• Rabbit with Risotto and porcini $16.00
• Endive Salad with Pancetta and Poached Egg $12.00
• Seabass with Preserved Lemon $27.00
• Chocolate Semifreddo with Smoked Chocolate Soup on an Espresso Brownie $10.00

I was very excited to go to La Belle Vie's new digs. I had been looking forward to it for weeks. Unfortunately the day we actually finally got to go we had spent the whole day demoing our kitchen so I am not sure either of us really enjoyed it to its fullest extent.

With that said, I think I like the old location slightly better for the atmosphere, it seemed more cozy and more romantic somehow. Maybe it was traveling to Stillwater that made it more exotic, I am not sure. The new space was undoubtedly beautiful, very well appointed. They took the somewhat garish old 510 and updated while retaining its charming character. But now it is more like eating at a grand palace then at a cozy cafe. I think both have their place, I am just usually a bit more comfortable in the cozy cafe, I guess.

The service was very nice, our server was very knowledgeable and friendly. The only complaint I have is that when the menu was described to us we were told that if one of chooses the tasting the menu the other one needs to as well. I understand the preference for that, since I am sure it is easier on the kitchen, but for people like us who like to try as many dishes as possible this is not a great option. So I asked if I were to order several courses and I understood that timing may not be perfect, if I could order off the menu if Steve had the tasting menu. Our server was very nice about it, but said she would need to check in the kitchen, she did and came back and said as long as we knew we may have to wait a bit longer between courses it would be fine. In the end obviously they pulled through and gave us what we wanted, but honestly when you are at a restaurant of this caliber and this price, there really should be no argument about what anyone wants to order.

Beyond that one minor quirk everything else was very good to perfect. Each course was a very nicely done, some being more outstanding then the others. My favorite was the salad everything balanced perfectly and I think poached eggs are under utilized in our society. The risotto in the rabbit was outstanding and the dessert was great combination of flavor and textures that really worked well together.

For me this is a once a year type of restaurant mainly due to the price, but I would not be adverse to going to the bar on occasion and having a snack with fancy drink or a nice glass of wine.

• Five Course Tasting Menu $65.00 with Wine Flight $45.00
  • Salsify Soup with King Crab
  • Skate
  • Duck
  • Wild Boar
  • Carrot Cake

I don’t know what to say about La Belle Vie in Minneapolis. I know Renee liked the Stillwater location better. The 510 Groveland location is beautiful, but maybe too stuffy and formal that creates a dissonance with what should be adventurous food. I can say that at every turn, Cosmos was better. Better service, better setting, better food at each course. But that’s comparing two of the top five restaurants in the Twin Cities, so I’m sure to get some hate mail over this opinion, and I’m just trying to make the distinction of two great restaurants. I’m also answering the question for those of you that like to corner me and ask what the best restaurant in the Twin Cities is or what my favorite restaurant is. The best restaurant we’ve been to is Cosmos (we haven’t been to Five). My favorite high end restaurant so far is Heartland. I love the food at each of these restaurants, and each of them brings a special flair to their dining experience. In a big way, the Twin Cities restaurant scene has developed over the past ten years, and if you haven’t been out lately, this may be the Golden Age of Twin Cities restaurants, or even American restaurants for that matter. Highly talented chefs get it, restaurant owners get it, and patrons are starting to get it.

I won’t go through each of the tasting courses. Suffice it to say that all of them were good or excellent. I wasn’t a huge fan of the skate, but otherwise everything was well selected and well prepared. When asked, I answered that the best course was the soup. It wasn’t meant as an insult; the soup was really good, and for me it was the most memorable course. I’m really not sure that the chefs always put the right sides in the tasting menu. The sides didn’t elevate the skate, duck, or wild boar; they simply accompanied (and in most cases, they stayed pretty safe). I know that’s asking a lot, but in my mind it separates the best from the next best. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for one of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities and some of the best food in the Twin Cities.