Simply put, this event was over-the-top. One would think that a modern venue like this would be intimidating, but as soon as I walked in I was softly greeted and shown directions. Its history is something to note in itself - a renovated banking lobby (if you pay enough attention, you can even spot some of the old bank vaults where they put wine), turned chic restaurant, located under the new Hotel Minneapolis, which is a branch of the Doubletree Hotels. The bold atmosphere typified the food that was to come.
One word that comes to mind when I think of this event is - sexy. Most everything about this event was lush. The red lights (which my friends commented were reminiscent of their favorite plastic malt cups), the earth-toned candle holders, the simple and classy table setting, the rich smells of buerre blanc sauce, the deep tastes of La Crema's red wine, and the appealing food display.
The warm environment was not the only thing that got my heart racing. The food was absolutely decadent. The menu included:
Napa Chopped Salad: napa cabbage, green onion, toasted ramen noodles, almonds, sesame seeds
Scallop Salad: braised red endive, roasted salsify, artichoke, watercress, orange-tamarind glaze with a tarragon beurre blanc sauce
Beef Tenderloin with herb risotto
Lamb: pomegranate marinade, farro barley, topped with a tomato/mint jam
Grilled Salmon (loch duart): quinoa, balsamic baby eggplant with huckleberry mojito sauce
Double chocolate cake and Raspberry limonchello
Two areas of the meal that caught my tongue's attention were how well the grains were done and how appropriately the sauces were used. Grains, in my opinion, are hard to do well, and they nailed it. The risotto did not resemble mashed potatoes like I've seen too many times, the quinoa still had its mini pearl-like texture, and the nuttiness of the farro barley added the right element, not too strong to fight with the lamb's marinade and jam. The freshness of the tomato/mint jam cut right through the rich lamb and the beurre blanc sauce blanketed the scallops so softly. And those scallops weren't just any ordinary scallop, they were nearly the size of half a fist.
The list above doesn't include the bites that were passed around on platters by the wait staff. These included:
Ham and Cheese croquettes with red pepper dipping sauce
Duck rolls with hoison cherry sauce
Cauliflower fritters
Multiple flatbread pizzas including Beef & Veal and Garden Veggie
A person next to me commented on the duck eggrolls saying, "These are like eggrolls on crack!" And for the garden veggie pizza, I was somewhat relieved when (what I thought was) a light dish was passed around, offering some relief for my over-stimulated palette. But, the garden veggie pizza was as rich as the rest, the artichokes adding a strong hearty flavor. This pizza was a favorite part of my night because it brought up the conversation about vegetable farmers, and it turned out that the women across the table from me got a farm-share box from the place I interned this summer - which is one example of many of the connections I saw made that night.
At my table everybody had at least one mutual friend that they didn't know of. As conversation flowed, people exchanged names and business cards even though this venue was more of a 'sit-down' Sample Circuit. It didn't inhibit people from connecting. My friends and I ended up sitting with a couple who are long-time supporters of the Sample Circuit's events. Despite not meeting more than a handful of people, we were able to have worthwhile conversation - ranging from the weather, to the best dining in Milan, the state of Minneapolis public schools. Conversations and food like this is why the Sample Circuit exists - to give people a taste. A taste of the food, of the wine, of the atmosphere, and (most figuratively) of each other.
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