Headed to Target Field? Rick Nelson scores ballpark's newest cuisine

Home run: Target Field's newest hangout, the spiffy Minnie & Paul's, is a draw for the center-field views, and for the food. Starting with an expanded presence for Red Cow, hurrah. After making its ballpark debut last season (the stand is still there, at Section 126, grilling up its killer 60 percent ground beef/ 40 percent ground bacon burger), the restaurant just traded up to a full-fledged counter, serving a trio of burgers culled from the menu at the mini-chain's three Twin Cities locations. One is a ballpark first: a turkey version. The hefty 6-ounce patty is a notably juicy and richly seasoned blend of ground turkey, red onions, white beans and avocado. The ingenious garnishes — thin radish slices, crunchy pistachios, a peppy cilantro-lime aioli — layer in even more flavor and texture, and the buttered, toasted bun is the crowning touch. So good. They're paired with what are easily the ballpark's best fries. Their secret? A crispy beer-batter coating. Another sharp touch: the exclusive "Cow-laboration" brew — a passion-fruit/mango/pineapple IPA — from Stillwater's Lift Bridge Brewing Co. Burgers with fries $13 to $14, fries $5.50, beers $7.50 to $10. Red Cow, Section 234

Home run: The chasm between watching baseball at the old Metrodome and watching baseball at Target Field? It's as wide as the difference between Papa John's pizza (still being served, inexplicably, in Sections 122 and 319) and newcomer Pizza Lucé. Kudos to the Twins for continually recruiting local talent for the ballpark, including la Lucé, which is serving up whole pies and slices in four varieties, from basic cheese to a four-meat pile-on, all delicious. Best? The we-do-veggie-right combo that's strewn with spinach, artichoke hearts, red onion, kalamata olives, tons of oregano and enough toasted garlic to keep the Kiss Cam at bay. As always, the crust — sturdy and chewy, with a slightly crispy edge to it — is a standard-setter (Lucé even offers a gluten-free variety, in 10-inch whole pie form only), and the red sauce is as lively as ever. Slices $5.50 to $6.50, whole pies $22 to $36. Pizza Lucé, Section 234

Triple: Although the menu does refer to its meat-and-potatoes monster as "Poutine," Red Cow owner Luke Shimp prefers the more descriptive "saucy goodness over fries." Makes sense. The formula's pretty simple: a catcher's mitt-sized portion of those can't-eat-just-one fries, dressed with plenty of tender beef brisket and doused in a beer cheese souplike concoction that's fashioned from Cheddar and American cheeses and a traditional IPA from St. Paul's Summit Brewing Co. Don't forget the extra napkins. $12.50. Red Cow, Section 234

Triple: Soft-serve fans prayed, and the heavens responded. Or at least the Twins front office did, giving the heave-ho to the supplier of the ballpark's dreadful soft-serve ice cream and wisely handing the contract to Izzy's Ice Cream. Hometown Izzy's is new to the soft-serve game, but right off the bat they're getting it right, with luscious, full-flavored vanilla, chocolate and twist options (the notably fresh taste is the result of Izzy's reliance on milk from family-owned Lamers Dairy in Appleton, Wis.), served in souvenir plastic Twins helmets as well as cones. Note to ice cream fans: Izzy's is hawking a handful of gelato flavors from a pair of carts, and still maintains its scoop shop at Section 114 (the awe-inspiring chocolate chip cookie dough flavor, with its brown butter-like flavor notes, is not to be missed), thank goodness. "We feel honored to be at the stadium," said Izzy's co-owner Jeff Sommers. "I grew up going to Met Stadium, and the Dome, so it's humbling to have a chance to be at Target Field. And it's a lot of fun." Soft-serve $4.50 to $7. North Shore Creamery, Sections 109, 118, 126, 131, 232, 305 and 319

Double: Someone — Joe Mauer, perhaps? — ought to host a Welcome Home party, because the chili from the Loon Cafe has returned to its rightful place at Target Field. Well, sort of. Back when the ballpark opened in 2010, the Twins tapped the nearby Warehouse District landmark to supply its black bean chili. This time around, the spotlight's on the restaurant's robust beef chili, and it's a winner, particularly when Minnesota baseball fans need to be warmed up from the inside out. Each steaming bowl is packed with enough chopped sirloin to make a smallish T-bone (the recipe stays true to its Texas-style roots; in other words, no beans) and the onion- and chiles-fueled red sauce is the real deal. $6. Halsey's Sausage Haus, Sections 105, 120 and 323

Single: For those debating between the barbacoa and vegetarian options — in burrito or rice bowl format — at Señor Smoke's, go with the former. At least the beef exhibits some oomph, flavor-wise, and the gigantic portions mirror Chipotle. Sadly, the veggie option harks back to the dark days when those adhering to a meat-free lifestyle had to make due with iceberg lettuce, a drab pico de gallo, flavorless grated cheese and a dull guacamole pummeled into mayo-like consistency. Come on, Target Field, you can do better than this. $10 to $13. Señor Smoke's, Sections 105 and 305

Single: On paper, lavishing all kinds of goodies on a pile of bite-size pretzels reads like an inspired idea, right? In reality, Hot Pretzel Bites is hit and miss. The round, pingpong-ball-scale pretzels are doughy and bland, and the toppings are more suitable when they're savory rather than sweet. The real thing is a better bet, even when served with that dreadful molten glop that dares to call itself "cheese" $9. Hot Pretzel Bites, Section 100

Andrew Zimmern's Canteen: The Korean fried chicken sandwich ($13) is brilliance on a bun, and the stand's cucumber- and mint-infused lemonade ($5) is a refreshing alternative to sugary sodas. Section 114

Barrio: Enjoy a fresno chile-fueled guacamole with teasingly salty tortilla chips ($6), and slow-simmered pork shoulder tacos with a lively ancho-tomatillo salsa ($9). Section 127

Butcher & the Boar: Let's see, pork rib tips ($14) slathered in a sticky sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce and cooked to melt-in-your-mouth tenderness on a smoking grill. What could go wrong? Absolutely nothing. Section 140

Hot Indian Foods: Get in line for shareable bowls ($11) filled with coconut milk-simmered basmati rice. One's topped with yogurt-coated chicken, the other a potato-cauliflower-zucchini mix. Both are brilliantly garnished, and gluten-free. Section 120

Kramarczuk's: The sauerkraut-smothered pork sausages and brats ($8) from this James Beard award-winning butcher shop and restaurant in northeast Minneapolis are quintessential Target Field fare. Sections 112, 117 and 312

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