The Bachelor Farmer. Photos by Bre McGeeThe Bachelor Farmer
One of the year's more exciting and ambitious new restaurants also happens to boast a name lifted straight from a Garrison Keillor broadcast. Who knows? The Bachelor Farmer could gain the kind of national profile that "A Prairie Home Companion" has earned; it's certainly off to a promising start. Owners (and brothers) Eric and Andrew Dayton have transformed a battered brick-and-timber warehouse into a well-groomed collection of experiences. There's the serene dining room, where chef Paul Berglund (a veteran of Oliveto, the well regarded modern Italian restaurant in Oakland, Calif.) is tackling contemporary Scandinavian farmhouse cooking; do not miss the lingcod brandade, the sockeye gravlax or the rabbit liver terrine. In the modern-day speakeasy that is the lower-level Marvel Bar, bartender Pip Hanson and his crew scrupulously concoct some of the city's most refreshing cocktails. Askov Finlayson, a finger-on-the-pulse men's fashion store, rounds out the mix. Coming this fall: a pair of second-floor private dining rooms.
Q&A: Paul Berglund Chef at the Bachelor Farmer
- What's your favorite item on the menu? Market Seafood Chowder. Working with fresh, whole squid is one of the real joys in the kitchen for me. Our squid comes in fresh from Monterey Bay, via Monterey Fish Market in San Francisco. The Icelandic haddock, from Coastal Seafood here in Minneapolis, is immaculate and the perfect foil for the heavier flavors of braised squid and rockfish.
- Which local chefs do you admire? Lenny Russo [Heartland] and Alex Roberts [Restaurant Alma]. Lenny is a pillar of our community in his role in supporting local foodways. Alex has played a large role in our success here at the Bachelor Farmer. He deals honestly with others and is teaching the next generation of chefs that it's possible to be very successful in our business and goodhearted at the same time.
- What's the best thing about cooking in Minnesota? The seasons. Growing up in the Midwest instills an internal calendar in us, I think. After moving away in 1999, I missed the spring storms and the crisp fall air. These are very inspiring to me. Also, the energy of summer is more vibrant here than any place I've lived.
- Favorite pre-work haunt: Al's Breakfast! The undisputed heavyweight champion of the world of pancakes.
Octopus a la plancha from Saffron. Photo by Tom WallaceSaffron Restaurant & Lounge
Everything a diner needs to know about Saffron can be summed up in a single dish. OK, three. They're all tagines, and while this trio of slow-cooked stews have a built-in flash of dinner theater, their main allure is sheer, unadulterated deliciousness. One features fork-tender lamb shanks, the meat's heaviness leavened by harissa and preserved lemon, its garlicky broth brimming with spinach, caraway and toothy chickpeas. Another puts duck in the spotlight, nudged with garlic, ginger and olives for six hours until the meat falls off the bone, with hints of saffron and sweet raisins acting as a foil to the bird's inherent richness. A third is an ever-changing play on seafood, which could mean salmon braised in a shellfish-tomato broth dotted with entrancing chermoula accents and tender mussels. First-rate comfort food, certainly, but chef Sameh Wadi's million-dollar nose for seasoning propels them far beyond home cooking. Tagines are just one key element in the savvy remake of this five-year-old restaurant, which now emphasizes around-the-Mediterranean-flavors meant-to-be-shared portions and mostly affordable prices. Oh, and fun. Tons of it. Other don't-miss dishes: the lamb BLT, the sweet corn soup, the nutty farro prepared like risotto, the ultra-moist couscous-olive oil cake, and the spectacular whole-roasted European sea bass, a paragon of simplicity that doubles as a signature dish waiting to happen.
Black Sheep Pizza. Photo by Tom WallaceUSER PICK: Black Sheep Pizza
I've always loved the concept of Neapolitan pizza, but really hate the minimalist approach to toppings. Black Sheep's pizza is Neapolitanesque in its crust taste and topping selections, but the toppings and sauce are generous and you don't feel like you're just eating pizza crust. The result is absolutely fantastic. The No. 4 and No. 5 pizzas are touted as their best for a reason. And they let you try a half-and-half so you don't have to choose. I've converted many people to this fantastic pizza joint -- you should try it. --jen1212
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The breakfast granola from Moose & Sadie's. Photo by Chandra Akkari
- THE DEPOT TAVERN: American. The First Avenue nightclub's spinoff is a casual, friendly paean to all-American fried foods.
- KIERAN'S IRISH PUB: The popular pub relocated to Block E in 2010. Full Irish menu, including Irish beers.
- THE LOON CAFE: American casual. Burgers, sandwiches, salads and specialty chilis.
- MOOSE & SADIE'S: Cafe. Sunny cafe brings counter-service convenience, fresh fare and affordable prices to the condo-crazy neighborhood.
- O'DONOVAN'S: Authentic Irish pub serving full menu of Irish cuisine, including boxty, corned beef and fish and chips.
- TOAST WINE BAR & CAFE: American. Owner Erin Tomczyk really nails the wine-bar food thing, keeping her nibble-friendly menu short and uncomplicated while emphasizing fresh, generous flavors at affordable prices.
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Photo by Tom Wallace
- 112 EATERY: American. Chef/owner Isaac Becker does beautiful work with such highbrow fare as sea scallops with wild mushrooms and seared ahi tuna with chimichurri sauce. But don't miss his great takes on basic bar grub: the sweet-and-sour crab salad, cold cuts/pickles plate, bacon-harissa sandwich, one of the Twin Cities' best burgers. Reservations a must; be sure to ask for a main-floor table.
- BE'WICHED DELI: American. Chefs/co-owners Matthew Bickford and Michael Ryan have scrupulously adapted the high-end culinary practices of their former employers (La Belle Vie, Restaurant Alma, D'Amico Cucina) to the humble sandwich. The results include an astonishingly great pastrami, a luxurious tuna and a positively seductive pulled pork version. This joint does the name "deli" proud. Sunday brunch, starring their pastrami-egg-harissa sandwich, is a game-changer.
- IMPERIAL ROOM: American. Serving steaks, prime rib and rotisserie meats.
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The tater tot haute dish, from Haute Dish. Photos by Tom Wallace
- BAR LA GRASSA: Italian. Spouses Isaac Becker and Nancy St. Pierre (112 Eatery) collaborate on this hot North Loop pasta joint. Overall, this big enterprise combines great energy and wonderfully simple food.
- HAUTE DISH: American. Chef Landon Schoenefeld displays his passionate love affair with rich foods. The vast majority of the menu finds Schoenefeld twisting a familiar dish, each seemingly culled from a retro church cookbook or a vintage food magazine.
- MONTE CARLO BAR & CAFE: American. Popular watering hole serving burgers, sandwiches, pasta and other American fare.
- NAMI: Sushi, served in unusually stylish Warehouse District surroundings.
- ORIGAMI: Sushi bar with many vegetarian items.
- SAPOR CAFE AND BAR: Fusion. The name is Latin for "flavor," and the around-the-world food lives up to it.
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Cosmos. Photo by Tom Wallace
- COSMOS: American (fine dining). The restaurant and bar in the Graves 601 Hotel is beyond gorgeous. And the menu, one of unadulterated and unapologetic luxury (and brushes with molecular gastronomy), continually changes. Hard to find -- on the fourth floor of the hotel, but well worth a visit.
