August 10, 2007
28 and counting…
Well, not 28 yet. But I will be on Tuesday!
My parents took Rich and me out for dinner last night at the restaurant of my choice and this year that was Heartland Restaurant in St. Paul. I’d been hearing about it all over the place and it certainly has a reputation for serving great local food.
We started with an amuse bouche of house cured gravlax that I want to think was something other than salmon. Trout maybe? Buttery and great. Our first starter was the house-cured duck breast prosciutto with blueberry cumberland sauce. The sweet sauce really complemented the very salty prosciutto and I could tell my dad was impressed that it was done in house. Then mom and dad had (and shared) the baby summer field lettuces with brown sugar roasted purple plums, buttermilk blue cheese, and caramelized candy onion vinaigrette. The whole salad was awesome but those caramelized onions…as the name suggests I could have eaten them like candy!
For dinner Dad had the rainbow trout with yellow wax beans, cherry tomato crayfish relish, and crayfish consommé. I thought he would go for the elk but apparently the wax beans swayed him. His only complaint was that there wasn’t more fish, he said it was cooked perfectly. Rich had the rabbit with grilled baby squash, roasted shallots, and arugula black walnut pesto and really enjoyed it. I did try a bit and while the rabbit was good, the black pesto didn’t quite do it for me.
Mom and I both had the pan roasted chicken breast with baby leek golden potato puree, purple cauliflower, and preserved tomato glace de viande. Apparent actual free range chicken was an eye opening experience for my parents as they both declared it the best and juiciest chicken they had ever tasted. And it was really good. The potato puree was amazing but then I’m a sucker for potato puree.
Afterwards, Rich and Mom both ordered coffee and mom got to learn the joy of individual French presses. Thankfully Rich works for Starbucks and knew what he was doing. I think she’s planning on getting one for home now. It might be a good replacement for her evening coffee, which is currently reheated morning coffee.
For dessert Rich and I shared the sweet corn pot de crème with brown sugar maple syrup pecans, baby crabapple compote, wildflower honey whipped cream, and a honey-oat Florentine cookie. It was a unique flavor that worked really well, like creamed corn but sweeter. I was glad that I finally have the palate to try something so “unusual.” Mom and Dad had the rum raisin chocolate cake with cinnamon caramel crème anglaise, crystallized ginger, and chocolate sauce. Holy moly was that rich and fabulous! Even with four of us we couldn’t finish it.
I almost forgot the wine. We shared a bottle of the Wine Haven Syrah Chisago City Minnesota 2003. She did admit that I think it was 40% of the grapes came from California but since my folks only vaguely knew Minnesota has wine, it was fun to try…and really quite good. At $30 in the restaurant I’m guessing it could be found locally and become a favorite. Our server also overheard that I was celebrating a birthday and instead of a candle or singing waiters, we were present with four glasses of a fabulous sweeter dessert wine. Sadly I didn’t catch the name but looking at the menu I think it may have been the Alexis Bailly Vineyard “Ice Wine” from Hastings, MN. We all heard “asti” and there isn’t one on the menu. When she mentioned the ice wine earlier in the evening, our eyes lit up, so I think that may have been it. It was superb.
The restaurant was beautiful, the service was great, and the food delicious. I was pleased at the slow pace of dinner, each starter coming separately to allow us to share and enjoy. Most of all I was thrilled to support such a great restaurant doing great things with beliefs and values I am learning to share.
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