The December Hit List: Estelle, All Saints, Union Hmong Kitchen, and More

Estelle offers a trip through Southern Europe — Spain, Italy, and Portugal — via a series of spot-on, can’t-wait-to-order-again dishes. There’s a lot to love here, so your best plan of attack is to order a variety of plates from the different sections of the menu and share. Make sure one of those items is a pasta, like the gorgeous crimson-hued caramelle, stuffed with kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin). The dessert list is small but mighty, only three items, any of which will impress. This is the type of place you’ll want to return to again and again, not just because of the food but because the stellar staff makes you feel at home from the moment you walk through the door, whether you’re heading to the main dining room or the slender bar tucked off to the side.

While Estelle transports you to Southern Europe, a visit to this bakery in South Minneapolis takes you north, to Paris. Co-owner John Kraus knows his stuff, as evidenced by the fact that he was the first American-born chef to belong to Relais Desserts, a prestigious group of 100 international pastry chefs and chocolatiers. His croissants are flaky and chewy, his baguettes sport crusts that crackle when cut into. There are also caramels and macarons and cakes and Danishes and cookies (oh, that flourless fudge tempter), as well as savory offerings like quiche and sandwiches. For the best seats in the house, head to the back and see if one of the leather chairs surrounding the fireplace is free.

No reservations. For more info: patisserie46.com/patisserie-46/

At first glance, it might seem surprising that the latest launch from the team behind Minneapolis’s Lake & Irving would highlight Hawaiian cuisine. But it all starts to fall into place once you learn that owner Chris Ikeda spent a chunk of his formative culinary years on the Big Island, soaking up not only the sun but knowledge from famed chef Alan Wong. Ikeda’s menu is rife with ingredients and dishes that are hallmarks of the islands: blackened mahi mahi, kālua pork, lomi lomi salmon, loco moco (two versions, one beef based, the other made with ahi tuna), poke. And, of course, there’s haupia pie for dessert, decadent layers of chocolate cream, coconut cream, and vanilla whipped cream topped with candied macadamia nuts, toasted coconut, and shaved chocolate. Keep an eye out later this month for the expected opening of Pau Hana Express, the restaurant’s quick-serve and takeout arm.

It’s finally happened — Yia Vang has found a fixed spot for what has long been a pop-up-only experience centered around Hmong flavors. It opened at the end of October in Graze Provisions + Libations food hall, joining tenants like Soul Bowl, Viva Taco, and Avocadish. Walk-ins are, of course, welcome, but you also can order ahead for pickup. The zoo siab meals bring together everything one might need: a main, purple rice, a side dish of choice, pickled vegetables, and large lettuce leaves for wrapping everything up. There are also yaki skewers that shine a light on various proteins, pho, a breakfast sandwich, and a handful of retail items, like hot sauce and a strawberry-guava cocktail mix.

No reservations, but you can order ahead through Toast. For more info: grazenorthloop.com/union-hmong-kitchen/

As summer waned, excitement grew for the big reveal of this space on East Hennepin that has caught the eye of many a restaurateur through the years. (The name is a nod to those previous tenants.) Denny Leaf-Smith and Kim Tong — veterans of the city’s culinary scene — threw open the doors in late September, and the accolades swiftly followed. The “veggie-forward, meat friendly” and wood-fired menu revolves around a generous number of small plates (like charred cucumbers, salt and pepper mushrooms, fried chicken), with a handful of heftier mains rounding out the savory section. The elegantly cozy dining room, with its banquette seating, is sure to draw regulars, as will the patio after this little thing called winter whizzes by.

Baked goods might be the first thing you think of when someone mentions French Meadow. After all, it made history as the country’s first certified organic bakery more than 35 years ago and has held proud to its local, natural, and organic focus through the decades. But this location in St. Paul is so much more than bread and pastries. It’s the place you can pop into for breakfast every day of the week, for a take-the-chill-off bowl of soup or sustainable burger at lunchtime, for meaty and meatless mains at dinner, for an evening cocktail. The menu spells out which items are vegan, plant-based, and gluten-free, making it easy to find something to suit almost any dietary need.

If you’re one of the lucky ones who’s been able to snag a table at the Twin Cities’s new “it” restaurant (or find an opening among the walk-in bar seating), you’ll know Ann Ahmed’s third restaurant is deserving of all the buzz. The space is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, all bright and white, with pale wood accents and showstopping light fixtures that look like giant upside-down wooden bowls. The flavors of Southeast Asia pulse through the menu, with fun fusion surprises like the Bucatini Talay, the Italian noodle brought to life with a tom yum ragout, Thai basil, and a trio of seafood, plus flying fish roe. With a load of non-alcoholic options, the cocktail list is accessible to all and is not to be missed. Nor is the shop, where you can pick up artisan goods and ingredients.

Call (612) 345-5199 for reservations. For more info: khaluna.com/

You don’t have to be a sushi fan to enjoy a meal at Sakana. Non-raw fish options run the gamut from coconut curry soup to shrimp pad Thai to chicken fried rice to Szechuan kung pao steak, with dozens of other items in between. Not to be outdone, the sushi menu seemingly goes on forever, with a top-notch mix of basic rolls to beautifully plated (and sometimes over-the-top) creations like the Spicy Girl — spicy tuna, avocado, and cucumber on the inside, spicy salmon, jalapeños, and spicy mayo on the outside — or the Pink Mountain: soy paper-wrapped tuna, salmon, yellowtail, cucumber, and avocado, topped with seaweed salad and crunchy flakes. The sushi and sashimi combos are real deals, especially at lunch.

Tired of boring burgers? B-52 will kick you out of your rut in no time flat. The menu takes you on a wild ride of ingredient combos, like fried egg, bacon, cheese, and a tater tot fritter (the Hangover); deep-fried pickles and cream cheese (the Trashy); roasted jalapeños, banana peppers, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle mayo (the B-52). And then there’s the Mother of All Burgers (that’s actually what it’s called): two pounds of beef on a 15-inch slab of French bread, loaded with four eggs, cheese, barbecue pork, onion strings, and bacon. Finish it and a basket of fries in one hour, if you dare, and you’ll be awarded a T-shirt — and, of course, bragging rights.

Szechuan and Chinese favorites, plus a selection labeled American Classics (sweet and sour chicken, beef with broccoli), spill across the pages of the dense menu. While it can be a bit overwhelming, the lovely thing is that most items are accompanied by a photo, letting your eyes play a part in the selection. The restaurant is one of the few in the Twin Cities to offer soup dumplings and their fried street food companion, Shanghai pork buns (sheng jian bao) — get both. Entree portions are generous, so plan on sharing with friends or having leftovers for another meal or two. Oh, and the buttons at each booth? They’re there so you can easily call your server.

No reservations. For more info: teahouseumn.com/