Salut Bar Americain-Edina

Rating:

Serious fans of French cuisine probably aren't going to be very happy at Salut Bar Americain, but that's OK -- the new restaurant in downtown Edina really isn't intended for them. They'd be happier at Cavé Vin, a few blocks away at 56th and Xerxes, or at Vincent A Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. One reader described Salut's food as "a French-ish blend of bistro fare and American standards (Buffalo wings?), which works pretty well for the targeted demographic, which appears to be well-to-do customers from Southwest Minneapolis and Edina who want a French feel but not necessarily authentic French food." (More reader comments below.)

Salut is the latest brainchild of Phil Roberts, creator of Chino Latino, Figlio, Buca, Oceanaire and Stella's Fish Cafe. All theme restaurants offer the same core menu, whether the theme is French, Italian or Sports, and Salut offers most of the classics: Buffalo chicken wings, Caesar salad, deep-fried calamari, pepperoni pizza and a big selection of burgers. On one of my three recent visits, our waitress made a point of congratulating us for trying a variety of dishes. The French onion soup sells pretty well, she said, but not many people order the escargot or the foie gras (seared duck liver). Her biggest seller is the steak sandwich, and the burgers are very popular, as is the walnut-crusted walleye, a recent addition to the menu.

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