As baker Solveig Tofte beams at customers across the counter of her new venture Sun Street Breads, it feels as if the place has been around for years.
The bread behind her counter is stacked neatly, the flaky pastries glisten with buttery, sugary allure, and morning visitors are lounging in the sunshine that streams through oversize windows. Even without a sign outside (coming soon, so an "open" note taped to the counter makes do for now), it seems that Sun Street is already a must-visit gustatory destination.
The south Minneapolis eatery is nestled into a strip mall that features a check cashing place, a tobacco store, a National Karate and a Great Clips. But with its open design, bright mural and on-display ovens, Sun Street is one of the more cheerful bakeries in town.
And boy, can Tofte cook up the treats. Although she does offer bread -- the "figgy rye" loaf ($6) is sublime -- the main draw is breakfast and lunch items that benefit from her baking expertise, but also show a chef's innovative flair.
The biscuit sandwiches, in particular, are about as fluffy as they can get, reminding me of a tiny restaurant/shack on the edge of downtown Memphis. There, I had biscuits and gravy that were so tender and expertly spiced that I've considered going back to Memphis just for one more round. Thank you, Solveig Tofte, for making a biscuit and gravy combo so delicious that it makes me rethink my travel plans.
If there's one true standout in the lunchtime lineup, it's the meatloaf sandwich ($9). Disclaimer: The sandwich has a Heavy Table connection, since Tofte consulted Heavy Table writer Susan Pagani, whom the baker calls a "reigning meatloaf sandwich authoritarian." (Pagani researched meatloaf for her newly released book, "Minnesota Lunch: From Pasties to Banh Mi.") As a nod to Pagani's expertise, the sandwich has been dubbed "The Susan."
You don't have to be a fan of Heavy Table or of Susan (although, of course, we are) to appreciate this sandwich, though. Served on potato flax toast, the meatloaf is a peppery, subtle mix of flavors that balance perfectly. Tofte throws in some apple butter and fried shallot cream cheese, which lighten the taste even more and highlight the juicy texture. It's a far cry from the slightly-too-hard meatloaf sandwiches of my childhood, where the meat competed with an equal amount of ketchup.
In general, Sun Street is a happy place with just-right food, in a convenient location for meeting up with friends. That's a mix that's certainly tough to beat. But it's even harder to trump the assessment of the junior food-critic circle at the table next to me on one lazy Sunday morning: three little girls, each with sticky cinnamon rolls, taking their first bites and then giving one another the thumbs-up.
