Monday, November 1, 2010

Lucia's

I celebrated my birthday this last weekend. . .a great year behind me and an exciting new one ahead of me. Courtland took me to Lucia's Restaurant in Uptown Minneapolis for dinner before we met up with friends to celebrate Halloween.   I love Lucias.  It's always fabulous.  The restaurant is cozy, service is spot-on, and the food. . . oh, the food. . simply devine.  The menu changes weekly, depending what's in season.   I didn't take any pictures of our food this time. . .I really wanted to enjoy my dinner with Courtland.

While Courtland was parking our car, I was looking over the wine list and was undecided on what bottle of wine to order.  The waiter was nice enough to let me have a taste of each bottle of wine before ordering.  It's those extra touches that go a long way.

 We started off with a basket of bread (the millet flax is a must to try) and olives (from the wine bar menu).  Courtland said they were the best olives he's ever had. . .and I agreed.  They had a hint of orange. . .and anise, along with fresh herbs.

 Courtland had a small cup of the soup of the day, which was potato soup.  It was rich and creamy with bits of bacon and chive.  I ordered simple mixed greens.  They tasted like they were fresh from the garden. 

For our entrees, Courtland surprised me and got Squash Pancakes with Cranberry Salsa, Sage Butter, Quinoa, Brussel Sprouts, and Pepitas.   He loved it.  I did too:)  It was the perfect combination of autumn vegetables.  Per the recommendation of our waiter,  I had the Day Boat Scallops with Chardonnay Lemon Beurre Blanc, Spinach-Leek Risotto, and Sugar Snap Peas.   The dish was fantastic.  I shared with Courtland, and he agreed. 

The waiter brought out a plate of dessert choices, and we decided on the Chocolate Roulade Cake.  It was a decadent dark chocolate cake, with a creme and whole raspberry filling.  It was a rich and incredibly satisfying dessert to end our meal.

Go to Lucias. . .you will not be disappointed with whatever you choose to order off the menu.  Lucia's To Go next door has a variety of breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, and cookies.  Check out the dog bar on the website:)

Next blog update. . .a recipe from Lucia Watson and Beth Dooley's cookbook, Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland.