If in recent years the missus and I have been ending up at Alma for dinner when in town for our anniversary at the end of June, we’ve also been ending up at 112 Eatery for dinner when in town on the younger boy’s birthday as well in mid-July. So it was in 2024. Last summer we were in Delhi in July (and I’m realizing now that I have not yet reported on that special lunch we ate there on that occasion). This July we were all in Minnesota (just barely—I left for Delhi by myself a few days later) and so it was to 112 Eatery we went for dinner to mark his 15th birthday (where does the time go?). Here’s a quick look at the meal.
As I always do, I had asked for a table upstairs at the time of making the reservation. Both their dining rooms get pretty full but it feels more cramped downstairs, perhaps because it gets darker there as the evening goes on. We don’t always end up with an upstairs table but, thankfully, on this occasion we did. Alas, it wasn’t one of the tables by the large windows—a number of larger parties (or maybe it was just one very large party) occupied those for most of the evening. We were seated between the bar and the wall at that end, at two two-tops joined together. It was a bit unwieldy with servers moving all around us, not to mention, the table got quite full as the meal went on. Of course, as the evening went on, the restaurant emptied out (Minnesota does not eat late even on weekends) and things were less frenzied at the end than they’d been at the beginning.
To the meal!
First things first, drinks. The boys got colas; the missus and I got a cocktail each. She had the Gin Blush, which featured pink gin, watermelon etc. and thought it was fine. I got the Bees Knees, which featured gin, honey-chilli syrup and lemon and it tasted like a spiked lemonade. I have to really stop ordering anything other than an Old Fashioned or their Brown Butter Bourbon at 112 Eatery.
Food: we got a bunch of things to share and our server coursed them out. To start, the regular Steak Tartare (we like the more involved 112 Tartare but it’s a lot to manage on a small table), the Sweet and Sour Crab Salad, the Lamb Scottadito (with an extra rib added on) and the Fried Bread with Prosciutto di Parma. The tartare and the crab salad were both very good (and paired well). The fried bread was very good as well. Alas, the lamb ribs, usually a highlight, were more than a bit flabby, as though they’d been held under a heat lamp for a while (the younger generation were less critical, I should note).
At this point I switched to a glass of red wine (a Gamay). Next to arrive on the table were the Stringozzi w. Lamb Sugo, the Country-Style Pork Rib w. Salsa Piccante, the Pan-Fried Gnocchi w. Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the French Fries. The stringozzi are another old favourite and I”m glad to say they did not disappoint. On our server’s recommendation we’d doubled up on the pork rib but, as it turned out, one would have been large enough with everything else on the table. We didn’t complain though as it was very good. The gnocchi were okay; the french fries were excellent as usual.
And so, to dessert. The birthday boy asked for the Mocha Mousse Torte, which was very good. We also got the Lemon Meringue Tarte. The tarte was quite tasty but I’m sorry to report that the nuts in the topping were rancid—a good thing we’d asked for them on the side on account of allergies. Our server readily agreed they were off and took them away (though the dessert itself remained on the check when it arrived).
For a look at everything we ate, launch the slideshow below. Scroll down to see how much it all cost, for thoughts on service and to see what’s coming next.
Service is always friendly and always more than a bit harried at peak hours at 112 Eatery and so it was again. But that’s the general vibe of the place—not really a failing. Cost? $288 before tip, which seems like a bit more than we’ve paid there per head in recent years (though it’s possible we ordered more this year as the boys are grown monstrous large). Scottadito disappointment aside, it still feels like a family ritual worth repeating (though we will probably be out of town next July). I won’t make large claims for the food but it’s comfort food in more ways than one (as we’ve been eating many of these dishes for almost as long as we’ve been in Minnesota).
Alright, I’m now caught up (more or less) with my Twin Cities reports. Next week’s restaurant report will be of a meal eaten in Minneapolis this past weekend. Before that I’ll have a couple of reports from Bombay in April, another report from Seoul in May, and my last report from New York/New Jersey last October.