Q: Last night my wife and I went out to eat and ended up shouting "What?" all night long before leaving exhausted. Is there even such a thing as a quiet restaurant anymore?
A: To many restaurants, the boisterous sounds translate to a lively and fun restaurant. But shouting across the table can be exhausting. If you're looking for intimate conversation, try somewhere small with as much plush surroundings as possible, somewhere like Joan's in the Park, in St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood (631 S. Snelling Av., joansinthepark.com). Along with exquisite fine dining, its cozy setting lends itself to long conversations. Emerald Lounge in St. Paul's West 7th neighborhood also has a couple of quiet corners for cocktails and light snacks (455 W. 7th St., emeraldstpaul.com).
Q: Where can I find great arancini?
A: Crispy, breaded crunchy rice balls surrounding gooey cheese are a scrumptious way to kick off a meal. "I hate to brag, but our arancini are perfect," said chef/owner Andrew Kraft of the Bungalow Club (4300 E. Lake St., Mpls., thebungalowclubmpls.com). He's not wrong. Served atop a spicy buttermilk sauce ($11), they are an irresistible snack. But they aren't the only ones worth tracking down. Try them at Spoon and Stable with black truffle and fonduta ($12, 211 N. 1st St., Mpls., spoonandstable.com), Terzo for a mushroom fonduta ($11, 2221 W. 50th St., Mpls., terzompls.com) or, for a heftier take, the arancini at Louis atop Cossetta's are stuffed with a meaty ragu, cheese and served over a zesty arrabbiata sauce ($9, 211 W. 7th St., St. Paul, cossettas.com).
Q: I've got a big birthday coming up. What's a good restaurant for a large group?
A: Everything that happens inside Mr. Paul's Supper Club in Edina is occasion for a party. There are large booths and a whole second bar that can be rented out for special occasions. The New Orleans-influenced menu and long beverage lists would be ideal for an unforgettable night. (3917 Market St., Edina, mrpaulssupperclub.com).
In St. Paul, W.A. Frost and Co. has been known to host parties in that cozy basement (374 Selby Av., wafrost.com). Mancini's recently took over the historic Rathskeller at the Schmidt Brewery and the room is a trip back in time. Speaking of Mancini's, they do have plenty of nooks and crannies. Plus, every birthday comes with a free cake — not a slice, but a full cake to share with friends (531 W. 7th St., St. Paul, mancinis.com).
If you feel like fondue vibes, the brand-new Apostle Supper Club in downtown St. Paul is enormous and there's a back lounge with a huge hooded fireplace that would make for a memorable evening and fantastic photo ops (253 Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, apostlesupperclub.com).
And Escondido, the agave bar at the back of Vivir/Centro would be a fantastic place to host a sip-and-learn event for friends who are mezcal-curious (1414 NE. Quincy St., Mpls., vivirmpls.com).
Q: After years of watching "RuPaul's Drag Race" I finally went to my first drag show and it was a blast! Where should we go for drag brunches in Minneapolis?
A: There has been a marked rise in drag performances in town and the venues and events are as varied as the gorgeous performers (my daughter calls them superstars). Lush Lounge and Theater (990 Central Av. NE., Mpls., lushmpls.com) came under new ownership and the theater is now run and owned by drag performers. It's a rollicking good time and the brunch menu includes biscuit-based goodies.
For an even newer spot, Roxy's Cabaret just opened alongside the recently reopened, 24-hour Nicollet Diner (1333 Nicollet Mall, roxyscabaret.com). The theater is named for the late Minneapolis drag legend Roxy Marquis.
Perhaps the biggest name on the local drag performance scene right now is Flip Phone. They host a variety of themed events, like Golden Girls, Beyoncé or Disney Villain brunches. Buy tickets early, because these often sell out (flipphoneevents.com/mplsdragbrunch). For a fun drag brunch that features a wider array of performances (like stand-up comedy and burlesque), Power Drag Revue has upcoming dates at Ties Lounge and Rooftop in downtown Minneapolis.
Q: Will Zelo, Convention Grill or Birchwood Cafe ever reopen?
A: Maybe? Zelo has been one of our most popular reopening questions, so we went on the hunt to track down someone with answers. Both Zelo and Ciao Bella are owned by restaurateur Rick Webb. Reaching out through Ciao Bella, we were connected with Zelo's former general manager, and she assured us the plan had been to reopen Zelo this year, but crime reports put off those plans for now. The good news is that Ciao Bella is still going strong with those classic Italian dishes and polished hospitality (3501 Minnesota Drive, Bloomington, ciaobellamn.com).
Convention Grill (3912 Sunnyside Road, Edina, conventiongrillmn.com) is on track to reopen, and we might still see that happen this year. There's been some activity on its social media and representatives for the restaurant say that's where the announcement on reopening will come. We'll be watching, too.
Unfortunately, Birchwood Cafe (3311 E. 25th St., Mpls.) is still dark for now after closing more than a year ago and after the public departure of some longtime staff (although there were a couple of summer pop-ups). Birchwood's website isn't operational, but the Facebook page is.
Q: After reading your recent story on kids' menus, I'm wondering where we can go that has menus the whole family can enjoy together.
A: At Foxy Falafel (791 Raymond Av., St. Paul, foxyfalafel.com), there isn't a separate kids' menu, but the crispy fried falafel balls are something everyone can enjoy. They're easy for little fingers to dip in Foxy's tasty sauces or hummus. (Don't miss the cheese curds with local honey.) Best of all, for parents of kids with food allergies: This place is so transparent about what is gluten-safe, dairy-free, and more.
For the times when tempers are flaring and you need food fast, Punch Pizza (several locations, punchpizza.com) keeps the entire process moving by cooking those pizzas to order in a ridiculously hot woodfire oven. It's a fun show to watch and pizza arrives before the squiggles set in. Don't forget to order the dessert panini.
Brasa also is a crowd favorite, with identifiable foods for picky eaters and adventurous enough flavors for the family food snobs. Chef Alex Roberts shared his secret for why kids of all ages love the rice with ham and pigeon peas: The sofrito is cooked down and blended before being used to cook the rice. No visible vegetables, but all that good flavor. (There are three metro locations; brasa.us).
Or go on an adventure at Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant (510 N. Snelling Av., St. Paul), which serves a family-style feast. Get the combo — meat and veggie or just vegetarian and lots of injera bread. It's the perfect vehicle to scoop up the comforting stews by hand.
Have a question for the Taste team? Email it to taste@startribune.com
