taste

The burger: Some burgers strut their stuff with a veritable supermarket of pile-ons, towering ever higher off the patty. The Vincent Burger at Vincent in downtown Minneapolis does the opposite.

At first glance, chef Vincent Francoual’s epoch-launching foray into burger world might appear to be an ordinary excursion into grilled ground beef. But cut into that thick, carefully charred patty, and this burger’s secret appeal is revealed: a center stuffed with pulled beef short ribs (slow braised in tomatoes, peppers and a half-dozen spices until each fall-apart morsel exudes rich flavor) and hunks of smoked Gouda. Forget about the Juicy Lucy (or Jucy Lucy, depending upon one’s spelling habits), this is the stuffed burger that all others are measured against, and rightfully so; it’s fantastic.

The garnishes are deceptively old school: chopped lettuce, tomato slices and raw onion; ditto the toasted, brioche-like bun (it’s an egg-enriched dough, and it hails from the Franklin Street Bakery). Sticking with the basics is a wise decision; nothing could out-razzle dazzle that patty, so why try? One last note: Francoual mockingly refers to the finishing-touch condiment as his “secret sauce,” but the subtle cocktail sauce-style mixture of mayonnaise, ketchup, Tabasco and chopped cornichons is no joke.

Price: $15.50 at lunch and dinner, and an $8 during happy hour (4:30 to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday), an astonishing bargain. The top-drawer touches -- white tablecloths, a well-schooled service staff, the urbane setting – are gratis. “We add a little bit of elegance in everything we do,” said Francoual.

Fries: Included, and sublime. They’re long and slender and barely golden, with a trace crispiness and just the right amount of salt. They’re fried in peanut oil, and arrive at the table piping hot. Oh, and forget about hand-cut this and farm-fresh that, because Francoual depends upon a frozen, pre-packaged potato product. “I’m a little ashamed to admit that,” he said with a laugh. “But the best compliment I ever got was when a kid told me that they were ‘better than McDonald’s.’”

They are -- think of the Ph.D version of Mickey D's -- and they're delicious with ketchup, but even better with a side of the kitchen’s awe-inspiring béarnaise, which is so worth the corresponding extra half-hour on the treadmill. 

Borrowing from Daniel: About a decade ago, Francoual (pictured, above, in a Star Tribune file photo) found the inspiration for the Vincent Burger in star chef Daniel Boulud’s famous (or is that infamous?) db Burger, a sirloin-foie gras-black truffle exercise in excess that currently knocks customers back $32 at Boulud's db Moderne Bistro in New York City.

Francoual dropped the foie gras and truffle -- and that double-take of a price -- but kept the formula's braised beef short ribs, preparing them with a technique he picked up while working at Lespinasse in Manhattan's St. Regis Hotel in the early 1990s. Bingo. Ten years later, and his namesake burger continues to fly out of the kitchen.

“It’s crazy how popular it is,” said Francoual. “Yesterday we sold about 80 of them. Maybe I should open a burger place. We make so many that the joke on the line is, ‘Hey, I thought we worked for a French restaurant.’”

Don’t miss: Francoual has recently launched a new menu, but regulars need not despair. Along with his burger, Francoual has held on to a number of crowd-pleasing favorites. “When you’ve been open for 12 years, you’ve got to find the right balance between staying up to date and keeping what people like,” he said. Which explains why he’s still featuring “Vincent’s Favorite Childhood Dessert.” Eight bucks buys a small plate of dainty, warm-from-the-oven madeleines, vanilla ice cream and a glossy chocolate sauce. Don’t leave without ordering it.

Address book: 1100 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 612-630-1189.

Talk to me: Do you have a favorite burger? Share the details at rick.nelson@startribune.com.

Hurry! There's a 2 hour window NOW in downtown Minneapolis (Warehouse District, specifically) to get a free pepper plant, grown at Gardens of Eagan.

Here's the press release:

RANDOM ACT OF PEPPERS  PEPPER PLANT GIVEAWAY IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS NOW

WHAT:
Over 2,000 organic pepper plants will be given away in two hours in Minneapolis’s Warehouse District today (Monday, June 10).
 
WHY:
Haberman/ Modern Storytellers for Pioneers declared last Monday as "Free Tomato Day" and gave away 1,000 organic, heirloom tomato plants. They had so much fun that they are doing it again except this time they are spicing things up and it’s going to be double the fun: more than 2,000 organic pepper plants in two hours. Gardens of Eagan and Haberman have partnered to encourage everyone to cultivate their own garden, whether it’s one pot or a whole backyard, and enjoy a homegrown bounty.
 
WHO:
Gardens of Eagan is a certified organic farm growing plants and produce since 1972. Gardens of Eagan believes every season is an opportunity to feed people great certified organic food. Haberman is a Minneapolis-based full service marketing firm that has a number of organic food clients, as well as its own company-run garden that staffers enjoy as an employee benefit.
 
WHEN:
Monday, June 10, 11:30 a.m.
 
WHERE:
Pick your pepper at the corner of 1st Avenue North and 5th Street (outside the Kickernick Building across the street from The Loon).
 

The burger: The Modern Cafe is pushing 20 -- in restaurant years, that's practically septuagenarian territory -- and we should all age so well. It feels as fresh and energetic as the day it opened in the mid-1990s.

For most of its busy lifetime, the northeast Minneapolis restaurant has not had a burger on its menu. Until a few years ago, anyway.

"It felt like the neighborhood was changing a bit, and people didn't seem to want to invest in a full-on meal as much as they used to," explained co-owner Jim Grell. "And we're willing to give people what they want."

Clearly. It's fitting that one of the city's great casual restaurants is the place for one of the city's great burgers. So many -- too many -- burgers have an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink quality, but not the Modern's. Each well-selected component feels like an integral part of a team effort. 

For starters, there's the patty, a generous double-grind of top-shelf chuck and brisket -- not too lean, not too fatty -- brought to a mouth-watering char on the grill. A crinkly lettuce leaf adds color and crunch, but more importantly acts as a protective layer, preventing the patty's considerable juices from wreaking havoc on the bottom half of a toasted New French Bakery bun.

Meanwhile, the top towers with a sympathetic riot of flavors and textures: a robust, teetering-towards-gooey slab of aged Cheddar (from Widmer's, Wisconsin's Cheddar go-to), a splash of a fermented garlic-infused barbecue sauce and a delicate tiara of crispy fried onions.

Oh, I almost forgot the piece de resistance: a pudgy wedge of house-cured pork belly, its outer shell nudged to bacon-like crispiness on the tiny kitchen's cast-iron griddle, its insides a paragon of mouth-melting pork-fat excess. For good measure, Grell and sous chef Ella Wessenberg garnish the plate with a few of their fabulous bread-and-butter pickle slices. 

Price: The dinner-only burger goes for $12, although Grell knocks it down to $8 after 9 p.m., a bargain of major proportions (the kitchen is open to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday). There's a burger at lunch ($10.50), but it's a straight-up affair, just lettuce, pickles, an herb mayo and cheese (a $2 upcharge). 

Fries: Included, and outstanding. "They're a Sysco product," said Grell, totally kidding. Each expertly seasoned, please-don't-let-this-be-the-last-one fry reveals the careful care and feeding that go into making them, a three-day process that includes a vinegar-sea salt brine, a low-temperature blanch and then a quick return to the fryer just prior to serving. 

Bonus round: The Modern is justifiably famous for its pot roast and meat loaf, and it's difficult to ignore their allure; trust me, they're better than any version your mom -- or any mom in your acquaintance -- has ever prepared. But here's a tip: Check out the daily soup, because Grell & Co. have a flair for creative soup-making.

Freebie: The bright, geometric work of painter Ellen Richman currently adorn the walls of the Modern's 1940s-era dining room, and they're worth a look.  

Address book: 337 13th Av. NE., Mpls., 612-378-9882.

Talk to me: Do you have a favorite burger? Share the details at rick.nelson@startribune.com.

It's only Monday, and it's already a busy week in the restaurant world.

First, the closings. Stewart and Heidi Woodman have pulled the plug on year-old Birdhouse (pictured, above), their version of a casual, natural foods-focused diner in Uptown Minneapolis.

"It's with heavy hearts that we share that Birdhouse restaurant will close today," said Stewart in an email. "We thank all of our customers who dined with us there over the past year. Unfortunately foot traffic has not been steady enough to keep our doors open. Heidi’s continues to thrive, and we look forward to seeing you and serving you there."

Another closure, set for June 24th, was announced today: Biella (pictured, above) in downtown Excelsior is calling it quits, citing rising expenses and increased regulations.

"After months of working to try to move Biella to the corner I have decided to close after a great 10-year run," said owner Mark Nazigian in a statement. "Please come by for a last dinner or two as I would love to see everyone before we close."

On the debuts side of the spectrum, there's Terzo, which is quietly opening on Wednesday at 5 p.m. ("I guess we can't keep it quiet," said owner Molly Broder with a laugh) in the space that was most recently Pierre's Bistro.

It’s a fitting name. Terzo is Italian for third, and the wine bar (which is pouring 50 Italian wines by the glass, and tapping 10 beers) is the third business at Broderdale (a.k.a. the 50th-and-Penn intersection in south Minneapolis), following in the footsteps of Broders' Cucina Italiana and Broders' Pasta Bar (pictured, above), all the work of the enterprising Broder clan.

“It’s a total family affair,” said Molly Broder, and she’s not exaggerating; all three of her sons have immersed themselves in the project. “Charlie has developed an amazing wine list — we have been stockpiling wine for a while to get ready for this — and the menu that Thomas and Danny have developed is a great expression of the next generation of Broders’ food.”

Speaking of opening dates, another one was announced today:  Marin Restaurant & Bar, going into the former D'Amico Kitchen space in the Le Meridien Chambers hotel (pictured, above) in downtown Minneapolis, will begin service on June 23. The restaurant -- which features one of downtown's great patios -- is the work of Mill Valley Kitchen owner Craig Bentdahl and chef Mike Rakun. Look for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Farmers aren't the only ones getting a late start this spring. The Galaxy Drive-In in St. Louis Park is opening for the season on Tuesday, under new management: the Green Mill family of restaurants.

The change means a new staff and a new menu, including an amusingly over-the-top burger that skips the cheese in favor of deep-fried cheese curds. "It's phenomenal," said Green Mill head honcho Paul Dzubnar. "It's a heart attack, so make sure you take your blood thinner before you eat one."

Dzubnar said that he's going to to keep the Galaxy open year-round. "We'll try, anyway," he said. "If we can't keep it open all winter, we'll do takeout and delivery."

The drive-in's ownership remains the same: Steve Schussler of Schussler Creative. "I've always been the creator of things, but I'm not fond of running things on a day-to-day basis," he said. "We needed to find someone who is better at doing that, and we did."

Schussler and Dzubnar (through his Sterling Catering & Events) have also partnered on a second project: Green Acres Barn Event Center, located in the historic Goodrich-Ramus barn in Eden Prairie.

Finally, at Bar La Grassa in the North Loop neighborhood in Minneapolis, chef Erik Sather -- who has been a part of the team at the four-star restaurant since it opened in the fall of 2009 -- is making a career change. Starting June 24th, he's going to become a familiar face to Seward Co-op shoppers as the store's meat and seafood manager. 

"He and his wife are expecting a baby and feel that a Monday-through-Friday day job will be more conducive to starting a family," said BLG chef/co-owner Isaac Becker. "Nancy [St. Pierre, Becker's spouse and business partner] and I will miss him dearly, along with the entire staff that loves and respects him. He opened Bar La Grassa with us and is responsible for a lot of the success that restaurant has enjoyed over the years."

Sather is being replaced by longtime sous chef Aaron Slavicek.

The burger: During the past decade, the runaway embrace of the burger as a menu item has been a welcome phenomenon for burger lovers, but the increased competition has been a not-so-great development for burger joints like the Convention Grill. Still, even if the foodiscenti have moved on to buzzier newcomers, this 79-year-old Edina landmark continues to crank out a no-frills classic.

It's simplicity itself, just a rough-hewn, clearly hand-formed patty, gently seasoned and fried until the center is barely pink but each bite oozes sizzling juiciness. The soft bun bears trace toastiness elements, and the only garnish -- next to a few so-so chip-cut pickles -- is white onion, either raw or fried (get the latter). If you're looking for a trendy house-made ketchup, you've come to the wrong place. It's Heinz, all the way. Truly, this is a burger for the history books.

Price: $5.95; cheese add 95 cents; Plazaburger (see below) add 75 cents. The thick, sweaty slab of smokey Cheddar -- and it's obviously logged some serious time in the smokehouse -- is a must. 

Fries: Extra ($3.95 and $5.50). Hand-cut, skin-on, crispy and golden- to dark golden-brown. Portions are ridiculously generous; any reasonable person would consider the "half" size  a "regular" size. Two criticisms: Not enough salt, and even the smaller of the two baskets doesn't take long to slide into soggy territory.

Don't miss: The first-rate malts ($4.95 and $5.95). They're served the way they should be -- with the frosty can -- and they're as old-fashioned (in a good way) as the burgers; no embellishments, no fancy-schmancy ice creams, no grass-fed farmstead milks, just old-school soda fountain craftsmanship. I find the chocolate and vanilla versions a little dull, but the more complex variations -- hot fudge, coffee, butterscotch and honey -- are fairly close to magnificent; blending in a fresh banana only improves them.

History buff: Owner John Rimarcik (the indefatigable force behind the Monte Carlo and Rachel's) loves to talk about the restaurant's fascinating past. It opened in 1934, a prototype sideline for a local heating fabrication business. "They thought they could build all the sheet metal units for any subsequent franchises," he said.

The menu wasn't so different than today's -- burgers, fries, malts -- but after two money-losing months (original burger price: 10 cents), the company got out of the restaurant trade, selling the Convention to Greek immigrant Peter Santrizos, who ran it for the next four decades.

Rimarcik said that the unconventional Convention name was chosen because it signified a gathering and meeting place. "But Peter thought it should have been called the Cemetery Grill, because the place was dead," he said with a laugh.

In 1974, Rimarcik, who by then had already owned a half-dozen restaurants, was driving through the neighborhood and was immediately smitten with the building. He bought it, and has been its steward for the past 39 years. (Rimarcik still has Santrizos' spatula, its edges worn down from decades of burger flipping).

Within a decade, Rimarcik expanded the dining room into the adjacent barber shop, then took over the beauty shop next door, but wisely has never altered the original diner's Depression-era aura. He also didn't fiddle around with the menu, sticking fairly close to its burgers-fries-malts format. Here's how the Convention rates on the Beloved Fixture scale: It was the 2012 recipient of the Edina Heritage Award.

Sibling story: Rimarcik's Annie's Parlour shares many traits with the Convention, including its B-F-M menu and its sense of history. The first Annie's (now closed) opened on the West Bank's Cedar Avenue in 1975, and the Dinkytown version followed about five years later, although it was originally known as Greenstreets.

"And we lost our shirt," said Rimarcik. "Our banker said, 'If you'd called it Annie's, they'd be standing in line.' He was right."

In a pair of taste tests, I found subtle differences between the Convention burger and its Annie's counterpart; a thicker patty at the latter, a more robust char on the former, but otherwise, they're very nearly twins.

Fun fact: When Rimarcik was getting ready to open the first Annie's, he got a call from comedy king Dudley Riggs, who suggested that Rimarcik borrow the idea of a fantastic burger he'd had in Madison, Wis., called the Plazaburger. He described it to Rimarcik. "It sounded god-awful," Rimarcik said with a laugh. "But we went ahead with it."

The Plazaburger -- a burger served on a dark bun and garnished with sour cream and chopped onions (pictured, above, from Annie's Parlour) --became the best-selling item at both restaurants, a happy development since its existence is a fluke.

"The actual burger is nothing like that," said Rimarcik. "About 20 years later I went to Madison and had one. It was mayonnaise and minced celery, and it was on a terrible bun."

Address book: Convention Grill, 3912 Sunnyside Rd., Edina, 952-920-6881. Annie's Parlour: 313 14th Av. SE., Mpls., 612-379-0744.

Talk to me: Do you have a favorite burger? Share the details at rick.nelson@startribune.com.