tripewriter

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You've dined there since the beginning, before the buzz, before the bustle, when the place was a lesser-known neighborhood gem. It gave you some of the best meals -- some of the best experiences -- of your life; whether celebrating with family and friends or on a special date with your significant other. You got to know the owners and their hand-picked crew and appreciate that they remember you, even though you could never be as much of a regular customer as you'd like. Over time, you see some staff move on, either to advance their careers or accommodate life's vicissitudes, while others flourish and grow in new roles. You talk with them about the food, the delicious, incredible food, about where it was sourced and how it was prepared and what inspired them to transform it. And you learn which wines complement the food and why. Each season brings both new delights and familiar favorites. From time to time there's a misfire, a momentary departure from the high standard they've set, but the place is still your number one, a generally solid go-to. And then it happens. You can tell when the head chef isn't in the kitchen, just by what comes out on your plate and the tone and tempo of service. Without him the inspiration, the precision, isn't always there. The food can be great, but more and more often it's simply good. Dining at this long-time favorite becomes a roll of the dice. It takes time to sink in. And then, you experience a profound sense of loss. What to do now? You spend more time at other places. They're different, of course they're different, but they deliver consistently and well. You get to know them, and they get to know you. You follow them on Facebook, talk them up on Tom Sietsema's chat, and post about them on DonRockwell.com. But still it haunts you. That old place, the favorite place, the place for which you once would yearn. They're still filling seats. Business is good. Have things really changed? Or did you just grow apart? You feel you should tell them. But what would you tell them? They're still filling seats. Business is good. And if you did tell them, would they even care?

Boulder brand popcorn with EVOO and black truffle salt accompanied by a shot of Godiva dark chocolate liqueur on the rocks.

The Mrs and I enjoyed a seriously soul-satisfying dinner at Dino last night. We both opted for the three-course special, which is prix fixe but affords an opportunity to try just about anything on the menu. I started with a half portion of linguine Puttanesca. The real star of my meal was the Tagliata, a pounded and seared sliced steak with shaved cheese and an arugula salad. It was a beautifully cooked and seasoned cut. A 3 oz. glass of Hilberg "Per Allesandra" Barbera dAlba 2008 was delicious with the flavorful beef. Slicing the steak into relatively small bites was the secret to enjoyment -- it's similar to hanger or skirt, highly flavorful but tending toward tough. For dessert I chose a peach crumble with gelato, and a glass of effervescent Muscato d'Asti (included in the meal price).

Tallula Chef Barry Koslow must have Thailand on the mind. His wild striped bass with jasmine rice -- on a bed of zucchini, eggplant and green curry -- is delicious. The delicate flavors of the fish and rice, complemented by the salty savory curried vegetables are a great flavor combination. The crispy skin of the grilled bass (which even the Mrs enjoyed) and a garnish of sweet potato chips is a thoughtful finishing touch. Yum yum yum!

Seared Elephant's Trunk scallops with tomato relish on sweet corn polenta. Perfection on a plate and this is no exaggeration.

The EatBar tomato and mozzarella salad is an off-the-hook taste of summer. The sweet red and yellow cherry tomatoes are incredible. We always order one, finish it, and then order another -- and then wish we had room for one more!

The Mrs and I have never been big into Valentine's Day (although we do celebrate the anniversary of our first date every year) but this dinner special for two, on offer at Tallula this weekend, was too tempting to miss. Smoked Whole Maine Lobster For Two with Beet Slaw & Yuzu Butter | 30. Côte de Boeuf For Two | 26 Ounce Bone-In Prime Ribeye, Potato Gratin, Creamed Spinach & Caramelized Shallot Sauce | 60. Molten Chocolate Lava Cake For Two | 15. After a snowbound week of homecooked tacos and pasta, I definitely am looking forward to this!

It's always a drag when restaurant meals go awry. I suggest you let EatBar know directly about your experience and give them another chance. The Mrs and I always enjoy the food there and the service we've encountered has never been that slow.

On Boxing Day, the Mrs. and I tried the white truffle tasting menu at Spiaggia on Michigan Avenue. The first seven courses were served with fresh Italian white truffles from Alba. From the menu, annotated with my impressions: 1. PAPPARDELLE DI ZUCCA Butternut squash with quail egg and warm fontina cheese -- the squash "pappardelle" were cooked to a perfect al dente, and the truffle, egg and cheese made a very tasty and rich sauce when combined on the plate. 2. CARPACCIO DI CERVO Raw Broken Arrow Ranch venison with celery and truffled sheep’s milk cheese -- a thin slice of raw venison was clearly the focal point of this simple but beautifully plated dish. But the crisp shaved celery was no less important, offering a clean crunchy counterpoint to the earthy cheese and truffle flavors. 3. MERLUZZO CON TOPINAMBUR Butter poached Neah Bay black cod with sunchokes -- a gorgeous piece of moist, delicious poached fish with shaved sunchoke medallions and sunchoke puree. And shaved white truffle. 4. ZUPPA DI PORCINI E UOVE Porcini and egg soup -- a delicate egg-drop soup with a porcini brunoise and broth. For this one, a chef shaved the truffle tableside, which was a nice touch. To our surprise, the soup was underseasoned. We did have a salt cellar at the table, used it to fix the dish by very carefully adding a few grains at a time. 5. TAJARIN RICCHI AL BURRO Traditional Piemontese pasta rolled and cut to order with butter -- fresh, simple, delicious and covered with white truffle. Surprisingly, one of the evening's standouts. 6. FARAONA AL FORNO Wood-roasted Guinea hen wrapped in pancetta with potato puree -- crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. More flavorful than farm-raised chicken and an effective foil for the truffle. 7. CASEIFICIO LONGO TOMINI Fresh cow and goat’s milk cheese -- with shaved truffle. No surprises here. A nice course. 8. PANNA COTTA AL MIELE DI TARTUFO Truffle honey panna cotta with hazelnut biscotti -- the soft panna cotta was served in a brown egg shell with the small end carefully removed and was topped with a bit of chocolate-filbert ganache, providing the playful illusion of a dark-yolked soft-boiled egg. It was an epic meal. The food was expertly prepared and plated and, at $255 per person (including the truffle supplement), a good value relative to other high-end fine dining tasting menus. The service was hospitable, knowledgeable and attentive. The only real disappointment was their wine list, which is aggressively overpriced.

Some may dispute the claim that Matt's Bar is home to the original Jucy Lucy -- a grilled cheese-stuffed burger varietal endemic to Minnesota's Twin Cities. But there's no denying the joint's old school ambiance. No plates or cutlery, formica tabletops, televised football and a flock of lighted beer signs perched all over the walls. We order three Lucys, a grilled chicken sandwich and two baskets of fries from our server, who passes the word to a dreadlocked redhead with two sleeves of ink manning the grill. A pitcher of Premium and a four-ounce tumbler of Chardonnay help pass the time as we await the arrival of our burgers, chicken and fries. My Lucy tastes like I imagine it would have the first day they started rolling off Matt's flat top: greasy, cheesy and topped with grilled minced onion on a white-bread bun, it's a kissing cousin to the 1950s progenitors of today's fast food burgers. The fries are long and thin and crispy and, after we season them, salty and good with the beer. The purple-clad regulars ignore the TVs as the Steelers drive for a touchdown and we pay cash at the register (no checks or credit cards accepted). Culinary pilgrimage accomplished. Now back to St. Paul.

Family brunch at Hell's Kitchen: wild-rice porridge, steak and eggs and potatoes, bloody Mary, Twin Cities Gospel Choir, pajamas-clad servers, Ralph Steadman prints and Mitch Omer's book signing. Before you go to heaven, be sure to brunch in Hell. It's at 80 South 9th Street, lower level.

Evening Star Cafe was tonight's dining destination, the kickoff location for a series of meals to celebrate the Mrs.'s birthday. We each started with a roasted red and yellow beet salad with rocket, cress and blue cheese. Next we enjoyed a preview of the fall menu's savory house-made pumpkin raviolli, served on cooked greens and a caramelized garlic confit. The third and perhaps best course: impeccably pan-seared scallops matched with a hearty bacon and Brussels sprout hash. Next was Chef Will Artley's storied jalepeí±o mac 'n' cheese and his latest take on the hamburger; this one served on an oversized jalepeí±o-cheddar biscuit with bacon, barbecue sauce and blue cheese. The first few bites had me reaching for my water glass, but the Mrs. was clearly in the hot zone and relishing every bite. Fried apple pie with a comforting skin-on apple compote and a little vanilla ice cream finished us, and the meal.

The Mrs. and I enjoyed several dinners at Eventide this summer, distinguished by friendly, attentive service, a comfortable, well-appointed dining room and great-tasting food. Culinary high points included various flavorful and well-cooked lamb entrees, fried oysters from the bar, baked-to-order biscuits and the prosciutto-wrapped pork chop.

I've been enjoying the food so much at EatBar, it can be easy to forget I'm ordering off a bar menu. The minburgers, fries and onion rings do hit the spot, but it's other dishes such as "Grandpappy's Meatloaf," the succulent grilled octopus and a hearty white bean soup that have made this a regular Monday evening haunt for me and the Mrs.

It's always exciting to taste a dish that causes eyes to close and time to pause while you slowly savor its textures and flavors. Such was the case with Chef Drew Trautmann's tempura-battered squash blossoms, a highlight of our Friday supper at Mendocino Grille. Flash-fried and filled with herbed goat cheese, the blossoms were plated on a roasted tomato reduction and garnished with a small sampler of heirloom tomato wedges. Owner Troy Bock's wine selections were uncannily well-matched with this and other dishes we tried. It's clear that the reunited team are in sync and hard at work integrating new approaches into the Mendocino Grille concept.

This past Saturday, the Mrs. and I had a dinner date at Eve. We started in the bar, and the cocktail I had was fantastic! Called the "Sweet Meat," it includes Sazerac rye, pecan water and peach bitters. At first sip it was very sweet, but then the flavors started to really develop and ... bliss. Toasted pecan, rye and peach. Not to be missed.

The Mrs. and I enjoyed an impromptu dinner this evening at Eat Bar on Washington Blvd. She had seen the menu from new Eat Bar Chef Joey Alvarez online and wanted to give it a try. I was too beat to cook and off we went. The bar and seating area were full of people who seemed both happy to be there and happy to be together. Many friends greeting one another with hugs and laughter made for an upbeat, lively atmosphere. We ordered a couple of beers and a series of small plates. Frites with tarragon aioli were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and well seasoned. Steak tartare with greens and olive tapenade was fresh and flavorful. The charred octopus with chickpeas and tomato was succulent with a hint of smoke, and accessible enough to leave even timid eaters eager for more. Our meal finished with cherry pie and plans for a return visit, perhaps to try a house-made pastrami sandwich or the bruschetta trio with a glass of wine or a Gnome's Water cocktail. And maybe on a Monday night, to play a few frames of Wii bowling sustained by draft beer and sriracha hot wings. Anybody want to form a league?

Saturday night Mrs. & me had our first dinner at the new RTS. It was divine. The tablecloths had us wondering whether the old magic was gone. But our meal soon proved otherwise. The menu, as well as the number of tables, has expanded and includes a page of butcher's cuts and some new appetizers and salads. But for this visit, we stuck mostly with old favorites. We started with Gruet sparkling rose and Devilishly Good Eggs filed with steak tartare. Then a small plate of scallops for Mrs. and a caesar salad for me. For our mains, a Black & Blue New Yorker and my favorite, a medium rare hanger steak as well as a bottle of Mulderbosch "Faithful Hound" 2005. The steaks and sides (mashed potato and creamed spinach) still have their mojo -- although we didn't see it, I am sure the Jolly Roger must still be flying over the RTS grill. Desserts were strawberries & cream and Key Lime pie: both too tempting to pass up! The room was packed, but the front of house service and hospitality were still tops. We're already plotting our next visit. Kudos to Michael Landrum for his continued commitment to quality, hospitality and for adding a reservation option at RTS. If you haven't been, GO NOW!

I can't wait for this dinner ... it is going to be well worth it. The last DR.com event at Eve was one of my first times out with the group, and still ranks as one of the best.

Further impressions: The peach topped with meringue is a taste treat, not cloyingly sweet and great peach flavor. Because it has a filling under the meringue, it is not sturdy and you have to eat it quickly or use a utensil. The passion fruit-pistachio also has great flavor and so far is my favorite. I did not like the chocolate peanut butter as much as the one from Hello Cupcake. Lavender Moon's peanut butter frosting tastes more like cream cheese than peanuts. If you get a box to go, be warned that unlike Hello Cupcake, there is no box insert to stabilize the cakes. So they likely will slide around in the box a bit. Bottom line: the fruit flavors are Lavender Moon's strong point and I will return to enjoy them again, either with milk (available on site) or with coffee from Grape + Bean next door.

We dined at Redwood for the first time tonight, and I am disappointed to say that most of the dishes I tried were on the low side of mediocre. The room, as others have noted, is gorgeous with many wood and stone finishes and appealing upholstered banquettes. The high ceilings and large sliding windows provide an open airy feel to this space, which seems like its capacity must be well north of 100. With an eye toward sampling a number of plates, I ordered three starters and one side. The Tuscarora farms beet salad looked appealing on the menu, but was lacking in execution. Described as including beets, wild watercress, and lancaster yogurt cheese, this salad had as much cucumber as beet--a relatively flavorless counterpoint to the savory cress, beets and cheese. Why this isn't called "beet and cucumber salad" is anyone's guess. The soup of the day (ordered by the Mrs.) was chilled corn with a white bean puree and peeled cherry tomatoes. This was our favorite dish of the meal; the sweet corn flavor that makes us love summer so much was a real star in this bright vegan soup. The cold blue crab claws and baked stuffed cherrystone clams were in contrast the great disappointments of the evening. The crab claws, served on seaweed over ice with a ramekin of cocktail sauce, had little taste and a texture that suggested they had thawed and been refrozen. I ate about half of them, hoping to find one that was firm and flavorful without success. The clams were served on the halfshell over rock salt. Described as including brioche, old bay, and parmesan, they were very bready and overcooked. I felt like I was eating stovetop stuffing with a brunoise of celery and rubber bands. I only ate one of the three on my plate. This is one dish that needs serious rethinking. The bacon macaroni and cheese gratin was very rich but also very good--so I recommend ordering one to share, but not with too many people. The fries, too (ordered by the Mrs.), were very tasty and well prepared: pleasingly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. On the whole, the Mrs. fared better for this meal. Her soup and day boat scallops entree were the two dishes we finished. Our consensus: we're willing to give Redwood another try, but not for a few months or so. Our servers were excellent but the kitchen needs some time to develop.