Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7
7
Places to Eat in . . . The Twin Cities
Facing off across a loopy, not-yet-mighty northern stretch of the Mississippi River, Min-
neapolis and St. Paul still carry on like rivals. St. Paulites are proud of their adherence
to traditions, while Minneapolitans take pride in edginess and verve. But this cosmo-
politan oasis at the intersection of the Great Plains and the North Country is united on
one score: the white-hot synergy of its culinary scene, with several buzz-worthy chefs
drawing inspiration from a bounty of Midwestern ingredients. The dishes they're con-
cocting stray far beyond the prime steaks, Scandinavian home cooking, and German
comfort foods that used to signify dining out around here.
The first place most serious food folk mention is
La Belle Vie
(510 Groveland
Ave., Minneapolis;
&
612/874-6440;
www.labellevie.us), out near Loring Park. The
muted elegance of the dining room—with its pale wainscoted walls, dark woods and
leathers, and white-linen table settings—gives center stage to Tim McKee's French
Mediterranean-inspired cooking. The five- or eight-course tasting menus are the best
way to sample the full range of what he can do with dishes such as roasted poussin
with caramelized pork belly, broccoli rabe, and eggplant, or grilled beef tenderloin
with chanterelle mushrooms and artichokes. (McKee's other restaurant, Solera, is
another Minneapolis favorite.) La Belle Vie first opened in 1998; the next year, Alex
Roberts opened
Restaurant Alma
(528 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis;
&
612/
379-4909;
www.restaurantalma.com), with an equally refined New American menu.
The blond woods and simple lines of this restaurant make it look more casual, but
there's nothing offhanded about Roberts' fixed-price menu, which focuses on
The elegant interior of Tim McKee's La Belle Vie in Minneapolis.
