b*local :: good art & good eats

Realism has always fascinated me. There is something about the double take that reels me in. The process of deciphering the artist’s intent feels a bit like a scavenger hunt. All full of adventure and stuff. The Walker has a show right that is jam-packed with great works of realism. It’s called “Lifelike”, and it’s only there for a few more days, so make haste to check it out if you haven’t already.

I went last week with the hubby for a little date night action. Can’t beat $2 parking and free admission! We wandered the gallery, he tolerated my insistence that we read every artist statement, and I even laughed at his jabs toward some of my favorite pieces. This is true love, folks.

Good art should always be followed by good food, so we made our way to The Strip Club in St. Paul. Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s a steak place. DUH! The reviews were top-notch, and we were in the mood for meat. Once glance at their menu, and I was already liking their personality. The service was over-the-top amazing. Everyone was super friendly, helpful, funny and personable. We were impressed before the food even landed on the table.

Speaking of the food.

At our server’s recommendation, we started with an order of tenderloin schiacciatta. What is that, you ask? Well let me tell you. It’s (raw, but warmed) grassfed beef, a cooked (but runny) duck egg, greens, lemon, and truffle oil, all enjoyed on toasted croustades. I pretty much died. We also sampled the market salad, which, for a starter salad, was pretty fantastic. For the main course, I got the duck breast, which was served with some sort of green sauce and a rutabaga, apple, lentil, and green onion chutney. The server suggested that I “heavily invest” in the green sauce. I did. And did not regret it one bit. We finished with dessert. I can’t recall now was it was. Maybe because of the pinot noir? At any rate, it was an all star meal. The details were meticulous. The presentation, nothing less than stunning. I’ve already mentioned the service. Yes. It was good. Quite good.

My only negative comment is this. The location isn’t great, and I didn’t love the atmosphere. I’m all about the feel of a place, the design, and the details, and I just wasn’t impressed on that end. That being said, the food is well worth it, so I’d recommend a visit!