• Sesame Crab Cake Grapefruit Salad, Ginger and Mint $13
• Salt and Pepper Walleye Jalapeños and Basil $18
• Caramelized Banana Cake $7

In case you haven't heard, the Chambers hotel is the new boutique hotel downtown Minneapolis, it is the current place to be seen, not that I would really know much about that, but at least that is what I hear, although by now that could be the old place to be seen. Anyhow, the hotel itself is a very sleek looking place reminding a lot of the W hotel chain. The restaurant is in the basement, which is a little odd, but while there is no natural light, the chairs are comfortable, which is almost as important.

I started the evening with perhaps the best cocktail I have ever had...the Cucumber Mint Cocktail. If you like gin, especially Hendricks gin, I suggest you drop whatever you are doing and go have one immediately it was amazing.

The rest of the experience while not quite as great as the cocktail was pretty good for the price. The crab cake was unusual as it was encrusted with sesame seeds and sat upon a citrus salad. The crust was nice and crunchy and the citrus was a lovely compliment to the rich crab cake. The walleye was close to the best I have had, it was walleye fingers dipped in a very light batter and deep fried, really very, very good. My dessert was good, but not great, The banana cake was a bit average, however the salted caramel ice cream was very nice. Steve's cheese cake was much better.

This is a great new place to try out, although reading previous reviews it seems it is a bit hit or miss, but we were there on Thanksgiving, which one would think would have been the B team cooking and we had a really nice experience. Easily the best Thanksgiving meal I have had.

• Chicken Samosas (4 Pieces) Cilantro-Yogurt Dipping Sauce $9
• Duck a L’Orange Asian Pear and Crystallized Ginger $22
• Crème Fraiche Cheesecake $7

Wow. Chambers Kitchen is not perfect, but it comes pretty darn close, especially given its prices. The chicken samosas were crispy and flavorful, and the accompanying sauce was delightful. My duck à l'orange was similarly spectacular. The duck came out succulent: slightly crispy on the outside, pink (medium rare) on the inside. On the side was an awesome cooked Asian pear with crystallized ginger. Finally, the crème fraiche cheesecake was everything that it was supposed to be-flavorful but not too filling with a delicious crust.

On the total cost side, we spent a little more here because we each got our own appetizer (but hey, it was Thanksgiving, after all). These are normal prices for high quality food in the Twin Cities, especially downtown Minneapolis. You might say that they are a dollar or two light on the entrée prices, right on with desserts, and a dollar or two heavy on appetizers. But the differences wash out over the course of the meal.

I was very impressed with the modern art on the walls. The ambiance is a modern, sleek, décor that would impress most first dates (though parents and in-laws may not appreciate the décor or food). In many ways it is museum-like, comparable to 20.21 and the new Walker Art Center. I also liked the looks of the open-air interior courtyard as a place to be in the summer, although it was too chilly to stay outside for dinner in November.

Not that you need me to proclaim it, but it bears repeating: the Chambers Kitchen is for real, it lives up to the hype. World-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has created masterful food to match a masterful setting.