Bar La Grassa

Bar La Grassa is not really a bar—it’s a big, modern, comfortable Italian restaurant rich in small plates, pastas sized for solos or shares, and a smattering of meat mains. Some of the fare is edgy, some familiar, but there is a lot of choice and the service and savvy were already top-notch when I dined there 10 days after opening. If I had to cast my vote for my favorite new restaurant of 2009 it would be this one—Isaac Becker’s (with partner Josh Thoma) second independent act, post Lurçat. The restaurant bears no resemblance to Becker’s 112 Eatery, from cuisine to décor to vibe, but the menu is all about his signature—dishes rooted in simple cooking, some of which are destined to become local food icons (such as the red wine spaghetti). That is Becker’s essential genius and why 112 continues to pop (with a little-changed menu), long after it should have settled into quiet middle age. Bar La Grassa does have a bar, of course, and there’s a dining counter that overlooks the kitchen, but don’t expect to be able to watch the chefs at work . . . you can’t quite see it.

800 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-333-3837, barlagrassa.com