{
	"items" : [
		{
			"venue_id" :  "518",
			"label" :  "112 Eatery",
			"venue_address" :  "112 N. 3rd St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-343-7696",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef-owner Isaac Becker does beautiful work with such high-brow fare as sea scallops with wild mushrooms and seared ahi tuna with chimichurri sauce. But don't miss his great takes on basic bar grub: the sweet-and-sour crab salad, cold cuts-pickles plate, bacon-harissa sandwich, one of the Twin Cities' best burger. Full menu served to 1 a.m. Monday-Saturday. The restaurant was the Star Tribune's 2005 restaurant of the year. Becker is a 2008 and 2009 nominee for Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation Awards. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.982677,-93.271606",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=518",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2006\/02\/27\/1141079472.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4773",
			"label" :  "128 Cafe",
			"venue_address" :  "128 N. Cleveland Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-645-4128",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "When co-owners Brock and Natalie Obee called it quits in June 2007 after 11 great years, server Jill Wilson stepped in and bought the place lock, stock and recipe. Cafe 128, version 2.0, is still a swell just-under-the-radar charmer. Chef Ian Pierce is a master of the restaurant's signature dish, slowly braised pork baby back ribs. Other highlights: fork-tender beef tenderloin in an exceptional red wine demi-glace; pan-roasted chicken served with creamy polenta and a robust bacon-rosemary pan sauce; tender cod cakes with energetic Thai flavors, and zesty harissa-glazed shrimp. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.945322,-93.187373",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4773",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2439",
			"label" :  "20.21 Restaurant and Bar",
			"venue_address" :  "1750 Hennepin Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-253-3410",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "As part of its $130 million expansion, the Walker Art Center turned to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck to elevate the food and drink arts to match the museum's adventurous programming mix. At the starkly chic 20.21, Puck's A-list staff channel Puck's fusion of French techniques, local ingredients and Thai-Chinese-Korean-Japanese flavors. Outsize portions encourage sharing. The restaurant is one of the city's top lunch destinations, and happy hour (5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday) is a merry list of $5 appetizer and drink specials. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American fine dining",
				"Asian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.967136,-93.288360",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2439",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/01\/10\/1168470526.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6462",
			"label" :  "Acqua Restaurant and Wine Bar",
			"venue_address" :  "4453 Lake Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "White Bear Lake",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-407-7317",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Daron Close and chef Chris Whalen, formerly of Campiello and other D'Amico properties, have struck out on their own to open a small suburban restaurant. Acqua features a non-trendy menu of specials and entrees that unlocks the flavors lurking deep inside ingredients, whether it's a succulent, slow-braised pork shank or oven-roasted cauliflower. While I quibbled with a perfunctory thin-crust pizza and a few over-salted dishes, this place does a great job balancing the unexpected with the standard. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "45.076019,-93.01718",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6462",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2451",
			"label" :  "Al's Breakfast",
			"venue_address" :  "413 14th Av. SE.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-331-9991",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "A Minnesota dining icon. Unscripted short-order theatrics (\"Short stack, two smoky mush with ham on a round and short-short whole-wheat Wally blues\") are an off-the-menu side dish that's usually served up at tiny, 14-seat Al's. And the main course? Pancakes. You can't find better ones anywhere, particularly the slightly tangy buttermilks, which fry up hazelnut brown and laced with crunchy walnuts and pert blueberries. Al's griddlemasters also craft the best waffles in the state, sizzling bacon, perfectly poached eggs and big fluffy stuffed omelets. A Dinkytown institution, Al's is a 2004 winner of the James Beard Foundation's \"America's Classics\" award. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.980978,-93.235374",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2451",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/01\/10\/1168470832.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6391",
			"label" :  "Anchor Fish & Chips",
			"venue_address" :  "302 13th Av. NE.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-676-1300",
			"venue_desc" :  "A classic",
			"review" :  "The namesake dish is a generous slab of wild Alaskan cod, dipped in a delicate water-based batter and fried until an outer shell -- light, golden, gently crunchy and relatively grease-free -- forms a protective seal around the moist, succulent fish. The fish pairs perfectly with fabulous thick-cut, Minnesota-raised fried potatoes -- barely crisp on the outside, hot and tender on the inside. Order them with a side of the tangy, slightly sweet curry sauce, and you'll know what it is to encounter bar-food brilliance. The pub is a partnership of first-time restaurateurs Kathryn Hayes, Luke Kyle and Jenny Crouser. \r\n\r\nThose fish and chips not only headline the brief menu, but overshadow all that follows. That's a shame. There's the toasty delight that is the grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich, a scandalously buttery thing of beauty. Vegetarians don't catch much of a break at the Anchor, but they can indulge in a well-made black bean\/wild rice burger, imported from the nearby Mill City Cafe. Weekend breakfast means plentiful, South Beach Diet-style plates of eggs and sausages. Then there's the superb burger, a thick, well-seasoned and perfectly grilled monster that pops with a bold, beefy flavor.\r\nI wasn't crazy about the dull, heavy deep-fried pasties, but the zesty sausages, a blend of fine-ground pork and bright seasonings made at Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket -- battered and deep-fried, of course -- are terrific. There's a wonderfully satisfying shepherd's pie, a ramekin generously filled with a stew of ground beef, tomatoes, peas and carrots and topped with a thick swipe of mashed potatoes.\r\nGood luck on the getting-a-seat thing, because the Anchor is that ruthless combination of popularity (crowds), scarcity (roughly 35 seats) and no reservations. My longest delay was 75 minutes, which, frankly, was testing my desire to wait for deep-fried fish and potatoes, even ones this good. But standing around taught me a few valuable lessons: Go early (before 5 p.m.) or late (after 9), and ask if you can cool your heels in one of the coveted chairs in the \"library,\" the cozy book-lined (Irish and British titles, naturally) nook in the rear.\r\n\r\nIt's not exactly in the chipper tradition to seek out something sweet, but why stand on ceremony? This is northeast Minneapolis, not Belfast, and chasing grease with chocolate is a bedrock principle of the Minnesota State Fair. I just wish I had been an Anchor insider, clued in to the knowledge that the kitchen occasionally cranks out Bailey's- and Guinness-filled cupcakes, or deep-fried Mars Bars (the super-caramel-ey ones from the British Isles), since neither appears on the menu. At least not yet. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"Irish",
				"Seafood"
			],
			"latLng" :  "45.000889,-93.264285",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6391",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4358",
			"label" :  "Bank",
			"venue_address" :  "88 S. 6th St",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-656-3255",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The Westin Hotel transformed the former F&M Bank lobby, a 1941 Art Moderne landmark, into a drop-dead gorgeous restaurant\/bar. The kitchen's work is worthy of the singular setting. Fine power breakfasts, winning pastries, spectacular soups and imaginative daily specials are all on the (pun-overloaded) menu. Try the crackling spit-roasted pork, a juicy chicken singing with fennel and chile accents, a robust leg of lamb, a knife-tender rib-eye with a mellow red wine reduction. Also recommended: croquettes, steamed mussels, salmon tartare, walleye, lamb sandwich, mini-indulgent deserts. Service is maddeningly uneven. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"American contemporary",
				"American fine dining"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.977726,-93.270214",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4358",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6136",
			"label" :  "Bar La Grassa",
			"venue_address" :  "800 Washington Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-333-3837",
			"venue_desc" :  "Appetizers, bruschettas, pastas and entrees.",
			"review" :  "This restaurant is Star Tribune critic Rick Nelson's 2009 Restaurant of the Year. A big Italian menu is grouped into antipasti, bruschetta, pasta and meats\/fish. Chef Erik Sather's charcuterie -- including pork-cheek terrine, and porchetta with cumin-paprika paste -- couldn't be more appealing. Likewise a bruschetta topped with tender scrambled eggs and bits of lobster. Pasta selections, mostly available in half- and full-sized portions, include a perfectly rendered veal ragu and fusilli with hearty house-made pork sausage. A half-dozen roasted meets and fish almost feel like an afterthought, but they don't taste that way: Try the salt-crusted prime beef. House-made pastas were not as delicate as they could be, some pastas arrived barely lukewarm, and the desserts felt unsatisfactory. The room, with two bars and a lively mix of early 20th century and 1970s, features tough-to-beat bar seating that overlooks the kitchen. Overall, this big collaborative enterprise combines great energy and wonderfully simple food. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"Italian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.9894870,-93.2786340",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6136",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "1702",
			"label" :  "Barbette",
			"venue_address" :  "1600 W. Lake St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-827-5710",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Barbette focuses its considerable creative energies on incorporating local, seasonal, and organic ingredients into uncomplicated, classically satisfying bistro fare, served in quirky, vintage-store surroundings. The menu changes weekly. Recommended dishes: Amish chicken, pork tenderloin, Nicoise  salad, steamed mussels, beet salad, croque monsieur, daily tartare, sweet and savory crepes, chocolate fondue. The late-night menu ranks as one of the best in town. \r\nWine list: Extraordinary collection of affordable, unusual labels. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary",
				"Coffee",
				"European",
				"French"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.948373,-93.302111",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=1702",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2006\/03\/01\/1141253664.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "5558",
			"label" :  "Barrio - Minneapolis",
			"venue_address" :  "925 Nicollet Mall",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-333-9953",
			"venue_desc" :  "This tequila bar also has an excellent kitchen.",
			"review" :  "The menu isn\u2019t large, but it\u2019s remarkably coherent. There\u2019s not a misstep in the bunch. It\u2019s funny saying this about a taco, but the mahi-mahi version here is rapturously good, the succulent fish enrobed in a gossamer beer-batter tempura and paired with a cool cucumber pico de gallo. I love the robust red chile enchilada, flecked with a peppy chorizo and topped with a gently fried egg. Cinnamon-kissed carnitas is served two ways, either as a taco or crowning a pair of sopas and finished in a rich ancho-tamarind sauce. Both are heavenly.The chicken enchilada pretty much shows how the genre is done. Other don\u2019t-miss dishes? The grilled shrimp, skewered on sugar cane. The tequila-cured gravlax. The lovely jicama-citrus-pepita salad. The brightly flavored scallop-grapefruit ceviche. The golden empanadas, liberally stuffed with crab. The complex soups (although the one major glitch I encountered was an alarmingly past-its-prime crab soup).After all those glorious small plates, the menu\u2019s half-dozen entrees seem a bit superfluous. They\u2019re fine \u2014 more than fine, actually. Best are the plump shrimp with zesty citrus-pepper accents, the moist steamed mahi mahi, a juicy pan-roasted chicken doused in a spirited chimichurri, and meaty pork ribs, cured with ancho and chipotle chiles and marinated in an intense tamarind-roasted tomato sauce. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Mexican"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.974073,-93.274158",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=5558",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4654",
			"label" :  "Be'wiched",
			"venue_address" :  "800 Washington Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-767-4330",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chefs\/co-owners Matthew Bickford and Michael Ryan have scrupulously adapted the high-end culinary practices of their former employers (La Belle Vie, Restaurant Alma, D'Amico Cucina) to the humble sandwich. The results include an astonishingly great pastrami (ultra-lean brisket enveloped in apple and cherry wood smoke, shaved thin and piled high on a sturdy rye) a luxurious tuna (albacore rubbed with oregano, basil and olive oil) and a positively seductive pulled pork version. This joint does the name \"deli\" proud. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.988962,-93.278592",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4654",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2494",
			"label" :  "Big Bowl",
			"venue_address" :  "3669 Galleria",
			"venue_city" :  "Edina",
			"venue_phone" :  "952-928-7888",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "This quality-minded Asian-accented chain emphasizes quick noodle dishes, stir fries, curries and other freshly prepared fare with Thai, Szechuan and Vietnamese roots. Build your own stir-fry at the self-serve ingredient bar, and don't miss the house-made fresh ginger ale. There's often a wait for a table, but take a pager and shop until your table is ready. \r\nAlso located at 1705 W. Hwy. 36 (Rosedale Shopping Center), Roseville, 651-636-7173; and 12649 Wayzata Blvd. (Ridgedale Shopping Center), Minnetonka, 952-797-9888. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Asian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.876399999,-93.32503599",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2494",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/02\/14\/1171504909.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2465",
			"label" :  "Birchwood Cafe",
			"venue_address" :  "3311 E. 25th St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-722-4474",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "A counter-service gem, the Birchwood serves inexpensive, mostly vegetarian fare, often made from locally raised ingredients. Breakfast includes crispy waffles, quiche, addictive cinnamon-raisin rolls and oatmeal. Lunch and dinner ranges from salads and sandwiches to more elaborate entrees. Homey, satisfying desserts include: Key lime pie, chocolate cream pie, layer cakes and big, chewy cookies. A short, cliche-free and value-priced wine roster bears the organic-biodynamic and fair-trade stamps of approval. Saturday night means two pizzas and a bottle of wine for $25. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"Vegetarian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.957402,-93.223790",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2465",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/02\/14\/1171505427.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "5677",
			"label" :  "Black Sheep Pizza",
			"venue_address" :  "600 Washington Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-342-2625",
			"venue_desc" :  "Minnesota's first coal-fired pizzeria.",
			"review" :  "Chef\/owner Jordan Smith's hot-and-dry-burning coal-fired oven turns out pizzas with superb toppings (house-made fennel sausage; mushroom-mozzarella-rosemary; tomato-oregano)on glorious crusts that are neither too thin nor too thick. They keep it simple here, with just a few salads and non-pizza offerings and a single dessert (a wonderful homemade ice-cream saindwich). -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Pizza"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.987314,-93.275694",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=5677",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4562",
			"label" :  "Brasa",
			"venue_address" :  "600 Hennepin Av. E.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-379-3030",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma here runs a moderately priced eatery specializing in golden rotisserie chicken and tender, Minnesota-grown pork, with about a dozen accompaniments, including smoky, thin-sheared andouille sausage that adds a burst of heat to mellow, slightly nutty yams, and cabbage salad kicked up with lime juice, cilantro and serrano chiles. The restaurant was selected as one of the Star Tribune's 2007 restaurants of the year. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"African",
				"Caribbean",
				"South American"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.989499,-93.251943",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4562",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2461",
			"label" :  "Broders' Pasta Bar",
			"venue_address" :  "5000 Penn Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-925-9202",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "It's all about pasta at this south Minneapolis gem, a value-oriented offshoot of the Broder family's popular Broders' Cucina Italiana,located across the street. The ever-changing seasonal menu could include a bowl of pitch-perfect al dente spaghetti singing with lemon, basil and trout, or dill-flecked linguine twirled through colorful kale and chard, chickpeas, shrimp and bits of tangy feta. The lasagna has woody mushrooms layered between sheets of spinach and egg yolk pasta and then bathed in a golden saffron cream sauce. The all-Italian wine list is approachable and affordable. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"Italian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.912340,-93.308676",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2461",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4380",
			"label" :  "Cafe Maude",
			"venue_address" :  "5411 Penn Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-822-5411",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef Jason Ross composes easygoing, boldly flavored dishes that are a pleasure to eat, especially in the company of a table full of friends. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.904938,-93.308597",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4380",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6250",
			"label" :  "Cheeky Monkey Deli",
			"venue_address" :  "525 Selby Ave.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-224-6066",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef\/co-owner Matt McArthur\u2019s affordable chalkboard menus are simplicity itself: just sandwiches, soups and salads at lunch, with a few entrees added later in the day, plus desserts. The difference is that his kitchen doesn\u2019t take shortcuts. It\u2019s rare to encounter this level of craftsmanship in the quick-service genre. The centerpiece of the post-3 p.m. menu is a pair of ever-evolving boards, one devoted to cheeses, the other to charcuterie.\r\nThe kitchen brings out the best in inexpensive cuts of meat: pot roast, a pork shoulder slow-braised in white wine and poblano peppers, a succulent meatloaf. The star of the entrees is pot pie. Sandwiches are inspired, and soups are a definite highlight. Don't miss the chocolate pudding.",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.9465700,-93.1222505",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6250",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2569",
			"label" :  "Corner Table",
			"venue_address" :  "4257 Nicollet Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-823-0011",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef Scott Pampuch's creative use of moderately priced ingredients and the appeal of value-conscious prices and sane portions paired with smart, unpretentious cooking that yields clean, sincere and often intensely satisfying flavors. The menu changes monthly. Comfortable and contemporary, it's the kind of neighborhood restaurant anyone would be happy to find. Wine list: Wisely chosen and exceptionally consumer-friendly. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.925840,-93.277940",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2569",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2528",
			"label" :  "Cosmos",
			"venue_address" :  "601 1st Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-312-1168",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The restaurant and bar in the Graves 601 Hotel is beyond gorgeous. And the menu, one of unadulterated and unapologetic luxury, continually changes. The restaurant is hard to find -- on the fourth floor of the hotel, but well worth a visit.",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary",
				"American fine dining",
				"Seafood"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.979591,-93.274804",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2528",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3821",
			"label" :  "Crema Cafe",
			"venue_address" :  "3403 Lyndale Av. S",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-824-3868",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Hyper-fresh, well-sourced ingredients handled with respect, intelligence and flair are trademarks at the place formerly known for its homemade Sonny's ice cream, and now serving lunch, weekend brunch and dinner. Paninis rule at lunch. Deftly composed pastas, dumplings and salads are standouts on the dinner menu. The dessert offerings are amply complemented by a dozen flavors of ice creams and sorbets. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"Ice cream"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.941134,-93.288176",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3821",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6378",
			"label" :  "D'Amico Kitchen",
			"venue_address" :  "901 Hennepin Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-767-6960",
			"venue_desc" :  "The former Chambers Kitchen gets a D'Amico makeover, with warmer decor, small plates and Italian-focused menu and wine list.",
			"review" :  "The Chambers Kitchen (and celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten) is out, and D'Amico Kitchen is in at the Chambers Hotel, with chef John Occhiato at the helm. His passionate Italian cooking is both rustic and detail-oriented. I'm obsessed with the polenta topped with mushrooms and I love a salad of trout, beets, apples and hazelnuts. Noteworthy pasta dishes include one tossed with tiny clams and zesty sausage. Scallops, the roast chicken and hanger steak are all excellent. Breakfast is a standard-setter. The redone room is less Dwell and more Better Homes & Gardens. Check out the unbeatable lunch special -- three items for $10. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"Italian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.976037,-93.27692",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6378",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "128",
			"label" :  "Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant",
			"venue_address" :  "1010 Nicollet Mall",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-332-1010",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The Dakota's bar, restaurant and peerless live-music venue all \r\nwork in well-rehearsed harmony. The food boasts the nuance, imagination and technical prowess of some of the city's top kitchens, but its tone is playfully approachable and full of surprises. At dnner, highlights include crostini with a glossy smoked trout rillette; fried oysters on a celery-root salad; curry-rubbed pork, roasted in an apple cider grilled lamb, and even plain-old roast chicken and wild rice. The wine list has a wide range of all-American choices. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.973908,-93.274752",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=128",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/02\/27\/1172629488.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2573",
			"label" :  "duplex",
			"venue_address" :  "2516 Hennepin Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-381-0700",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "A former house has become an intimate, charming bistro and wine bar, with valentine-red walls  and simple butcherblock tabletops decorated with fresh-cut flowers. The setting is matched by imaginative cuisine, reasonable prices and friendly, polished service. The menu ranges from a duck Sloppy Joe or a beautiful locally raised rainbow trout with tomato chutney at dinner to spaghetti with heirloom tomatoes at lunch. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.956652,-93.295952",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2573",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4255",
			"label" :  "Good Day Cafe",
			"venue_address" :  "5410 Wayzata Blvd.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "763-544-0205",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The Good Day, in the former CocoLezzone space, hoists breakfast onto a pedestal, treating it with the respect it deserves but so infrequently gets. The pecan-topped caramel rolls are wonders of grandmotherly baking, and most of the breakfast standbys -- from the lumpy crab cakes capped with poached eggs and hollandaise to the jaunty waffles -- are presented with lavish attention to detail. Lunch includes a fantastic pan-roasted steak sandwich, a textbook Reuben and a half-dozen salads. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.971664,-93.349151",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4255",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4014",
			"label" :  "Grand Cafe",
			"venue_address" :  "3804 Grand Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-822-8260",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The former Bakery on Grand is now minus a bakery, but the loss is made up by boosting the setting to even more charming heights, and by a menu that keeps its eye on the seasons and its attention on locally produced ingredients. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.934008,-93.284366",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4014",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2682",
			"label" :  "Heartland Restaurant",
			"venue_address" :  "1806 St. Clair Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-699-3536",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef and co-owner Lenny Russo continues his local-local-local mindset with a constantly changing menu featuring foods grown and raised in the region. Whether it's a flavorful pan-roasted rabbit, served in a black walnut-enhanced glaze and topped with a grilled peach, or a surprisingly tender elk chop with beautifully browned fennel, the results are almost guaranteed to surprise and delight. Ditto the kitchen's treatment of more familiar fare. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.934273,-93.176687",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2682",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2007\/02\/27\/1172632639.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4688",
			"label" :  "Heidi's Minneapolis",
			"venue_address" :  "819 W. 50th St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-354-3512",
			"venue_desc" :  "One of the most romantic spots in town.",
			"review" :  "A storefront that's romantic or cramped, depending on your point of view, Heidi's was one of the Star Tribune's 2007 restaurants of the year. Try the non-boring beet salad, the non-chainy Buffalo-style shrimp, succulent short ribs with sesame spaetzel or the peppery pork tenderloin in curry sauce. There's a wonderful and tender poached pheasant, steamed halibut and a pair of vegetarian dishes. Desserts nclude poached pears, lemon creme brulee and warm chocolate pudding. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.912332,-93.289785",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4688",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3937",
			"label" :  "Hot Plate",
			"venue_address" :  "5204 Bloomington Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-824-4794",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "A destination for diner-inspired fare, with a twist: Owners Sam Beberg and Carrie Lewis buck diner protocol by incorporating premium-quality, locally sourced ingredients into thoughtfully re-energized versions of \r\nbreakfast and lunch standards. Truly special are the pumpkin-buckwheat waffles, a juicy he-man burger and the daily hot dish. Be sure to leave room for terrific sweets. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.908776,-93.252418",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3937",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2764",
			"label" :  "La Belle Vie",
			"venue_address" :  "510 Groveland Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-874-6440",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "What magnificent cuisine! For the serious gourmet, chef Tim McKee's eight-course tasting menu may be the ultimate Twin Cities dining experience, a three-hour parade of courses. The prix fixe for eight courses is $80 (five courses, $65), plus $55 for the accompanying flight of seven wines. The flavors are intense but balanced and presented in measured portions that compel the diner to savor each taste in turn. McKee was named Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2009, the first Minnesotan so honored. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American fine dining",
				"European",
				"French",
				"Italian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.966815,-93.287223",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2764",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4071",
			"label" :  "Little Szechuan",
			"venue_address" :  "422 University Av. W",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-222-1333",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Gastronomic adventurers will find plenty of authentic dishes, and fiery spicing, but with some inconsistency. A green menu lists more Americanized fare(General Tao's chicken, Hunan beef, hot-and-sour soup), and a menu with a black cover offers more authentically Chinese dishes (diced rabbit big sister style, eel strips with spicy sauce and tofu). Favorites include the Chung King chili shrimp and the kung pao chicken. The Szechuan cold spicy noodle was a surprise and a delight. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Asian",
				"Chinese"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.955689,-93.117938",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4071",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2775",
			"label" :  "Lucia's Restaurant",
			"venue_address" :  "1432 W. 31st. St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-825-1572",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Proprietor Lucia Watson makes this Uptown storefront (and the adjacent bakery and take-out counter) a happy place. Another major draw is the food, inspired by the restaurant's 23-year commitment to local farmers. The short menu (generally four appetizers and four entrees) changes weekly, designed to take advantage of what's available from local purveyors. The adjoining wine bar is Uptown's most romantic post-movie destination. Watson is a 2004, 2005 and 2006 nominee for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Midwest. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.946620,-93.298659",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2775",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4709",
			"label" :  "Meritage",
			"venue_address" :  "410 St. Peter St.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-222-5670",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef\/co-owner Russell Klein embraces his Gallic restaurant roots without being locked into them. That emotional connection comes through in  a superb matzo ball soup and roasted wild striped bass with cauliflower and rock shrimp. Also exceptional: duck breast paired with house-made duck sausage and sprightly spaetzle; a stunner of a beet salad; pan-fried chicken with shallots and thyme. Brasserie standards (steaks frites, cassoulet)are delivered with aplomb. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"French"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.946397,-93.096895",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4709",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "5102",
			"label" :  "Ngon Vietnamese Bistro",
			"venue_address" :  "799 W. University Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-222-3301",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Ngon (\u201cIt\u2019s like saying long, with an N,\u201d said Hai Truong, who runs this place with spouse Jessica Ainsworth-Truong) is Vietnamese for delicious. And how. Great pho, redolent of slow-cooked beef bones, anise and nutmeg, also shows Ngon's dedication to locally raised meat  and produce. Truong crafts delicious dishes from Minnesota pork, from spring rolls to barbecue to chops. Also stellar: duck confit with coconut-curry sauce, pudgy scallops seared to caramelized perfection, much more. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Asian",
				"Fusion",
				"Vietnamese"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.956056,-93.133770",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=5102",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4691",
			"label" :  "Nick and Eddie",
			"venue_address" :  "1612 Harmon Place",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-486-5800",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "He may be just 23, but chef Derik Moran is already an old hand in the kitchen. His appeals-to-all-senses cooking style is evident in a salad Moran calls Mississippi Greens, a glorious $7 blend of delicate micro-greens, garden-fresh herbs and bits of house-made bacon dressed in a ranch-inspired buttermilk dressing. Much of what he's doing on his muy-affordable menu (entrees average $15) could be described as contemporary comfort food. Pot roast, mac-and-cheese, fish and chips, steak and potatoes, they're all here, but in lighter, brighter versions. The item he can probably never retire from his constantly shifting roster is a variation on chicken and dumpling soup. In Moran's capable hands, the chicken is cured in its own fat and then rendered until the meat falls off the bone and the skin is tantalizingly crisp, then served in an herb-flecked broth brimming with crunchy carrots and onions and pillowy pan-seared gnocchi. Moran is a self-taught charcutier, and the results are first-rate. Breads and desserts, courtesy of co-owner Jessica Anderson, are simply delicious. Her crowning achievement is a voluptuously caramel-ey butterscotch pudding, finished with a splash of cream, that has to be tasted to be believed. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.971652,-93.285619",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4691",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2878",
			"label" :  "Peninsula",
			"venue_address" :  "2608 Nicollet Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-871-8282",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The upscaling of Eat Street continues apace with the opening of this stylish Malaysian restaurant. A sprinkling of Thai dishes is offered, as well as a few dishes representing Malaysia's Indian and Chinese ethnic minorities, but most of the offerings are distinctively Malay, such as the ayam rendang (chicken with lemon grass, chili paste, coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in red curry sauce), or sambal sotong, (sauteed squid in spicy belacan shrimp paste). Full bar. -- Jeremy Iggers",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Asian",
				"Chinese",
				"Thai"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.955372,-93.277861",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2878",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4908",
			"label" :  "Porter & Frye",
			"venue_address" :  "1115 2nd Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-353-3500",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The breakfast-lunch-dinner operation of the swank Hotel Ivy. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary",
				"American fine dining"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.971247,-93.272808",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4908",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4318",
			"label" :  "Red Stag Supperclub",
			"venue_address" :  "509 1st. Av. NE.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-767-7766",
			"venue_desc" :  "Up-north supper club meets big-city hipster.",
			"review" :  "Owner Kim Bartmann reinvents the supper club. The stroganoff, for example, features  medium-rare venison with egg noodles and mushrooms. Other highlights: fried smelt in a gossamer-light batter, grilled sardines and pepper-crusted mahi-mahi. A Friday-night fish fry is deservedly popular. On the down side, an inharmonious bacon-shrimp succotash undoes a cracklingly good thick-cut pork chop, and I ran into disastrously dry, salty chicken one night. Weekend brunch shines, and lunch is another strong suit. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.990475,-93.253764",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4318",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "2931",
			"label" :  "Restaurant Alma",
			"venue_address" :  "528 University Av. SE",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-379-4909",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The soothing aura of this exceptional restaurant extends far beyond the name on the door. The serene room is all honeyed wood and sunlight; it's the Aveda of restaurants.Chef\/owner Alex Robert's confident, attention-to-detail cooking focuses on bringing out the best in organic, locally raised ingredients. The menu changes frequently and is structured for create-your-own three-course fixed-price dinners. Roberts is a 2007, 2008 and 2009 nominee for Best Chef: Midwest by the James Beard Foundation Awards. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.983734,-93.248144",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=2931",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4023",
			"label" :  "Saffron Restaurant & Lounge",
			"venue_address" :  "123 N 3rd St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-746-5533",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Sameh Wadi is definitely a chef to watch. At his appealing downtown Minneapolis restaurant, Wadi manages to borrow from the culinary traditions of North Africa and the Middle East without getting bogged down by them. Recommendations: merguez sausage, blue crab salad, vegetable fritters, veal-tuna carpaccio, salmon-clam tagine, lamb BLT, shrimp tartine. The restaurant was selected as one of the Star Tribune's 2007 restaurants of the year. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"African",
				"Fusion",
				"Middle Eastern"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.982245,-93.271636",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4023",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "5239",
			"label" :  "Salty Tart",
			"venue_address" :  "920 E. Lake St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-874-9206",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Michelle Gayer bakes a seriously fabulous macaroon, which her staff nicknames \"crackaroons.\" These triumphs of simplicity are the summit of Gayer's rustic aesthetic, one that is forged in the oven's searing rather than through the tip of an icing-filled pastry bag. Other, lesser bakers would succumb to the temptation to dip them in chocolate or otherwise embellish their auburn allure, but Gayer understands and appreciates the beauty of understatement. No running, no hiding, just a full-on celebration of the power and glory of coconut. That philosophy rules everything that comes out of Gayer's ovens. No one does eggy-buttery brioche better, equally adept with the its sweet and savory split personality. Gayer's proximity to the Produce Exchange, the MGM's swell greengrocer, means she has access to the kind of superb seasonal fruits that allow her to maintain a marvelous improvisational air. Gayer lavishes respect and ingenuity on her don't-miss cookies, and the divine cupcakes are designed with grown-up tastes in mind. Gayer's baguettes, ciabattas and focaccias are the basis for exceptional grab-and-go sandwiches that boast all the right touches. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Bakery"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.948348,-93.261117",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=5239",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "5042",
			"label" :  "Sanctuary",
			"venue_address" :  "903 Washington Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-339-5058",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "I'm more than happy to place my appetite in chef Patrick Atanalian's capable hands: salmon tartare finished with traces of molasses and chipotle; shards of endive and apples dressed with sharp citrus-date accents; exquisitely caramelized scallops topped with cool Asian pears and smoky bacon, in a fragrant pool of mint and cucumber. To finish, a just-perfect nibble of dense dark chocolate and a fine piece of manchego drizzled with lavender honey. Not many downtown restaurants offer such imaginative cooking at such middle-of-the-road prices. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.976403,-93.255650",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=5042",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3004",
			"label" :  "Sapor Cafe and Bar",
			"venue_address" :  "428 Washington Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-375-1971",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The name is Latin for \"flavor,\" and the around-the-world food (the influences include Moroccan, Japanese, Mexican, Indian, Jamaican and American fare) lives up to its name.",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Asian",
				"Caribbean",
				"Fusion",
				"Indian",
				"Mexican"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.985937,-93.274524",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3004",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6254",
			"label" :  "Sea Change Restaurant & Bar",
			"venue_address" :  "818 S. 2nd St,",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-225-6499",
			"venue_desc" :  "Eight seafood entrees, plus a \"Not Fish\" menu section.",
			"review" :  "The Guthrie Theater's principal dining venue, formerly Cue, has changed hands, hired the area's highest-profile chef, Tim McKee, and is offering a sustainable-seafood focus. Much of the food is sublime, the room has had an attractive redo and the prices (with the exception of wine and desserts) are kept reasonable. Tantalizing small plates await you at the raw bar. Dishes from the beet salad to the smoked salmon are artfully presented. Stellar entrees (with an average price of $21)include a satisfying bouillabaisse, ocean trout, a memorable cassoulet and an elegant beef tenderloin. My complaints? Service glitches, trying-too-hard desserts, steep prices for wines by the glass, some clunkers on the entree list, and lack of offerings for vegetarians. Overall, this is a change we all can believe in. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary",
				"Seafood"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.978173,-93.255277",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6254",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "1137",
			"label" :  "Solera",
			"venue_address" :  "900 Hennepin Av. S.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-338-0062",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "An homage to the Spanish tapas tradition, Solera hoists the humble appetizer up on a pedestal and worships it for all it's worth, with a menu of 40-plus tapas choices.",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"Fusion"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.976441,-93.277338",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=1137",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3539",
			"label" :  "Spoonriver",
			"venue_address" :  "750 S. 2nd St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-436-2236",
			"venue_desc" :  "Cafe Brenda's mostly vegetarian, ripped-from-the-pages-of-Wallpaper sibling.",
			"review" :  "In the three years since it opened, Spoonriver has shed its strong sisterly resemblance to Cafe Brenda and matured into its own singular self. Owner Brenda Langton and chefs Lisa Carlson and Liz Benser are still dedicated to locally grown and organic ingredients, but with surprising and delicious twists. Want a robust mushroom-pistachio terrine, a terrific pulled pork sandwich or thick slices of shoulder steak popping with big, beefy flavor? Not a problem. Add in Kristen Schafbruch's show-and-tell desserts, a stellar weekend brunch and the compact room's looky buildout and you have a winning combo. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary",
				"Vegetarian"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.978524,-93.256695",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3539",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "4850",
			"label" :  "Strip Club Meat & Fish",
			"venue_address" :  "378 Maria Av.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Paul",
			"venue_phone" :  "651-793-6247",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef J.D. Fratzke, with co-owners Tim Niver and Aaron Johnson, have forged a vibrant menu that skillfully merges an appreciation for locally raised ingredients with affection for uncomplicated gastropub fare. The restaurant\u2019s namesake dish is a near-perfect New York strip: grass-fed, super-lean cut, from Minnesota\u2019s own superb Thousand Hills Cattle Co. Also great: cornmeal-fried catfish, walleye fritters, duck confit, fries and a category-killing burger. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.956653,-93.072232",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=4850",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "691",
			"label" :  "The Craftsman",
			"venue_address" :  "4300 E. Lake St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-722-0175",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The brief but distinctive menu, which changes monthly, consists of a handful of starters and six or seven entrees, noteworthy for their flair, top-notch ingredients, relative value and aversion to the same-old, same-old. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.948355,-93.211387",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=691",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2006\/02\/27\/1141079691.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3023",
			"label" :  "Town Talk Diner",
			"venue_address" :  "2707 1\/2 E. Lake St.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-722-1312",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "The Town Talk's partnership -- chef Tor Westgard, beverage guru Aaron Johnson and general manager Tim Niver -- are adamant about preserving the American diner's rich culinary legacy. Theirs is no museum, but rather several charismatic enterprises comfortably coexisting. One is a bar that pours clever, campy, seductive cocktails. Another is a laid-back neighborhood drop-in that specializes in contemporary short-order fare. Then there's a high-minded kitchen that doesn't take itself too seriously. Order the pulled pork sandwich, the onion rings, the pork chops and the famed pancakes. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.94837,-93.232838",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3023",
			"media_url" :  "http:\/\/cal.startribune.com\/images\/2006\/04\/26\/1146087959.s.jpg"
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "6227",
			"label" :  "Victory 44",
			"venue_address" :  "2203 44th Av. N.",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-588-2228",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Victory 44 would stand out anywhere, but the fact that it's located on the far North Side of Minneapolis, a drop of water on a parched restaurant desert, makes it all that more remarkable. Porter & Frye vets Mike Brown, James Winberg and Geoff Hausmann are cooking their hearts out, pushing the restaurant beyond its neighborhood-hangout comfort zone without sacrificing its moderate prices and casual aura. This crew has a knack for turning clich\u00e9s on their ear. For example, they know how to do small plates. A modestly sized hunk of glazed pork cheek, gloriously fall-apart tender, was paired with stacked sheets of roasted root vegetables, lasagna-style (minus the pasta) and finished with dabs of ch\u00e8vre and dill wisps. Other highlights: a pair of juicy, tantalizingly caramelized scallops, and slices of lean, charred-on-the-outside, ruby-red-on-the-inside steak flecked with black salt and served with tender, butter-tossed pappardelle. Do not miss the house-made charcuterie. The kitchen's signature dish is a revisioning of the classic Scotch egg. Another impressive turn is the kitchen's clever spin on boring old chicken Cordon Bleu, where the bird is prepared two ways -- sous vide and fried -- and paired with a wonderfully smoky ham steak and finished with a luscious cheese fondue. Fish and chips are marvelous, as are the bangers and mash, a combination of rustic house-made pork sausages, ultra-creamy mashed potatoes and supple onion gravy. The burger is labeled \"perfect,\" and for once the self-promotion fits. Desserts are overwrought, service is enthusiastic and endearing.",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American contemporary"
			],
			"latLng" :  "45.035458,-93.308954",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=6227",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3050",
			"label" :  "Vincent",
			"venue_address" :  "1100 Nicollet Mall",
			"venue_city" :  "Minneapolis",
			"venue_phone" :  "612-630-1189",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Chef\/owner Vincent Francoual's elegant downtown restaurant offers such dishes as seafood cappuccino, pan-seared scallops and sesame-crusted halibut. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605 \u00BD",
			"price_code" :  "$$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"European",
				"French",
				"Seafood"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.972998,-93.275543",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3050",
			"media_url" :  null
		},
		{
			"venue_id" :  "3066",
			"label" :  "Yum! Kitchen and Bakery",
			"venue_address" :  "4000 Minnetonka Blvd.",
			"venue_city" :  "St. Louis Park",
			"venue_phone" :  "952-922-4000",
			"venue_desc" :  null,
			"review" :  "Patti Soskin's dine-in\/take-out venture hasn't Changed Dining As We Know It, but through smart packaging and an obvious attention to detail, shen has forged a concept that feels perfectly calibrated to our casual, time-pressed times and comfort-seeking tastes. The menu, which changes twice a month, has a similar ease: nothing fancy, just fresh ingredients, clean flavors and uncomplicated preparations. -- Rick Nelson",
			"rating_code" :  "\u2605\u2605\u2605",
			"price_code" :  "$$",
			"cuisine_array" :  [
				"American",
				"American casual"
			],
			"latLng" :  "44.948445,-93.330114",
			"venue_url" :  "http:\/\/www.vita.mn\/venue_detail.php?venue_id=3066",
			"media_url" :  null
		}
	]
}