Foie gras: Banned in New York, still on the menu in the Twin Cities

Many restaurants are still serving the controversial culinary delicacy.

October 31, 2019 at 5:54PM
Beef Rossini, dish of of Bellecour TOURNEDOS ROSSINI
filet mignon, foie gras, sauce pŽrigourdine ___ Chef of the Year: Profile of our 2017 chef of the year, Gavin Kaysen of Bellecour in Wayzata and Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis. Chef Gavin Kaysen of Bellecour, prepared several dishes including: beef tartare, beef Rossini, bouillabaise, pheasant pate. Also, they have an engaging bakery counter/cafe that is open during the day.
Beef Rossini at Bellecour (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

New York City lawmakers passed a bill banning foie gras yesterday, and while many restaurants had already eliminated the fatty duck liver for animal welfare reasons, others will have to adapt to a foie-less future come 2022, when the ban goes into effect.

In the Twin Cities, it's still legal to sell foie gras at a restaurant, and you can find it on many menus, especially those with French tendencies. A look into our archive shows terrines, tournedos and torchons of the liver abound. Here is a random sample of the spots where you can get your foie gras fix.

(These dishes might not all be current, so if you're really hankering for stuff, be sure to give the restaurant a call first.)

Grand Cafe
3804 Grand Av. S., Mpls., 612-822-8260, grandcafemn.com
Chef Jamie Malone came up with the Foie Gras Royale with Crème Gitanes (right) -- although it was the pastry on the left, the chicken liver Paris Brest, that was named Dish of the Year 2018 by Food & Wine.

Parlour St. Paul
267 W. 7th St., St. Paul, 651-207-4433, parlourbar.com
The terrine of foie gras with preserved berries.

Bellecour
739 Lake St. E., Wayzata, 952-444-5200, bellecourrestaurant.com
Tournedos Rossini at Gavin Kaysen's Bellecour is made with tenderloin, foie gras and black truffle jus.

Tenant
4300 Bryant Av. S., Mpls., 612-827-8111, tenantmpls.com
A one-time menu at Tenant included a first course of chopped chicken livers, foie gras mousse, prunes and apples and potato chips.

Bar La Grassa
800 Washington Av. N., Mpls., 612-333-3837, barlagrassa.com
The Italian restaurant makes a foie gras tortellini.

P.S. Steak
510 Groveland Av., Mpls., 612-886-1620, psmpls.com
The current menu offers seared foie gras as a $22 "accessory" to any dish.

Spoon and Stable
211 N. 1st St., Mpls., 612-224-9850, spoonandstable.com
Kaysen's dinner menu features an appetizer of roasted foie gras, or a $12 enhancement to his Dorothy's Pot Roast.

Bachelor Farmer
50 2nd Av. N., Mpls., 612-206-3920, thebachelorfarmer.com
Its charred golden beets appetizer comes with shaved foie gras.

The Lexington
1096 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-289-4990, thelexmn.com
A dish of liver and onions is made with seared foie gras. There are also duck and foie meatballs in stroganoff.

Restaurant Alma
528 University Av. SE., Mpls., 612-379-4909, almampls.com
Foie gras bread pudding comes with the roasted chicken.

Butcher and the Boar
1121 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-238-8888, butcherandtheboar.com
Add foie gras to any steak for $20.

Cafe and Bar Lurcat
1624 Harmon Place, Mpls., 612-486-5500, cafelurcat.com
A foie gras panna cotta — with strawberry, pine nut granola and Saba — is served as an appetizer.

Esker Grove
723 Vineland Place, Mpls., 612-375-7542, eskergrove.com
A starter of tuna crudo comes with foie gras, plum and Urfa pepper.

Chicken Liver filled Paris Brest with Black Honey Glaze and Foie Gras Royale with Crème Gitanes. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com Restaurant review of the Grand Cafe with chef Jamie Malone and chef de cuisine Alan Hlaeben Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 in Minneapolis.
Grand Cafe's Chicken Liver filled Paris Brest with Black Honey Glaze and Foie Gras Royale with Crème Gitanes. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
The terrine, foie gras with preserved berries, at Parlour in St. Paul. Photo by Rick Nelson
The terrine, foie gras with preserved berries, at Parlour in St. Paul. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Co-owner and Chef Cameron Cecchini, left, and Alex Dayton plated the evening's first course, chopped chicken livers, foie gras mousse, prunes and apples
and potato chips. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com Tenant serves a unique six course dinner in two or three seatings a night in their diminutive space in south Minneapolis. Service and food preparation was photographed Thursday night, October 12, 2017. All the staff are veterans of the previous restaurant in the building, Pic
Tenant co-owner and Chef Cameron Cecchini, left, and Alex Dayton plated the evening's first course, chopped chicken livers, foie gras mousse, prunes and apples and potato chips. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
TOM WALLACE ¥ twallace@startribune.com Assignment #20014379A Slug: hotspotvitamn11xx Date: October, 22 _ Bar La Grassa 800 North Washington Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 333-3837 _ IN THIS PHOTO ] Bar La Grassa 800 North Washington Avenue Minneapolis, MN. Food, Foie Gras Tortelini.bestmn2012 bestmn2012
Foie Gras Tortelini at Bar La Grassa (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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about the writer

Sharyn Jackson

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Sharyn Jackson is a features reporter covering the Twin Cities' vibrant food and drink scene.

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