A new tradition, a new restaurant

Sure, Thanksgiving marks the end of harvest season and the beginning of the “official” cold weather season. Although, given our changing climate, cold is being redefined.

I’m a cold weather guy. I look forward to fall, the changing leaves and the first snowfall. As a kid there was always an activity to mark the progression to cooler weather, such as picking apples or pumpkins. But, for a variety of reasons, that tradition disappeared.

I might have found a new one, however. On October 24 I received an e-mail invitation from Barley John’s Brew Pub to its “hop picking party.” Barley John’s is owned by John Moore, and he and his staff brew some of the best beer varieties I have tasted.

Surrounding the Barley John’s patio are growing hops climbing wire mesh. In the summer when they’re filled out, the hops provide shelter, and when they’re mature, Moore uses them for a particular brew. The picking party would begin on Saturday, October 27 at noon. Food and drink specials were available for those who helped, and a free beer for those who filled a bag with hops.

We arrived shortly after 1 p.m. with another couple who are regulars at the pub. It was a crisp fall afternoon, about 55 degrees, and in the sun it was almost balmy. We figured we’d partake in the whole experience—grab a table outside, drink some beer, pick some hops, eat some food. We had great intentions. Once we parked our gear at a table and the first round of beer arrived, well, despite our best efforts to do otherwise, we sat at the table and didn’t pick one hop. That’s the thing with the atmosphere at Barley John’s. Once you’re inside—or inside the patio—you’re in an environment that prompts conversation and relaxation. Many restaurants and bars strive for this atmosphere, some succeeding, some not. Barley John’s captured this despite an unusual location.

Located off Highway 88 and County Road D in New Brighton, the pub sits atop a blacktopped hill next door to a nondescript sports bar. Yet Moore transformed the building into a warm, wood paneled oasis (read more specifics about the restaurant in the August 2006 FSN). The brewing equipment stuffed next to the bar provides a warmth in the winter almost as homey as a fireplace (and the moisture is pleasant on the sinuses), and sitting there that cool October day—watching other people pick hops—I couldn’t wait for the snow to start falling.

The cool air, warm sun, Moore’s Wild Brunette wild rice brown ale with a bowl of Cajun stew and good conversation. A new fall tradition? I’m thinking yes. And next year, I might even pick a hop.


First impressions

The Red Stag Supper Club in Northeast Minneapolis opened its doors last month. For those of you who attended FSN’s Restaurant Business Conference (or read the article about Red Stag in the August 2007 issue), you know it’s the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified restaurant in the state. In short, efficiencies abound in the interior design, from on-demand water heaters and LED lighting to ventilation hoods and the HVAC system.

I went to one of the pre-opening meals in mid-November (coincidentally, with the same friends that joined us at Barley John’s hop picking party). There has been considerable buzz surrounding the restaurant’s opening, largely because I think people (both skeptics and supporters) want to see how the business functions with a commitment to environmentally friendly practices.

First impressions: It works just like a regular restaurant would. If I didn’t know that it was an environmentally conscious-designed space, there was nothing to indicate it was. It’s just a very inviting spot, exposed brick walls, exposed ceiling and a long, marble-topped bar (the marble salvaged from the Minneapolis Marriott remodel). The LED lighting illuminated the space perfectly. Aimed upward into the ceiling studs, the lights bathed the dining room in a comfortable glow. Washing my hands in the bathroom revealed that hot water was always available. A cool item I noticed was the hand dryer: You place your hands in the machine and withdraw them slowly, and what can be best described as an air squeegee wicks off the water. Another nifty device was the candle on the table. You know the ones—the little wax cakes dropped into a small glass and set on a table? Well, these candles weren’t candles at all, but rechargeable LED lights, programmed with that romantic flicker. I wouldn’t have noticed had it not been pointed out to me.

A brief conversation with owner Kim Bartmann—who worked the busy room throughout the night—only reinforced what should be obvious: A little bit more in up-front costs for efficient design and equipment pays off in big ways—not just on the “save the planet” scale but for a business’ bottom line.

The restaurant was jammed—from what I heard, many people walked in off the street, itching for a glimpse. A restaurant with all the latest efficient technology couldn’t escape one snafu that hits all restaurants at one time or another: a POS system meltdown. But, no matter. Food kept rolling from the kitchen, drinks kept coming from the bar—it was a fine pre-opening exercise.

A hit, at least at our table, was the plate of marrow bones—beef leg bones sawed into four inch sections and roasted upright in a broiler until the marrow was just soft. Nice. Dig out the goop with a knife or spoon and spread on toasted bread with a smidge of salt and parsley, and this is a real treat. This invoked a spectacular memory of my childhood in Montreal. In those days, my family didn’t waste much when we bought meat, bone marrow included. My only suggestion to Red Stag would be to supply the dish with slices of toasted baguette instead of pita, and a bit of…Wait, I’m sounding like a food critic. Enough of that, already.

Have a good holiday, folks.