The 5 best things our food writers ate this week

From the team behind Estelle (St. Paul), the new, self-proclaimed “modern Italian pasta bar” Liliana in Woodbury serves creative, unexpected dishes like spaghetti alla chitarra with smoked octopus and chili crunch. One of the more memorable bites from a recent dinner was the tiny, savory cannoli appetizer ($8), in which a superbly fried and gnarled shell gets piped with a smooth, chilled chicken liver mousse. It gets drizzled with saba, a rich, caramelized grape syrup with a hint of acidity. The sweet and tart saba complements a rich pâté, which brings a big peanut-butter-and-jelly energy to the whole affair.

Savory cannoli are nothing new — people have long stuffed cannoli shells with ingredients like prosciutto and ricotta, truffled mashed potatoes, meatballs and marinara, or even duck confit. One such cannoli even figured prominently in the Season 2 Bolognese episode of “The Bear,” in which Carmy unsurprisingly channels his generational family trauma to come up with a version made with a Parmesan shell and Mortadella mousse that’s dipped in pistachios.

Blissfully anguish-free, the ones at Liliana veer much more joyful, with the brilliant little bites exploding with flavor. Easily shareable among four people, at $8 for two cannoli, it represents a true bargain, at least in a cost to flavor ratio. (Raphael Brion)

10060 City Walk Dr. #102, Woodbury, lilianamn.com

When in the north metro, we came across this gem of a family-run, unassuming Mediterranean spot. In addition to wings and kebab platters, three kinds of wraps are featured. They were out of gyros by the time we arrived in the late afternoon, so we went with the falafel ($10) and chicken shawarma ($11).

We wouldn’t hesitate to order the nicely seasoned grilled chicken again, but the falafel wrap with plenty of nuance is extra special. The kitchen here has their handmade falafel recipe and cooking game down, frying the pieces to a crisp, golden coating while retaining the fluffy interior of ground chickpeas, bright herbs and spices. Tahini sauce and hummus, along with tomatoes, pickles and onions, round out the ingredients wrapped in a grilled, housemade flatbread.

The fast-casual spot sports a handful of tables, so be prepared to take your food to go if none are available. What’s nice is these solid handhelds stay intact, so they’re easy to eat on the road. (Nancy Ngo)

At a time when new restaurants are manufacturing nostalgia — reviving Chi-Chi’s and staging faux-speakeasy secrecy — Normandy Kitchen doesn’t even have to try.

The downtown dining room inside the Normandy Inn hotel, operating since 1941 (and an actual Prohibition-era basement speakeasy before that) exudes the kind of lived-in nostalgia (think: red upholstered walls) that comes from deep in Old Minneapolis’ bones.

It still feels like a reliable spot for happy hour or a hushed midday lunch of rare steak salad, croque madame and a literal “bowl” of frites. But this being cozy season, I ordered the onion soup gratinée ($15). It arrives in a proper crock, capped with a thick slice of baguette and an over-the-top amount of Gruyère. The broth beneath is dark, beefy and restorative, just as October demands. (Sharyn Jackson)

405 S. 8th St., Mpls., bestwesternnormandy.com

Fans of twice-fried chicken now have another local outfit to enjoy the Korean fan favorite. At the new Chingu in Burnsville Center, the space is warm and inviting, and the service is attentive and friendly. It made a great first impression as we navigated through the casual menu, which, in addition to fried chicken, includes a crispy chicken burger, pork buns, Korean tacos, steak rice bowls and noodle stir-fries.

At first glance, that seems characteristic of Chingu, meeting in the middle — from the menu offerings to the casual setting with high service standards — as it sets out to appease a wide range. It’s also worth noting that if you’re in the north metro, Chingu has a sibling restaurant, Chi Maek (3450 124th Av. NW., Coon Rapids, chimaekmn.com), with many of the same menu items. (N.N.)

Burnsville Center, 915 County Road 42 W., Burnsville, chingumn.com

I never realized mozzarella sticks were a problem waiting to be solved, but once my server at Fork’d pointed it out to me, I can’t unsee it. Take your typical breaded stick: the first cheese pull is glorious, but then you’re basically left with sad, hollowed-out breading.

But Fork’d treats mozzarella sticks ($14.95) like an engineering challenge. The new American restaurant, from some of the team behind Bacio, opened this fall in the former Champps (and briefly, Wineside) by Ridgedale Center. For this age-old bar snack, chef and co-owner Mike Zinser mixes mozzarella with a French pastry dough, forming a uniform, dumpling-like log that, when fried, forms a shattering crust. The interior stays molten and intact, no matter which way you cut, bite or break it. There’s no empty shell of breading here, just unending stretch and pull, with a bowl of bright marinara for dunking.

The rest of the menu shares that from-scratch intentionality, with a solid smash burger, pan pizzas, salads, sandwiches and a surprisingly deep cocktail list. (S.J.)