Perhaps it evokes roses, rubies, romance and heart-shaped boxes. Or perhaps it makes you think of ketchup. Whether guided by your passions or your palate, we’ve rounded up some red-inspired offerings from local restaurants—perfect for February.
Punch Pizza serves authentic Neapolitan-style pizza, cooked in a wood-burning brick oven. Director Jenny Nyquist recommends two red-dominant classics: the Margherita Extra and Palermo ($9.50 each). Fresh basil, dried grape tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala (mozzarella cheese imported from an Italian water buffalo farm) make Punch’s Margherita Extra a solid knock-out. The signature airy, blistered crust, topped with spiced salami, sun-dried tomatoes, Saracene olives and oregano give the Palermo pizza the look of a crispy valentine. Why not order one of each and swap bites? Nyquist suggests that these pies would pair wonderfully with the house red wine Barbera ($4.25/glass). 12107 Elm Creek Blvd. N.; 763.494.3131.
Dehn’s is all about red. Meat, that is. At this easygoing steakhouse, the colors on the long-wave end of the spectrum are degrees of doneness. Start things off red with an order of the Ribbees ($11.95). This signature appetizer features pork that has been deep-smoked to a reddish, ham-like hue. Slathered in barbecue sauce, they carry a bit more spice than the entrée version. For a main course, enjoy a steak as they come at Dehn’s, which is to say, tender, juicy and red at the center. The Chateaubriand ($37.95) is a date night no-brainer. This tenderloin for two comes with two side salads, potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and two glasses of house wine. Visit the restaurant for dinner on a Friday or Saturday to try the Prime Rib ($18.95). “Nothing suits a carnivore quite like our prime rib,” says owner Mike Dehn. The herb-crusted cut is “gently coaxed to a perfect medium rare.”
Enhance the romance with a selection from Dehn’s wine list, which includes nine reds. The Apothic Red Blend ($7/glass, $27/bottle) is the restaurant’s best-seller by the glass. This highly drinkable mix of Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon has a warm claret color and a round flavor. Arrive before 4 p.m. to try one of the restaurant’s most popular brunch cocktails, the Poinsettia ($5). As bright and festive as the flower that gives it its name, this drink gets its color and its sweetness from cranberry juice and Torani Cherry, and its sparkle from a spritz of Champagne. 11281 Fernbrook Ln. N.;763.420.6460.
Photo by Marissa Martinson.
How about a bacon-wrapped date? If you are now imagining your special someone in a Lady Gaga-like meat dress, please desist. Imagine instead a medjool date wrapped in applewood smoked bacon with maple-balsamic glaze, an appetizer that delivers such a wide array of textures and flavors, it’s a good thing you don’t need to wrap your head around it (just your teeth). And manager Lindsay Allen describes Biaggi’s Sherry Tomato Soup as “a new take on the traditional.” Worcestershire sauce imparts a slight kick while heavy cream mellows the flavor and the color from vibrant tomato red to sunset blush. The soup is served with house-made parmesan-garlic croutons.
Angel hair pasta, scallops, shrimp, calamari, mussels and little neck clams swim on a red sea of crushed California Roma tomatoes in one of Biaggi’s best-loved pasta dishes, the capellini di mare. White wine, onions and spicy red peppers contribute to a spice and herb profile that Allen claims “perfectly enhances flavors you might not normally notice” in the seafoods.
“Bold red like a marina sauce,” is how Allen describes the color of Biaggi’s Antipasti Bloody Mary, a drink that includes Absolut Peppar, locally-distilled Prairie Cucumber Vodka and the restaurant’s signature Bloody Mary mix, topped with a skewer of pepperoncini, olive and pepperoni. The byzantium-toned Sangria Rosso features sangria made in-house from a Lambrusco base and muddled with spiced apples, lemons, limes and oranges. Prairie vodka mixed with PAMA liqueur gives the Pama Tini its subdued fuchsia color. Prices are subject to change, so call ahead or check online. 12051 Elm Creek Blvd. N.; 763.416.2225.
Smoked over a combination of cherry, hickory, and Minnesota maple, all of Z’s meats feature deep red smoke rings. Enjoy your choice of pulled pork, shredded chicken, smoked beef brisket or pastrami in the form of a sandwich ($5–$9), or get a one- or two-meat meal, with a soda and choice of two sides. In the Beef Brisket Chili, the meat gets an added infusion of color from tomatoes, tomato sauce and red kidney beans ($6/pint, $10 quart). Every meal is served up on a red tray.
Whatever you select, don’t miss the specialty BBQ sauces. All of the 10 standards and three seasonal varieties have a base of tomatoes, ketchup and molasses. Start with the Minnesota Original, which Zapf deems “the most well-rounded,” or try the saccharine Kansas Sweet and Sassy and the peppery Texas Temper, each named for one of the Zapf kids’ defining traits. The peanut butter BBQ sauce is like a childhood refrigerator experiment that finally produced a “Eureka!” moment, and the blood red bacon BBQ sauce is sure to be a hit with anyone who will stand for nothing less than the whole hog ($6/bottle, $8/pint, $12/quart).
Z’s also boasts something for the teetotalers. While everyone else is jumping on the IPA bandwagon, Zapf’s restaurant distinguishes itself with 30 specialty bottled sodas, including numerous ruby-hued options such as Big Red, Druthers Red Cow Red Cream Soda, Yacht Club Fruit Punch and Avery’s Zombie Brain Juice ($4). 16362 County Road 30; 612.382.3735.
Red is in season at 3 Squares. An order of French toast includes four thick slabs of artisan ciabatta bread from Minneapolis’ Franklin Street Bakery, dipped in 3 Squares’ top-secret spice blend batter and grilled to a delicate lacy crispness. General manager Tim Walker recommends the strawberry French toast, a decadent variation on this beloved breakfast staple ($9.45). As vibrant as it is sweet, an order comes with a generous heap of macerated strawberries, whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Looking for a more savory start to the morning? Freshly diced tomatoes give the Chilaquiles a distinct pop of color ($11.45). This “breakfast specialty” that’s no less special at lunch or dinnertime is crowned with a quarter cup of pico de gallo. Any-style eggs, chorizo, chilies, black bean puree and queso fresco over warm corn tostadas form the base of this formidable medley of Mexican flavors. The whole enchilada (so to speak) is then drizzled with lime chili sour cream, to which roasted red pepper lends a tinge of pink. Walker rates the heat index of this bold yet balanced dish as: “Minnesota spicy.”
Braised red cabbage and a thick pile of corned beef give 3 Squares’ Reuben its rosy tone. The salt-cured meat is braised for eight hours to mouth-watering tenderness and blanketed with molten white cheddar. A daub of horseradish adds a dash of originality to this classic ‘wich ($11.75). Served on a marble rye hoagie, it also comes with your choice of fries or coleslaw.
The Cranberry Almond Punch from the cocktail menu features a crimson tint and “not too much sting,” says Walker, describing the blend of Absolut Vodka, Amaretto DiSaronno and cranberry and orange juices as “a not overly potent fruit punch, equal parts tart, smooth and sweet” ($8). 12690 Arbor Lakes Parkway; 763.425.3330;
