Why You Should Visit Minneapolis

As you know, I was in Minneapolis last week. What you don’t know is that of my many visits (more than I can count on all my fingers and my toes), I had THE best meal I’ve ever eaten in the Twin Cities. When my friend Stephanie told me about this place months ago, she said the reservations could be tough to get, so we should go ahead and make plans well in advance. In her words, 112 Eatery was”mad good”. How could I pass up that kind of endorsement?

When we walked in the door, I understood immediately why it could be difficult to get reservations, and it wasn’t just the fantastic aromas wafting from the kitchen. The front door opens up into a small, almost cramped dining room with seating for no more than 40 or 50 people. But yet, the tight quarters felt cozy and inviting. The air around us was energized, making me feel like I’d just stumbled upon a really fun neighborhood party.

Once we made our way through the narrow passage to our seats, our server arrived with small dishes of olives and almonds to snack on. The almonds were the perfect combo of a little spicy and a little sweet, and totally addicting. When I was able to pry myself away from them and turn my attention to the menu, we quickly chose few items to share, but hit a wall when it came to selecting entrees. Since the menu isn’t particularly descriptive, we enlisted our server to expound on the dishes. I’m not into poetry or music, but I love listening to people describe food- is that weird?

Maybe the most perfectly cooked scallops I’ve ever had. And the mushrooms? OMG. Will someone please do this in Nashville?

This was one of those times it paid be inquisitive. By name alone, this dish could have been completely overlooked by us. “Seafood cutlets” as the menu read didn’t exactly turn any of us on. But our server’s eyes lit up as she described them to us, and we were sold. Shrimp, scallops, and crab make up these little cakes of perfection, all pan seared and served with a rich curry sauce. Oh what a mistake it would have been to pass up this dish!

Lightly breaded, browned, caramelized cauliflower
blanketed with a sprinkling of fresh grated parmesan. This is how you eat cauliflower.

I love peas, but honestly I probably wouldn’t have ordered them off the menu since they are listed simply as “Shell Peas”. Not exactly intriguing. As you can see, I didn’t even bother to take a picture of them before we started our meal. I mean, they’re peas. Thank goodness Stephanie insisted because, dear lord, they may have been the highlight of my night. I even stopped in the kitchen before we left to ask what they put in them. Roasted garlic, butter, and parmesan. That simple? Are you sure there wasn’t crack in there?

As we left 112, I turned to Steph and said, “I don’t know how I could come back to Minneapolis again and NOT eat here.”

Over several email exchanges yesterday we plotted what we’re going to order on my next visit. Yes, this is my life.

112 Eatery
112 N 3rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1633
(612) 343-7696
www.112eatery.com

Photo credit: best meal in town by smcgee