jdhovland

“Are you still thinking of getting another dog?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t started looking yet.”

“If you’re willing to get one soon, my wife’s cousin’s dog recently had an unplanned litter. But they might get big.”

“Big’s fine, what kind of dog?”

“Mixed. Black lab and Rottweiler.”

“Tell me more.”

That paraphrased conversation in March of 2007 led me to meeting and welcoming the last unspoken for puppy from an unexpected litter into my family.

I already had a dog. Little Loki. A puggle that joined me in May the year before. But I always wanted to have two dogs, so neither would be lonely when I was at work.

I didn’t want to go full Norse pantheon when naming the new bundle of fur, but I wanted the name to be related to Loki. Being a fan of a lot of Neil Gaiman’s work, I decided since Loki was in the book “American Gods,” that Shadow would be a mighty fine name.

He was weaned a little early I think. This caused a tendency for him to lick that he never fully grew out of and I was often the target of his focus. That or my pillows. A lot of pillow flipping was preceded by “eww.” Or Loki, but she seemed to enjoy the grooming.

He was so smart. While it took a few tries and treats to get Loki to figure out the nature of the doggy doors I installed in to and out of the garage, Shadow picked it up immediately. He loved using them to go out and chase squirrels or race along the fences with the neighbors’ dogs, sometimes joining in the cacophony of barking with his own deep throated “woofs.”

As he grew his tail became a weapon. Numerous friends can attest to the pain of having a waist tall dog in full excited wag turn away from you and give you a parting slap of the tail. He was big.

For ages he loved sleeping in the bed with me, much to the chagrin of a former lover. Shadow begrudgingly slept out in the living room on the couch or in the hallway near the door for the remainder of the relationship. When it was over he relished reclaiming his spot.

My yard is fenced in to allow for the doggy doors and the dogs’ free rein of the yard when I’m not home. But if the fence was ever left ajar he’d definitely head out and explore the neighborhood. One morning it happened I found him sleeping near the front steps because the gate wouldn’t swing inwards when it was open. Another I hopped in my car to go find him walking back down the street headed home after he heard me yelling his name.

A couple of years ago he developed a few small fatty lumps, these are common to both of his parents’ breeds. But recently the lumps started growing again, getting firmer, and causing him issues. He started walking a little slower, he started preferring a side to lay on, his legs would shake a little when he stood, and starting a couple days ago he didn’t feel like eating anymore. Not even Dairy Queen.

So today I said goodbye. His name may have been Shadow, but he was a light in my life.

I love you buddy and I’ll miss you. You were a good dog, great even.

If you’re an American, on average, you spend 40-44% of your food budget on dining out.[1] (If you spend less than that, don’t worry, I’m doing my best to pull up the curve.) Chances are a not small portion of that goes to an establishment or a few you enjoy and frequent more often than others. I’m not sure there’s a food industry agreed upon threshold for what constitutes a regular, but undoubtedly each proprietor has an eye for those that come in more often than those that rarely visit. Maybe you’re one.

I primarily prefer a plethora of permutations upon my palate, almost as much as alliterations, so I don't always eat at the same establishments as often as I could. But there are exceptions. Places where I go back again and again. Where I might be a regular. Brunch at Spoon and Stable, Sunday dinners at Mucci’s, early pre-roller derby dinners at Saint Dinette during dark and cold months of the year. Earlier this year my list was longer.

First it was Piccolo.[2] I wasn’t always found in the main dining room, but quarterly you’d probably find me in the back room around a table with other would be oenophiles enjoying thematic wines paired with amazing bites by Doug Flicker and his crew. It actually took me a while to realize they served an amazing menu in its own right, and then I couldn’t get enough of it. That was a sad day in March when it closed.

Then it was Birdie.[3] I loved Birdie. Landon, Jess, T, and Brit; then Jess, T, Brit and Jeff. An amazing group of chefs that put together an equally superlative worthy menu week after week. Some of the most visually appealing dishes enhanced by edible flowers and forage from one of the chef’s gardens. I was there for the beginning and end of this delicious experiment and many great points in between. Also had some of the most beautiful plates by Keith Kreeger. May was made melancholy with this missing.

Strip Club Meat and Fish followed suit. [4] I was personally late to this St. Paul marvel from some of the talent behind Saint Dinette, Bar Brigade, Mucci’s, and Red River Kitchen. It was the kind of place you took friends from out of town, loved ones for celebrations, and yourself when you wanted the kind ear of talented barkeeps that really could divine what you’re in the mood for based upon your answers to a few simple questions. The hugs and camaraderie from owners and chefs were more delectable than their thoroughly enjoyable. Tim and JD are two of the best. This closing robbed some of the joy from July.

Most recently, the Brewer’s Table at Surly plated its last tamale paired with Fiery Hell.[5] I must confess I never ate at Solera while Jorge was there, I seldom find myself dining near what is now wearing the moniker WeDo for “West Downtown.” I don’t attend as much theatre as I’d like, don’t go to many concerts, nor any of the professional sports at Target Center. However, when I found out about the finer dining restaurant at the soon to open destination brewery from Surly, I wanted to go. Admittedly, it was more for the beer and the reputation preceding Linda Haug as a restaurateur. Initially Jorge’s involvement was incidental. Then I dined at Brewer’s Table for the preview after winning a silent auction for a table. I still remember the dish that captured me - octopus with white bean puree. I’ve been a diehard fan of Jorge ever since. I was nigh equally enamored with the rest of the cooking crew and the staff. I went back numerous times during its too brief lifetime. This august establishment left too early in early August.

Each of these establishments spawned talent and creative DNA that I will follow and seek out. To the aforementioned establishments, to Esker Grove, to Grand Cafe, to Tenant, to Peeps Hotbox, to Denver, to kitchens and pop-ups in distilleries, to Chicago, wherever.

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2016/10/17/millennials-spend-44-percent-of-food-dollars-on-eating-out-says-food-institute/#1ad363b3ff68

[2] http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-tiniest-four-star-restaurant-piccolo-is-closing/405511936/

[3] http://www.citypages.com/restaurants/birdie-will-close-next-month/420722323

[4] http://www.twincities.com/2017/02/01/after-a-decade-popular-east-side-steakhouse-strip-club-to-say-goodbye/

Once again, I found myself in Mission. Home of my favorite lengua burrito (La Taqueria), tacos al pastor (El Farolito), and Chinese restaurant (Mission Chinese Food). Conveniently also home to Tartine and the second Craftsmen & Wolves outpost. Besides meeting a few friends throughout the day, I was free. 

I like seeing different outposts of the same entity. Do they go for the same aesthetic? Do they try to fit the neighborhood? I generally prefer the latter, especially if the fare is the same. It was nice to see CAW had different looks for their two outposts. From the signage out front, to the muted colors within. But honestly, it’s the case that draws your eye, regardless which location you attend.

Another Rebel Within. I couldn’t resist.

Kouign Amann with Valrhona Chocolate Ganache: Probably one of my favorite laminations. The extra contortions add more textural differences. The addition of one of the best baking chocolates in the world didn’t hurt.

Brown Butter Financier with Pineapple and Sesame: Great, this also inspired me to make something that I hadn’t seen done before, but using flavors geared towards the palate of a friend.

Mini Cube Cake of Dark Chocolate, Passion Fruit, and Caramel: Like its sibling Stone, this had a surprise on the inside. So good.

Cappuccino: Needed some caffeine. As excellent as the baked goods are, the coffee at Tartine always wows me, so I make sure to order it.

Quiche: Needed some protein. I’m a huge fan of the filling; light and flavorful. The crust is a tad sweet, but the bitterness from the coffee helps cut it. It’s still some of the best I’ve had.

Pain au Jambon - Applewood smoked ham & Gruyere cheese: Needed some layers. These are one of my favorite things to make and eat. The chew, the flake, the way the moisture keeps the innermost layer, the density of the cheese as a foil to the light, crisp laminations. So good.

I think I’ve touched briefly upon the fact that during the day I’m a software engineer, though that’s not really germane to the story, the location of my employer is, or was. Up until recently we worked in the Minneapolis Grain Exchange’s North Building, a barren lunch option desert. That should improve once the new Wells Fargo buildings are fully operational, but now that we’ve moved to a different building a little further west, it doesn’t help us. Whereas the skyways and tunnels yielded few options unless you were willing to circumnavigate the city, if you were of the heartier sort, the streets offered some much closer purchase. When I would take to the streets, my feet would more often than not carry me past The Crooked Pint, away from Caribou Coffee, around Subway, and across the street from Sawatdee Thai until I found myself in front of Zen Box Izakaya, checking my phone, hoping it was 11:30 and that there was a bowl of Kimchi Ramen waiting to be ordered.

On a day far busier than usual, the host sat two people at the normally empty, well empty besides me, low bar. After hearing a brief snippet of conversation, and the tingle of tonal familiarity, I turned to see two of my favorite chefs, Jamie Malone and Erick Anderson. Conversation focused on food, San Francisco came up, and Coi* was recommended. *Pronounced “kwa,” not like the fish. 

Chefs’ suggestions are typically spot on.

After a morning at Craftsman and Wolves and walking the parks, I figured out public transportation (more to experience the city than to save Uber fees, but that is a side benefit) and made my way to Coi.

Pommes Soufflees with Salt Cod, Bergamot, and Coffee: Amuse with good flavors and welcome texture.

Geoduck Clam with Bibb Lettuce, Lardo, and Buckwheat Crepe: Clean, fresh, a little bit of earthy from the buckwheat. Beautiful and tasty.

Galinette (Tub Gurnard) with Etrog and Osetra Caviar: Beautiful, flavorful, and comprising a variety of textures.

Ocean Trout with Citrus Confit, Chartreuse, and Fines Herbs: Beautiful. Crispy. Bright. Tasty.

Bread and Butter: Great flavor on the bread, inventive plating of the butter.

(sorry for the lines on the pictures below, I blew out the CCD earlier in the day when taking a picture of the Sun’s reflection in a window, it’s evident in low light images to this day) 

Fish Ribbons of Lobster Roe in a Lobster Broth: Reminded me of artificial crab in the best nostalgic way ever. 

Maine Lobster with Tortellini, Black and Royal Trumpets, and Sauce Maltaise: Good but maybe my least favorite dish of the night, the lobster was a touch too done for my textural sensibilities and the rolled mushrooms were difficult to cut, and a tad toothsome.

Turbot with Winter Vegetables and Buerre Cancalaise: Beautiful, flaky, tasty.

Abalone with Bone Marrow Custard and Black Truffles: A great combination of flavors and textures.

Grapefruit with Pastis Meringue and Black Pepper: So light and refreshing, the meringue enshrouded a scoop of grapefruit ice cream. Very good intermezzo.

Coconut Cannoli with Rhubarb and Hibiscus: A very, very good dessert. Great textures and flavors, loved the treatment on the thin rhubarb.

Almond Cake with Caramel, Candied Preserved Lemon, and Amaretto: Solid. Visually appealing, lots of textures, good flavor.

Mignardises (Petit Fors) including Coconut Macaroon, Beet-Blood Orange Pate de Fruits, Matcha White Chocolate, and a Yuzu Financier: Excellent presentation. Excellent after dessert dessert.

Sometimes discoveries happen through the combined lenses of hobby and technology. I was baking, a lot, getting pretty good at it, at least according to some that got to enjoy the goods. My friends in San Francisco would see my posts on Facebook or Instagram and comment how they wish they were local. We’d laugh about it a bit, I’d try sending some cookies out that I thought would keep and weather the shipping process, fun. Then they mentioned me in a comment on an Instagram picture from a bakery that was getting really popular in the Bay Area. So I followed the bakery, figuring that I liked pictures of various baked goods, and I could always use inspiration.

Now, I’d been to Tartine. I really like Tartine, I’ve got their cookbooks, I enjoy making their bread. Whenever I’m near Mission in San Francisco, I always make sure to stop. While Tartine is a great, it’s a bread bakery. Don’t get me wrong I love bread, but sometimes, I crave something, well, not bread.

In Minneapolis, the closest analog to the situation I’m describing is probably Rustica vs. Patisserie 46. Rustica is a boulangerie, like Tartine, great breads, some baked goods like cookies (that Bittersweet Chocolate), quiche, etc. Patisserie 46 is, well, a patisserie, which is bread too, but it’s also pastries, primarily pastries, great pastries.

Craftsman and Wolves is the Patisserie 46 to Tartine’s Rustica.

The Rebel Within - imagine a biscuit that has sausage and cheese inside of it, add a little sour cream or creme fraiche, add a little scallion, got it? Now put a soft cooked egg inside of it. This put CAW on my San Francisco must list. 

I was on vacation, and this was more bread-y than the patisserie experience I was seeking, so I continued sampling.

Stone: Coffee, Yuzu, and Coconut Gianduja - A great combination of flavors and textures. Amazing.

Pistachio, Bariani Honey, and Kumquat Marmalade Eclair - with a touch of Maldon-ish sea salt to really focus the sweetness? So good.

Do you have a favorite dish? I mean one or two that if you see them on a menu, you know you’re getting it? Every have that come back to bite you? Me too. I really like biscuits and gravy. Unless the sausage is sage based, then it’s for the birds. I found this out the hard way when we started an annual tradition of stopping in Windsor for breakfast before heading south on Sunday. Every year I ask if they’ve changed their recipe, they indicate they haven’t, so I generally order something else.

We left on Saturday this year, owing to the fact there was going to be a little football game down on the Peninsula the next day and driving around in that seemed like a terrible idea. We’d normally stop at Lagunitas and enjoy a solid lunch, but arriving in Petaluma so soon after breakfast didn’t bode well for beer and brisket consumption. We decided to mosey down to Marin Brewing Company instead. Above average beers, but nothing too spectacular. But there was one really interesting one.

Funky Sea Monkey - A collaborative gose brewed with squid ink. Very interesting and quite enjoyable. Made me  glad we opted for MBC instead of Lagunitas. How often do you get to say you drank a beer made with squid ink?

Have I ever told you how much I loath ciabatta break as a hamburger bun? The Mt. Tam Burger with Bacon, Avocado, Sautéed Onions, and Jack Cheese was great, except for the bun. 

My AirBnB for the night was in Daly City, right across from the famous Cow Palace. Little did I know, until I’d already checked in for the night, that one of my favorite chefs from Minneapolis - Thomas Boemer of Corner Table and Revival, was at the Cow Palace doing stuff for the pre-Super Bowl Taste of the NFL. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to be seeking out his spots during Super Bowl week 2018.

(A little mischievous with indestructible thoughts running through my mind after a couple Pliny the Younger.)

As alluded to before, I don’t really come for Pliny the Younger, sure I drink it to admire and respect the technical merit but, I come for the sours. As famous as Vinnie is for creating the Double IPA style, his genius shines through with the sours. I remember my first experience at RRBC, before I started coming out for PTY, there was a little disclaimer on the beer menu that said they wouldn’t serve a patron more than 3 sour beers. I was happy that they miscounted that day and I enjoyed a fair number more than that. But now I respect that little writ.

The wait actually begins hours before the sun comes up. Sometimes in the rain, like the previous 2 years. While not quite the endurance feat waiting for Surly’s Darkness has become, it’s still a long time to wait for a beer. But then you start talking to people. 

People come from all over to experience Pliny the Younger. A journey from Minnesota isn’t quite as impressive when you’re talking to someone that flew in from Florida, but there is a mutual respect.

Once the Sun came up, with a striking similarity to the way it’s done at Surly, we were all IDed and then stamped, instead of banded. Fitting it was a hops.

Someone in our group invariably gets interviewed. The past 2 years I was the lucky one, this year it wasn’t me.

We were much closer to the front this year than we were last year. Last year we missed the cut off by maybe 8 people, this time we were in with at least 20 people to spare. This is Steven, he’s the husband of the matron of honor to the bride of the groom I was best man for. Great father, husband, friend. 

Your wristband has 3 tabs on it, each one represents a pour of Pliny the Younger. That’s all you get. But there’s plenty of other amazing beer in the establishment to order. The famous Pliny the Elder IIPA, Blind Pig IPA, some experimental malt and hop stuff, and all the amazing sours.

These are Drew Bites. They are amazing. Even better with ranch. Pizza dough, mozz, garlic, pepperoni, and pepperoncini. Every brewery should have a pizza oven just so they can make an iteration of these. Pliny bites, with white cheddar and jalapeño are also great.

Piaci with marinara, mozzarella, gorgonzola, and pine nuts - sounds weird, tastes great and adds a non traditional texture to the pizza.

Pazzo with ranch sauce, mozzarella, BBQ chicken, caramelized onions, and (more) pepperoncinis - ranch sauce had me worried but this worked really well.

I try to take a picture with Vinnie every time I’m out for Pliny the Younger, I respect his vision and think he puts out a great product. We talked about his “expansion” plans. 

(I want that pig & the next several posts aren’t Minnesota based)

Back in 2010 I was in a wedding in the Bay Area. Best Man. Besides the cementing of the primary relationship we were all there to celebrate, I was lucky to have the seeds planted for a few relationships of my own. Some sadly withered due to poor gardening skills on my part or incompatible conditions, some continue to flourish, happily renewed once or twice per year. Instead of replenishing rains it’s beer, primarily Surly with the occasional Bells’s Two-Hearted since neither company distributes to the Bay Area. Furious and Abrasive have become fast favorites.

The beers from Minnesota and Michigan aren’t the only libations enjoyed though. I venture out the first Friday in February to head up to Sonoma County for the release of Russian River’s Pliny the Younger a “Triple” IPA that is only available on tap, and only for two weeks. It’s not my favorite beer, but I enjoy the camaraderie of waiting in a long line talking about all the great beer experiences the other queuers have also had.

On Thursday I fly into SFO around 9 AM and then take the Airporter up to Sonoma County Airport, checking into the hotel in Windsor around noon. That usually gives me the better part of a day to kill. My friend Eric, groom in the aforementioned wedding, has taken to riding up and hanging out Thursday. So we usually catch up, eating and drinking far too much for someone that’s going to get up at 4am to go stand in line for beer. What else is vacation for?

While walking around downtown Healdsburg before heading to Bear Republic for beers we decided to hit up KINsmoke. We were both fans of KIN when we happened upon it in Windsor on this trip last year, so we figured we’d check out its barbecue focused sibling.

Brisket Sandwich, KINsmoke Mac n’ Cheese, Bourbon Baked Beans - Occasionally a place in the Bay Area will surprise you and have a really good brisket sandwich, this wasn’t one of those times; it was okay, but pales when compared to the sandwich you can get down the road in Petaluma at Lagunitas. The Macaroni was standard, I think Revival has ruined me for other Mac n’ Cheese. Beans were the best part, but could have used a bit more seasoning.

Homemade Sausage; Hot Link and Texas Link - if you ever go, go for these. The Hot link has a great grind and awesome flavor, not too hot; the Texas Link has an amazingly snappy skin and it’s very tasty.

After a couple hours and lots of beers down the road at Bear Republic, yay for four lettered taxi alternatives, we headed up to the original in Windsor.

Chicken Taquitos with red pepper aioli, guacamole, and pico - standard. Good textures, nice flavor.

Whenever an established local chef announces they’re going to open up a new restaurant a susurration begins among diners in town. What will it be? Will it be anything like their current restaurant(s)? Where will they find staff? Will it live up to the hype? 

Sometimes it’s a surprise birth announcement, when things are already moving along behind the scenes, and it just opens. Others take longer to gestate, waiting until the time is right, or suffering the pitfalls of going into a space with really old, brittle bones. There’s common knowledge in town that most restaurant dates are terribly optimistic, being from another industry where that’s common, I fully understand.

Aware of the respect that a lot of chefs in town have for Chef Steven Brown, I figured there had to be more to it than the little hors d’oeuvres I’d sampled at a few charitable functions. I’d still not been to Tilia, so this was my first chance to try and figure it out for myself.

*Disclaimer: The menu has changed with the seasons, this is just a recollection.

Croquette de Brandade with Sauce Gribiche - An imaginative, and tasty, usage of brandade. The combination of fish and potato fried, then served with the mayo-like gribiche made me think of the better fish and chips I’ve had. The sour note of the caper berry did an excellent stand-in for the vinegar note.

Tete de Cochon; Crispy Pig's Head, Fig Moutarde, and Pickled Cabbage - If there’s pig head on the menu, I’m probably going to order it. This one had a bit more chew than I prefer, but the flavors were all on point. The fruit mustard complemented the pickled cabbage very well. I’ll probably give this another try next winter.

Navarin d'Agneau; Lamb Roulade, Lamb Jus, Turnips, Carrots, and Charred Pearl Onions - I’m a sucker for a good lamb dish, and this was a good one, nice ratio of meat to veg. Interior of the roulade was a good mince, exterior was belly I believe. Nice combination of textures and flavors.

Brown Sugar Date Cake with Cheesecake Ice Cream, Curry-Spiced Caramel, Pepita Brittle, and Candied Carrots - Moist, dense, good textures and flavors. Very enjoyable.

Vietnamese Coffee Panna Cotta with Sweetened Condensed Milk Ice Cream, Pretzel Crunch, and Cacao/Coffee Brittle - Solid. Very evocative of its namesake. If you see this on the menu, order it.

While I might not believe businesses should count as people, for numerous reasons, I will digress that they are some form of life. They’re conceived as an idea, they’re born with an opening, they have their troubles, they have their successes, they live, and they die.

Restaurants happen to be the species of this business life I most like to observe. See their concepts, what hours they’re going to have, see if they expand to brunch, listen to the buzz. Does their engine hum with acceleration or is there a rattle that portends some future bell ringing a knell?

Upton 43 had recently opened, and as the pattern goes, after they grew into their basics of nightly service, they hit a growth spurt and decided to do brunch. A few friends and I decided to go.

Crispy Oysters, Apple, Crème Fraîche, and  Licorice Smørrebrød - (my attempt at an artsy shot) This was really good. Well seasoned, nice combination of textures.

Walnut, Onion, Gouda, and Truffle Omelette - (my attempt at hiding that I started eating before taking a picture) I liked the flavors that were present, nuts added a not often present texture in an omelette, reminiscent of roasted cauliflower. I could have gone with some/more pepper.

Lingonberry and Pear Coffee Cake - Good flavors, but the texture was nigh uncuttable. Made it tough to enjoy/share.

House made Caramel - A couple of local restaurants have got on this trend and, as a caramel fan, I couldn’t be happier. If it’s a duck fat caramel, all the better.

It’s been... a while. Subsequent dinners, work events, vacations, side projects, an annual malaise, friends’ issues, more recently a car accident and car shopping. Mostly just terrible excuses. Being a first rate procrastinator, if I don’t do something almost immediately after deciding to do it, it sometimes often falls to the back of my memory. Still there, still nagging, but not in my line of sight, waiting to be pushed out entirely or rationalized away because it’s not that important. But. 

I’ve entered support mode on one side project, so I’m down to some that I just plug away on. I don’t have any vacations planned for a couple months. Work events are done for a while. The sun and passage of time are resolving the malaise. I got the car issue resolved. Most importantly a friends seem like they’re going to be okay. It did make me question some stuff though.

This might be unique to me, but if my mind is in a state to write code, it’s not always the best for writing, well, not code. (This could be another terrible excuse, I’m not sure I’ve given it a great volume of effort when trying to do both.)

So I’m going to keep coding. I’m going to keep writing.

Shared enthusiasm is by far my favorite foundation for friendship (while normally intended that alliteration was unintentional). Food, Facebook, Instagram, mutual friends, and frequently dining at their establishment is how I’ve become friends with a few really great people in the local food industry. 

I’m always keen to dine out with someone, pick their brain about their world, enjoy their company, get recommendations for new food and media to consume. That’s how I ended up enjoying dinner at the new location of a previously suburban only sushi restaurant that is now inhabiting the space of a former sushi restaurant with an awesome member of Zen Box Izakaya’s crew.

Addie and I agreed upon a date when we’d grab go checkout the new Red Lantern spot after rave reviews from some of our mutual friends.

Rolls are fun, but sashimi, nigiri, and chirashi are where it’s at. I’m always glad when somebody else comes with when I have sushi, if I dine solo I always need to do chirashi or an udon soup, otherwise I don’t know when to stop. I want to do omakase at Sushi Fix but I think that might be a dangerous proposition. Who knows. 

Seaweed Salad - standard and solid.

Nigiri of Saké, Toro, Hamachi, and Uni covered in shiso leaf - I’m not usually a fan of salmon, but this saké may have swayed me, lightly torched, it was amazing. The toro and hamachi were great. The uni?

Uni - probably one of the best pieces of uni I’ve ever had. So good.

House made Tamago - really good. I like the texture and appearance of this iteration. We shared the last two pieces, I can see why it gets ordered and enjoyed.

Oyako roll - okay, okay, so maybe sometimes you go for a roll, especially if it has salmon skin, meat, and eggs. If the torched salmon belly didn’t win me over, this definitely did a fair amount of heavy lifting.

Butter Unagi - They do something nifty here. Immediately after torching the flesh, they put a piece of butter on the eel and finish wrapping it. A different experience than the standard, and very, very enjoyable. I still dream about this.

Shishitos and “hot dogs” - So glad we got this. The occasional heat from the shishitos paired great with the subtle sweetness of the hot dogs. And the snappiness of the skin was a great contrast to a lot of the textures we’d enjoyed that evening.

Drunken Pork Ramen of Pork, Egg, Menma, and Tequila - the flavors were good but this wasn’t my style of ramen - and this is all personal preference. I like a thinner pork slice, and ground is growing on me. I like the eggs softer so I can use the egg as a pseudo sauce. I was a fan of the quantity of menma (fermented shoots). 

(This one’s out of order, I wanted to get Mucci’s pop-up pushed before I went to the soft opening as I’d mentioned.)

Before writing this, I thought a lot of people would say with pride that certain aspects of a place are “Only in <place>.” However, if you do a hashtag search on Instagram for “#onlyin<stateAbbreviation>,” you end up seeing that the most frequent usage is Minnesota. If you include other places, Minnesota still appears to be in first place with over 200k usages, Vegas is second with about 149k, the Philippines in third with about 145k. 

I was curious because I can’t think of another place where a group of friends would gather to stand around outside in subzero (Fahrenheit) temperatures to get ice cream from a shop that decided to open during the depths of winter. Only in Minnesota. 

It helped that the shop is the brainchild of former Iron Chef competing, cook book authoring, food truck and finer dining restaurant owning master of spice and flavor Sameh Wadi. Him and his brother Saed operate my favorite food truck and its companion brick and mortar, along with Saffron, a restaurant that leaves me wondering if I dreamt each meal, or actually experienced it. I knew when I heard there was an ice cream shop coming it’d be something to check out.

I’d gone a few days earlier (when it was subzero) and tried a couple flavors and a Jam Bun, a scoop of ice cream on a sliced Glam Doll Donut, usually with a sauce and a topping. This time we were a crew of six and we wanted to be the first to order the “All of Them” menu item. Just as it says, it’s all of the flavors, but that’s not all it is. It’s also crushed cones, sauces, baked goods, and toppings. 

It brings me back to my childhood when there were a lot more standalone Bridgeman’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlors. I remember that they offered a sundae named the Lollapalooza. Rumor has it there was some sort of challenge attached it to it, eat it all, and you’d win something. I only attempted it once when I was a teenager. I was a Boy Scout and it was the night I was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, my parents took me and my siblings there as an impromptu celebration, that was the only time I tried, and I failed. That failure’s memory wasn’t with me when a group of us decided to make sure that we’d be the first to order, and attempt to finish “All of them.” 

So on a January’s Sunday evening in Minneapolis, when the temperature wasn’t subzero, but was below freezing, Kat, Shawn, Andrea, Bryan, Kim, and I decided we would be the first to order ALL OF THEM. When all of us arrived and finished waiting outside, we got in line. When it was finally our turn to order, when asked what I’d like, I think it was me that said “All of Them.” (It may not have been me.) The look on the scooper’s face was priceless, she asked for confirmation. I’m sure there was probably some discussion amongst the staff, debating how long it would be until some group decided to get it. The chef indicated they hadn’t really constructed one yet, so it was still just a concept, until we made it a reality.

Here’s a link to a tweet that has a time lapse video of the construction.

Here’s my before shot. Kat’s, Shawn’s, Andrea’s, Kim’s.

Here’s 4 minutes later.

Another 6 minutes later, some spoons started slowing.

But 8 minutes later it was history. First “All of Them” ordered, constructed, and devoured. Shawn’s also took a picture of the aftermath. Less than 18 minutes from spoons in to spoons down.

I *might* attempt it myself soon.

I finished writing this, with the exception of this top blurb and linking some dear friends’ Instagram images before I went to dinner tonight (February 18th, 2016), because tonight I’m eating dinner at Mucci’s real home. I didn’t want to push it out before service because as much as I’m a customer, a consumer, I also consider a lot of chefs friends. I don’t want to stress out my friends over something I write, and I want to be honest. Any criticism I give is meant to be constructive, anything I say about how I’d prefer it is just that, how “I” would prefer it. I’m just a guy that eats a lot and writes about it for practice for another project I slowly work on.

Italian is an interesting cuisine to me and the side project I’m working on because it’s the only cuisine I know of personally that has a thematic element of texture that so thoroughly pervades it that there’s a phrase for it. “Al dente” or “to the tooth” is an Italian construct that surprisingly has an etymological history only dating back to the mid or mid-early twentieth century. Regardless if it’s 66 or 81 years old, the phrase is now ubiquitous and has been borrowed by many other languages and cuisines.

Texture is important to people that wear dentures, or those too young to have teeth. It’s also really important and one of the last hopes for eating enjoyment for those that no longer have a sense of taste. I lost my sense of taste for a while in 2012 (I got it back), but I’d been considering the ramifications of what that might do to someone whose career was focused on taste for at least a year longer than that. I’ve also met a few folks that lost their sense of taste and they confirmed they go for textures now - yay vindication. So I’m writing about that, slowly and surely, all about texture, sometimes without taste. That’s why I focus on it.

About the lasagna below, Kat said it reheated wonderfully the next day with a good texture, so I’m sure it was just a fluke, everything else has been amazing. (That’s a spoiler about tonight’s meal too.)

Amuse - Meatball & Mucci’s Sauce: Amazing texture, awesome flavors. I foresee this combo being the basis for a lot of dishes. I’ve been dreaming of a meatball sub made of these since I first experienced one.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course One (1) - Meat & Pickle platter of Mortadella, Duck Liver Pate, Cranberry Mostarda, Pickled Veg, and Deviled Eggs: Pickles were good, the mostarda was a great foil to the minerality of the liver. 

(Kat’s Pic)

Course One (2) - Frito Misto of Fried Clams, Oysters, and Calamari, accompanied with Chili Aioli and Arugula: So good, excellent rendition of the classics.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course Two - Mushroom Bisque: I don’t usually swear in these, and I won’t, but know what I mean when I say this dish is effin’ amazing. Probably tied for my favorite soup I’ve ever had.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course Three (1) - House Salad of Fresh Greens, Vinaigrette, and Locatelli cheese: Totally solid salad.

(Kat’s Pic - Andrea’s Pic)

Course Three (2) - Montanara (fried dough pizza) Norma with Potato Sauce, Salami, and Mozzarella: I love the texture of this type of pizza, the preparation of the crust nearly guarantees a uniformity that can usually only be found in places that have ovens with some sort of conveyor belt. My only caveat about this first iteration of toppings was that I personally think it could have used a touch of garlic in the potato, but it was still very enjoyable. I can’t wait to try all the toppings that Chris & Kenzie come up with.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course Four - Lasagna aka Layers of Love: I think the flavors on this were amazing, but I personally wonder about the texture, the noodles were a little more done than I like, but I’m going to give this a lot of tries regardless because I think the flavors are on point and I don’t know if maybe I’ve just been having undercooked lasagna my entire life. I could see this growing on me regardless.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course 5 (1) - Pork Cutlet with Picatta Sauce: So, so, good. In my notes I’d written “sickly good” borrowing parlance from the ever receding past.

(Kat’s Pic)

Course 5 (2) - Brussels S(p)routs a la bomba with Tonnato and Preserved Lemon: Probably in my top 3 preparations I’ve had.

(Kat’s Pic)

I am a sucker for tasting menus. This should be old news by now, but if you’re an infrequent, new, or forgetful reader, let me reiterate; I love tasting menus. I enjoyed my first experience at Scena and have been meaning to go back, so when I heard there was going to be a 10 course crudo and cocktail pairing that was curated by Erik Anderson and Nick Kosevich of Bittercube respectively, I knew it was something I was going to do.

After a couple weeks that didn’t work and a brief run in with Erik, I finally decided to make it happen. (I didn’t get all of the cocktail pictures, but I’ll try to include them when possible.

Course 1 - Salmon Roe & Sea Urchin Panna Cotta Spheres with Mint, Chilies, and Capezzana Olive Oil (Celebration Aquavit, Lemon, Cara Cara Orange, Mint, Sparkling Wine and Bittercube Jamaican #2 Bitters): salty, briny, balanced by the mint, mouthfeel that I can best describe as a light and ethereal almost tapioca pearl. The solvency of the cocktail helped balance the olive oil.

You might notice that there’s an ingredient shared between the crudo and the cocktail, that theme would be used throughout the evening.

Course 2 - Dry Aged Yellowfin Tuna with Bottarga, Jalapeño, and Barrel Aged Fish Sauce (Illegal Reposado Mezcal, Lime, Grapefruit Oleo, Bittercube Corazon Bitters, Cilantro, and Seltzer - late edition of the Fish Sauce too): After aging for 10 days the fish became funky, oily, salty, with some notes that were almost cheese like and it just melted in your mouth. It was amazing. The cocktail was great and totally changed once the shared ingredient - the barrel aged fish sauce - was added. It was like magic.

Course 3 - Wild Striped Bass with an Herbed Broth made with Juiced Herbs, Kombu, Olive Oil, and an Italian Herb that starts with “A” (Junipero Gin, Mother’s Dry Vermouth, Bittercube Orange Bitters, and some of the Herb Broth): The fish was nice and firm, with enough oil that warranted the broth to cut it. The cocktail was floral, hot, herbaceous, with just a hint of citrus.

Course 4 - John Dory with Crispy Arborio Rice, Fish Chicharron, Dried Chilies, and American Ham (Ransom Dry Vermouth, Sauterne, Saffron Syrup, and Seltzer): So. Many. Textures. Erik let us in on the secret that this dish was inspired by one of my favorite dishes, and what was coming to mind for me, the classic Spanish dish paella. The cocktail was good, the saffron really tying the entire concept together.

Course 5 - Steelhead and Roe with Brown Butter Bread Crumb, Radish, Dill, and Egg Yolk Pudding (Gamle Ode Dill Aquavit, Dolin Blanc, Bittercube Bolivar Bitters, and Dill): Another texturally diverse dish. A lot of flavors with this one that worked really well, and the dill was a great bridge between the crudo and the cocktail.

Course 6 - Red Prawns with Citrus, Black Olive, Prawn Head Oil, and Crispy Shells (Gamle Ode Dill Aquavit, Dolin Blanc, Bittercube Bolivar Bitters, and Dill with an augment of Shrimp Head Oil and Mint Oil): Really good, between the preparations I’ve had of the prawn crudo, I think this one is preferred. The addition of the prawn head oil to the cocktail was some weird form of alchemy that changed the entire experience. Quite amazing.

Course 7 - Hamachi with Cucumber, Hot Bone Marrow Fat & Picholine Olive (Bone Marrow Infused Hakushu 12yr & Auchentoshan Three Wood): This one was cool. When the hot rendered bone marrow hit the cool fish it solidified into what I can only describe as the savory equivalent to the thin glaze you find on raised doughnuts. The olive brought a great salt. The bone marrow washed whiskies were great. Even if it took years, I’m glad I finally developed a taste for brown spirits, if for no other reason than that I was able to enjoy this concoction.

Course 8 - Raw Albacore with Preserved Ventresca Tuna Tonato, Capers, & Eggs (Golden Moon Barrel Aged Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Filthy Cippolini Onion): Great flavors. It’s funny that I first had a caper berry within the past six months, but now I’ve had them as part of at least 4 dishes since then. I wonder if the ingredient is entering its vogue period?

Course 9 - Scallop with Crispy Scallop and Isot Pepper (Martini Augment of Isot Onion and Grapefruit Oil [missing the cocktail for 8 and 9 {same one}]): And my requisite “oops I started eating before snapping a picture” course. It was great, the “crispy” scallop was a cool take, the rest of the dish was great too.

Course 10 - Raw Beef with Tomato Oil, Parmesan, and Habanero (3 Organic Reposado and Sangrita): Amazing, it was a great way to cap off the evening. The texture on this raw beef briefly made me question why we’d ever tartare or even cook it, so, so good. The cocktail and service vessel were both great.

There were a few interesting moments of the evening, including a brief interlude of why you can’t call crudo “Italian sushi/sashimi.” 

After a much delayed haircut, I found myself trying to figure out where to go for dinner. I was in Northeast, near Betty Danger’s but wasn’t keen on my first time to that establishment being a solo trip. I wasn’t feeling burgers or pizza. Then I remembered there was another new dessert at S&S. That made the decision much easier. I was also keen to try the pheasant before it left the menu. So once again I found myself at the bar. (I live in the northern suburbs and I end up here a bit, especially on weekends, but I fear how often I’d be there if I lived in the North Loop. Dangerous.)

Alas, I missed the pheasant, but the new fowl is pretty damn good.

Amuse of Arancini with truffles and truffle fonduta - great.

Day Boat Scallop Crudo with green apple, shiso, chilies, and a scallion vinaigrette: One of the few dishes that’s been on the menu since day one. Still one of my favorite crudo in town. Good slice on the scallop means it has some texture, some substance, the accompaniments all lend to one another and bring out the subtle sweetness of the scallop.

Dry-Aged Duck Breast with swiss chard, beet, popped amaranth, and braunschweiger: This is the decidedly not foul fowl that replaced the pheasant I was looking forward to. I’m okay with that. Great crisp on the skin, great jus. The popped amaranth brought an extra bit of texture and really subtle malty and nutty notes that paired with the beets’ earthiness. Great.

Milk Chocolate Torte with chestnut mousse, and black walnut ice cream: Not always a chocolate fan, but I thought this was great. The ice cream was really good, lacking the occasional astringency that black walnuts can sometimes impart. The orange gel added a nice brightness that paired great with some of the rich notes of the dessert. 

(I love that the various organizations in the North Loop reach out to one another to show support. Whether it’s the bartenders from Spoon and Stable hitting up Marvel Bar, or the small Foundry Shop kitty-corner to The Bachelor Farmer sending congratulatory flowers, it’s a cool neighborhood.)

Reinvention is a cornerstone of human endeavor. If we don’t like something about ourselves or even if we just think we could be better, we’re often motivated to change. Bachelor Farmer used to run an amazing brunch, but they wanted to change. So they did. After a few months’ hiatus and some remodeling we were able to witness the birth of the Bachelor Farmer Cafe - a breakfast and lunch cafe where some of the items on their brunch menu would find new life. The pastries and smørrebrød most evidently. A bunch of us decided to check it out the first weekend they were open.

Kat’s pics can be found here, here, and here.

Andrea’s pic can be found here.

Shawn’s can be found here, here, here, and here.

Erin’s can be found here.

Chrissy’s can be found here.

Daily Special Open Faced Sandwich of Pork Pastrami, Green Cabbage, Pickled Onions and Caraway Hollandaise: Great texture, great flavor. My only complaint about the open faced sandwiches was that I wish they’d cut them into fourths like they did during brunch, it would make for far easier sharing and consumption.

Coffee Cake: Good, paired well with coffee unsurprisingly. Definitely needs to be paired with a beverage for best effect, the crumb doesn’t have enough moisture to eat this without one.

Dill-cured salmon, pickled root vegetables, mustard: Very tasty. Glad it’s on the permanent menu, I could see myself picking this up before work once the weather makes it more walkable. (Thanks for sharing Kat.)

Caramelized Vegetable Galette: Tasty, definitely looking to get this one again, the pastry shell was great. I’d like to see if they could repurpose this shell into a soup bowl, pot pie, or some other great savory concoction.

Chocolatey chocolate thing: This was definitely chocolatey and I think the primary recipient really enjoyed it. It was well executed and if you like chocolate I really recommend it.

At Spoon & Stable Saturday nights meant ramen, until they didn’t. Now Saturday nights mean tacos. I really like ramen, so I took the news they were discontinuing it pretty bad, until I learned that they were going to switch it up and do tacos. I like tacos, not as much as ramen, but close enough.

Same set up as ramen, 10:30 in the bar and lounge on a Saturday, only 20 orders.

But before tacos, a good friend has recently revived my latent fondness for bivalves, so I wanted to grab a few oysters.

Bras d’Or Oysters from Nova Scotia: Briny with a subtle sweetness, slightly firm. Totally enjoyable.

Duck Carnitas Tacos with Cotija, Pickled Veggies, & Guajillo salsa on Blue Corn Tortillas: Great. The sauce was a great component. I like that the S&S crew make their own tortillas, it’s not necessary, but it’s a nice touch. I think most of the tacos they’ve made so far have focused on duck as the protein, the ones I’ve had have been good, but I can’t wait to see them switch it up more. If you’re craving something similar, but can’t or won’t make the 10:30pm Saturday rendezvous, I recommend Strip Club Meat and Fish’s Duck Tinga tacos, they’re really good too.

It just so happened that it was also a night that had the newest dessert from master pastry chef Diane Yang on the menu, so there was no way I could pass that up.

Grapefruit Pavlova with Olive Oil Cake, and Frozen Yogurt: So good. The pavlova was filled with a grapefruit curd and everything together was just amazing. So many textures. The perfect end to the evening.