Minneapolis Restaurants

We have been exploring restaurants in downtown Minneapolis for almost four years. These are the restaurants we return to most often.

We have probably eaten at the Palomino more than at any other restaurant. In the spring of 2002, a Palomino waiter asked us if we lived in the Skyway, and that question got us thinking about what it would be like to live in the Skyway for a while. We then decided to find an apartment downtown for the month of July—in the Skyway. The best thing to order at the Palomino is one of the fresh fish specials. It’s also fun to go to the Palomino for happy hour to explore the hors d'oeuvres and drink menu.

We started going to the Capital Grill when it first opened because we could never get a reservation at Manny’s, and then Morton’s became just as trendy. Our favorite menu item is the steak au poivre. We have tried making it at home but have never come close to the Capital Grill’s creation.

Our first restaurant dinner together was at the Oceannaire. We still go there a couple of times a year for the huge portions of grilled fish, especially the big eye tuna.

Our favorite “gourmet” restaurant is Vincent. The dining room and bar are nice, but plain. We have tried somewhat successfully to replicate a couple of their soup recipes: potato-leek and squash. We have never been able to replicate their baguettes, however. Deanna has tried and tried for two years, and she has it down to buttermilk as the magic ingredient. Finding the right combination of time, heat, and moisture content has proven impossible. We haven’t even attempted anything approximating Vincent’s sauces—they’re too technical.