Minneapolis has quite a few dining establishments that impress the tastebuds.
While on my recent visit good friend Tracy and I were treated to a night at Heidi's of Minneapolis home of Chefzilla and very yummy fine dining.
The restaurant is named after Chefzilla's wife Heidi and resides on Lyndale Ave not far from my favorite bar/bowling alley/theater/organic restaurant The Bryant Lake Bowl. If you are ever in Minneapolis go to both places for different reasons.
Upon our entrance to Heidi's we received the treat of having to wait for our table. BUT do not despair fine diners we had a window directly into the kitchen and a glass of champagne to make the view even sweeter. In the kitchen was Chefzilla calling out orders as his team plated and prepped many non-traditional looking dishes. We witnessed beet sorbet, beef noodles and oxtail lasagna being prepared. For the foodie openly gazing through a big window to the kitchen at the chef left me feeling like a voyear or something like I was observing a nature exhibit at the zoo. A head chef in his natural habitat orchestrating living flavor art out to the tables of awaiting palates.
Just as this foodie epiphany erupted from champagne bubbles to my brain we were called in to be seated.
Our sommelier lit up at the bottle of wine I pulled nonchalently from my gigantic purse (standard dining protocol). However, this night, to celebrate my visit to Minneapolis Tracy's significant other donated a 1994 bottle of Tignanelli to the occasion.
On the menu according to our waiter were "things not what they appear," and for me very long and unfamiliar words requiring the curious (me) to request an explanation. Reward for the curious cat this time was choice far more interesting than the menu titles.
This is scallop and bacon custard. It had a far fancier name on the menu – all you need to know is that the wedding of scallop and bacon was never so fairy tale. This little shot of custard was a tongue dancing sensation. Because of its curious name on the menu I witnessed multiple looks of shock around the restaurant upon the placement of this little glass in front of my fellow diners – however, upon one taste, the look of surprise brightened immediately into yum.
Better than a bacon wrapped scallop that can be messy and hard to find taste equilibrium with this custard blended the bacon and scallop together creating a balance between the two flavors that could make lady justice regain sight with a texture of the softest comforting tongue blanket.
Speaking of tongue here is Tracy kissing her pickled beef tongue appetizer.
We had no problem pairing our wine with our entrees.
Oxtail lasagna
Lamb shank
When we finished we had a little unbirthday celebration with our dessert.
All in all the evening was great fun – a tasty treat from Minneapolis to celebrate a rare visit and good friends.