Dining Diary: Three established patios and one fabulous newbie

It s officially patio season That means I m scrambling to visit new or new-to-me patios throughout the metro before our big guide comes out May But this year I m also endeavoring to visit chosen of my favorites you know to make sure they re still good Spoiler alert They are And bonus One newbie that deserves more than a patio-guide blurb Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand Grilled prawns at Herbst Farm Stand amp Eatery in St Paul Jess Fleming Pioneer Press I love the hidden terrace behind this farm-to-table gem in St Paul s St Anthony neighborhood They don t take reservations for the patio so no need to plan ahead Just drop in for creative vegetable pasta and meat dishes that are perfect for sharing I was with a friend who cannot eat gluten and I chose Herbst partially because their menu is very clear about what s gluten- and dairy-free and what can be modified to be made so Unlike a lot of places there are a ton of options for people with dietary restrictions here We started with several lovely grilled prawns enhanced by both chermoula an African condiment made up mostly of fresh herbs and a cilantro aioli We followed with specific rich tender artichoke hearts lumache pasta with a Mediterranean-spiced lamb ragu for me and risotto topped with pickled and roasted beets I love the European-heavy wine list here but the cocktails are innovative and fantastic too Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand Raymond Ave St Paul herbstsaintpaul com Meritage Spring pea pancakes at Meritage in downtown St Paul Jess Fleming Pioneer Press We had a concert downtown this week and the weather was perfect so an hour or two on this very European terrace with views of the beautiful Landmark Center sounded like just the thing We sipped on specific stellar cocktails mine had Spanish brandy and sherry and very much made me want to return to the Iberian peninsula stat We noshed on little spring pea pancakes topped with a dollop of caviar ribbons of fantastic ahi tuna bathed in a spicy Thai vinaigrette and topped with a beautiful tasty peanut tuille An asparagus salad with dehydrated strawberries was spring on a plate and moules frites with the best fries in the Twin Cities maybe the world I honestly have not discovered any better anywhere served with the restaurant s slurpable bearnaise It warmed my heart to see all the patrons who were headed to The Palace after dinner on the terrace for a rock concert I m not the only one who knows how to have a perfect St Paul night Meritage St Peter St St Paul - - meritage-stpaul com El Cubano Ropa vieja at El Cubano in West St Paul Jess Fleming Pioneer Press I had been craving the black beans at this little restaurant in my neighborhood for weeks So on a beautiful Saturday we stopped for lunch The front patio here has long been a favorite due to the colorful tables and cute palapa-covered huts outside and now the restaurant has built a limited more huts in the back It s not a secret either as multiple of the tables were full My husband and I shared the restaurant s signature sandwich El Cubano which is stuffed with pulled pork ham cheese pickles and mustard Bonus It comes with a scant yuca fries served with a tasty garlicky dipping sauce And to fulfill the black bean craving we ordered the ropa vieja shredded flank steak stewed with tomatoes and onions and served with rice beans fried plantains and a little salad The steak is so tender and flavorful and those beans They must put a little magic in them while they cook because I can t get enough of them El Cubano Dodd Road West St Paul - - elcubanorestaurante com Khue s Kitchen Sticky jicama ribs at Khue s Kitchen on St Paul s Raymond Avenue Jess Fleming Pioneer Press I was so sad when the former Ngon Bistro space burned down before chef Eric Pham could move in to start Khue s Kitchen But where there s a will there s a way and Pham moved into the Mid City Kitchen space which is home to a commissary kitchen during the day and now serves as Khue s in the evening Pham s family owns Minneapolis Vietnamese restaurant Quang and his mother is a chef there But he took his own path to owning a restaurant cutting his teeth in the Spoon and Stable kitchen Related Articles Dining Diary Date night ladies dinner new pizza and a killer tuna melt Dining Diary A pair of lunches at D G Jamaican and The Main Cafe with a stop for cookies Dining Diary Breakfast at Razava dinner at The High Hat dessert and drinks at Estelle Khue s is somewhere in between those two restaurants with beautifully plated dishes in a fairly casual atmosphere The patio here is small but cute and popular with bicyclists making their way down nearby East River Parkway Every bite we had here was fabulous from the fried chicken sandwich that went viral in Pham s pop-up phase to the chicken and cabbage salad that I loved so much I replicated it at home the very next day Also don t miss the sticky jicama ribs which are not ribs at all but instead a combo of jicama and tofu that is so texturally perfect and punch-you-in-the-mouth flavorful that I d eat them over a plate of real ribs any day Khue s Kitchen Raymond Ave St Paul - - khueskitchen com Related Articles Give salt-and-pepper pork chops a crunchy coating without the deep frying weeknight dishes Turkey meatballs so tender you can cut them with a fork St Anthony Park cafe Hey Bear to shutter abruptly over rent dispute with landlord Burnsville Cub to celebrate revamped grocery store with fanfare The innovative ice-cream makers at Salt Straw serve up secrets and recipes in a new cookbook