Spending even a few minutes inside Target Field, and even your average fifth-grader can see that each sparkling inch of the place is designed to extract every last dollar of discretionary income from Twins ticket holders.
So where does that leave the neighborhood's restaurateurs, barkeeps and baristas, all salivating at the prospect of 39,000 out-on-the-town visitors landing in their laps 80 or so game days a year? If they've visited the ballpark, my guess would be nervous. Then again, it's hard to imagine that crowds won't eventually spill out on the sidewalks and explore their new surroundings. Which leads to the inevitable question: Where would I want to eat near Target Field?
It took a few seconds, but here's my answer: Sapor Cafe and Bar. Who knows for certain why this North Loop pioneer routinely falls off my dining-out radar. Is it the wallflower street presence? The who-knows-what-that-means name? (It's Latin, for flavor.)
No matter, because 10-year-old Sapor now boasts an attribute few others have: an enviable four-block walk from the ballpark. No other nearby restaurant also features chef Tanya Siebenaler, or her inspired, continent-hopping cooking style. The current menu borrows flavors and traditions from India, China, Morocco, Russia, Italy, Mexico and the American Southwest, a culinary polyglot that could come off as a discordant jumble, but Siebenaler almost always makes it work, beautifully.
The daily fish special is a smart jumping-off point. A few weeks ago it was a transportingly delicious piece of halibut, seared in the pan so each bite was a perfect contrast between opposing forces: golden, crispy and teasingly peppery on the outside, succulent and tender on the inside. The right-sized portion was served in a fragrant, saffron-kissed tomato broth brimming with white beans and kale, and it couldn't have been a better example of Siebenaler's approachable, imaginative cooking style. It was $13 at lunch, $24 at dinner, and a bargain either way.
At dinner Siebenaler offers six entrees (half in both full and half-size portions, a thoughtful touch), a somewhat pinched total, particularly when one or two are a little off; her pastas, for example, can be a tad dull.
But when they're right on, they're golden. Her fiery Kung Pao chicken is the last word on the subject, and her version of short ribs -- Latin American-accented -- is a dream. Ditto the starters. Her kinder, gentler version of Navajo fry bread was far tastier than anything I've encountered, particularly when topped with slices of rare grilled lamb, black beans and a minty salsa.
Sports fans in search of a snack should drop the Dinger Dogs and dive into Sapor's brief bar menu, which features a half-dozen well executed nibbles at inexpensive prices, including tasty tube-shaped tacos filled with mashed potatoes and paired with a kicky tomatillo salsa, a hearty plate of fish and chips, and a decent beef slider topped with tangy house-made pickles.
Desserts are fine but don't particularly stand out, with one notable exception: delicate, piping-hot churros, dusted with cinnamon and sugar and served with a irresistible hazelnut-chocolate sauce.
The spare warehouse setting is all beiges, coppers and chocolate browns, a muted backdrop that puts Siebenaler's colorful cooking front and center.
Spend even five minutes chez Sapor and you'll discover that the setting's most valuable asset is the seemingly eternal presence of co-owner Julie Steenerson. She watches over her serene dining room with an eagle-eyed brand of hospitable warmth that's oddly rare for a business that's all about hospitality.
