I could try to remember the last time I went to restaurant week, but I’m not sure I can even recall. I think it must’ve been 2019. This time, I just happened to be up in Minnesota during their summer restaurant week. There wasn’t a ton of restaurants on the list, but there were a few I did want to check out. To be exact, I went to three.

1. Baldamar – Roseville, MN

A new steak spot in the burbs, but with some good reviews from my friends. The staff was great. They were so nice and attentive, but not overly so. The service was very good (except for one tiny part). The food presentation was good, for the most part. The only not cool part was the dessert that came on a sauce and not a dessert plate and it had fallen it. There was no thought to presentation at all. The old fashioned was delicious. Everything was well executed. The atmosphere of the restaurant was of a modern steakhouse with high ceilings and open spaces, but still the dark wood colors of a steakhouse. The dining room was separated from the bar area and there was also a outdoor patio.

2. Lela – Bloomington, MN

My first time at Lela was amazing (and pre-pandemic). Granted that was for an event and this would be normal dining. I got there early and decided to partake in happy hour at the bar with some cocktails and fries. The bartender was great. The service was a little slow, but they were a tad short staffed that day. The food was pretty good, but I felt the lobster linguine could have actually used a bit more seasoning. The meal was good, but didn’t quite blow me out of the water this time.

3. The Lexington – St. Paul, MN

I had always wanted to try The Lexington. I’m not really sure why, but it had always been on my list. I thought it was fine American dining, but in actuality, it’s an old school steakhouse, kind of like Murray’s. It definitely has that old school supper vibes. There was dim lighting, carpet, a piano, spaced out tables, some booths, an old school wooden bar and other such things. The server we had was really good. The service itself was questionable. My Moscow mule was on tap, but still took a while to be served. Our steaks came out almost immediately after our appetizers were served. By the time we finished our appetizers, our steaks would be cold. My wine didn’t come out until halfway through me eating my steak. However, they did quick-fire my asparagus order. Although the food was good (the desserts not so much), the service was a turn off. Our server did apologize for the steaks coming out so fast.

I had forgotten how good steak can be (and the sides that come with it (mashed potatoes and asparagus)). My favorite items from restaurant week (aka the highlights)…in no particular order.

The Hightlights:

1. Pomme Frites – perfect fresh fries, nice and crisp
2. Sweet Corn Gazpacho – the nice sweetness of the corn went well with the lightly spiced tomato base
3. Oysters – so nice and fresh, less than 48 hours old
4. Steak Diane – the steak was cooked a perfect medium rare and the cognac sauce was amazing, bonus points for the mushrooms
5. Brussel Sprouts – these were amazing, first roasted and then fried for that extra crisp, the sauce paired very well
6. Asparagus w. Hollandaise – perfectly grilled and a wonderful sauce to pair

This weekend, we are headed to NYC for a couple days to hang out and check out the sites. I’m excited; I’m always excited to go to New York. NYC’s list is always intimating and offers too many options, bu there are always a few gems. And, it also lasts an entire month. Food adventures are so fun…and very delicious.