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Brasa! Brasa! Brasa! (or This Day is Brought to You by the Letter B pt. 1)

I got to start my Halloween weekend in the most delicious way.

After a terrible Thursday and a shaky Friday morning, my new friend/Minny tour guide decided I needed to go to Brasa to cheer up.  He was right; he was oh so right.

(Funnily enough a cousin had just suggested adding Brasa to my wish list the day before.  Also, although I am a big fan of meat, I probably wouldn't choose this place based on it's website or menu alone - I like it, but Caribbean just doesn't usually land at the top of my cravings.)

The day was sunny and warm and my mood started to improve as soon as we hit the Hennepin Avenue Bridge crossing into Northeast.  When we scooted into the little parking lot and I saw the outside patio and the big glass door/walls of the restaurant I had a feeling I was in for a treat.

It started as soon as we walked in the door.  The aroma was one of the best I have ever experienced, and it was matched perfectly with the warm colors of the place, the warmer afternoon sun that was streaming into the restaurant, and the friendly employees on both sides of the kitchen. It was as intoxicating as something entering your nose can be without actually being intoxicating.  It was marvelous.

The menu had the things I usually note - mentioning they get their goods from local growers, and enough items for a good selection but not so many you picture a kitchen full of canned and frozen items, and, reasonable prices (enough that I wouldn't worry it's discount meat, but not too much for a lunch). 

We ordered a 1/4 pound each of the Rotisserie Chicken, Pulled Chicken, Slow & Roasted Pork, and Braised Beef, plus side orders of Yams & Andouille, Cheese Grits, and Sweet Plantains.

My view after we moved to a bigger table to accommodate all the food:

 

His:

The meat was all things meat should be...  The sauces had so much flavor but with complexity, not just sweet or salt... The sides were bursts of delicious...

The pulled chicken was served in a cream sauce with it that was just creamy enough to be smooth and savory without reminding you of cream of whatever out of a can, and it balanced with the tender shreds of chicken just right.  The beef was so tender, with a little bite but just enough, with a sweet/sour sauce that seemed to just emphasize the flavors of the meat itself.  The shredded pork leaned towards dry, but the texture was perfect - some crispiness, some chewiness, just enough saltiness, and a little lime squeeze livened it all up.  The rotisserie chicken was good, not my favorite, but with everything else it was almost an afterthought.

The grits were cooked perfectly with a little bite, not too much, so you could tell it was cornmeal but didn't have to work at it.  I would have liked a little more cheese on top, but I know I go to the extremes with my cheese consumption so that might be just me.  The yams tasted earthy and good, and the sausage with them had a tiny bit of heat, but was so tasty with the smokiness and smoothness of it all together.  I haven't tasted the likes of the sweet plantains since I lived in Puerto Rico.  They were creamy and sweet on the inside, with a solid and full texture, and some caramelized bits on the outside.  They came with a little side of sauce that had some dill in it, and tasted nice, but was sort of superfluous with all the flavor happening everywhere else.

This meal was so good.  This restaurant was so good.  I am going to go back often, and if you are anywhere near, you should too. 

Up next:  Barbette Take Me Away (or This Day is Brought to You by the Letter B pt. 2)

Twin Cities Wish List 1.0

Maybe because I'm new to town, or maybe because I'm new to town and an unabashed fan of eating, food, restaurants, etc., as soon as I landed here in Minneapolis the restaurant recommendations started pouring in. 
The list is constantly evolving; as I am here longer I have tried more places, but the list grows faster than it shrinks.  (Also, on my plane ride last week I picked up the MplsStPaul Magazine's "Best New Restaurants" edition... so even as I finalize this list for today I'm perusing additions for the next version.)

As of today October 28th, this is the list...
Heartland -   It's a big deal.  That doesn't matter much to me.  What does matter is that the chef is proactively promoting the shovel to fork thing, and that the food, drinks, and space are all supposed to be really good. 
Barbette - I remember looking at this place months ago when I was researching for Katie's bachelorette/bridal shower.  We didn't go here, but it turns out she says it's her favorite place.  And, I have a lady date with the lovely Kate tomorrow, and she was craving here, so here we go.  I'm pretty excited.
112 Eatery -  I knew nothing about this when it was recommended by Molly O., but since looking into it I realize not only had I heard of it in a good way, I have lady group date dinner plans next week at their "other award winning restaurant" Bar La Grassa.  Well, hell...
Bar La Grassa -  Because I have heard some good things from good people, and I know I'll check it off my list soon.
Peninsula - It's Malaysian, it's really close to home, looks comfortable from the outside and is crowded at night, and the two people that have mentioned it have been enthusiastic.  
La Belle Vie -  Katie said it was quite the tasty experience, and it appears to be in a church.  Not to mention the chef has a JB Award under his belt, and they look like they really, really know what they're doing.
Durcat* - I've not read nor heard almost anything about the food here, but the charm from the outside looking in is enough for me to want to try.  It's huge, but twinkly and warm and inviting.  I can't help myself.
French Meadow Cafe** -  I've had a cup of soup that was delicious, some pastries that were good enough, and a brunch that was unimpressive.  I want to go for the dinner experience to properly assess it.
Nick and Eddie - OK, so this is kind of in line with French Meadow.  I have been there for a drink, which was fine but I loved the feel of the place.  Then I had a little food there last night for a friends birthday, and while the bartender/server/backroom was super, the salad I had wasn't too special.  I'm going to have an actual meal there before I really assess it, so for now, it stays on the wish list.


*Upon visiting the website, I see there's also one in Florida.  This makes me want to go there much less.  Much much less.
**I did not realize this was the same as French Meadow Bakery, that sells organic bread all over the place ("your grocers freezer" type of thing).  I feel like this may explain why their pastries and brunch were just not so flavorful.  Hmph.  Oh well I still want to do a dinner there.  We'll put this low on the list.

Road Food or Why My Pants Don't Fit Anymore

About five weeks ago my sister and I trekked from CA to MN to move me.  In the last week we drove from NY to WI to officially move her. 

On the first portion of our country crossing adventure, we were methodical.  We bought snacks from the bulk bins at the natural foods store, we had fresh bread from the bakery and leftovers from the fridge.  We had wine easily accessible for the motel stays.  When we stopped to eat, we sat, were served, had some balance on a plate.  We only had fast food once, and it was Subway.  (That was only after we drove around the town of Hutchinson, Kansas for almost 45 minutes looking for what I thought might be a local deli/diner and all we could find were KFC's, Subways, and the state fair.  In hindsight, we should have hopped in there and had some food on sticks - less healthy but better for the soul than any Subway.  The Subway stop was especially disappointing because mere hours before we were in a gas station in Dodge City, KS that had pork ribs on a rotisserie, and a whole spread of accompaniments that looked amazing, but we moved on after mere snacks because we were holding out for a sit down further on up the road.  Bad choice.)

The second portion was much shorter, which is probably one of the reasons why we ate like a couple of truckers.  Pastries and bagels before we hit the road, snacks every time we stopped, and the closest to real meals we had were Dairy Queen (chicken strips, fries, burger, blizzard...  a balanced meal as far as Dairy Queen goes) and cheap Chinese take out in our motel in Ohio.  The final rest stop on the border of Illinois and Wisconsin I was even compelled to soft pretzel sticks with cheese dip...  that just made my stomach turn as I wrote that.

So what's the lesson in all this?  Better planning makes for better eating?  That I'm privileged to live in a place with easy access to fresh real food?  That if you're going to get a DQ kids meal you might as well have a full one so you don't have to eat four servings of General Tso's Chicken later?  Probably all of that.  All I know right now is that I want some kale, a banana, maybe some yogurt.
My big take-away is that if you're going to eat like hell, make it worth it.  BBQ in KC?  Yes.  Fake cheese on soft pretzels at rest stop?  No. 

CA to MN:
sesame sticks
trail mix
bananas
bakery bread
leftover grilled tri-tip
red licorice
banana chips
almonds
fruit &waffles for motel breakfasts
mexican food in AZ
Greek food in NM
fried okra/corndog then Subway in KS
BBQ in KC, KS
brunch of pancakes and benedicts in KC, KS


BK - WI:
bagel and ham&cheese croissant
peanut butter crackers
DQ burger, chicken strips, fries, blizzard, soda
cheap Chinese food (why bother with the details)
doughnuts and worst apple i've ever eaten for breakfast
pb&grape jelly sandwhich
mini peanut butter crackers
rice krispie treat
trail mix
banana
white rice
hard boiled egg
pretzel sticks with fake cheese

Truffle Me Gently

I'm a little in love with the cafe down the street.  Cafe by day, restaurant by night.  I've spent a fair amount of time there in the last few weeks as that's where I go when I need a change of scenery from my dining room table.  Common Roots Cafe has good coffee, good cream cheese, and good cookies (that's all I've actually eaten so far, but have a list of menu items that I'll get around to.)

The moment the infatuation began happened one day last week.  I spent a few hours working there next to Fuzz, started with a cup of coffee, then got a little hungry.  I wanted something more snack then entree size, and saw the Truffle Mac and Cheese on the menu.   
Now, here's the thing - seeing truffle anything on a menu item makes me thing "cop out".  I know truffles and their oil is earthy and perfumy and unctuous and wonderful, BUT, it can be just too much.  Want to make french fries gourmet?  Throw some truffle oil on those bad boys, charge at least twice as much, and boom, you've got got gourmet.  I'm just saying - use it well, use it sparingly - don't wear out the truffle.  I digress. 

If any dining establishment is going to make it onto my favorites list, and they offer a mac&cheese, it has to be good.  While the truffle aspect made me a skeptic, the Brie listed as the ingredient made me order it.
Ohhh it was so good.  The truffle was present but subtle (as it should be!), the cheddar and brie cheeses were balanced and melty but not too gooey or liquidy, the mushrooms added a nice texture and earthy aspect, and there were just enough panko breadcrumbs to add a little bite.
  

(Not the best picture, but you get the idea.)
 
With that goodness in my belly, we powered through another hour or so, before Fuzz said, "Should we have a glass of wine?"  We should have.  We did.  (A cabernet, Chilean I think, which was pretty light for a cab but lovely during a weekday happy hour.)
  

Worked through that, then began a weekend of friends visiting, crapples to crapples, brunches, thai food, walking in heels, music, funny one-upmanship, and lots and lots and lots of drinking.  It was the perfect way to start.

Getting Modern in Minneapolis

Last week I got to enjoy my first official dinner out as a resident of Minneapolis.  My sister and I were invited to The Modern Cafe by Auntie Jane, who I trust implicitly when it comes to anything having to do with dinner, parties, dinner parties, talking, drinking, talking and drinking… you get the idea.   

The dinner had a sweet and calm feel to it.  Megan and I got to the restaurant on time, picked a cozy but comfortable booth with just enough room for four moderately sized people that like each other.  We ordered some glasses of wine (her the Rose special that was cheap and fine for the price, me the French Pinot Noir* that was more fruity than earthy but red and pleasant just the same) and waited for the others who arrived shortly.

The server explained that they had just switched to the fall menu so they didn’t have any specials that night, which was fine by us but also gave me a smile because fall food basically equals comfort food, and autumn has always been my favorite season.  The menu didn’t need to be explained as a fall menu though, as it was laden with items like squash, soup, meatloaf, and pot roast.  Jane ordered a dry white (server said Pinot Grigio**) and Brian had a glass of the same (he said, “She’ll end up finishing it so I just get what she wants.”)
 

We ordered our mains right away and were served within ten minutes.  Brian had the pot roast (which he said he had only had as part of their hash at breakfasts, and wanted to try it the night before), Megan the mussels which was in a curry style stew with pork belly and winter vegetables, and Jane and I both had the meatloaf, served with mashed potatoes, winter vegetables, and mushroom sauce.

I was hungry enough that I tucked in straight away to my plate, and it took me about halfway before I was actually thinking about what was happening in my mouth.  The meatloaf was pleasant; it had some bite to it unlike the meatloaf I'm accustomed to which (while it might taste good) has very little texture beyond mush.  The potatoes were soft and warm and harmless, same with the winter vegetables.  I think the standout on my plate had to be the mushroom sauce, as it was earthy without being to funghi-y, unctuous, and with pieces of mushroom that had exactly the texture you want cooked mushrooms to have (slightly chewy without being rubbery, but with at least a little of that crumbly aspect that raw ones have).

 
I failed to taste Megan's or Brian's plate, but the way I see it that gives me an excuse to go back, as they were both totally happy with their dinners.  Megan commented on the way home that she wasn't expecting so much coconut milk in with the yellow curry broth that the mussels were served in (along with pork belly, by the way, which is always a huge mark in the YES column for me) but it was really tasty. 

Brian selected the chocolate pot de creme for dessert, mostly because we were all waffling and our server described it as "really fancy chocolate pudding", but all the same it was perfect for the four of us to have a few bites each of the sweet dark pot.  I was proud of myself for being able to detect the orange essence as an ingredient, but after I picked that up it was all I could taste so it was easy for me not to eat too much.

I walked out of there feeling full and warm and happy, which is exactly the way to end a meal.  I know it had a lot to do with the company and my reveling in the affordability of eating out in Minneapolis vs. northern California (the bill before tip was in the $120s... that's for 4 full meals, 7 glasses of wine, and a dessert),  but the Modern is comfortable and familiar, hip without being pretentious, and most importantly, the food tastes good.  I will go back.

Note:  After Megan and I had started in on our first glasses of wine, but before Jane&Brian got there, as I was musing over the affordability of the wine list and admiring the note at the bottom of the menu stating The Modern's commitment to using local, sustainable, and organic ingredients when possible, Megan said, wouldn't this be the perfect time to start your food blog?  So it was. 

*2008 Tortoise Creek Pinot Noir, France 8/32
**2009 La Fiera Pinot Grigio, Italy 7/28

Farmers Market Marvelling

I got to walk around the Dane County Farmers Market today on the Madison Capitol Square and I just love it.  I can walk to it easily, but of course had to call for a ride back to my parents house because I got a little out of hand with the purchasing and had more than two loaded bags of goodies.  (To be fair a chunk of that was ten pounds of pumpkin I purchased for a pumpkin stew recipe my dad has his eye on...)  I got to grow up this close to the Square so this market is like home to me. 

A big part of my working life in California was centered around farmers markets.  I did most of legwork to be certified, admitted, and maintain our memberships; I worked as a vendor at up to three markets every week; I fostered and grew the relationships that came from customers that happened upon our olive oil at the markets.  It was rewarding, exhausting, but affirmed my belief that sustainable farming (and hopefully organic and biodynamic as well) is how we may be able to overhaul the screwed up food habits in this country.

Who doesn't love going to a farmers market?  There's the ones that go for the stroll, or the breakfast, or the social aspect, and on the other end of the spectrum there's the ones that show up early with empty bags, maybe a card or a wagon, and shop for the week.  Out of those groups and everyone in between, everyone that's there wants to be there and I think deserves the little pat on the back they always seem to give themselves.

As per usual, I wanted to buy everything at the first few tables I saw, but luckily I managed to pace myself.  I like to spread out my purchases and get a thing or two from many vendors rather than everything from a couple.  (And, as these are all local producers, there is bound to be a lot of overlap, especially in the produce...)  This means I get to talk to more vendors, who in my experience are overwhelmingly a cheerful and helpful bunch, and generally thrilled to answer any questions about anything on their tables.  Between them and the happy crowds, farmers markets have to rate as some of the happiest places to buy anything anywhere.  Go to one; I bet you anything you'll feel it.

Today apples were everywhere, and apple cider of course; there were beets of all sizes, parsnips, radishes, potatoes, beans (dried and green), squash galore, dried and fresh meat, sunflower oil, vinegars, peppers, pickles, and some of the last tomatoes and corn and fresh basil of the year.  There was more than I could list from memory right now.  Most of what I just mentioned made it home with me, plus some bunches of horsetail just because it was pretty and I was proud of myself for knowing what it was. 

Now if I could just get my food-cooking on par with my food-buying I'd be set.