I don't do commercial endorsements, but I heeded Barb Lickness' post of a couple of weeks ago and tried Whittier's new Azia restuarant, kitty-corner from the Black Forest. I've got to second her "Wow!"
The Asian fusion cuisine was wonderful. I can recommend the cranberry curry, although the medium heat was close to the outer edge of tolerable for this German-Irish couple. It brought a light film to the forehead but stopped just short of hiccups. Folks with Midwestern tastes might want to ask for a notch below medium. The carmelized pecan shrimp was great. What's most interesting is the combination of flavors. Our spinach salad included nutmeg and papya. The server was incredibly attentive, and the owner and chef both stopped by the table to check on our meal. What's perhaps even more encouraging is to see the investment made in the building. This enterprise clearly sees value in a Whittier location and is giving added value as well. The building is the former 26th St. National Bank, which I'm told opened in 1926 and failed after the crash of 29. The owner removed three layers of linoleum to get down to the terrazzo and restored the pressed tin ceiling. There is incredible attention to detail in matters like the menu design. And get this: The men's and women's bathrooms share a set of elegant sinks outside the doors to each. The owner told us he plans to expand both north along Nicollet and west along 26th. I'm sure there are details that a restaurant critic could find to critique. My only downer was the techno music that played the whole time we were there. I could easily envision Italian opera in such an elegant space. But, hey, I'm an old fart, and the target audience is probably is trifle younger. Try it. It was magical for this pair of Valentines after 27 years of wedlock. Steve Brandt Kingfield TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Send all posts in plain-text format. 2. Cut as much of the post you're responding to as possible. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
