Heartland

Ambience : 8.3
Food : 9.3
Service : 8.7
on a scale of 1 (worst) - 10 (best)
based on 6 Rater comments
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1806 St Clair Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55105
Phone: (651) 699-3536
Fax: (651) 699-3539
http://www.heartlandrestaurant.com/
Menu PDF
Menu

Just when you were beginning to think Midwestern cuisine was destined to be a fusion of lutefisk and Bisquick, along comes Lenny Russo's Heartland. The glorious man has reminded us that we DO live in an area where things, tasty things grow. There are award winning cheeses, and Minnesota prosciutto and local fish that are not only worthy, but in many ways superior to stuff flown in. Culling seasonal ingredients from the Midwestern US/Canadian area, Russo carefully constructs two fixed price menus and a la carte selections that change daily. You'll be lucky to find artfully created porkchops with bosc pears, or grilled goat chops in a sweet onion sauce. Dazzlers like ricotta ravioli with freshly shaved fennel in roasted leek broth have helped make it a favorite with vegetarians. The wine list is some 240 international bottles strong and the beer list offers quite a few smashing ciders.

Rater Comments

12/26/2007

Ambiance 9.0, Food 10.0, Service 9.0
Lenny rocks! You know you're in a good place when they pay attention to the smallest detail--the server noticed we had happened to order all vegetarian items and asked if we wanted the main amuse bouche. The food is fresh, tasty, and as local and seasonable as possible.

8/30/2006
Dinner, Number in party 2, Check total $75.00, Visited 8/17/2006
Ambiance 8.0, Food 9.0, Service 9.0
Expected a little but got a lot! Top choice wine list with broad price range; very knowledgeable staff whose food-wine combinations were top rate. Good place for both special occasions and casual outings. Cozy but private. Food prepared perfectly, (roast pork and cornmeal-encrusted walleye) with sauces that boosted the meats' flavor without stealing the show... clean and smooth coffee afterwards, with light but rich chocolate: buon gusto! Will definitely return again and again!

9/27/2005
Dinner, Number in party 2, Check total $140.00, Visited 9/20/2005
Ambiance 8.0, Food 8.0, Service 7.0
Nice, homey/cabiny ambiance. For our anniversary dinner, we got the romantic circular "nook". Had a difficult time selecting an entree, as they all sounded terrific. Two different salads were sublime, but the best thing may have been the side order of roasted baby potatoes! Entrees were well prepared and tasty, but didn't leave us craving for more. We were too full for dessert, but unlike the entrees, the selections weren't overly enticing. Service was very proper and a bit stiff, although the wine steward(ess) was very charming. Overall, a delightful evening and we shall return.

9/19/2005
Dinner, Number in party 2, Check total $95.00, Visited 9/18/2005
Ambiance 8.0, Food 10.0, Service 9.0
Holy Huckleberry! We really enjoyed out quiet dinner for for two on a Sunday night. All the food was so fresh and scrumptious. Of course the menu changes all the time, but we had a mixed greens salad with hucklebrries and raspberries and green beans. Then we had wholesome potatoes with fresh herbs and a tender chicken breast with a brandy sauce that was decadent. The dessert was clean and sweet. The server was attentive and the food came out in a timely manner at just the right temp.

8/5/2005
Dinner, Number in party 2, Check total $138.00, Visited 8/4/2005
Ambiance 8.0, Food 9.0, Service 9.0
Healthy, sustainable agriculture, small farm ingredients; inventive excellently prepared delicious dishes; interesting fairly priced wine list; Heartland has it all and then some. Fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with MN chevre accompanied by intensely flavored baby tomatoes poached in walnut oil - how do they come up with those ideas? I don't know--but I do know I would like to try everything on this amazing menu and then come back for more.

5/26/2005
Dinner, Number in party 4, Check total $300.00, Visited 4/13/2005
Ambiance 9.0, Food 10.0, Service 9.0
Just save up and treat yourself. Whatever the special menu is that night, just have it. I've been there three times in the last year, and every time we just sort of come out and say "wow". It doesn't hurt that you can see the owner Lenny Russo cooking your food from whereever you are sitting, and if there's a lull, he may come out and have a glass of wine with you.

These comments express the opinions of individual Restaurant Raters, not those of The Rake or any of its affiliates.

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