Peter Lilienthal: Where Everybody Knows His Name

I’ve been a restaurant critic in these pages for thirty-one years now. Although it’s been an enjoyable run, this avocation isn’t as glamorous as it appears. While it’s been difficult over a three-decade period to retain complete anonymity, I take some pride that the vast majority of greeters, servers, and chefs in town have no idea who I am when I walk in the door. As a result, I’m often the hapless victim of long waits, undesirable tables, bad food, surly service, and bouts of indigestion. So when my wife, Sallie, and I dine out on our own nickel, the thing we crave most is recognition and interaction.

At our favorite spots, we’ve not only gotten to know the chefs, but many of the servers, hosts, and sommeliers. It’s wonderful to be greeted by name and know that my questions about what’s special, fresh, or going on in the local kitchens are treated as more than idle conversation.

Our preferred way to dine these days is to call ahead and see if the chef will prepare a tasting meal. We do this not just at high-end restaurants, but for small ethnic spots as well. When the day is done, it’s the people both in the front and back of the house that keep us coming back. You’ll never find me spending my hard-earned cash where they hand out pagers to let me know I have the honor of reaching the front of the queue.

When Alma first opened, I was lukewarm about it. I had no real sense of the talent and commitment of owner-chef Alex Roberts. Since then, this gem of a restaurant has become one of my favorites. Roberts is a devotee of locally sourced ingredients, and there aren’t many others around who are as skilled in their use. I’m equally impressed by his willingness to test boundaries. I challenged Roberts to see if he could amaze Sallie on her birthday with some takes on her favorite items, one of which was fresh abalone. Although he had never cooked the shellfish before, he ordered some from a farm on the West Coast and nailed the preparation. It’s no wonder that he’s received national acclaim, which includes being nominated for a James Beard award.

There aren’t many cities that can boast of a restaurant like Chambers Kitchen—operating under the banner of renowned chef Jean–Georges Vongerichten—but thanks to Ralph Burnet, Minneapolis is one of them. Although the chef only comes to town for occasional checkups, he has clearly written the book on assuring that his kitchens reliably represent his name and standards. Whether it’s the incredible chicken samosas with cilantro-yogurt dipping sauce, the perfectly prepared satays, the ethereal steamed lobster with butter-fried garlic, or the Minnesota–inspired tempura salt-and-pepper walleye—each and every dish arrives looking and tasting exactly as the master specifies.

For years, the original Christos on Eat Street has been a favorite. Owners Carol and Gus Parpas always greet us with a warm hug, and we inevitably receive a tableside visit by their impish chef Mohamed Armeli. We particularly love having a spontaneous lunch: We start with the wonderful Middle Eastern dip sampler of hummus, tzatziki, melintzanosalata, and skordalia served with a basket of warm pita, then order the fabulous mussels with aioli, a Greek salad, and a glass or two of wine (and for me at least one pour of retsina).