Side Dishes

BAKED BEANS

I’mma do the things
That I wanna do
I ain’t got a thing
To prove to you
I’ll eat my candy
With the pork and beans
Excuse my manners
If I make a scene
—Weezer “Pork and Beans”

Baked beans trace their genetic history back to the gardens of Meso–American Indians and their cultural history to the slow-cooking traditions of the South and East—New England and Boston in particular. Of course, around here, everybody’s Uncle Larry has his own marvelous version of doctored Heinz, B&M, or Bush’s for summertime picnics, but there are a few local examples that can hang with the secret family recipe—the best of which seem to be found in places that specialize in barbecue. We wanted ours thick, but not as a brick, with plenty of pork.

Lee and Dee’s
The beans here are big, earthy, and complement the fried catfish nicely. 161 N. Victoria St., St. Paul, 651-225-9454

Redstone
A colorful array of beans swim in the sweetest sauce of the three—and are a great side to Redstone’s superb baby back ribs. Minnetonka and Eden Prairie

Whitey’s World Famous Saloon
Whitey’s smoker pumps out competent ribs and chicken, but its baked beans are top notch—smoky, with tender chunks of pork. 400 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-623-9478

BISCUITS

Heavens, they’re tasty. It’s a wonder they’re not on the coffee shop circuit. Cousin to the British scone, a biscuit should be slightly tangy (made with buttermilk), with a firm crust and soft, crumbly interior. In northern climes, it’s tough to find a tender Southern biscuit—our flour is different. Bad biscuits (flavorless, textureless sinkers) are the stuff breakfast sausage sandwiches are made of. Happily, the best biscuits come with the cheapest, tastiest fried chicken in town.

butter bakery cafe
The size of a man’s fist, the biscuits are fluffy within their golden dense crust. Eat ’em straight up with a cup of cream-laced coffee or stuff them with salty Virginia ham for a true taste of the South. 3544 Grand Ave. S., Mpls., 612-521-7401

Grand Café
The belle of Southern biscuits, Grand Café’s hand-rolled rounds conjure up Gone with the Wind. Dignified, wistful, so delicate and pretty, capped with bright raspberry jam. Sadly, they come out only for weekend brunch. 3804 Grand Ave. S., Mpls., 612-822-8260

Popeye’s
“Just nasty, so buttery, so gross they’re great,” raved our teenage dining companions at 11 p.m. when they happily polished off dozens, no problem. The golden crusty orbs are meltingly perfect; ridiculously cheap. 310 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-825-5129

CORN BREAD

Corn bread comes in a vast array of shapes and varieties. Its origins date back to precolonial days when Native Americans used corn to prepare cakes, breads, and porridges. A traditional corn bread or “quick bread” is made from a combination of eggs, cornmeal, and oil and is leavened with baking soda or baking powder. Northerners tend to prefer corn bread on the sweet side and fortify their recipes with molasses or sugar. Southern corn bread tends to be savory and saltier, but Southerners frequently pour syrup over theirs and/or flavor the batter with ingredients such as pork cracklings or bacon grease. Depending on how it’s cooked and what it contains, corn bread’s core ingredients are served up as johnnycakes, hoe-cakes, corn pone, and hushpuppies.

Brasa Rotisserie
Arguably the best corn bread around. Owner/chef Alex Roberts purées frozen organic sweet corn, folds the purée into a batter of cornmeal, flour, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, salt, and baking powder and bakes it in a convection oven until it emerges with a wonderful crusty, creamy texture. Slather it with butter and go to town! 600 Hennepin Ave. E. , Mpls., 612-379-3030

Famous Dave’s
These iconic, chain corn muffins are served piping hot, glistening with a honey-jalapeño glaze. They are such crowd pleasers that pleas for the recipe clog the Internet. Numerous metro locations

Tejas
The granddaddy of fancy Tex–Mex, Tejas serves signature blue corn corn bread—actually corn sticks—baked in cast-iron pans. Crusty on the bottom, they are firm and easy to eat while sipping Mexican beer or chasing the last of the lamb shank around the plate. 3910 W. 50th St., Edina, 952-926-0800

» Honorable Mention: J.D. Hoyt’s

CREAMED SPINACH

Rarely can a food so pristine and good for you in its natural state be turned into one of the most decadent delights on a plate. Creamed spinach is, in today’s America, a steak house staple, and with the genre’s resurgence this delicious side dish has returned to a place of importance among great American vegetable dishes. The basic variants are chopped or whole leaf spinach, a cream sauce or béchamel, and nutmeg and/or cheese. A little of each goes a long way, but none whatsoever will be dull.

The Capital Grille
Perhaps the most traditional of the local variants, Cap Grille achieves a perfect texture, pure spinach taste, and wonderful balance. LaSalle Plaza, 801 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-692-9000

Lake House
Vegetarians close your eyes! Joan Ida’s secret ingredient? Duck fat. There’s some spinach, cheese, and cream as well. Did we mention the bacon? Lord, take us now. 8241 North Shore Trail, Forest Lake, 651-464-3111

Morton’s
It has the most nutmeg of our favorites, but only nutmeg-haters will have a problem with this made-to-order wonder, a perfect balance of creaminess and vegetal qualities. Split a Morton’s burger and a plate of creamed spinach, and you’ve got the best lunch in town. Gaviidae Common, 555 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-673-9700

HASH BROWNS

Hashed brown potatoes, as they were originally called, were the province of short-order cooks. These days, hashmasters can still be found in tried-and-true greasy spoons, but increasingly it seems that standout hash browns have followed beef to another great American institution: the steak house. They can be diced, chopped, or shredded and seasoned with or without onion, bell pepper, or a restaurant’s special flourish. No matter how they’re done, hash browns had to have that magic mix of fluffy, creamy, and crunchy potato goodness to make the cut.

Lindey’s Prime Steak House
You may know Lindey’s for steak, but go for the potatoes. The “greaseless hashed browns” are smashed and fried on the flattop with a call-yer-mama-good blend of butter and secret seasonings (poultry seasoning, we surmise). Served family-style, and, lucky for you, the friendly servers keep ’em coming. 3600 Snelling Ave. N., Arden Hills, 651-633-9813

Morton’s
Ribbons of russets in a midsized cake taste like pure potato (with the help of salt, pepper, butter, and oil, of course). An excellent conduit for rib eye juice, béarnaise, spinach, or anything else that fits on the fork. Gaviidae Common, 555 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-673-9700

Oceanaire Seafood Room/St. Paul Grill [tie]
Not a tie as in identical, but two delicious examples of hash browns with “stuff.” The hashed browns à la Oceanaire with Tabasco, onion, and bacon crumbles in the center are piquant, smoky, and fluffy with a good, crispy crust. SPG’s version with thick-cut apple-wood–smoked bacon and white onion (no hot sauce) is a bit more luscious and has a nice hint of sweet. Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1300 Nicollet Ave., Mpls., 612-333-2277; The Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market St., St. Paul, 651-224-7455

MAC ’N’ CHEESE

Would it shock you to learn that Thomas Jefferson was a likely inventor of mac ’n’ cheese? The Library of Congress holds documents that reference his “pie called macaroni,” which was baked pasta with butter and cheese. It was probably a far cry from the homey version your mom used to make, and even further from the blue box all five-year-olds insist on. While it has remained a staple in diners and cafés, this ultimate comfort food has had a bit of a renaissance, popping up on finer menus as a dressed-up dish with such high-end trappings as lobster or crabmeat, which strikes us akin to painting your 1977 Pinto in gold leaf, but whatever.

Café Maude
Served as a dinner entrée, Maude’s mac ’n’ cheese is a homey and hearty plate of hot pasta swimming in a light but flavorful cheese sauce. Maude clearly knows how to feed the neighborhood. 5411 Penn Ave. S., Mpls., 612-822-5411

Red Stag Supper Club
Chef Bill Baskin’s version is ever-evolving. His latest crock of baked pasta is comfortably refined, earthy, and rich with generous amounts of cheese, mushrooms, and truffle. 509 1st Ave. NE, Mpls., 612-767-7766

Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque
Smalley’s “made-to-order” side dish employs some of the creamiest, silkiest orange cheese around. Adding the optional bacon or chilies only raises the bar. 423 Main St., Stillwater, 651-439-5375

ONION RINGS

The first documented recipe for battering rings of onion and frying them in oil was an ad for Crisco that appeared in a November 1933 issue of The New York Times Magazine. The instructions back then were elemental: cut large onions into slices about a quarter-inch thick, separate, dip into milk, dredge with flour, and cook until golden. Today, preparations of the ubiquitous appetizer range from batter fortified with everything from beer to jerk spices to carving the onion into “blooms,” strings, and loaves. We weren’t particular, as long as they were onions.

Buster’s on 28th
Traditionalists prefer their rings fresh and big, crusted with a breading that holds together when bitten. That’s exactly how they’re cooked to order at this south Minneapolis tavern. 4204 28th Ave., Mpls., 612-729-0911

Porky’s
Although some find Porky’s rings on the salty side (and worthless unless eaten fresh from the fryer), these smooth beauties deserve their “Legendary Onion Rings” description. 1890 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-644-1790; 1851 Central Ave. NE, Mpls.; 612-706-0040

Manny’s Steak House
For a terrific variation on the theme, these strings of nongreasy, perfectly crisped “French Fried Onions” offered in the vegetable category are tough to beat. W Minneapolis—The Foshay, 821 Marquette Ave., Mpls., 612-339-9900