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I love Heidi's. I've eaten there now at least ten times, and it is consistently great every time. Even the time when the kitchen caught on fire and they couldn't serve me--which was on my birthday. They gave me a gift certificate and asked that I come back and have my birthday dinner on them. I did.
I think Heidi's is one of the best values in Minneapolis. To get such great, consistent meals, and for under $20? I enjoy the tasting menu, however I prefer a more casual meal there. I have yet to try the Chef's table. I enjoy the kooky Maitre 'd--just ask him about his cheese trolley. The service is informed and knows their menu well. And the Shefzilla surprise is always worth getting.
Heidis, I love you just the way you are-though in my dreams you have a bar where I can have dinner by myself.
Not to be missed, if you live in Minneapolis or just visiting - make sure you put Heidi's on the 'to do' list. I had the duck egg appetizer, and the sea bass for dinner. Every bite was amazing, the 'froth' around the sea bass was so good and the fish was cooked perfectly. It's a small place, great vibe, very charming, love the decor. fantastic service, the waiter recommend very good wine to go with my meal. I was not disappointed, Heidi's delivers on all levels - Minneapolis, you have a gem of a restaurant!
I was very pleased with my experience here. We got the mixed greens salad which was great. We also got the beef and trout entrees, both were really good. My only complaint was that the skin was still on the fish, which was a little wierd. Our banana dessert was so delish! I would definatly go back except it's hard to get a reservation unless you plan 2 weeks in advance.
Tasting menu this, my second time:
What an outing last night! A friend and I randomly decided to go get a world-class meal last night and went to Heidi's in Minneapolis. This is a small, charming, unpretentious neighborhood restaurant rated as a 2009 Top 50 New Restaurants by T+L and Best Restaurant 2009 by City Pages, serving world-class new American. Chef Woodman has studied under Alain Ducasse, Jean George, Eric Ripert, Gray Kunz, and Michael Romano. (Gray Kunz hooked him up with Ripert when he told Gray he wanted to learn how to cook fish.) The food is all hand-crafted and you can see the Chefzilla himself banging away through the kitchen service window. The atmosphere is very comfortable.
1 Soup ================================================== ==
Lobster bisque, truffled lobster garnish and sweet potato wonton. This was so good! A foamy broth, light for a bisque, very strongly and deeply flavored. Had a coral color to it.
2 Appetizer =================================================
Foie gras brulee on top of a cookie-like cake with a squash-based sauce and an herb based sauce. Coriander, clove, cumin, had a very Indian feel... Almost like an Indian oatmeal cookie with cold foie gras on top. Yummy and beautifully presented, perfect for Fall.
3 Pasta ================================================== =
House-made papardelle with black truffles, black and white truffle oil, really good olive oil, and Grana Padano. This was one of my favorites. Yes, a vegetarian dish was one of my favorites. It was so creamy and delicious!
4 Fish ================================================== ==
Australian sea bass, parsley puree, parsnips, creamy mussel foam. This was very nice and well-balanced, and beautifully cooked strip of sea bass, crispy skin, molten creamy flesh. The buttery mussel foam balanced well with the cleanly cooked fish as did the puree.
5 Meat ================================================== =
Anise scented lamb shank, braised tender to the bone, served on a wild rice salad. At least some of the anise scent came from the pieces of fennel mixed into the wild rice salad. This was our lovely waitress Megan's (and my) favorite dish. There was such depth of flavor and so many elements playing together. The meat was incredibly tender without even a hint of gaminess, and in places caramelized just enough. I think the entree would have been a bit much but this small portion was perfect.
6 Dessert =================================================
Chocolate and coffee baba, orange cream and sorbet / Banana Napoleon with caramel creameaux and walnuts. Bittersweet and sweet, outstanding alone or together.
7 Cheese =================================================
Aged English Cheddar
Loved it
Spanish Goat Cheese
Liked it, a bit harder than what I typically prefer in a goat cheese, had a wonderful ash rind on it.
French Rocquefort
I don't like blue cheeses, but I force fed myself some to try to expand my horizons a bit. I was able to tolerate it. Really liked the saltiness, but still can't get over the gym sock aroma of this type of cheese.
Little tossed salad of weird microgreens (grasses?) and flowers with some more of that awesome olive oil and a bit of good salt (kosher I think).
Nice toast points
============================
Conclusion:
I went in starving, was full as a tick leaving, and enjoyed the entire experience immensely. The flavors layered themselves on my palate for each dish individually, and in my stomach cumulatively on this journey. Megan, our waitress, was lovely and it turns out the waitstaff have a bit of latitude in constructing your tasting menu, selecting dishes for you. Thanks, Megan :) I LOVE this place.
A colleague who lives in neighboring Tangletown told me about this surprising neighborhood… Read more »
Exceeded my expectations!
My wife has raved about her experiences at Heidi's and I finally got my chance to taste the goodness on a drop in Sunday night dinner.
The space is small, but cozy not cramped for a table of two. We had a wonderful table in the front window of the second room, which would be a perfect spot on a chilly Minneapolis night to watch the snow fall. Decor is simple and tasteful.
Service was excellent. From wine and food recommendations, pace of meal, attentive but not intrusive - all the things that make a night out more enjoyable.
But, ah the food! Clever preparations and maybe a bit pretentious for some dishes, but sometimes pretentious food is a nice splurge! Lobster bisque with sweet potato wonton was a bit heavy on tomato base but otherwise delicious. Heidi's also offers a Shefzilla surprise starter, which is a chef chosen item and you don't know what it is until it arrives - under a gold domed plate and all! Loved the circus of it and the dish (I just can't tell you what it is).
For main courses, we had the evening special of pork tenderloin and the beef tenderloin with beef tongue sauce. The pork was very good, but the beef tenderloins was incredible, made special with the sauce preparation (beef tongue included).
The wine list is brief but nicely priced. The Domaine Serene Pinot Noir seemed to be a relative bargain compared to what you would pay at other restaurants.
Overall, Heidi's was a wonderful experience. The food is certainly meant to be fully enjoyed and not simply pedestrian food. For me, it makes the dining more special.
I tend to like an upscale dining experience to occur in a cozy place where you can taste the love in the food. Heidi's achieves this goal. I ordered the tasting menu. Though this included some dishes that may not have been spontaneously ordered, each dish was executed wonderfully with great flavors. The entire experience (service, food, ambience) was wonderful, and I will be back.
The bad news was that we had to wait 15 minutes for our 8:00 reservation. The good news is that Heidi's has figured out how to turn this into a positive...free wine while you wait! No clue if this is a policy or we just got lucky, but they turned a negative into a positive by giving wine to our party of 7.
More restaurants should start thinking along these lines as a way of building their customer service. It sure worked for us.
Oh yeah...the food was outstanding, as usual.
I echo all the positive comments from my fellow Yelpers. One thing drove me crazy though...we had a… Read more »
Cozy little bistro with amazing food - how do they make that foam???
The foie gras app is delish.
I had the salmon last time I was there - good stuff.
Great waiter - same guy both times I have been there - it was a year apart but he still remembered us!
This is a must see for any foodie or aspiring foodie!
Always an experience to behold. Love it and great value!!!
Insanely creative original food. Love it. Instant regulars.
My new favorite restaurant. Thank you Heidi's for bringing back a little piece of home to this bay area gal.
Eat: Tasting menu $69/person
Drink: The wine flights were a little overwhelming, but each seemed well chosen with the daunting 7 courses.
Service: Excellent, attentive
Ambiance: Turn down the lights! Otherwise, nice and cosy.
It's been said many times about Heidi's - their cuisine is unique and tasty. It throws you for a surprise from the perfectly tender lamb to the decadent but not overly sweet chocolate sorbet. Who knew Minneapolis was hiding such a gem in this cozy neighborhood setting.
I can't wait to go back again and again to Heidi's. Definitely try their tasting menu, you won't be disappointed.
A truly unique place.
I'm struggling to compare it with other things I've been to, but can't really come up with a good comparison... We did the tasting menu, which was a wild tour of Nouvelle cuisine. The part that throws me off in comparisons to other places is, this is a neighborhood restaurant. The decor speaks "neighborhood" ... The services speaks "neighborhood" .. but the food is something much more than your average neighborhood restaurant. There's an element of kitsch that a really upscale restaurant might not have. (They have a Chefzilla surprise... where the chef picks. Sounds good, but what's odd is they actually cover it with a huge gold bowl and the server does a kind of "tada" reveal at the table). It's an odd, but welcome juxtaposition.
They have a la carte dining, but also have a tasting menu which was somewhere around $69/person. 8 or 9 courses. The first course was by far the most interesting, a frozen beet sorbet over a wasabi sauce, with sprinkles of partially germinated basil seeds. I've never tasted anything like it, and the basil seed concept is awesome and tasted amazing. There were several other quite great courses (second was foie gras.., another course had actual truffles). The food was a bit all over the map so its hard to pick a favorite item, but everything was well above average. The finishing course was a nice cheese cart rolled to the table. Overall everything was excellent in preparation and appearance. And portion sizes were perfect.
For drinks we opted to do by the glass. They do have wine pairings with the tasting, which I think was $45/person. I've done enough tastings with pairings to know that I prefer to just order a glass or three as needed. I've had tasting menus where they had so many pairings, I literally threw up I was so drunk at the end (thanks Ritz Carlton, Valentine's '05 or so...). So we did by the glass. They actually let you do kind of a "half pairing" where they'll order your wines a la carte and split the glasses in half, so it's almost as if you're getting the pairings, but less...
i started with a champagne cocktail that had really great cherries in the bottom... to me they tasted like they were soaked in (chocolate?) liquor ... it was like a fancified new take on a kir royale .. fantastic. For the remainder, we just had full or half glasses as recommended. It is pretty hard to just order without a recommendation, considering you don't really know what the next course will be, so it's best to just ask them to pick.
The service was good. Great even maybe. It was definitely more laid back than any other place I've been to that offers a tasting menu. Some might find this to be a negative, I'm sure most people there find it to be a positive.
The decor, to me, is the deciding factor between calling this place upscale vs calling it neighborhoody. I don't like the faux finish walls. There I said it. Throw the same food into another space with earthy monotone walls and a bit dimmer lighting, and the whole experience might be transformed into a much more upscale experience... Make of that what you will, but this place is in a neighborhood so I'm guessing most of their locals like it the way it is.
The front end manager/owner is a real character! He served the cheese course, and was entertaining to talk to... And afterwards he smoked while we waited for a cab. Funny guy with a unique perspective!
They do have a chef's table by the kitchen... next time we'll plan ahead for that!
Overall, quite an unexpectedly great experience.
I have a new favorite restaurant in Minneapolis. I am so glad I decided to bypass the multitude of eateries just outside my downtown hotel to visit this gem hidden in the suburbs.
The abbreviated menu had several items that I would have liked to try out: a seared leg of duck confit, a sautéed Australian seabass, a steamed Scottish salmon; but, the lamb shank had my name written all over it. I started with a salmon spring roll amuse-bouche. It was served on a Vietnamese style cilantro sauce. Both the presentation and the taste were exquisite.
The shank of lamb arrived on a bed of wild rice salad. It had been braised with a soy based anise scented sauce. The tender meat fell off the bone as I stuck my fork into it. The first bite of pure lamb was a tad too sweet for my palate. However, when combined with the wild rice salad the flavors blended perfectly offering just the right mix of sweet and savory.
I also sampled the trofiette pasta with celery pesto. The dish was garnished two types of cheese: julienned mozzarella and a drizzling of parmesan. I am typically not a fan of celery but in this dish it worked. Roasted poblano peppers also added a nice kick.
On my next visit I intend on trying the chef's surprise. The table next to ours was having way too much fun sampling the unique creations that were being placed in front of them.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was intimate and the service was very attentive. I believe our glasses were refilled after every sip.
Heidi's must be the best value in the Twin Cities; fine dining at a very reasonable price. No entrée was above $20. Also, no to go boxes here. The portion sizes, just like the food, were perfect.
Love, love, love Heidi's. It's in my neighborhood and a true gem.
Went here again last night for date night. One of the waiters, who remembered us from our visit in November, mentioned that it was nice to see us again.
Our waitress gave excellent recommendations. We started with a small amuse bouce of salmon spring rolls. Best spring roll I've ever had. The assortment of bread and butter (with sea salt) was perfect.
I had the salmon stuffed with crab, which melted in my mouth and was a light summer entree. My husband had the lamb shank, rich and comforting. We shared a side of parpadelle with truffles--truly decadent. Dessert was Pure Chocolate-a small, yet satisfying dark chocolate combo of cake, sorbet, and sauce.
The food, price, service, and atmosphere have put Heidi's at the top of my list.
Stumbled upon this place using a recommendation from Yelp. What a great surprise, my wife and I had an excellent dinner about 8PM on a Sunday. We were served some very good french bread rolls with butter that was melted just to the point of easy spreading. It was great butter which actually looked like it had a little salt sprinkled on it.
We then moved on to the 'Shef'-Zilla Surprise' appetizer. It was a little risky ordering this because they don't tell you what it is going to be or how much it costs. It ended up being a very unique morsel of rabbit wrapped in a squash blossom and topped with parmesean cheese foam. The plating included a shrimp reduction vinaigrette.
The entrees were great, I ordered the Australian Sea bass with a creamy mussel foam and parsley greens. It was delicious, and completely unexpected. It was served in a soup bowl with the fish in the middle with the parsley served as a bed looking like steamed spinach. The creamy mussel foam was all around the fish filling the bowl like soup. It was the first time I have ever seen fish served like this and I was very happy with it. My wife ordered the duck confit and was equally satisfied with it.
The decor was very romantic and intimate. I would recommend this for couples on a special date. The prices were very reasonable with most appetizers below $20.
Excellent experience.
Heidi's is a real gem on the TC gastronome scene.
We visited Heidi's for a special occasion. My fellow Yelpers have awarded Heidi with some solid reviews and Yelp never fails me (96% of the time). I must say, Heidi's exceeded expectations.
We arrived around 5:45 for a dinner, knowing we needed to be at the Guthrie at 7:30 PM. We arrived to a fairly empty restaurant, expected for an early dinner.
Atmosphere: Quaint little place. Heidi's maintains the look and feel of its previous tenants. We were seated in a perfect table, next to a big bay window. The best table in the house by far.
Service was excellent, as we were given great recommendations and waited on by several waiters/waittresses throughout our meal.
Food:
We wanted to see what Chef Steward Woodman had in his portfolio so we opted for the 7 course tasting menu, a steal at $69.00
1) Beet sorbet on puffed rice, stewed mustard greens -
This dish was definitely the most adventurous dish of the night but it shows Chef Woodman's true colors. The dish was bright with great contrast between flavor and texture. While I wouldn't order this again, it was a nice start to the meal.
2) Foie Gras Brule, garam masala yogurt cake with butternut squash and ginger sauce-
An indian inspired pastry, the Foie gras brule was very tasty, sweet and savory at the same time. Also very vibrant with the butternut squash sauce.
3) Pappardelle with Black Truffles in Olive Oil and Parmesan Cheese -
A masterful dish, the home made pappardelle was light yet super flavorful. The Olive Oil was said to be very rare and more flavorful than usual OO and they were right. That paired with the Parmesan cheese was just delicious. One of the strongest courses of the night.
4) Steamed scottish salmon, blue crab filling with sage foam -
Nothing Chef Woodman has served has been terribly heavy so far and this dish was no exception. By steaming the salmon, each bite was light on your palette and the blue crab with sage foam was a nice pairing.
5) Braised lamb with Asian cabbage -
Another star, the braised lamb was amazing. Fall off the bone tender, the lamb was rich with a soy asian-inspired sauce. One of the best dishes of the night.
6) A trio of desserts - warm chocolate cake, coconut tapioca drink, and..something else.
By this time, we were so stuffed there was barely any room to eat dessert but the desserts contrasted each other in texture, with the chocolate cake heavy compared to the tapioca drink. There was a third dessert which I don't remember...which says something.
7) Five Cheeses with crusty bread and mango garnish.
By this time, we needed to rush out the door. Our waitress kindly boxed up our five different types of Cheese. We tried the cheeses at home (brie, blue cheese, parmesan were amongst those featured) and all were fairly strong in flavor.
Overall: We have had several tasting menus, from the Local La Belle Vie to Alan Wong's in Honolulu and this was one of the best we've had as an exceptional price.
Tasting Menu rating: 10/10
Heidi's exceeded our expectations. The soul of the restaurant was obvious, very meticulous and strong attention to detail yet artistic and creative. For those interested in a palette pleasure, you should come prepared with heightened senses and an empty stomach.
Overall: 10/10
Would we come back? Heck yea. With the tasting menu already experienced, I'd recommend you opt for the lamb shank with the pappardelle side. You won't regret it.
Wow.
Heidi's is a fabulous addition to the Twin Cities dining scene-- especially in a recession where $18 entrees are a welcome sight in the world of fine dining. The service, in particular, really shines at Heidi's. Our waitress, who had just the right mix of snark and good humor, provided flawless service. Think Cosmos attentiveness without the French attitude.
My friend and I split the surprise appetizer. Heidi's does a cute bit where they turn this dish into a guessing game, and I'm proud to say I nailed the dish as beef cheek and tongue. The starter was impressive all around--beef cheek is the tenderest meat known to man--but I do have to question whether they should really charge $12 for such an inexpensive cut of meat.
The entrees were very excellent. I did have a slight quibble with the duck I ordered, as it was served on an extremely acidic salad that did not compliment the meat superbly well in my opinion. However, my friend's salmon was delicious and the passion fruit puree that accompanied it was a nice touch. For desert we split the sabayon which was well executed. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the quality of the food. I don't think this is quite James Beard territory but, considering the price, I don't think I can voice any complaints.
The space at Heidi's is cute and cozy. I can imagine that the spots near the door would get pretty cold during the winter, so you might want to request a table further towards the back wall if you are there after October or before May.
best meal ever. ever.
7 courses, 69 bucks each.
best value.
I can't even talk about it.
Not sure how they didn't win a Beard, but I expect that to change.
The food here is wonderful. What a find. Only draw back is the (back) room was so noisy we could barely here ourselves talk.
It really does not get much better than this. A small neighborhood restaurant with a world class chef. Not only that, most entrees are under $20. There I have said it and now I will probably never get back in. This is the type of place you want to rave about, yet keep a secret as well.
Do not be swayed by the small space. Some of the absolute best food I have had comes out of this kitchen. The small menu changes frequently. The Black Cod I had last fall was wonderful. The smoked diver scallop appetizer is highly recommended. From what I can tell, you can't make a bad choice here. The dishes are all well thought out and unique. I love places like this where something on the menu sounds a little off the beaten path. Yet, when it arrives, you think "why haven't I tried this before?"
Welcome to Heidi's
Where is the 10 star choice?
Not even sure what to say, but- how I feel after the meal, not over-filled, so content, every flavor still radiating in my palate. Thinking about all the flavors and textures. Everything paired so perfectly. Coffee/Espresso perfect, desert left me longing for the next time. It was almost more better than perfect sex.
Starting the course with one of their apertifs. Sweet Vermouth touched with apple and paper thin lime. Followed by a salad of roasted beets, Cucumber and Endive, with this carmelly, soy dressing and a roasted beet dressing, with whispers of mint. That was paired with a crisp carmelly honeyed Riesling.
Second,...this vegetarian Pappardelle, ( house made of course) with a Porcini bolognese Sauce, with Grana Padana, and a special Olio. God, there are no words. This was no doubt one of the best dishes I have ever had in Minneapolis. Perfect portions. No waste, I ate every bite.
And was totally satiated. Had a Italian Red to go with this.
Desert was a Sweet Potato beignet with Creme anglaise, with crunchy little bits of fried Sage, which was paired with a Desert Hot Toddy, that was Madiera, Orange and only a slightly phantom like whisp of Honey.
Front of the house, perfectly managed. Service perfect, rather cooperative efforts between expeditors, and Sommelier, and others.
I can only say this. I want to be their slave.
BEST RESTAURANT EVER. Seriously. And I am really picky. I don't think I have ever had such wonderfully presented food that tastes so delicious. And the chef, server, and maitre'd, were amazing. I agree with others that Heidi's is better than Le Belle Vie, Alma, and Lucia's. I also love the space. It's romantic and classy, but fun and not stuffy.
We did the chef's table, which I think made it extra amazing. I highly recommend it. They paired everything with fantastic wine, treated us incredibly well, and gave us a fun personal dining experience in the kitchen. everyone was really informative, attentive, and totally knew and loved what they were doing. The lamb shank and the trout were fabulous. Everything was just amazing. The chef, Stuart Woodman, is genius.
I will definitely be back as often as possible.
We made the right decision to bring in the New Year with dinner at Heidi's- now the top restaurant in the Twin Cities! Having eaten there about six times over the past year and finding the food always outstanding, the service improved from fair to superb, the ambience funky and enjoyable, and the prices reasonable, Heidi's has now surpassed our other favorites (Restaurant Alma, Lucia's, and D'Amico Cucina).
My recommendation is that you only go to Heidi's with people who appreciate good food. I went once with a friend who can't tell the difference between an Oscar Meyer hot dog and foie gras. I was like, "This is so good I might cry." and he was like, "The portions aren't big enough."
Really, though. Yum.
While many around town regard Le Belle Vie as the premiere dining restaurant in the Cities, I find that not only is Heidi's as excellent, but also the prices are far more reasonable.
Tonight we ate: Fois gras, black lentil crepe (simply amazing), beet and goat cheese salad, sea bass in mussel foam (so delicate) and the pork chop with orange mashed potatoes, parsnips and cranberries (why can't Thanksgiving dinner taste like that?)
It had been some time since my husband and I had been to Heidi's and we were excited to try a new menu. Everything we ate was delicious. Everything. We've been about 4 times now over the last year or so and we've never been disappointed.
I love the neighborhood bistro atmosphere and the unpretentious decor. Service it always top notch. In fact, one time we came here, there was a bit of a wait for our reserved table, and we were treated to complimentary wine while we waited. A gesture like that goes a long way. My only "complaint" would be that the table nearest the window in the main room is drafty.
If you haven't been, you've been missing out on some the more inventive, consistent, exciting food Minneapolis has to offer. Oh, and make sure to ask the servers their opinions....they are happy to share and steer you in the right direction.
Chef Stuart Woodman's return to the stove--and the friendly presence of his wife, Heidi in the front of the house--prove to be a winning combination on every level. Perhaps you remember Woodman from the late, lamented Levain--some of the best food created in Minneapolis, at a price point far too rich for everyday folks or every day dining. The food at Heidi's is every bit the match for Levain, and at a far more palatable price.
Our meal began with "Chefzilla," an appetizer of the day dreamed up by the chef based upon kitchen contents and imagination. The "-zila" moniker refers not to portion size but flavor wallop, in this case a perfectly formed home-made oxtail and lobster mushroom ravioli.
Entrees continued the goodness. A nightly special beet tenderloin with white asparagus, potato "risotto" and truffle oil was meaty perfection, the melt in your mouth texture of the steak blending perfectly with the creamy potatoes. The lamb shank was rich and deeply flavorful, not to mention fall off the bone tender.
The arrival of the dessert menu brought a welcome surprise: a cheese course is available! I do dote on the cheese course, and so of course it was ordered right up. And what a cheese course! It comes with a wonderful endive salad made tableside. The process is fun and entertaining: up to your table rolls the cheese cart. After you and your cheeses are introduced, the endive salad is created. . The star of our cheese experience was a creamy, rich bleu--perfect with that little bit of remaining wine. Also on the plate were a fine cheddar and an unusual chocolate and cheese combination, which was perhaps the only food of the evening that didn't work for me. (Chocolate and Cheese ought perhaps be left to Ween).
Along with the stellar food, at Heidi's you will find a solid wine list offering something for all budgets, a friendly staff, and a cozy dining environment.
Excellent food. Nice atmosphere.
we were smart this time and had a reservation.
no waiting.
such a warm tasty place, w have been here so many times, and keep coming back for more.
the chef, Mr. Woodman is one of the greatest ever, and can come up with new and creative dishes with no holding back.
c you next week
Cozy, cozy, cozy. Love this place on a cool fall night with the dim lights and warm colors. I think the tables are a little close to be super romantic though.
We had lobster bisque to start - so fresh, rich and sinful just like it should be. My artic char was slightly overdone, but the flavors of the beets, wine sauce and fish went perfectly together. I love a place that dares to put red wine sauce with white fish and does it RIGHT. Hubby had the sea bass and LOVED it.
For dessert we had the Banana Napoleon with caramel
creameaux and walnuts. It was good, possibly a bit nutty tasting to me.
Oh what a neighborhood treasure! I wish we had something this wonderful in my hood. Small town charm and down home fine cooking in a warm luscious bistro.
I was excited to preview the menu on the web and eagerly planned out my meal of liver and onions, a house salad, and either the filet or lamb.
I was able to make quick reservations for myself this evening and thanks to my GPS rolled up to a bit of succulent dining in a homey hood.
For starters, the wait staff tries hard but lacks wine and food familiarity and education that I normally expect in an intimate and elegant bistro. The training is almost there but my water glass went empty even after a request for water; silverware appeared as a fore thought with the food waiting for the silver to be placed; and the unforgivable lack of wine education tainted an otherwise pleasant and rewarding dining experience.
I started with a glass of Alvarinho Trajadura, Quinto do Dorado "Auratus" 2006 and was disappointed by the lightly sweet fruity flavors a'la Sauvignon Blanc after not wanting a sweet wine or oaky Chardonnay and on the recommendation of my waitress. I hate to send things back so I plowed through my glass. The girls next to me also had a difficult time finding a tasteful glass of wine.
The house salad was good with the acai dressing. A bit of tartness complemented the fresh greens... but only if there was a wine to match. So sad...
Next the liver and onions. Delicious! Yum!!! Even if you cringe and vomit at the thought of liver and onions, you must try this non-livery delightful moist and tender slice of buttery liver and served with crunchy onion rings and a little slaw. Wonderful!!
Next came the filet - another fine choice. Tender, slight hint of a crust, almost melt in your mouth and excellent for the price. The cube of potato gratin was wonderful in the precise layers golden crispy on the outside. The cabernet was weak at best and did nothing to complement the filet. Bummer!
For dessert, again a failing of the staff to adequately elaborate on the dish, I love chocolate and expected only a smattering after hearing the description of the chocolate and coffee baba. Thankfully, the dish was a literal EXPLOSION of rich dark chocolate fudge topped with a chocolate sorbet and a crunchy little liqueur soaked chocolate cookie cake. I wanted to lick the plate.
Overall, this place is excellent but would get another star if the staff was more educated about the menu and the wines were more complex and flavorful.
Go but bring your own wine.
Hard to top what others have said about Hedi's. Any foodie, or wannabe foodie must check this place out! The service was outstanding, and you cannot beat the prices for the amazing food/experience you get. We wanted the Chefzilla Surprise, but were very bummed to find out they were out (it was only 8:15 on a Friday!), and that the waiter couldn't tell us because it really is supposed to be a surprise, and they were going to serve it again tomorrow, and what if we found out, then came back and weren't surprised?! I respect them for staying true to the "surprise" but I wanted to know what I was missing! That's the only reason they don't get the 5th star.
Anyway, the food we did eat was amazing. Anise scented lamb for dad (who is not an anise fan, but found the flavor very good, and not overpowering), rainbow trout for stepmom, beef for BF, and arctic char for me (for a better description, see McLain C.'s review). Also tried the cauliflower fritters, salad and lobster bisque. Everything I tried, I liked.
Dessert was fantastic too...banana napoleon. Yum!
This place is a must-visit for everyone! Great place to show off Minneapolis to out-of-town guests.
This cozy little bistro is tucked away in a hip little neighborhood in Minneapolis. I have been to a number of hipster places like this (many are my favorites) and now so is Heidi's.
The waitstaff was fantastic and knowledgeable about the menu, the preparation, and the ingredients.
The food was very good to exceptional (my appetizer was very good, the main course of Arctic Char was exceptional)
The price floored me (cheap) for the food quality and the wait staff.
We ordered three appetizers including the chef's surprise (they will not tell you what it is...turned out to be a tempura fried soft shell crab on a bed of fusion lentils), fois gras and ravioli. All three were delicious although I like the fois gras the best. Entrees included lamb shank, tenderloin of beef, grilled salmon and a pasta dish. The food is exquisite in every way but the portions are very small. Have dinner before you come and you will be fine. It's very noisy and they could use some fabric on the walls or ceilings to baffle the racket. No cocktails which was a bummer but they do have a very nice wine list.
First meal here was a delight. Another small and cozy restaurant to grab at my heart, with prices that won't drain my wallet. I don't know when they were named Best Restaurant, but based on this experience, I'd believe it.
We dined off the Spring '09 menu, which our server told us was phasing out soon. {I love that the chef, Heidi, and the funktastic maitre form the cover shot of the menu!} We all got the amuse, which turned out to be a salmon spring roll in a light sesame oil broth, and split the Chefzilla, which for us was a meal-dusted soft shell crab that was gone far too quickly. I of course couldn't turn down the beet and endive salad, and thoroughly enjoyed the yuzu and soy accents.
Entrees all seemed like winners. Everyone enjoyed their respective meals, from the lamb to the petite filet to the fish. I got the halibut special and couldn't get enough of the accompaniments, especially the porcini (which our server advised us were some special shipment from California...I don't quite get so excited about funghi but they were mighty tasty...).
Dessert and coffee rounded out our meal. I was in calorie overload but got the sweet potato beignets anyway. I'm sure the cheese plate would have just sent me to the ER, but it's reason enough to come back. I have many reasons to come back.
WOW. Exquisite flavors, beautifully presented in unique and tempting style. Truly impressively fresh ingredients with very unique combinations of flavors in each dish. Very small portions for the prices, but that's the way food is going these days... try it, you won't be disappointed.
It was lovely. My bf and I snuck in on a Saturday night about 20 mins before 10:00 pm which, I think, is listed as their closing time. We were seated promptly and our orders were taken in good time and our food was served piping hot and delicious. We left around 11:00 pm. The staff didn't attempt to kick us out or shoo us, which was really nice. We didn't have reservations and if you are a night owl (I am) then sneaking in a bit before closing on a busy night after a date would serve you well. (I'm thinking drinks, a movie or show and then a later dinner at Heidi's)
Caveat lector! There is an unwritten rule to this late night dining experience, tipping well. Be kind to servers.
It so happens that a day or so after City Pages named them "Best Restaurant", I had reservations at Heidi's. It had long been on my "to do" list, so I was looking forward to it.
The food at Heidi's is fantastic. More than one dish created a definite "WOW" reaction upon first bite. All of the entrees were excellent. The halibut special that evening was one the entire table raved about. The carrot stuffed raviolis was another. I especially enjoyed the pasta with truffles side dish. The raves were not as unanimous on this nor on a few of the other sides or appetizers, but overall everyone was blown away with the food.
Perhaps it was the high expectations based on other reviews (here and by Saint Dara), and the "Best Restaurant" nod, that stops from going 5 stars here. I was not impressed with the two different glassed of wine I had with dinner (though the dessert wine was lovely), even when I asked for a good pairing with my entree. Further, the service throughout the evening lacked a little polish (side orders were not entered, constantly trying to give the wrong dishes to the wrong people).
Heidi's is far, far more reasonably priced than La Belle Vie. The trade off seems to be in the consistency of the stellar performance (both culinary and throughout the entire dining experience) both seem capable of. While many cities have a pricey, gourmet restaurant, one thing I love is the many affordable luxury dining opportunities we have here in Minneapolis. Heidi's certainly the jewel in this crown, and rightly deserving of its accolades as on of the best restaurants in town.
cheese is the new black - or something along those lines. the staff's cheeky and the lamb's damn tasty. although our server alleged that it was weep worthy as claimed by some dude who'd ordered it previously that night. it was damn good, but no, it wasn't weep worthy.
the atmosphere's cozy and they apparently have some sort of cheese dessert specialty which i was jonesing to try but didn't have time. appetizer of scallops was damn tasty and served on a bed of triple blanched and pureed garlic which has the consistency of a mean potato pancake and didn't make you think you could repel vampires.
as far as neighborhood restaurants go, you really can't do better than this. the price is right the food's great, the only downside is you're apparently dining in relatively close proximity to some dude who apparently weeps when the lamb reaches some apparently respectable level of good.
The visit to this new establishment started out on the wrong foot from the moment I walked in the door... It's a small space and a weeknight so I get a little perturbed when there are lots of open tables and i have to stand and wait because my guest hasn't yet arrived!
The place has an attitude which would be right at home in NYC but not Minneapolis. If you enjoy host staff that ignores you then you'll like this place.
As for the food, its certainly gotten a lot of buzz but the menu is very limited and very new age - which is fine if that's what you are in the mood for. I had the herb crusted halibut which was good, but not fabulous. The best thing on the menu was the turtle bread in the bread basket. Don't feel I can recommend it unless you are one of those folks that just has to go to the "in" places. I predict they won't be around to see much of 2010. No great loss in my book.
Have to edit my last review. Went last night, and the word best describing the experience is: dysfunctional. Even though my beter half had a great appetizer, and an ok sea bass, my evening was a disaster. The foie gras patee was completely overpowered by cinnamon and sugar and tasted like a Christmas cookie. In August! I could not eat that. And the lamb shank tasted like it was globbed in sweet Hoisin sauce.
One thinks that I could have gotten a warning from the menu or the waitress, that the main dish is too sweet as well. On top of it both the maitre'd and the namesake Heidi not only were awkward and not helpful, they also made me pay for two dishes that I could not eat. No suggestions, no help. Dysfunctional through and through.
Thinking about it, we had a similar experience at their former place "Five"...
Double Punch Tuesday
Minneapolis, MN
Voted Best Happy Hour
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Minneapolis, MN
Category: American (New)
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
