Beth Dooley: "Get Changed! We're Going Out!"

Origami is a great place to wait for a companion, and given our uncertain schedules—that last-minute phone call, bad traffic, carpools—being on time is rare. I love sitting and chatting with the articulate, classically trained sushi chef who waxes poetic about tuna belly and octopus, explaining why the chili paste pairs with halibut or how gizzard shad is marinated. He wields his ten-inch cleaver, offering lessons in fish, culture, grace, and courtesy. The menu reminds me that “sushi is not a fast food,” and with good sake, I slow down and enjoy the anticipation.

We are passionate about our pizza preferences, and Pizza Nea satisfies us all. The crust is crisp yet toothy with interesting toppings (nothing too weird). Give me the boscaiola with roasted porcini; let them eat Margherita (simple and good). For a pizza joint, the sleek, upscale Italian space is pretty swank and serves moderately priced wines to sip with a salt-crusty focaccia and reliable caesar. It’s a bit pricier than the average pizza place, but the service is swift. When time is the issue, take-out is a great option.

Dining at Rice Paper is a Zen pause in a hectic week. Its sour, spicy Vietnamese and Thai specialties (many vegetarian) are light and healthful. The tofu puffs in spicy peanut sauce are the best thing that’s happened to tofu, and we’re hooked on the song huong beef (grilled, leaf-wrapped beef rolls). There’s a thoughtfully chosen wine list, several beers, and exotic green teas (try the artichoke). The historic brick building with pale green walls is serene and intimate, evoking the era of Linden Hill’s streetcars and bonhomie—but did they eat this well in 1947?

An East Coast transplant, I’ve never understood the Minneapolis–St. Paul divide. Though we live in Kenwood, Zander Café feels like it’s in my own backyard. This busy bistro, with its fresh, local fare prepared by one of our region’s best chefs, draws us in for dinner and jazz as a couple or to meet up with friends. Alexander Dixon’s house-cured meats and sausages and innovative yet accessible recipes are reason enough to love Zander, but it’s the brawny personality of this lively, original, and upbeat place that beckons us back.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am biased about Lucia Watson’s 31st Street empire—Lucia’s Restaurant, Lucia’s Wine Bar, and Lucia’s Bakery and Take Home. Lucia Watson and I collaborate on writing projects; she is a godmother to our second son. But she also has been recognized nationally by the James Beard Society, Gourmet, The New York Times, as well as this magazine. Lucia is one bright culinary star. Her food is renowned for its local aesthetic refined by unyielding commitment to quality.

Take Lucia’s Wine Bar—aglow with hubbub and hospitality (strike up a conversation with Denise, the bar manager, who knows all her wines and the story of every interesting beer). Bar food is great or order from the dinner menu, which changes weekly (wild rice pancakes with mushroom sauce, a simple roast chicken that never loses its charm). The bar is one big-city block party, where I bump into friends from all walks of my life, some of whom I’ve been meaning to call. Who needs Facebook, when we’ve got Lucia’s Wine Bar?

Often I’m out of time and food and thus am ever grateful for Lucia’s Bakery and Take Home, where I can meet a friend for lunch and pick up dinner at the same time: Lucia’s signature chicken potpies (with puffy pastry caps) or the mushroom stroganoff with the wide noodles my kids adore. It’s a warm, happy space with butter yellow walls that invite lingering. Treat yourself to a handmade caramel (crunchy with that touch of sea salt) or a tiny Budapest cupcake to savor on your way out the door.