Bar La Grassa

I have been waiting for my opportunity to eat at BLG for too long. When you ask people in the Twin Cities where to get a really good meal BLG is always offered as a suggestion. This is not a surprise given that the Executive Chef and owner is a James Beard award winner. My sister and I share a birthday (exactly five years apart) and it served as the perfect occasion for a fabulous meal. Thankfully my mom did a lot of research online on what we HAD to have and ordered from there.

The menu is big but the descriptions are brief, everything looks good. I worked at three different Italian restaurants during college and AmeriCorps so I think I may have a leg up on deciphering the menu. I would definitely recommend ordering many dishes and sharing everything, but that is my suggestion for every restaurant. Most of the pasta can be ordered as a small or large order; get the small and try more of the menu. Everything we had was rich so sharing was essential as to not feel overwhelmed.

We started the meal with two bruschettas: the Roasted Shishito Peppers with Chocolate Tepenade and the Gorrgonzola Picante with Peperonata. And both were amazing. The chocolate added a lot of depth to the Shishito bruchetta. The Peperonata was roasted perfectly adding a lot of flavor.

Our second course consisted the Seared Sea Scallops with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, the ‘Nduja Egg Raviolo (recommended by the server), and the Smoked Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Brown Butter and Lobster.

They were all delicious but the ‘Nduja Egg Raviolo was the clear winner for that course … ALWAYS ask your server what to get. The yoke runs out of the filled fresh pasta and mixes with the spicy chili oil.

The third round was my favorite: Gnocchi with Cauliflower and Orange, Mushroom and Taleggio Agnolotti (also recommended the by the server), and the St. Louis Pork Ribs. HOLY CA-MOLY. All three dishes were knock outs!

I had to get the Gnocchi after this review from City Pages. I echo everything they say, I was nervous the dish would taste too strong of orange and it wasn’t the case. It was perfect.

The Agnolotti were little pockets of happiness each bite was rich and worth remembering.

The ribs were tender and some of the best tasting meat I have ever had.

I thought we had hit the crescendo of the meal, I thought the best was behind us. I WAS WRONG! The Salted Butter and Caramel Crespelle was heaven on earth. I wanted to crawl into the fetal position and lick the plate.