Alternative title: I’m a Gluttonous Pig (and That’s Okay)
LINKS AT EVERYTHING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
I’ve officially been in Minneapolis two full years now and,
until yesterday, and never participated in Restaurant Week. Minneapolis-St. Paul Restaurant week, for
those that aren’t aware, is a quarterly occurrence where restaurants offer a
limited menu for a discounted price. Some
only offer lunch, some offer dinner, and I think maybe some do brunch. And the restaurants that participate are
typically on the more expensive side. I
mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to dropping serious coin on a fantastic
meal but there’s risk in going to a place you’ve never been to before that I’m
not always willing to take.
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| Inside Seven |
Anyway, as a chubby girl who loves food but doesn’t love
cooking, that makes zero sense that I’ve missed 8 cycles of this magical event so
I finally decided to participate. After
discussing options with friends, we finally decided to go to Seven. I’ve walked by Seven so many times while out
on the town but have never been inside.
While it can look intimidating at night from the street, the inside is
actually really warm and welcoming while being modern. There’s no obnoxious techno or subtle jazz
playing in the background. The tables
are a distance from each other and the size and furnishings of the dining area is
perfect in that you can have a normal volume conversation with the people at
your table without it echoing or bothering your neighbors.
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| Seven at night |
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| Seven Roll |
Seven is somewhat unique in that there are two separate
menus. One is traditional steakhouse and
the other is that of a classic sushi bar.
We started with the Seven roll and escargot. These were full price menu items that we
wanted to try in addition to the limited menu provided during Restaurant
Week. And they were worth it. The Seven roll was the perfect combination of
seafood, fish, and rice. The roll held
together using a fork or chop sticks (I’m from Louisiana, I don’t do chop
sticks). The escargot was tricky
because, well, I’m déclassé and couldn’t manage the tongs. Finally the maître d’ came over and
told me that it was A-OK to hold them in my hand and dig in with a toothpick. After that, it was amazing. They were buttery and soft and garlicky and
paired well with the bread we were given.
I ordered the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc for this course. It paired very well and, especially since I
only allowed myself one glass, I was happy with my choice.
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| Escargot |
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| That’s right, give me the meat juice! |
Next we ordered the Waldorf salad. This is a salad and tasted like a salad. Basically, we ate the blue cheese and then moved
on. We both ordered the filet mignon as
an entrée. Of course, we did. I got medium rare because I’m a cave-woman and
my buddy got it medium well. We both
enjoyed it. It was well seasoned and
juicy and the meat was definitely the jewel of the meal. The mashed potatoes were okay but basically
served as a conduit to get meat juice into my mouth. The asparagus was asparagus and was
fine. I’m not a big fan of vegetables
so, while I ate it, it could have been left off for all I cared.
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| Who am I kidding? It's because I was too lethargic to reach over the table. |
While the food was primo, I left talking about the
service. I’ve never had better service
in my entire life. Everything was timed
excellently. As someone who worked in
restaurants off and on through high school and college, I know all about the
disconnect that can exist between the front of house and kitchen. I don’t know what sort of voodoo is happening
at Seven but everything was seamless.
The wait staff had personality, gave honest feedback, and was more than
attentive without being too present.
My only complaint is that our reservations were earlier than
valet started so I ended up spending $18 on parking. The fact that that didn’t ruin my night (I
NEVER PAY FOR PARKING) is a testament to how amazing this experience was. Honestly, Restaurant Week really works
out for restaurants too because now I’m definitely going back here. When family and friends visit, this is where
I’ll be taking them. When I have a
special occasion meal, this is where I’ll be suggesting.
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