Barbette recently marked its 10th anniversary. Ten years? The Uptowner sure seems as if it has been a firmly entrenched landmark on the local dining landscape for far longer. In a good way.
Owner Kim Bartmann -- the impresario behind Bryant-Lake Bowl, Red Stag Supperclub and Bread & Pickle, the concession stand next to the Lake Harriet bandshell that will open in late April -- has installed a number of chefs in the Barbette kitchen since converting her former Cafe Wyrd coffeehouse into bistro-minded Barbette. Despite the semi-constant leadership upheaval, the restaurant has not only survived, but thrived. My hope is that Bartmann's latest hire, Kevin Kathman, is going to stick around for a while.
Kathman, a Cold Spring, Minn., native with a starry résumé, has inserted his sharp skills and refined sensibilities into a format that could have slid into staleness but hasn't. The dishes I've been eating forever at Barbette continue to be dispatched with aplomb: spot-on tartares, tender steamed mussels, meticulously produced terrines and pâtés, generously stuffed buckwheat crêpes, a marvelous daily quiche, fresh oysters, cute little late-night cheese fondues, a noon-hour Niçoise salad, crisp weekend waffles.
That continuity can be attributed, in part, to the kitchen's commitment to premium, locally sourced ingredients, and to Bartmann's determination to feed her customers from morning until late at night.
Still, it's pretty easy to discern where the menu's longstanding habits end and Kathman's skills and creativity begin. It's a roast chicken dish, the skin tantalizingly crispy, the meat mouthwateringly flavorful, with Kathman offering straight-up cuts or rolling the meat around a hearty wild rice-apple stuffing. It's an ideal balm to these endlessly chilly Minnesota nights.
Ditto the slow-braised pork shoulder, chasing each bite with bits of smoky, thick-cut bacon and carefully caramelized Brussels sprouts. Kathman also puts an admirably light touch on seemingly heavy dishes, from dinner's beef bourguignon to brunch's divine smoked-chicken hash.
As for steak-and-potatoes, why make the trek downtown when there are several perfectly good options here? Better yet, dive into the lunch menu's delicate ravioli filled with slow-braised beef and served with a comfort-minded parsnip mash.
Prices can raise eyebrows. A drab plate of grilled asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots and other vegetables was not worth $21 (my vegetarian friend should have opted for the far more complex and satisfying spring vegetable risotto), and while Kathman is selecting lovely cheeses, four small tastes and a few accompaniments do not merit their $17 price tag.
Some of the cooking left me less than impressed. The plus-sized brandade fritters could use a lighter touch, and the lamb burger is a disappointment. Everyday baked goods -- muffins, scones, croissants, breads -- could use a little tender loving care.
On Monday evenings, Kathman departs from the bistro basics menu that has long been Barbette's signature, stepping up to the stove and preparing an impromptu $32 four-course dinner. Unlike many bargain-night dining promotions, my meal from a few Mondays back didn't feel as if the kitchen was treating its guests -- a lively, multigenerational lot -- as a leftovers dumping ground.
The room's informal and intimate scale is its best asset. But if there's a local restaurant crying out for a makeover, it's Barbette. As for the downscale restrooms, when entrees aren't shy about hitting $38, is it wrong for my not-so-inner princess to expect to encounter similarly upscale facilities?
The no-surprises desserts, prepared by Kathman and sous chef Michael Schneider, are a definite highlight, including a luscious vanilla crème brûlée and a by-the-textbook molten chocolate cake. Even better is its more glamorous cousin, a sprightly chocolate roulade dressed with a supple salted caramel sauce and a scoop of irresistible über-chocolate ice cream. It would look terrific topped with 10 blazing birthday candles.
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