Piccolo Minneapolis (aka Bourdain's "Best in the Midwest")

[Cary Grant]

http://piccolompls.com/

Eating there tomorrow night. Flicker finally tossed in the towel on his concept (simple actually- many tiny portions, choose several... but most chose two or three and left hungry/angry).

Now it's a five-course Prix-fixe... looking forward to it. Seems up the alley of some here in SLF&D

“Gazpacho” of compressed watermelon, tomato, cucumber, lime, and saffron...


Veal heart, tuna in lardo...


Definitely trying this... burrata with compressed orange and fennel pollen:

 

[why]

Are those pics from last fall?

 

[Cary Grant]

I believe they're recent. From a local food blog. I see the same dishes on the current menu.

 

[Cary Grant]

Hokay... my pics from Saturday night. Overall impression... balance, clean, clarity... hallmarks across the board. never too many flavors, never overworked/overdone... and everything cooked remarkably well. The lamb is probably the best bite of lamb I've ever had in terms of moistness, tender... delicious. Some dishes were subtle and "nice" but nothing special... my wife had the chicken with veal brains... certainly "comfort food like" but a little boring.

Burrata with compressed oranges, celery, wild fennel pollen and chili oil


Scrambled brown eggs with pickled pig’s feet, truffle butter and Parmigiano


Hamachi poached in ham hock stock with squash blossom, zucchini and bay leaf gel


Lamb breast with watercress, caramelized lemon, artichoke puree and chèvre


Crepe cake with golden raisins, pine nuts and vanilla ice cream


Cheeses: Strache di Capra, Harvest Moon Cheddar and Valdeon. All were in impeccable condition.

 

[Nil]

I've only been twice but I've enjoyed Piccolo both times. I haven't been in awhile, but according to their online menu, all the dishes are still available separately and the five course prix fixe is only an additional option. Is that not the case at all anymore?

The portion sized controversy can be chalked up to fat Midwesterners not knowing that food doesn't come in gigantic proportions at every restaurant.

 

[Cary Grant]

Changed recently. "5 course (one each from first 5 sections) dinner: $48 plus tax and gratuity " is the only option on the menu.

They said it's been well received. If two go and order differently, you get to try 2/3rds of the menu.

I think the issue before wasn't so much about portion size, but confusion. They'd suggest ordering 4-5 courses in the past but they said many people thought "i don't need that much", order 2-3 and leave hungry.

I think many modernist/small plate approaches have become all about the "experience of a perfect bite" .. but that's a very different reason for going out... most go out for dinner, a full meal, not for a tiny food carnival ride. That's catering to a whole different niche.

 

[impolyt_one]

I usually leave hungry from many fine restaurants. I think I'm full for about 10-20 minutes after, but it's really just my stomach expecting the next paced course when there isn't one. Haven't ordered a big tasting menu in long time though, usually just get 3-4 plates.

 

[mackmittonz]

I agree that the general Midwestern populace is probably not used to the small plate concept. I sat next to a couple who were wandering the neighborhood and decided to stop in for dinner. The server recommended 3-4 selections per person but it sounded like they were looking for a $20 and under per person type of meal. They both ordered one dish saying it should be enough. Their dishes were both the size of the lamb breast in your photos and they finished their "meal" in about 10 minutes. The server asked if they'd like anything else and they feigned that they were surprisingly full after the one plate. I had 4 courses that night and there's no way after the 4-5 bite "meal" they were full.

As for my meal, it was pretty good but not amazing. The swordfish belly was a little fishy and the signature of pig's trotter with eggs was good but not the revelation it was for Andrew Zimmern.

 

[Cary Grant]

Yeah- the trotter and egg was one of the least-interesting.