From the first morning light at St. Paul's Kalsada, where latte art and vibrantly colored ube pancakes reign, to late nights on the North Loop patio at Guacaya Bistreaux, where Panama and New Orleans blend into hearty and aromatic dishes, or even post-dinner drinks and late-night nibbles at Little Tijuana, a new restaurant is vying for your attention.
This summer has seen a burst of midyear openings in the metro area — here's a first look at five of them. Note: First looks aren't meant to be restaurant reviews, but more of a pulse check to give readers the information they need to choose where to spend their dining dollars.
Kalsada
Like any national dish, adobo chicken is an intensely personal recipe. The alluring flavors of soy sauce and vinegar are constants, but how it all comes together varies with each chef. Inside Kalsada, the new all-day restaurant from owners Leah Raymundo and John Occhiato, the dish is truffled and braised, served as a sandwich midday or an entree in the evening. Just like their unconventional twist on the national dish, Raymundo and Occhiato aren't following the rules for what a Filipino restaurant should look like or serve. There are French pastries in the morning, along with stunning latte art and purple yam ube pancakes. In the evening, craft cocktails and artful dishes have Instagrammers clambering for the perfect angle. Ultimately, this is a unique neighborhood restaurant on the cusp of a national trend of phenomenal Filipino eateries.
Location: 1668 Selby Av., St. Paul, 651-340-0496, kalsada-stpaul.com
The food: A true all-day cafe, Kalsada wakes up the neighborhood with creative coffee drinks alongside fresh pastries. The breakfast menu is a mix of American and Filipino dishes with vibrant ube pancakes and golden, brothy rice porridge parading out of the kitchen alongside eggs and bacon.
Lunch brings sandwiches (with skinny fries) like the adobo chicken ($16), a longganisa burger made with mild pork sausage ($13), crispy finger-sized lumpia filled with plump raisins ($10) and the ukoy, a crispy ball of fried vegetables and shrimp ($12) that's dunked in soy vinegar sauce or patis mayo — or both.
At dinner, date-worthy entrees include the adobo chicken, which arrives with rice doused in the cooking juices, sautéed greens and a hard-boiled egg. There are also gorgeous cocktails made for tropical nights, mixing strong spirits with fresh citrus.
The vibe: The room has a timeless feeling, with vintage wall hangings, vibrant wallpaper and cozy wood floors and fixtures. It's a counter-service operation by day, with the counter in the back. During dinner, servers arrive to care for tables, often a mix of young families and college students. Daytime orders should take to the back, where the cash register is tucked away. There's also limited patio seating, and a few handy parking spots in a small lot.
Guacaya Bistreaux
Pedro Wolcott grew up in Panama and cooked in New Orleans before relocating to Minneapolis, and food has seemed to follow him wherever he goes. You'll find tastes of the places he's been on the menu of his new fast-casual restaurant in Minneapolis' North Loop. Guacaya Bistreaux merges pan-Latin-Caribbean cuisine with inflections of the Big Easy, all served in a sliver of a storefront or on a sprawling patio alongside Washington Avenue.
Location: 337 Washington Av. N., Mpls., 612-345-4981, guacayabistreaux.com
The food: A colorful selection of comforting yet fresh and vibrant tapas sets the scene like postcards from Wolcott's past. Standouts are the maiz a la plancha ($12), a big creamy bowl of corn off the cob coated in roasted tomato and cilantro garlic aiolis. It's a dish inspired by a Panamanian roadside snack Wolcott grew up eating. Crisp little cornmeal cakes, arepitas de lechon ($14), are topped with a savory pulled pork and drizzled liberally with crema. Empanada-shaped puff pastries are stuffed with a spellbinding crawfish stew ($15), calling back Wolcott's time in the Crescent City cooking at Commander's Palace, Cochon Butcher and Emeril Lagasse's NOLA Restaurant. Platos Fuertes are substantial, especially the churrasco ($32) — grilled skirt steak draped over a campfire-like stack of yuca fries, with plenty of tangy chimichurri and aji sauce for dipping. Those fries can — and should — be ordered as a side, as well ($9).
The drinks: Flavors of the tropics are in play in the 10 cocktails offered ($12), some of which are customizable; choose your spirit, or none at all. Rum, however, is the obvious choice, especially with Tattersall Single Barrel Rum as the option. Mezcal is a close second. Wine and beer are also available.
The vibe: You don't need to check in with a host — just grab a seat as you walk up to the patio. QR codes are on each black metal table; order food as you go (it comes out fast). Inside, there are tables on either end of a narrow, window-walled dining room that's heavy on the tropical palms motif — tables on the north end look over the Cedar Lake Trail. If staff interaction is something you crave, grab one of a handful of bar stools.
Riva Terrace
Attention has been paid to Mara, Gavin Kaysen's Mediterranean restaurant anchoring the shimmering new Four Seasons in downtown Minneapolis. But look up, to the fourth floor pool plaza to be exact, and you'll find another way to access five-star hotel dining. Uruguay-born chef Martín Morelli, executive chef for the hotel, oversees the menu at this Italian-flecked al fresco cafe, which is open to the public (though the pool is not).
Location: 245 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-895-5700, fourseasons.com/minneapolis/dining/restaurants/riva/
The food: A tidy menu, loosely Italian, leans heavily on the fryer in the first course, and on meat mains in the second. That may or may not be appealing, depending on the weather. A recent mid-80s day was too hot to fully appreciate the thick Riva Burger, slathered with garlic aioli and sprinkled with crispy onions ($22). A panini with mortadella, fontina and arugula pesto was a crispy and comforting handheld lunch option ($20). For starters, spaghetti-like pea shoots, coated with Caesar dressing, were as tasty as they were awkward to twirl onto a fork ($15). Panko-crusted, melt-in-your-mouth eggplant ($15) showed Morelli's deft attention to detail, turning the nightshade into something like a mozzarella stick; even eggplant avoidants were wowed.
The drinks: Adam Witherspoon, who oversees Mara's bar program, is the creative mind behind the reflective pool bar, with cooling concoctions served over crushed ice like grown-up slushies ($15). The Crystal Palace, a Prosecco-based refresher with raspberry, rose and lychee, was a quencher during the latest heat wave.
The vibe: You'll see downtown Minneapolis in a new way, surrounded by glass towers from a sunny perch above Nicollet Mall. Find some shade under a rust-colored umbrella at tables or lounge on a sofa and watch lucky hotel-goers enjoy the exclusive azure pool that's just out of reach.
Little Tijuana
The only thing this new iteration bears to the previous incarnation is the awning, address and promise of a good time. Little T's opened in June with major culinary and bar talent behind it. Travis Serbus and chef Dan Manosack are part of the same ownership group behind the lauded Petite Leon. They partnered with Bennett Johnson, who helped open Tattersall. All three have worked in highly regarded restaurants, but Little Tijuana is about as far from fine dining as you can get — and that's the way they like it.
Location: 17 E. 26th St., Mpls., 612-385-4212, littletijuanampls.com
The food: Think bar snacks for a modern era. There are plenty of gluten-free and vegetarian options, along with meaty bites for those who just want some deliciousness to soak up the booze. And it's all reasonably priced. The cauliflower takoyaki ($13) are snackable hunks of cauliflower fried and topped like the Japanese bar snack. The pelmeni ($13), pillowy dumplings filled with potato and topped with sour cream and a spoonful of chili crisp, are a throwback to Manosack's days in Madison, Wis. The chopped cheese sandwich ($10) is an enticing mess of beef and orange cheese.
The drinks: While there is a lofty cocktail pedigree between Serbus and Johnson, the drinks here are not putting on airs. A margarita is a margarita in a plastic glass with salty rim. The slushie machine is churning out built-for-summer piña coladas and a twist on fernet and cola (except it's amaro and Diet Coke with lime zest).
The vibe: The restaurant fills up quickly in the later hours and on Monday nights, with hospitality industry professionals watching these friends have the time of their lives making martinis, fancy Long Island iced teas and strangely cerebral slushie drinks. The room is split in two, one side with booths and the other with a bar and few seats. While they try to limit the number of people inside, it does get crowded. How cozy you want to be depends on your COVID comfort level. In all, it's a dive bar built for dive bar lovers.
Noyes & Cutler
The former Public Bar & Kitchen has been transformed to a new steakhouse overlooking St. Paul's Mears Park. The historic building has been given light modern touches while keeping the layout, including the long bar and expansive dining room. Behind the project is the Madison Restaurant Group, the same company that owns Handsome Hog, Eagle Street Grill, Ox Cart and Gray Duck. Justin Sutherland is culinary director; manning the kitchen is chef Aaron Cave, a frequent Sutherland collaborator, while Jorge Robertson oversees hospitality and is the creator of the drink menu.
Location: 229 E. 6th St., St. Paul, 651-968-1050, noyescutler.com
The food: The steakhouse menu includes several cuts of beef and plenty of seafood options. Appetizers include classic crab cakes, octopus tostada and beef tartare. Entree options also include sandwiches, like a Wagyu burger ($18), prosciutto-wrapped stuffed trout ($24) and a selection of vegetable sides ($12).
Steaks ($28-$70) come a la carte, with sauces (béarnaise, chimichurri) and sides (sautéed mushrooms, grilled broccolini) an additional cost. In true steakhouse fashion, there's a weekend prime rib special. Also on weekends: brunch and midday menus.
The drinks: Cocktails are subtle twists on classics like a 4 Roses bourbon Old Fashioned or an Aviation called the Violet Pilot making use of Far North's seasonal Anna's Garden gin. All are $14. Wines are accessible in price and flavors; beer is a mix of local and national brews.
The vibe: The wide open interior room is impressive but can be overwhelming. The host stand is located in the back, which can cause confusion for people wandering in looking for a patio seat. The patio is outside on the sidewalk, across the street from Mears Park, and is an excellent vantage point for people-watching.
