125566 Fri Jun 09 18:20:54 -0700 2006 8 8 Midwest 0 681569 Last night my husband and I had dinner at Brenda Langton’s new restaurant, Spoonriver, which quietly opened on Wednesday. Spoonriver has a liquor license, so there’s a whole new menu of 18 drinks, many of them developed by the bartenders, and they are delicious. There is also a nice selection of small breweries represented in the beer selection, and a good choice of reasonably priced wines. We did, of course, have to sample more than one of these delectable offerings! My favorites were the Ginger Cosmo (ginger infused vodka, fresh lime juice, Cointreau, and cranberry nectar)—a mysterious and complex blend of flavors that was smooth and addictive—and the Moroccan Mojito (Bacardi rum, rose water, cardamom, fresh mint, and lime) that was ambrosia. (I almost had to order one all for myself it was so good.) There’s also the Brendatini (organic Reyka Icelandic Vodka, blueberry nectar, lime juice and Cointreau) that Howard found delightful. These drinks don’t taste much like any of the ingredients; they seem altogether like something new, with perfect blending. The style of the food, as well as the organization of the menu, will be familiar to those who are Café Brenda regulars. There are two daily soup selections. There is a set menu, and once they get the kinks out, there will be daily entree specials, both seafood and vegetarian. And for those in a hurry, there is a pick up counter featuring a variety of foods and beverages to take home. Only a few of the same items appear on the menus of both Spoonriver and Cafe Brenda: the savory wild mushroom and pistachio terrine (thank heaven Spoonriver has this as well, as it’s one of my favorites!), the Caspian dips with veggies, etc., and the Caesar salad. Otherwise, everything is brand new and enticing. The meat choices have expanded slightly. Spoonriver offers four selections with chicken, and a roasted lamb has been added. Even on the second day of business, the food and service seemed already up to par with Café Brenda. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt without being overweening. Some of the wait staff from Cafe Brenda has been transferred to Spoonriver to aid in establishing the level of service. I had the Mediterranean Salad of lentils in mint dressing, French feta cheese, with assorted additions, and Howard had the Rainbow trout with passion fruit lomi lomi crab sauce. Both were delicious. For dessert, we had the blueberry panna cotta, which Howard liked a great deal (I’m not a panna cotta fan) and I had the vegan chocolate cake, which was chewy, delicious, and not too sweet—one of the things I like about Brenda’s desserts. Desserts, I’m assuming, will change daily. The nice thing about Brenda Langton’s restaurants is that you can eat anything you want there, and you don’t have to feel guilty. The space itself was a challenge. It is eleven feet wide and 100 feet long! Can you imagine trying to make a restaurant in such a small space??? The dimensions actually make for a fairly quiet restaurant, which is a real plus as far as I’m concerned. The walls are a muted orange on one side, and all glass on the other. The restaurant has a light, airy feel to it, with nice wood tables, subdued lighting, delicate looking chairs and a champagne colored banquette running the whole length of the restaurant. There’s also a bar that keeps the bartender hopping. Tim Kane’s art work is on the walls, as it is at Café Brenda. It always deserves a closer look. Even though most of the immediate area is under construction, the people watching is already great and should be even better once the Guthrie opens and the residences fill up. And for the dreamers on the list who were looking for outdoor eating areas with no smoking–-Alice, I think–-there is a large outdoor area that will be all non-smoking. And for the dreamers who want more late night eating places, Spoonriver will be open late on the weekends and maybe other evenings as well. There's no web site yet, but the address is 750 South Second Street. Chicago is the cross street, and the door is on Chicago. Phone 612-436-2236. You can park on the street, or in one of two parking ramps just across the street. So go, enjoy yourself, and let us all know what you think. And let Brenda know what you think too. She’s always interested in feedback. Fri Jun 09 18:20:54 -0700 2006 0 Rowdy 1 681570 And I forgot to say that they'll be open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and lunch and dinner both of those days as well. Fri Jun 09 18:27:34 -0700 2006 681569 0 Rowdy 2 681728 If I read your post correctly, Spoonriver will serve dinner on Sunday evenings? I was looking for a restaurant to have dinner at on Sunday evening next month and this might be it--great post/review. Thu Jun 15 17:53:06 -0700 2006 681570 0 Carol 2 1748418 Tried their brunch today, and it was very, very good. The cofee cake, chicken/ricotta/vegetable crepe, and Farmer's Market Omelette were all great - and we went across the street to check out the new Guthrie afterwards. It looked like Cue and the 5th Floor Cafe were also serving Brunch, we'll be trying those soon... Mon Jul 17 02:49:55 -0700 2006 681570 11349 Danny 1 681573 Rowdy, thanks so much for this wonderful review! I was the one who posted about non-smoking patios, and I'm all in a flutter about the one at Spoonriver. Pesco-vegetarian, quiet, Brenda's innovative cooking - it's a win all around! This place is at the top of my try-it-soon list. Thanks, Anne Fri Jun 09 22:39:12 -0700 2006 681569 0 AnneInMpls 1 681591 your description of the drinks makes me think of an idea that maybe is not tenable, but what do people think: flights of mixed drinks, or small sample sized mixed drinks. If a restaurant is going to offer these wonderful options, wouldn't it be nice if you could sample lots of different ones without having to be hauled off to the ER as a result? Sun Jun 11 02:29:09 -0700 2006 681569 0 Alice 2 681600 Well, I must reply to your drinks fantasy. I don't like the taste of alcohol, or the effect on myself when I do drink, so I don't drink. But I have fond memories of a restaurant in Philly years ago that was in the Brenda mode of healthy and gourmet at the same time, and they had a huge bar menu of non-alcoholic drinks that were great! Many of them had freshly pressed vegetable or fruit juices, with the creativity of combinations that I see in Spoonriver's drink menu. I did go to Spoonriver the other night and suggested they consider adding a non-alcoholic mixed drink selection. I really enjoyed my croquette that evening, a curried chickpea patty with a marinated cauliflower- carrot salad next to it. Also really liked my dessert, recommended by the server, a goat cheese cheesecake. I asked if it tasted 'goaty' and she reassured me that it didn't. It turned out to be great, served in a champagne glass with fresh fruit and a bit of whipped cream. The cheesecake was very satisfying , lighter than NY type cheesecake, more like ricotta cheesecake which I love. Haven't tried any entrees yet but I will be back. Go Brenda! Sun Jun 11 15:14:02 -0700 2006 681591 0 Faith Lubitz 2 681606 Now that is an idea. It reminds me of Moscow on the Hill, on Selby Ave in St. Paul. They have a nice selection of Russian cuisine. To say that every dish is ambrosial or that their lovely back patio is smoke-free would be a flight of fancy. But they do offer flights of vodka. You can try a set of six samples in a basic, international, flavored or premier flight. The price does not include a cab ride home, so they use special glasses to hold about 2/3 to 3/4 of a shot. The glassware controls the quantity. That's a thought on perhaps why there are no flights of mixed drinks: the difficulty of controlling the ratios & quantities. For example, when making a third of martini, how does one guarantee the correct pour of vodka? gauge the vermouth? Keep the frou-frou add-ins (some of which are despicable) from becoming the whole drink? Sun Jun 11 20:42:58 -0700 2006 681591 0 KTFoley 3 681729 St. Petersburg Restaurant in Robbinsdale also offers vodka flights. Head there on a Saturday night, and it seems like every Russian in the Twin Cities is there. And there's a Russian band too. Hearing Sting's "Fields of Gold" sung with a Russian accent is an experience that will stick with me for a long time. Link: http://www.myvodkabar.com Thu Jun 15 18:02:34 -0700 2006 681606 0 Danny