topic/Theme of the Evening: How much we dislike Solera.

We will say something good about Solera: this is the restaurant that started the whole thing. Before Solera, we were merely a group of friends who met monthly to enjoy a good meal and better company. After Solera, we decided that our opinion of what was good was at least as valid as the professional reviewers. Thus began the Prima Diners.

Back in the day, we knew we had to go to Solera. Why? Why, everyone was talking about it dear. It was the restaurant that was single-handedly going to change the landscape of the Twin Cities into one of great dining experiences. Everyone raved about how the food was the finest that had ever passed their lips – inventive, sumptuous, and artfully presented. A veritable feast of the senses. If you died and went to heaven, it would turn out to be Solera. And you would wish you had died earlier so you could have a better seat at the bar.

Dear reader, if you have read even two of these reviews, you know we are not difficult to please. A fine meal, good service and lively conversation is enough to satisfy. On occasion, however, we are displeased. We were displeased. Twice.

On our first trip, we were ready to be impressed. We were initially impressed with the colorful décor and the Riedel wine glasses. The wine selection was in fact impressive, although a bit on the high side. (One could assume that they overcharge for wine to offset the costs of the Riedel.) Sure, the seats in the bar felt like tractor seats, but they were kind of cute, right? Sure, the service was desultory at best, but the poor dears were busy, right?

We ordered a number of tapas, ranging in price from $7 to $9. Now, we don’t expect, need or want Cheesecake Factory-sized servings, but this was ridiculous. The shrimp tapas at $8.50 turned out to be all of three small shrimp. An astounding dish might rate the cost, but the verdict (after we cut the little shrimp into pieces so we could all try it) was: eh. The remaining tapas were the same – okay, but hardly outstanding.

After a difficult process of settling the bar tab (the staff couldn’t figure out how to transfer it t), we moved to the dining room for more eh. Not awful, a little salty, overpriced, and served by people who kept forgetting we were there. We didn’t even stay for dessert, assuming it would be more of the same.

The entire experience was beyond upsetting to Prima Maria Josephina, who promptly dashed off an e-mail to Jeff Strickland of the Star Tribune. Why? She asked Jeff. Why would you rave about this place? Jeff was mortified that his favorite restaurant was such a disappointment to some of his fans. He contacted Solera and they were kind enough to invite us back for a free meal and the opportunity to change our minds. We accepted and resolved to be open minded on our return trip.

Verdict: eh. The service was much more attentive, as you might expect. And amazingly, all tapas arrived with five portions. Okay, now they were just sucking up, but it was a nice touch. The paella with rabbit was salty and bland and it was all just overall eh. The only high point was the course we skipped last time: the dessert! The pastry chef had moved over from the late, great, lamented Aquavit (sigh) and those glorious creations almost made it all worth it. Almost. We shared desserts and the chocolate pudding was so wonderful that Primas Susanna and Maria Josephina literally growled when the other Primas threatened to take some away (literally; not virtually).

BTW, if a restaurant ever offers you a free meal, don’t forget your servers. Figure out a tip commensurate with the cost of the meal.

We really did appreciate the efforts of the owners in trying to win us over and you have to honor their graciousness and good business sense. We just don’t like Solera.

Would We Go Back? No. Do not follow the crowd. Do not go to Solera.

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Here’s the Thing: Lovingly resurrected diner with a new twist
Style/Cuisine: Contemporary American
Cost: Appetizers $5-$12; Salads & Sandwiches $5-$15; Burgers & Dogs $8-$11; Entrées $15-$23; Dessert $6-$8
What Makes it Special: Along with the milkshakes, you can get a cocktail here too

Re-opening of the long empty Town Talk Diner was the foodie buzz of the cities for months as we waited to see what the clever threesome of Tim Niver, Aaron Johnson and David Vlach would create in this quirky place. The result did not disappoint as they managed to mix haute cuisine and good old-fashioned favorites with ease.

On the night the Primas visited Town Talk, it was a busy place filled with people from all walks of life. As were we. The Primas rarely (if ever) frequent an eatery that does not also provide alcoholic libations – and you might not think a diner would - but Town Talk does. For this we were happy girls, although make no mistake…malted milkshakes certainly graced our table as well.

We had to test the much-touted “freckles” - battered pickles - and all Primas (‘cept Kalena. Not a pickle fan) raved at how they would most certainly be Minnesota State Fair worthy! Always up for anything with beets or hearts of palm, we tested the hearts of palm salad and it was really good. The grilled cheese was perfect with cheddar and gruyer (and avocado) and the pulled pork sandwich could not be beat. Mocha Bread Pudding and a Crispy Banana Split (we were curious too) topped off our meal with a sweet touch.

One thing’s for sure when you check out the fun, eclectic mix on the menu at Town Talk “this ain’t your papa’s diner!!”

Would We Go Back? Yes, there are still too many amusing meals we’ve yet left un-tasted.

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Vic’s Restaurant
201 Main St. SE
St. Anthony Main
Minneapolis, MN 55414Phone: 612.312.2000
www.vicsdining.com
Reservations are Encouraged

Visited: July 23, 2003

Here’s the Thing: Cool Place with a Cool View and a Great Menu
Style/Cuisine: Seafood/Steak
Cost: Appetizers $8-$16; Soups and Salads $3-$13; Entrées $12-$28; Sides $4-$8
What Makes it Special: Its Supper Club Feel with a Classic City Edge
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Celebrity Predictions

The Primas have been meeting once a month for years, but this was the first restaurant at which we officially took notes to use in a review. Although they were brief, the notes were informative and we are confident the observation and note taking skills will improve with time.

Once again it was hot in the city and the perfect weather for dining outdoors, always a Prima priority when planning our monthly get-together. Prima Susanna recommended we visit Vic’s Restaurant on the river, where we scored a great table on the deck, overlooking both the river, and the Minneapolis skyline.

Three of the Primas had been at a concert the previous evening and all imbibed too many cocktails. Some enjoyed the concert and drank out of social good times, others were bored out of their minds and couldn’t think of anything else to do. Either way, they were a bit pathetic and exceptional company to the other Primas to be sure (insert sarcasm here). As a result, all were feeling the affects and thought they should not drink, but then decided, a little hair of the dog might be a good thing, instead.

Speaking of alcohol, Vic’s has a nice wine selection. Although not extensive, the wine list has a decent variety at several price points, which pleases the Primas. Susanna was disappointed at the lack of pale ale on the beer list, but she managed to find something else to suit her tastes. Vic’s also offers enjoyable happy hours during the week and live music on Friday and Saturday nights, something we promise to check out in the future.

As usual, Prima Maria Josephina had the most difficult time deciding what to order. In her quest for the perfect meal, she asked many questions of our server, Amy, who was patient and informed. It has never failed; rather than opt for one menu item over another, Maria Josephina ordered several. This smorgasbord dinner gave all the Primas an opportunity to try many items, and everything was above par.

We started with Garlic Herb Shrimp and Calamari. Both hosted very nice flavors and we particularly enjoyed the peppers added to the Calamari. The Crab Cakes were a perfect combination of flavors. For entrées we tried the Rotisserie Chicken and Ahi Tuna, neither of which disappointed. In the “soup and salad” category, we found the Seafood Chowder and Spinach Salad yummy, but the Wedge Salad took the prize for scrumpdillyishous, we nearly licked the pattern off the plates for that one! Primas love Asparagus, and Vic’s topped ours with a bit of Hollandaise, which we adore. We also liked both the Caramelized Carrots and Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes.

For dessert we had Berries in a Waffle Cup (luscious) and Crème Brulee (because we couldn’t decide). Suffice it to say there were no leftovers trotted home in styrofoam containers on this night.

Over a cup of decaf, we decided that, when we all realize her sweet country girl routine is only masking trailer trash, Britney Spears 15 minutes of fame will be over. We also concurred that Christine Aguilera is talented and darling, but she is looking like a ‘ho these days. The Primas have yet to find anyone who likes Tom Cruise, and it is with a unanimous vote we raise glasses in a toast of condemnation to him.

Would We Go Back? Yes. To experience the sexy bar, happy hour, live music and the three things on the menu we haven’t yet tried.

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Via Café & Bar
6740 France Avenue S
Edina, MN 55435
Phone: 952.928.9500
www.viacafebar.com
Reservations online or by phone

Visited: October 11, 2007

Here’s The Thing: Good spot in the burbs.
Style/Cuisine: Modern American
Cost: Appetizers: $5-$12; Salads: $8-$17; Entrees: $8-34; Dessert: $6-$11; Wine: $28-$90
What Makes it Special: Hey, it’s by Southdale and it's NOT a chain!
Topic/Theme of the Evening: Male squeamishness over female medical issues

Via is a relatively recent addition to the small but growing number of original restaurants to be found in the Twin Cities suburbs. It’s owned by the same folks who brought you Mission and Atlas in downtown Minneapolis, so our expectations were high. The restaurant is built on the bones of the late, not lamented, Pizzaria Uno, so they were working off a long box, but the results are rather pleasing – they made good use of chandeliers and velvet to add a little cush, and they’ve added a cozy outdoor bar complete with fire pit. This is somewhat offset by the sight of the Ruby Tuesday sign glaring from across France Avenue, but if you sit down, you don’t notice it so much.

Prima Susanna arrived first (sigh) and was a bit put out by the fact that it took 10 minutes to get the attention of the waiter in the bar. It’s not that she really, really needed alcohol, but there were only 7 other patrons and she’s a paying customer, dammit. To be fair, there was only one waiter, but you’d think one of the two idling bartenders could have put himself out a bit (had he been able to tear himself away from ESPN – what is this, a sports bar?). Sure, so she could have walked up to the bar herself, sure, but why go to all that trouble to prematurely terminate a perfectly good snit?

Happy hour offers $2 appetizers, which is always a treat. Once the other Primas arrived, we tried the corn jalapeno fritters and chicken satay. Pretty tasty and at only $2, they could have been less so and still made us happy. The andouille sausage flat (pizza) was just okay, though. The Cosmopolitan was decent (not too sweet), but the dirty martini wasn’t dirty enough – it needed to be sent back for extra dirtying.

Ready for dinner, our Maitre d’ Craig escorted us to our table, which, per usual, was close to the kitchen. This is getting a little tiresome, really. Craig was very nice and waived the corking fee because our wine was called “Bitch” (a pleasant Australian Grenache, by the way). Actually, it was a screw cap, so it was a different type of fee he waived. Chuck was our amiable server.

We tasted the highly-recommended beef carpaccio-wrapped horseradish hushpuppies with parmesan reggiano. It took longer to order than eat, and we found them to be a little lacking in the beef flavor. They’re supposed to be a specialty of the house, but frankly, our verdict was “no great shakes.” The salads were – fine. The Caesar starred anchovy and we guess some people like that (people who aren’t us and maybe prefer the more authentic fishy taste). The entrees were delish, though. The pork tenderloin had a caramelly, smoky char-grilled flavor and the broiled char special was done to perfection with a delicious sweet potato mash. The beef tenderloin came with a choice of sauce (béarnaise or bourbon green peppercorn) and shoestring potatoes. Medium done ended up a little on the rare side, but with a good cut of meat that’s just fine, and the fries were crispy, tender, and extra hot. We also tried the halibut with a lemon marmalade, which was flaky, moist and served with fingerling potatoes.

Gotta love the bathrooms – great tile, dark, vertical rectangular woodwork and swirly gold wallpaper under cool ambient lighting.

We enjoyed our early chat with our Maitre d’ Craig, but after we mentioned our missing Prima Maria Josephina, he never came back. I guess we made him a little nervous. Men aren’t all that good with awkward topics, are they? All the Primas are at the age where the mammogram is an annual celebration, and a few of us have graduated to the delightful stage where we have the opportunity to do it again because the radiologist saw something “interesting.” Of course, when this happens one must take more time off work and go to the special place for the special mammogram and read especially frightening brochures in the waiting room. So what do the men in our lives do when informed of the bonus exam? Typically, they back away slowly, afraid that they will be subject to yet another description of the procedure. This may be due to the fact that the analogous procedure for them is the prostate exam, and they may conflate the two (and if we if we know one thing, it’s that if they checked the prostate the same way the check the breast, they’d come up with a different method toute-suite). This may explain their skittish behavior, but it does not excuse it. Sometimes they need to step up. Prima Susanna’s marito managed to be the hero of this particular discussion, in that he insisted on taking time off to accompany her to her fun jaunt to the breast center. Yes, he may faint at the sight of blood, but he frequently comes through in the clutch.

Would We Go Back? Certainly. Lord knows it’s a far cry better than Cheesecake Factory. But they need to get rid of the TV in the bar – it’s just so Chammps.

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