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Erte
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This is not your father’s old motif |
Mussolini’s last stand |
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It wasn’t that long ago (or was it?) that eating out in Northeast Minneapolis meant partaking of some variation—and typically an East European one—on the meat-and-potatoes theme. The Old World eateries are still there, their fare and atmosphere unchanged, but they’ve been joined by the likes of Erté, a restaurant that embraces eclecticism, not ethnicity, and that wears whimsy on its sleeve. Indeed, there’s no shortage of whimsical sleeves here. Among its several arty if not consistently artful touches are the black shirts draped over virtually every seatback in the house. And then there are the leopard-skin pattern seat cloths used in equal profusion, the heavy drapes in the entrance and foyer, and menu prices that flout the decimal system. But if Erté is décor-forward, the food isn’t far behind. Creativity may sometimes take precedence over execution, but one can generally be assured of a meal that’s both inventive and palatable. In this instance, I had a cup of the soup of the day and a ham and cheese sandwich. The former was labeled as "Moroccan bouillabaisse," and consisted of small shrimp, pieces of fish, and Israeli couscous in a curry broth. The sandwich, which came on a hoagie bun, also featured an unusual ingredient, a generous layer of nicely caramelized onions that enhanced its flavor and texture. In addition to the soup of the day, Erté also features daily sandwich and fish specials. These can generally be recommended—but you can check the companion review for a second opinion. Erté has a wine list that is particularly extensive in by-the-glass selections; it’s unusual to find places willing to pour individual glasses of $70 bottles of wine. Having only been here for lunch, I haven’t explored the wine list in any depth, but the fact that my order of a Latour pinot noir brought forth a Latour pouilly-fuissé suggests that the waitstaff may not be a good guide to it. Service is friendly, especially if you come here often, although it cannot be accused of being overly attentive. So take your time—nibble on the generous quantity of olives that every table gets. This isn’t intended to be a substitute for hamburger and fries at the fast food franchise nearby (or the Polish sausage and potato pierogies a few blocks and a generation away). A |
The young and affluent in Minneapolis who desire an urban living experience have few choices: Uptown with its petty crime, parking difficulties and noise to all hours; The Lakes where you have to be very affluent and not so young; The Warehouse District with its construction boom is almost perfect but it too has seen prices rocket. At this point you are probably wondering where this is heading? Well across the Hennepin bridge for starters. The revived Northeast, which is as an alternative to Uptown living and the home to Erté our current lunch venue. Erté lies on the border between the new and the old. It is surrounded by the traditional elements that makeup the old Northeast, gentrification not having reached this far north. There is the Polish White Eagle fraternal order (not a fascist organization let me hasten to add) down the street and a ubiquitous watering hole right across with (in the words of our President) "ol’ glory" painted on the wall. This is the land of "hot dagoes," strong drink and the occasional strip joint. As you enter the restaurant you are struck by the openness of its floor plan. The building was once a warehouse but now has wooden floors and a false white, ornamental ceiling. The chairs are the striking feature of this place: it appears that a whole brigade of Black Shirts was demobbed here and the most distinctive part of their uniform, the black shirt, used to drape each chair. There is interesting art on the wall (Erté was a Russian painter). The background music is hot jazz, though discreetly played, making this a nice dining environment. Menu choices are interesting if somewhat limited. The wine list is acceptable and I had a pleasant glass of the Carmenet Dynamite Cabernet ‘99. The special of the day was a halibut hoagie, which I had and it turned out to be very good: the bread crisp and the fish succulent and flavorful. The only (very) slight complaint that I had was that there was too much mayonnaise on the sandwich – this, though, could have been prevented if I had told the waiter to go easy on the dressing. I also had a cup of marginal bouillabaisse soup (made naturally from whatever portion of the halibut that had not been used elsewhere!), with Israeli couscous that had become mushy by the time the soup was served. Overall the lighting, décor and the food made the lunch a success for me. The service was friendly as is the owner who walks amongst the diners, chatting pleasantly. The price for our lunch was around $33.00, fair if you consider that we had wine and coffee as well. Put this place on your lunch calendar. B |
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