Corner Table

I do alot of dining out....ususally I stick to a rotation of core places that I know never disappoint....but last night I decided to try a new place that I have heard lots about over the past 2 years, but have never had the opportunity to try out. Corner Table is located on 43rd and Nicollet, and is known for a rotating seasonally inspired menu that is made from locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.

The dining room is very cozy, with not more than 8 or so tables. I started with the pumpkin soup which was hands down the best tasting soup I've had in just about my entire life! It was incredibly savory, and drizzled with I believe a truffle oil on top. It also had some toasted pumpkin seeds for a little texture. I could have just eaten the soup for my entire meal and have been utterly satisfied--it was that good!

For my entree I selected the pan-roasted chicken with whipped potatoes and roasted beets.  I usually don't order chicken at restaurants because it is usually a pretty boring meal....but when I got my plate, I was first surprised by how elegantly it was presented. After my first bite, I fell in love and will now hold every other chicken up to this standard....There was the perfect amount of skin left on the two pieces of chicken breast, which was deliciously and perfectly crispy and chewy. The chicken itself was tender and flavorful, yet was not drowning in any sort of overpowering sauce. The whipped potatoes were the perfect accompaniment...as was the large piece of roasted beet. I could not get over how delicious the entire was--needless to say, I cleaned my plate!  I also tried a bite of my friend's pan roasted rib-eye, and it was out of this world as well.   Both entrees were perfectly seasoned, flawlessly executed and worth every single penny!

For dessert we ordered the apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and the carrot cake.  Both were incredibly fresh and full of flavor. Again, both plates were licked clean.

I will certainly be going back to this place, and will recommend it to everyone I know....a wonderful neighborhood restaurant that truly takes pride in making every dish memorable.

http://www.cornertablerestaurant.com/index.php

Location:  43rd Street and Nicollet

Price:  $$$

The Library

I don't normally patron places on the U of M campus, but I went to The Library (corner of 13th and 4th Street) on Saturday night to watch the Texas/CU game with a bunch of others.

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of food here.  I ordered the Cobb Salad with grilled chicken and ate every single bite. My friend ordered their "Gullet Pounder" hamburger and it was enormous! (Two half pound patties!) It came with some tasty seasoned waffle fries that I gladly helped myself to :)

I don't think I'd ever go back just for the food since it is predominantly an undergraduate bar, but the food was very good for bar food. If you are ever on that side of town and are looking for an inexpensive place to watch a football game and grab some food, this might be a good option.

Mission American Kitchen

http://www.missionamericankitchen.com/

Friday night I had dinner at Mission American Kitchen.  I wouldn't typically have picked this place, but because the dinner was hosted by out-of-towners who were staying at the Marquette Hotel, the location was the deciding factor.

For starters we had the housemade potato chips with chive sour cream, seafood ceviche with housemade tortilla chips, and the truffle cream cheese won tons with malt vinegar dipping sauce.  My favorite appetizer was the cream cheese wonton. The others were just okay.

For my main course, I chose the grilled center cut beef tenderloin with garlic roasted potato puree and bacon braised broccolini.  I also had the vine ripened tomato salad with fresh mozzarella and aged balsamic glaze (essentially a caprese salad). I thought my entree was good, but the reduction on the meat and potato puree was way too salty. For $32, I would have found a much better meal at half the price somewhere else. But since I wasn't paying, who was I to complain?

For dessert we ordered the red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and the apple strudel torte with vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzle.  I thought the red velvet cake was a bit dry, but I loved the housemade vanilla ice cream. Would I spend $5 for a teeny tiny scoop--no....

This is a decent place to go for a business dinner, but not worth the money or the hassle of downtown parking if you are just looking for a good meal.

Buster's on 28th

Buster's on 28th was the perfect destination on a chilly & rainy fall evening. We started our meal by sharing the buffalo chicken wings with a "cooling blue cheese sauce".  Although the wings were very meaty, they definitely pale in comparison to the wings at The Nook in St. Paul.

Buster's is known for its extensive beer selection. With over 116 bottled beers and almost 30 different beers on tap, you are sure to find something to wet your whistle. I selected the Omegang Hennepin...according to the beer list, it promised a "champagne like effervesence". It was crisp and light and very smooth. I especially love that all their draft beers come in unique namesake glasses.

For my entree, I chose the braised short ribs with mushroom and goat cheese risotto with French onion jus. My risotto was amazing and cooked to perfection. The short ribs were flavorful, but not as fork tender as the braised short ribs at Kings in South Minneapolis (see previous post on Kings).

Some of the other selections at the table included the Elian Gonzalez, a sandwich with shredded pork, sliced ham, spicy mustard, gruyere, and pickles on ciabatta bread. I took a bite of this sandwich and it was very tasty, although it would have been better with a richer sauce. Another friend chose the cedar plank trout with duchess sweet potatoes and sauteed red cabbage. Luckily this friend sat next to me, because I picked off her tasty entree quite frequently....the trout was perfectly cooked and very mild. The cedar plank it was served on gave it a wonderfully subtle cedar smoked flavor...but not too overpowering.

My next beer selection was the Magic Hat #9...which was described as an ale beer "cloaked in secrecy". I'm not a huge beer person, but this was delicious! The menu also called it "dry, crisp, fruity and refreshing" and I agreed on all counts.

As our table was finishing up our entrees, our server came over to tell us that the Manager wanted to buy our table some dessert since we had all ordered off their new fall menu. Our entire table lit up like kids on Christmas morning--FREEBIE!!!  We chose the pumpkin bread pudding with creme fraiche and the apple crumble cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream.  Both were to die for, and our table was equally divided on which one was better.

I would highly recommend Buster's if you are in the mood for good food, great beer, and a cozy welcoming setting perfectly suited for those cold winter nights we have coming our way.

Location:  4204 28th Avenue
Website:  http://www.busterson28th.com/
Price:  $-$$











http://www.busterson28th.com/