One has to wonder about these restaurants with menus reaching from Italy to India to Iran. Can a chef ever do justice to multiple kinds of cuisine when he or she bounces from a pasta with Bolognese sauce one minute to a clay-oven-cooked chicken kabob the next? In the Twin Cities, we've seen the "everything for everyone" concept thrive (Crave) and dive (Ringo). Local food service management company Taher Inc. threw its hat in the ring when it made over its Alaska Eatery into the St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill.
The restaurant's appetizers circle the world from Asia (ahi tuna crisps) to the Middle East (saffron chicken wings), Canada (poutine) and the good ol' U.S. of A. Grilled house-made naan ($4) came with a cilantro-mint topping that enhanced the bread's smoky char from the grill and rendered the cucumber sauce on the side unnecessary. The Mexican chile verde soup ($4/cup, $7/bowl) also impressed with its tomatillo-based broth, chunks of tender chicken and fresh lime flavor.
The sandwich menu splits roughly between grilled and deli-style, and of the ones we tried, the deli-inspired sammies get the nod. A tarragon chicken sandwich ($10) featured a pleasingly fresh, herby flavor marred only by the mealy out-of-season tomatoes tucked inside the nine-grain bread. But the turkey burger's ($10) bottom was so charred from the grill that it was hard to discern any other flavor, not even from the pepper jack cheese. While the Asian-style slaw added a nice kick to the black bean burger ($10), the patty was the same Morningstar Farms variety I keep in my freezer.
Grilled entrees, while not flops, often fell short of expectations. The clay-oven chicken kabob platter ($13) featured a cumin-laced bite that seemed out of place with the grilled asparagus and (again) tomatoes on the side. Though not off-putting in any way, the chicken didn't offer any reason to order the dish again. Similarly, the grilled halibut ($19) invoked more mehs than mmms. Again, the aggressive char from the grill overpowered the delicate miso glaze, and thick spears of asparagus were too tough to enjoy.
Thankfully, the grill lent a gentler touch to the pizza crust, making the Rustica pie ($9) a better choice, but it's no Lola or Black Sheep. The real winner is the shrimp truffle mac and cheese ($11/half order, $17/full) -- you can't argue against such a creamy, cheesy, heartwarming bowl of love. Your arteries will tell you to get a half-order, but your tastebuds will demand a full.
St. Louis Park Woodfire Grill won't be the restaurant you look to to impress your foodie in-laws or coastie friends, but it's a valid choice if you need to feed a group with varying culinary preferences. It has the potential to become more noteworthy if the chefs get a better handle on the power of those grills.
THE CHURN
January should be a good month for restaurant openings, if the stars align correctly. The ambitious Butcher and the Boar (featuring chef Jack Riebel's beer, bourbon and craft food) is set to open its doors on Hennepin Avenue S., as is Eat Street Social on Nicollet Avenue S., Turkey to Go in downtown Minneapolis and Sweet Ducky Cupcakery in Stillwater.
- The Heavy Table team writes about food and drink in the Upper Midwest five days a week, twice a day, at www. heavytable.com.
