FACES Mears Park

Where/Why:

With large open windows overlooking St. Paul’s historic Mears Park in the Lowertown community, FACES Mears Park is beautiful in the winter and summer.  Not only does this restaurant have a great atmosphere inside and out, but the food is exceptional.  Equipped with a wine bar, bottle shop, and bakery, there are many reasons to step inside.  This Moroccan style restaurant has enough to please any pallet. 

The Menu:

All ingredients are local, and organic, with no additives or preservatives.  Even their desserts are made completely natural with Turbinado sugar and unbleached flours.   They have a lot to choose from on the menu like burgers, steaks, pasta, pizza, and salads.  The main thing I want to mention though, are the Tagines.  This is a traditional Moroccan dish, named after the pot it’s cooked (and served in), pictured here: 

These flavorful dishes are really amazing, filled with all sorts of ingredients and everything cooked to perfection.  I tried the Yellow Chicken Tagine, pictured below:

This was so full of different flavors, it forces you to slow down and really appreciate all that went in to create it.  With raisins, Jerusalem artichokes, and spices, it’s well worth the price.  And where else can you get a traditional Tagine like this? 

Their desserts are also fantastic.  I tried their flourless chocolate torte which was so good I forgot to take a picture of it before it was devoured.   Like a rich, chocolatey, moist cake, this was a perfect finish to a delicious meal.  They have many other desserts to choose from like crème brulee, macaroons, carrot cake, and you can even get a cake lollipop flight!

The Price:

The prices are decent, especially for the quality of food.  The desserts range from $2.50-$9.  Sandwiches and starters from $10-$15.  Pizza from $14-$19, and entrees from $22-$36.  They also offer a happy hour from 3-6 everyday which I’d like to come back for.  They have $4 options like flatbread, burger duos, and sliders.  Also have $4 beer selections and house wine. 

The Service:

The service is great.  They are very professional, friendly, and informative of the menu.   While we were there the executive chef, David Fhima, came out and spent a minute at each table that was dining there.  He thanked each table for coming, gave some more information on the food, and asked how we enjoyed it.  I never announce I’m there doing a review of the restaurant so he did this on his own cognizance which I thought was really cool.  Seeing him talk about his dishes you can see he puts a lot of thought and passion into what he does, and it certainly pays off in his dishes!

Bringing a little bit of Morocco to St. Paul for us foodies to try is a great reason to come here.   The beautifully designed interior facing Mears Park makes this a great spot for a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday celebration.   With a wide variety of quality menu items, you’ve got to come back more than once!

Burch Steakhouse and Pizza Bar

Where/Why:

Located in the busy Minneapolis intersection of Colfax Ave. S. and Hennepin Ave., Burch Steakhouse is one of a kind with an award winning chef, Isaac Becker, who also owns 112 Eatery and Bar La Grassa.  Sit upstairs at the steakhouse for a fine dining experience or sit downstairs at the pizza bar for a more laid back relaxed endeavor.  I’ve sat at both and was thoroughly impressed with the very different, yet equally exquisite dining areas.   You just can’t go wrong.

The Menu:

Burch Steakhouse offers some of the best steak in the city.  Below is a picture of the huge 14oz New York Strip - sorry it's a little blurry:

Their steaks absolutely mouthwatering but that’s not all that’s amazing on their menu.  They also offer ahi tuna, salmon, oysters, and salads, and more.   Below are pictures of the Ahi Tuna and Salmon dishes.  I was lucky enough to come here for a family dinner so we all got to try a little bit of everything and not one thing was less than perfect.

 

I have to take a minute to talk about the pizza bar downstairs as well, where you can belly up to the bar and watch the pizzas being made fresh and put into the wood fire.   The pizzas are made with fresh ingredients right before your eyes and you can opt to add extra toppings including capers, lobster claw, and prosciutto.   Pizza sizes are individual sized pizzas, and trust me, they are so good you really can sit there and eat it all yourself (I did, in fact, do that with the Margherita pizza).  I suggest going with a friend and splitting two different pizzas so you can really get a feel for what they have to offer.

The Price:

Prices here are very reasonable for a steakhouse.  Steaks and prime beef range from $15-$50 depending on the size and cut.  Entrees range from $24-$32, salads $8-$16, and their pizzas $9-$19.  For the top of the line food and service you get here, these prices are a more than fair. 

The Service:

Service here is exceptional.  They are extremely professional and knowledgeable and absolutely aim to please.   The fantastic service definitely adds to the fine dining experience, making sure your outing is a special one.   Of course, they do get very busy, but they do accept reservations which you can make on their website for the steakhouse, or call for the pizza bar downstairs. 

If you live in Minneapolis, or even if you’re just visiting, I definitely suggest you make a point to stop here.  Ideal for a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary or just because.  Don’t forget about that pizza bar downstairs either, it’s a hidden gem!   

Smack Shack

Where/Why: 

The Smack Shack started off as a food truck in 2010 and grew quickly.   After much success, notably with their lobster roll, they started a partnership with The 1029 Bar, and ended up gaining notoriety when they appeared on an episode of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ airing in 2012.  They are now a large full blown, restaurant with a complete menu, located in the North Loop of Mpls, on Washington Ave.   In the summer they have a big wall that opens up to the outside, giving the restaurant a nice open, coastal feel, topped with a laid back atmosphere and excellent food - need I say more?

The Menu:

Seafood, seafood, seafood!  From clam chowder, to lobster boils, to oysters, to crab cakes, they have anything seafood you’re looking for.  Two items you just have to try is the Lobster Roll and their Lobster Mac and Cheese.  Lobster Roll pictured below:

With big chunks of lobster you just can’t go wrong.  Both are very rich so I recommend getting the Mac and Cheese on the side and sharing it. 

The Price:

The price is good, what you’d expect for lobster and seafood.  The Lobster Rolls are about $17 and their other sandwiches range from $10 - $19.  The Lobster Boil and King Crab is served on a per pound basis which ranges from $30 - $44 a pound.  Starters range from $8 -$17.  They have a good price range, you don’t have to spend a ton of money if you don’t want to.  They also have a happy hours with deals on beverages and snacks Monday – Friday 3pm-6pm and Sunday-Thursday 9pm-close. (This probably changes so I’d check their website to be sure)

The Service:                                            

Good service.  They do get very busy at times but they do accept reservations, so call ahead to assure a table.  Friendly, happy, fun. 

This is a must try if you’re a seafood lover, even if you’re not an all-out seafood lover, you just might become one if you come here.  Also, it’s always great to support a business that has started from the ground up like this one has.  And the fact that it started as a food truck and did so well speaks for itself!  Way to go Smack Shack!

Betty Danger's Country Club

Where/Why:

Betty Danger's Country Club is the ultimate adult playground, complete with a ferris wheel (or as they call it ‘mechanical tree’), mini golf, food, beverages, and plenty of decorations to feast your eyes on.   From their gigantic outside seating area, to inside, to the bathrooms, (even their website!), it's all decorated to a tee.  Don’t let the ‘Country Club’ fool you in the name; they cleverly name this 'a Country Club for the 99%', so this place is far from snooty, but with classical music and fantastic décor.  Located right on the river in NE Minneapolis, this old-fashioned country club - meets adult carnival is not something you’re going to want to miss!  

The Menu: 

They have a brunching, lunch, and evening menu.  Each menu has a nice variety of options, and I like that there are plenty of healthy options to choose from, it’s not your regular bar-food only menu, I mean, it is technically a Country Club, but if it’s bar food  you’re looking for you can find that too.   Some of their menus are even displayed in an old fashioned etiquette book, so you can learn how to act like a lady or gentleman while you wait for your food.   If you decide you’d like to splurge they even offer a Rolls Royce for $284k on the menu…I’m curious if someone ever actually ordered this what they’d do…    Anyways, you can get anything from breakfast, tacos, patty melts, sandwiches, delicious salads, lasagna, even enchiladas.   I have to recommend the ‘Rachel “Bunny” Lowe Lambert Lloyd Mellon’s Guacamole Recipe’.  It’s a large platter served with chips, guac, salsa, and fresh veggies.  I love that they automatically serve this with salsa and veggies, you have to order veggies and salsa separate at a lot of restaurants so I love that they just cut to the chase and include it all in one order.   I also tried the Sag Harbor Shrimp Salad, which was delicious!  It’s tossed in a citrus vinaigrette so it’s light but it filling and the tequila pickled jalapeno gives it a nice kick.  I was too full to try their desserts but they have some great options, pecan pie, lemon bars, coffee cake, bon bons, and more.  Whatever you’re craving, you can’t go wrong here!

The Price:

Prices are reasonable, definitely not country club prices but it’s about what you’d spend at most decent restaurants in NE or uptown.  You can get an entree from $10 - $15, but this ranges depending on if you’re there for lunch, brunch, or dinner.  The ferris wheel is sold as a package deal, so you can’t just buy one ride, you’ll have to order a drink with the ticket, or food as well.  So if you’re buying for two, it’ll cost you about $30, more if you order the food package.  I think it’s well worth it, with great views of the river and skyline, you can relax, taking in the views while enjoying food/drink and good company.

The Service:

The service was great here both times I was there and both times it was pretty busy.  They keep a large amount of staff on hand so that certainly helps.  They are very friendly and professional but keep it very loose and are ready to joke with you if you’re in the mood for some laughs. 

I just love this place, I think it’s my new favorite happy hour spot for the summer.  The ferris wheel actually runs during the winter too, they offer warm blankets and hot beverages to keep you toasty so it’s not only fun in the warm months.  I think this place is perfect for a first date because there are so many things to talk about just looking around at the decorations, or opening an etiquette book – you shouldn’t run out of anything to talk about!  But really, it’s perfect for anyone and any occasion.  Except maybe the 1%...  :)

Check out some pictures from the ferris wheel below: