Minneapolis Meanderings

Minneapolis likely does not rank high on anyone’s list of top ten culinary destinations, but rest assured, if you find yourself in the metropolis one fine summer weekend, all is not lost.  For starters, kick the day off at Keys at the Foshay.  Located in downtown Minneapolis, this bustling restaurant is best known for breakfast and hearty Midwestern comfort food.  Though often crowded, the restaurant maximizes space by adding outdoor sidewalk seating in the summer, and by running a bar along the front windows.  Servers are young, energetic and seemingly everywhere at once.  They’re also always smiling despite the place being packed with people at 10a on a Saturday.  The food is standard breakfast fare, with a fresh urban twist.  Try the Number 8, which is eggs scrambled with spinach, garlic and small bits of cream cheese, served with hashbrowns, multi-grain toast and homemade strawberry preserves.  Or, if you need a hearty hangover cure, try the three-egg Everything Omelette, which is stuffed with ham, bacon, sausage, Italian sausage, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, hash browns, and, of course, cheese.

After breakfast, head out to the Mill City Farmers Market, right next to the Guthrie.  Though small, this well-organized market features several local produce vendors, food trucks, and a wonderful selection of handmade clothing.  One seamstress offered aprons upcycled from vintage flour and sugar sacks ($30) next to stunning raw silk dresses ($125).  Walk past the food vendors and take a left into a historic train shed, and you’ll find a gentleman sitting inside a large wooden loom, hand-weaving tapestry.  The market is open every Saturday from May 7 through October 15 from 8a-1p.  Parking is abundant, but definitely bring a supply of quarters for the meter.

Cap the day off with drinks at the Urban Eatery, a new restaurant by Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood.  The food is easy to grasp, but flavorful and well-cooked.  Definitely try the grilled shrimp tacos, which provide a slightly Asian riff off typical Baja taste through the use of radish sprouts and sriracha mayo.  That said, while Minneapolis may not be a gastronomic mecca, you certainly won’t starve.

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