First look: GusGus brings snacky comforts and fancy Jell-O shots to St. Paul's Merriam Park

St. Paul's 128 N. Cleveland Av. has been home to a succession of cozy eateries, each leaving its mark on the neighborhood. Now another page has turned and a new restaurant is adding to the much-loved story of this place.

GusGus opened in March under the ownership of Anna Morgan and chef Kevin Manley. The two come with considerable restaurant experience: Morgan handled hospitality and ran the front of house at Meyvn in Minneapolis; Manley briefly worked at this location's previous restaurant before leaving to open Snack Bar in Minneapolis with chef Isaac Becker. The duo met while working at the Warehouse District's lauded 112 Eatery, another Becker restaurant.

Morgan and Manley had traveled for years, dreaming of opening their own place. That dream became reality when Max Thompson, who took over 128 Cafe before rechristening it Stewart's, decided to move on and reached out to the couple. Last month, the restaurant named for their son finally opened.

The vibe: Occupying the first floor of an apartment building, the room's past iterations have had a hanging-in-your-friend's-parents'-rec-room vibe. Now the room is bathed in a peacock-teal color that makes the copper-painted pipes pop. On the wall are photographs from the couple's travels and a deer mount from Morgan's father. Everything about the space feels like a hang with the cool boho couple down the street — the ones with the worldly experience and big ideas.

The food: The short menu is a study in the kinds of comforts that the couple love. Snacks kick off with wafer-thin potato chips served with thin shavings of speck and a dollop of crème fraîche ($8). Fried crispy pork rillettes are served over sauerkraut and caraway rye bread ($16). More date-night-friendly dinner entrees include a steak with buttermilk fried onions ($26) or a sea bass with white bean ragout ($25).

At brunch, the eggs Benedict were born out of a pregnancy craving of Morgan's: waffles, ham, poached eggs and hollandaise that Manley takes a step further by browning the butter first ($12). A cornflake-crusted French toast parades through the dining room, drawing all eyes ($11). Not everything is hefty and hearty; a bright gem salad is the dish Morgan says she finds irresistible. Simply dressed and served with a colorful mixture of watermelon radishes and sliced carrots ($8), it's on both the dinner and brunch menus.

And on the off chance it hasn't shown up in your Instagram feed yet, it's worth mentioning that the burger is teetering on cult status ($17). In a town filled with double-stacked, smashed burgers, it takes a bit to stand out. This one, dripping with Golden Velvet cheese slices, caramelized onions and a mustard aioli, still manages to capture the burger-craving zeitgeist of spring. It's served alongside freshly made fries that are brined in a mixture of water, vinegar, hot sauce and salt. (This is not the kind of thing to eat while wearing your favorite shirt.)

The drinks: The couple had no idea how much the public would embrace the fancy Jell-O shots. Almost everyone who walks in kicks off a meal with a jiggling treat served in a gold wrapper. A jellied Aperol Spritz ($7) delivers the effervesce and bittersweetness of the drink in slurp-able form. The drink (or bite?) is so popular that a spirit-free option makes it a treat everyone can enjoy.

Other cocktails include the Roma Norte, a mezcal and beet juice concoction that's given a creaminess from egg white and oleo saccharum ($13). Tea Swift is anchored by gin, Earl Grey and Licor 43, but balanced with honey and egg whites ($13).

And for those who appreciate a proper adult nonalcoholic cocktail, options include the Johnny Bags, a mix of Honeycrisp apple juice, vanilla, and bubbles ($7), as well as Casamara Club sodas ($7).

128 N. Cleveland Av., St. Paul, 651-645-4128, gusgusmn.com, Tue.-Thu. 4-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4 - 10 p.m., Sun. brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m.