The second stop on our alphabetical restaurant journey brought us to the highly recommended Bar La Grassa. Winner of 'Restaurant of the Year' by the Star Tribune and Metro Magazine; 'Best New Restaurant' by Mpls StPaul Magazine and Minnesota Monthly; and 'Best Italian Restaurant' by City Pages. This North Loop neighborhood restaurant is a rustic, Italian version of a Spanish Tapas bar, with many small plates that make it easy to sample and share. The menu is broken down into 6 sections: Antipasti, Bruschetta, Dry Pasta, Fresh Pasta, Secondi, and Contorni. The drink menu was full of a variety of great wines, sophisticated cocktails, and a small but well selected offering of beer –including some local brews!
Our meal began with fresh bread and a gratis appetizer of giant corona beans, cubes of manchego
cheese, and pickled vegetables. Upon devouring these, the selection process from the menu began. We started with the Bruchetta w/ Soft Eggs & Lobster and the Beet and Avocado with Citrus salad. The Bruchetta was heavenly! It’s light, fluffy, cloud-like eggs far transcended any typical breakfast fare. Combine that with the tender, succulent, Atlantic lobster and creamy cheese sauce with truffle oil, and you have a culinary masterpiece served on a crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth bruchetta. The salad was a great combination of beets with the cool creaminess of avocado but, what made this salad come together was the tangy citrus dressing.
The Orecchiette with Braised Rabbit was an upscale spin on a typically considered ‘gamey’ tasting meat. Served in a robust, base reduction with medallions and tossed with orecchiette pasta, the rabbit was braised to tender and delicate perfection! This combination transports you far away from the vision of a lumberjack in northern Minnesota.A slight disappointment of the night, was the Crab Ravioli. Although it was quite good by most standards, it lacked the dense blend of flavors experienced in everything else we encountered. The white cream sauce was very typical, and though the ravioli was filled with a decent amount of succulent crab meat, we would recommended ordering the entrée size if you want to share.
One of the more unique dishes was the Foie Gras Tortelili. Traditionally tortelili is filled with a cheese of some kind, this one was filled with Foie Gras, the liver of a duck or goose. The tortelili was tossed in a Biagarade type sauce with raisins and a hint of maple sweetness.
I highly recommend the Calamarata with Raw Tuna. This dish was a burst of complex flavors! The calamari ring shaped pasta was coated with a slightly spicy chili oil that contrasted the cold mélange of the cilantro/lime marinated sashimi tuna.The Paccheri with Milk Braised Chicken was a more traditional dish. Milk braising the chicken did wonders to lock in the moisture. The paccheri pasta and chicken was coated with a classic buttery sauce fragrant of saffron.
It came highly recommended, and the Gnocchi with Cauliflower and
Orange lived up to the hype! The scale of the heavy, potato gnocchi and the light cheesy sauce was perfectly balanced with sliced, caramelized cauliflower and red pepper flakes to set off the orange citrus flavor.
Though there are so many great items on the menu of Bar La Grassa, saving room for dessert is a must! The Salted Butter & Caramel Crespelle consisted of two crapes oozing with hot caramel and topped with a vanilla bean ice cream. We sampled the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, which was a very surprisingly light layered cake, served with a side of butterscotch ice cream and sprinkled with salty nuts. We also immensely enjoyed the Panna Cotta, an egg-less custard topped with a citrusy, wine reduction.The entire experience at Bar La Grassa was great! Our waiter, Tom, was very attentive and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu items and their preparation. In spite of a packed house, the drinks were delivered quickly and the food seemed to be served almost immediately! The atmosphere was bustling, fun, and energetic. The space is a big, open, brick and beam warehouse space with an artsy vibe of vintage reclaimed wood and contemporary black leather. Reservations would be highly recommended, especially if going on game night, since it is within walking distance of Target Field. Their kitchen is open late, so if that hot dog didn't do it for you, La Grassa would be an ideal after game destination. 'La Grassa' in Italian translates to 'the fat’. Chef Isaac Becker (also of 112 Eatery) makes sure everyone leaves full, sassy, and satisfied!
Other recommendations from our club that start with a ‘B’:
Bacio - good eats in the (western) suburbs
Barbette- Complex yet simple French fare using local, organic, and sustainable ingredients.
Barrio- Cheap and yummy eats, and the best margaritas in town!
BeWiched- Gourmet deli using locally sourced items.
Birchwood Cafe - Casual neighborhood spot filled with amazing pizzas, sandwiches and baked goods. Supporting local farmers and brewers.
Black Sheep Pizza- Coal fired, New York Style Pizza.
Brassa- A must try! Creole inspired comfort food employing natural, locally produced, and organic products.
Next month’s destination – Corner Table (4257 Nicollet Ave S. Mpls)
Bon Appitte
