#milldistrict

What is a neighborhood without your favorite restaurants and eateries?  Here at LoveThyNeighborhood we are debuting restaurant reviews this week with Spoonriver in the Mill District and The Bachelor Farmer in the North Loop.

Spoonriver

When people ask me where they should go out to eat in MSP, Spoonriver is usually one of the restaurants I mention. This restaurant is atypical in several ways.  First, the vibe of the restaurant is really intimate and fun.  The restaurant is extremely long and linear which helps create a warm, inviting, and intimate environment.  This hold true as well for eating outside, which I did the first time I visited. The wait staff is incredibly helpful, informative, patient, and downright fun. When it comes to the food there aren't many restaurants that I know of that care about the ingredients and presentation as much as Spoonriver does.  The first time I visited I had the Spoon Burger which had one of the most well-seasoned and tasty burgers I have had in a long time, not to mention it was made of lamb.

On my second visit, I had a NY Strip Steak.  For a midwestern boy like me, my expectations where high, but Spoonriver exceeded them on every level.  The roasted/pickled vegetables were yummy as well.  And the dessert - chocolate cake, a apple cranberry crumble, and pumpkin eclairs need I say more? Spoonriver is definitely a restaurant that I will return to soon and continue to recommend to others.

The Bachelor Farmer

TBF is one of the most unique restaurants I've been too in MSP.  The vibe and atmosphere of the restaurant is unparalleled and extremely fitting for this whole' Scandanavian' complex which includes not only TBF but also Askov Finlayson and Marvel Bar. Bachelor Farmer is unique in so many ways.  It is grounded in Scandinavian culture and cuisine.  From the decorations on the walls, to the table setting and overall restaurant environment, TBF makes you feel a part of Scandanavia and its unique culture. The first time I visited I went to dinner and ordered the beef brisket that came with an assortment of potatoes, vegetables and I also ordered a side of oyster mushrooms wrapped in bacon - extremely Scandinavian. The meal was incredible.  I enjoyed every bite.  The Moleskine notebook to leave a note is a brilliant idea that makes this place so unique, not to mention the dish towels used in place of traditional napkins...