When Twin Cities diners last heard from Lisa Hanson, the Winona native was chef du cuisine at Corner Table (4257 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., www.cornertablerestaurant.com) and cooking up a storm, not a surprise for someone whose last job had been working the line at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, the culinary temple in New York City's Four Seasons Hotel.
That was nearly two years ago. Since then, she's been laboring under the radar, bartending at night and spending her days focused on the goal of opening her own restaurant.
That time has finally arrived. Come spring, the former Black Bamboo (333 S. 7th St., Mpls.), located just off the swank lobby of the Accenture Tower in downtown Minneapolis, is going to be home to what Hanson is calling Mona.
"It's simple, it's easy to pronounce, and I guess it kind of refers to the Mona Lisa," she said. "She's the woman with the mysterious smile, and I kind of feel like I'm going to be mysterious when I open. No one here really knows who I am. You know, the old, 'She's opening a restaurant? Who is she?' It might take some people by surprise."
Hanson is planning an all-small-plates menu, changing once a month to reflect seasonal availability. "I'll be sourcing locally for a lot of things, but I'm not striving to be 100 percent farm-to-table," she said.
Just don't invoke the word "tapas." "I'm a little sensitive about that," Hanson said with a laugh. "I lived in Spain during college, and in Spain, tapas are not supposed to be a full meal -- they're a snack to carry you over because people eat dinner so late in the evening."
Instead, Hanson plans to offer her diners the opportunity to experiment within an eclectic wide range of $5 to $20 options (bison, elk, rabbit, smoked oysters, chicken and waffles), without having to invest in a single $25 entree.
"It's going to be fun and approachable," she said. "I want people to be able to design their own tasting menu, or stop in for a few bites and a drink."
