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)

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.