April 6, 2008

Minneapolis, Minn.

Republicans converging on St. Paul, Minn., for the party's national convention in September will be tempted to cross the Mississippi River to check out the capital's "twin" -- Minneapolis, with its bounty of good restaurants.

Don't judge this tiny restaurant by its cover. What could pass for a car repair shop on the outside contains a menu of roast pork, chicken and beef that comes prepared with some pedigree: Chef Alexander Roberts also owns Restaurant Alma, a Mediterranean-accented restaurant that happens to be one of the top dining spots in the city. At Brasa, Roberts's long-cooked meats and soulful side dishes hark back to his worldly travels and meals he’s made at home for friends. My ideal meal in this rustic room combines Caribbean-spiced pork with jalapeño-fueled spinach and yams tossed with andouille. Entrees $7.50-$14.50.

What a fun way to wake up! Downtown’s wackiest breakfast and brunch destination is created from eye-opening java poured into mammoth cups, heavenly ricotta-lemon hot cakes, a punchy corned beef hash and local walleye slipped between slices of sourdough for a fish sandwich of distinction. Bring an appetite; the portions are Bunyanesque. On the walls: red paint and hellish art. On the servers on Sundays: PJs and other bedtime attire. Breakfast dishes $3.75-$15.25.

It would be hard to find a greener place to eat; the table tops turn out to be doors rescued from a condo project, and the kitchen relies on solar panels and low-flow dishwashers. The menu, on the other hand, reflects the owner's youth in northern Wisconsin, which means there are fish fries on Fridays and updated Midwestern staples — picture stroganoff made with venison, local mushrooms and watercress — to consider. Cornmeal-sprinkled smelt fries sound like a joke, but the fishy snack gives french fries stiff competition. Entrees $16-$49.

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PHOTO: Michael Stern: Hell's Kitchen; EDITED BY: Tom Sietsema - The Washington Post; WEB EDITOR: Christian Pelusi - washingtonpost.com