Porter & Frye, Minneapolis

[MikeTMD]

Porter & Frye/Hotel Ivy

1115 Second Avenue South

Minneapolis, MN 55403

http://porterandfrye.com/

http://www.ivympls.com/

Full picture set posted on www.flickr.com

I am a good cook, and my work impressed a few people along the way – it has always felt great. That said, I can only imagine what it feels like to have a talent of a kitchen genius, along with the virtuoso ability that comes with that territory. I can only imagine what it feels like to be Thomas Keller, Grant Achatz, Willie Dufresne or Steven Brown. For those of you who are not familiar with the latter uber-talented chef (not yet, anyway) - you will get to know him, for the talent of that caliber will sooner or later be known nationally, not because of a boy-band looks and posse, or a European accent most associate with wit, charm and, for some unknown to me reason, ability to make great food. You will hear about Steven Brown, and you will get to know him because of what he does, and how he does it. Chef Brown is a phenomenal talent.

Needless to say, I was nothing short of overwhelmed with anticipation when I booked a table at Porter&Frye, a three-month old restaurant in the historic Ivy Tower in downtown Minneapolis. I was impressed by how attentive the person on the other end of the phone was when I called, how she asked me about my preferences and dislikes while discussing the tasting menu, and how she promised me that Maestro himself would call me to talk about my dinner. Good and promising, I thought.

Not a moment too soon, I found myself at the door of Chef’s Brown restaurant on a Wednesday night – excited and curious at the same time. The restaurant was a bit busier than I thought it was going to be on a mid-week night, which was a good sign – food must be good to attract that kind of crowd (later, I asked one the managers about how busy they’ve been – she strongly encouraged weekend reservations, and told me that on weekends the lower level in the house is reservation-only, although they try to keep the upper level open for walk-ins).

I am not going to take a lot of time describing the interior, although I was impressed by it, but I would like to mention the staircase leading to the Porter & Frye’s lower level. It’s an intriguing structure, leading diners through the open levels of the legendary tower, ending at the black and red clad interior of the lower level dining room.

I was promptly seated and offered water in old-fashioned thick glass bottle – quite a nice touch. Noteworthy, the water was close to room temperature and no ice was offered, but it still looked good.

My server confirmed our tasting menu plan, we briefly discussed wine, and agreed to start with 2006 McManis Viognier - a very good choice as it were. The Viogner was very flavorful, soft and full of Muscat-like flavors, perfect for pairing with anything from poultry to fruit.

At that point I was offered bread - generally, unless the bread is house-made I don’t pay much attention to it, but here I simply had to – that bread should’ve never gone out: the baguette was warmed-up and crusty, but completely flattened, as if that loaf came from the bottom of the box, or was packed in too tightly in a bread basket. I was a bit surprised, but did not complain – I was there for the food, after all.

I had a few minutes to look at the diners around me, as my amuse took a while to appear, I noticed that most had time between courses - not sure if it was by design, but it was nice to see people actually engaging into conversation over dinner, something most don’t do too often.

About 30 minutes into my dinner, I was served Mala-Mala Oyster with Celery and Green Almond.

Server described this dish as "oyster with celery puree", although its consistency was a little thinner than I would expect. Oyster itself was served room temperature, and was nice and "meaty". I would've preferred it be on the colder side, but overall it was a good way to start a meal.

I am not certain if they would call the oyster plate an amuse or an appetizer, so I was eagerly and patiently waiting for the things to come.

At that point, I ordered another glass of white -2007 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc. It was very light, soft (which is what I like) but pleasant, and not at all citrus-laden. It would’ve been even better at the beginning of my meal, as a Sauvignon Blanc like this would pair well with only very light fare, in my opinion, but I was very pleased with it, nonetheless.

My second course was Braised Cabbage with Spring Vegetables, Lime Dressing and Crispy Tortilla Strips.

Cabbage was perfectly braised - great illustration of cooking craftsmanship. Everything else on the plate was mediocre- vegetables were crispy, but had very little taste, lime dressing tasted more like garlic tahini spiked with lime - not a bad idea, but not on this plate, crispy tortilla strips were crunchy, but nothing else. I would expect to see something like this on Applebee's menu, but not in a fine dining restaurant - major disappointment.

Next course was Seared Scallop with Bitter Greens and Bitter Orange.

The scallop was seared to absolute perfection, and glazed with something sweet. Bitter greens ( Swiss Chard or Collards, I assume) were cooked very well, but overall taste was a touch too bitter for me, Bitter Orange made this dish taste "bitter on bitter" , and did not add a different sensation on the palate. This was an OK plate, though. I was wondering about the pace of my meal at that point – scallop followed cabbage in a timely manner, but the first two courses were separated by thirty minutes each. It was a little chaotic.

My server steered me in the red wine territory, and I’ve gladly complied, choosing 2004 Northstar Merlot - great red from WA State. It had a lot of smoke and vanilla, and very low tannins - outstanding domestic wine.

My next plate happened to be Bacon-crusted Foie Gras with Foie Gras Sauce and Pickled Ramp.

I love seared Foie, and although my favorite epicurean pen pal would disagree (wink-wink, UE) - how could well-seared foie gras be bad? It was good, but monochromatic.

I wish there was more to say, but this is as much as I have on my mind just two days after the meal – regretfully. Foie Gras plate was very rich, and little else. It was, no doubt, expensive, but I wish it had the kind of flavor I was expecting from Chef Brown’s kitchen, alas – not this time.

My second red was 2005 Dusted Valley Stained Tooth Syrah – powerful, yet delicate wine, with prominent honey and lavender overtones. I would suggest pairing it with squab, game and flavorful cuts of red meat, like flat iron steaks or hanging tenders.

My meat course was Kobe Beef Short Rib with Cheese, Smoked Mashed Potatoes and Maple Syrup.

This was my favorite dish of the night - short ribs were cooked sous-vide, topped with an amazing Brie-like cheese ( both me and my server missed the name), paired with smoked mashed potatoes and spiked with maple syrup. Short ribs were very hearty, but not at all greasy -great dish.

I was about two and a half hours into my meal, and all of a sudden the kitchen picked up a fast pace. My cheese plate was Camembert with Lyle's Golden Syrup, Pine Nuts and Rosemary Crisp.

Nice cheese course, I thought. Apparently, Lyle’s Golden Syrup is the new “it” thing, as I’ve been told. Well, Her Majesty made a fine choice – back in 1911. I am curious to see how popular that sweet British condiment is going to become in our corners, but let’s move on.

Before we do - I am reluctant to admit something: I was asked about my dislikes before dinner, and I told them that I don’t like nuts, yet cheese plate had a small mound of pine nut morsels – I was not certain what to make of that, but out of respect said nothing. Under different circumstances, I would’ve sent the cheese plate back.

My final plate of the night was Cheesecake.

This was an interesting dish, for a few reasons. Cheesecake filling, almonds, poached rhubarb, macerated strawberries and caramel are great individual flavors, but I questioned how well, if at all, they were working together. My server told me the dish evolved three times since the restaurant open, and I can see why – this is clearly a work-in-progress project for Chef Brown and his crew. On a personal note, this dish made me feel unwelcome: almonds are popular and tasteful, but to ask someone of their preferences, and to disregard them so bluntly by sending two nut dishes in a row – I couldn’t help but wonder what went wrong with the kind of talent and host Chef Brown happens to be.

The crescendo of the meal came in the form of Mignardines.

I loved everything about it: presentation, taste, texture, flavors – everything. Paired with the flight of icewine, Tokaj and Muscat it was the delight I anticipated, and nothing short of that.

I’ve asked for an opportunity to thank Chef Brown and his team, unfortunately Chef left earlier in the evening, before my dinner began, which gave me an idea why things went subpar for my table. Still, I thanked the crew that appeared youthful, enthusiastic and by modern kitchen standards, experienced. I wish them well.

In conclusion, I would still want to echo what a helpful hostess told me during my dinner: walleye and swordfish made by Porte & Frye chefs are excellent, as well as steaks their guests can’t stop enjoying, the house is full on the weekends, and reservations are recommended.

On a personal note, I’ve just read in a local newspaper that Doug Flicker – yet another local talent of remarkable caliber is about to join Porter&Frye as a line cook, and I am excited to see what Chef Brown, the man that once prepared on the best meals I can remember, will do next.

For right now, and in good faith, I simply cannot recommend Porter & Frye as a dinner destination.

Edited June 6, 2008 by MikeTMD (log)