♣

I recently got into a Knife Fight on the Boulevard of Sin.

♣

Exotic Cocktails and Farm-to-Table Food in Minneapolis

A Chicagoan Drinks It All In, and Then Bites It

Parlour

• Boulevard of Sin (Pierre Ferrand 1840, Byrrh, green chartreuse, lime, cinnamon, Bittermen Burlesque bitters). If they don’t serve cocktails like “Sin” in hell, then I’m not going. Honey and pastel citrus, with secret murmurs of untold spices and florals. What would otherwise be too wild to be comprehensible is flattened by the Byrrh, but its highlights are restored by the bitters. In the end, you have a beautifully mellow, pale, out-of-the-ordinary cocktail that has a bell-like high note, under which it whispers its flavors to your palate.
• Knife Fight (mezcal, house grenadine, grapefruit/lime cordial, Campari, habenero, salt solution). Flat-out unusual. Impressive. Starts out savory – yes, savory … like a moderately smoky barbeque – then turns peppery, with a miniature spice kick as the final finish. Mellows as it sits in the glass, and then out comes a soothing sweetness. The citrus twist is brilliant. This drink is a rewarding experience for the truly adventurous. The first sip will trigger your fight-or-flight response, but by the time you drain the last bit of it from your glass, you’ll remember that you’re a lover, not a fighter.

In addition to those two cocktails, take a look at this excerpt from Parlour’s cocktail menu, and tell me you don’t want to grab your best flannel and book a flight to Minneapolis.

Playboy says this is one of America’s best bars. I say, “Playboy? How ‘my dad.’” Jesse Held is an outstanding bartender: personable, caring, and gifted. The bar’s vibe: cozy, communal, lively, intimately lit.

Jesse at Parlour

Wise Acre

Rural Supper/Urban Dinner: the Bee’s Knees (grilled chicken breast, Skinny Jake’s honey mopping sauce, bacon-kale slaw, bbq potatoes)

Delicious, satisfying, homey in a way very few home chefs could pull off. Vibrant, high-pitched, boldly flavored. The chicken – crisped, tender, juicy; brined in buttermilk, perhaps? Beautifully harmonized slaw. The bacon tied the slaw to the chicken. The potatoes – cooked just enough and no more – grounded the dish. The restaurant’s vibe: funky, creative, organic, groovy.

Farm to table via the shortest distance. A peculiar destination that tickles your interest as you approach the used-to-be-an-auto-repair-shop, and makes you want to cheer as you cross the threshold and walk past (nearly through) the humming, lively kitchen. Did it take a while for my dinner to arrive? I can’t remember, I was so deep into a glass of lovely wine and absorbed in conversation with my dinner companion. The restaurant provides the vehicle for your dinner party, but you’re responsible for the party. When dinner arrived, my party of two was still in full force, so I’d say it took just long enough. Was it expensive? You can’t ask for free-range chicken from a single-source farm and then expect the economies of scale that come from mass production. Wise Acre is worth every minute and dollar you’ll spend there.

Wise Acre

Minneapolis has a high intellectual climate combined with an emphasis on quality of life, and this informs every aspect of the city, from its clever architecture, people-friendly public spaces, and support of the arts, to the charming, Northern Exposure appeal of its shops and restaurants. Don’t let yourself be swayed by the shamefully imbecilic grammar of its Yelp reviews, which I suspect may be outsourced to second or third graders in neighboring Wisconsin.

♠

Also Recommended – Red Stag Supperclub Lunch: Fried Cod Basket with Coleslaw, Sweet Onion Tartar Sauce, and Chips. French Fries w/Parmesan and Parsley. Freighthouse Dunn Bros: Gingerbread White Mocha: Fresh roasted espresso with white chocolate sauce and gingerbread syrup, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles. Gingerbread man cookie. Mildly Recommended: Taraccino: Hazelnut Latte. Sawatdee: Yum Yai Thai Salad (Thai version of Chef Salad: Crisp vegetables, sliced hard-boiled egg, shrimp & pork. Tossed with peanut vinaigrette.) Pad Thai. And If You Must – Minneapolis Town Hall Brewry: Flatbread Pork Taco (Naan flatbread heaped with slow-roasted pork, topped with mixed greens, masala sauce, salsa verde, and seasoned sour cream. Served with sweet potato fries.) Seasonal House Beer Flight (Center Sky single hop lager, Upright session pale, Petunia’s pumpkin ale, Harvest Fresh fresh hop ale with apples, Key Lime Pie infused oatmeal brown ale)

Credits for all images on this page: hover over image and/or green caption text. Click to jump to source.

♠