Restaurant Blog - Chowbaby.com

by Jake Kulju

BARBETTE
1600 West Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Elegant and trendy, Barbette brings fine French cuisine and an impressive wine list to Minneapolis’s already hip Uptown area. As much attention has been given to the café’s ambiance as the menu, and it marks Barbette as one of the area’s classiest dining experiences. Candlelit and swanky in the evening, and bright and fresh in the morning, Barbette’s menu spans from delicate and attentive breakfast fares, to rich and flavorful dinner entrées.

by Jake Kulju

MURRAY’S
26 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

While the slogan “Home of the Silver Butter Knife Steak” might not make much sense to you at first, when you come out of this place it will be the only thing on your mind. Murray’s hides itself in Minneapolis’s bustling downtown skyline, and serves up steak so tender you can cut it with a spoon. If you like steak, you’ll love Murray’s.

by Jake Kulju

TROTTER’S CAFÉ & BAKERY – Vegetarian, Natural Foods
232 Cleveland Ave. N
St. Paul, MN 55104
651.644.8950
Trotter’s Café & Bakery has been serving vegetarian and natural foods to St. Paul’s Merriam Park community since 1989. The Trotters have been committed to healthy and delicious foods since day one, as can be witness by their broad and daily changing menu of gourmet soups, accomplished breakfast menu and special extended dinner menu and wine list. Their vegetarian options range from portabella ragout to peanut butter and jelly for the kids

by Jake Kulju

THE BARBARY FIG
720 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103
(651) 290-2085
Tucked away on St. Paul’s bustling Grand Ave., The Barbary Fig has been serving some of the country’s best Mediterranean-fusion cuisine for over 15 years. With menu items like slow-cooked lamb, pear-fig chutney and avocado mousse, the Barbary Fig pleases the finest of palettes. Featured as one of the Food Channel’s Top 100 American Restaurants, this quaint eatery draws gourmets from around the nation, and helps put St. Paul on the map as a major dining destination.

by Jake Kulju

BUONA SERA RESTAURANT
11949 West River Road
Champlin, MN 55316
763.421.1814

Located in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, Champlin is a neat little community comprised of mostly ‘neighbors’ and home to the area’s best kept secret! Buona Sera is a treasure so good, even Donny Osmond made the trek to dine here. Purely Tuscan, Buona Sera (Italian for “good night”) is like stepping into an old world Italian café rich with tradition and homey decor. With a mere 20 tables or so, Buona Sera caters to anyone wanting a quiet night out and also does really well with large groups. They boast an impressive wine list and offer very personalized service. Always call ahead as the place is nearly always booked. Buona Sera offers a terrific menu that includes pastas, leg of lamb, salmon and steaks. The bruschetta is out-of-this-world fabulous, as is the spinach artichoke dip. Baked with three cheeses and served with bread, it’s one of my favorites. Noteworthy is their sun dried tomato salad dressing. It’s a house specialty that is so good, you’ll want to dip everything into it!