Babalu

800 Washington Ave N.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-746-3158
http://www.babalu.us/

Category: Latin/Carribean

Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 7
Service: 9
Ambience: 9

Recommendation: Very Good. A unique establishment in the Twin Cities – an eclectic menu with true Latin flavors coupled with entertainment that echoes the energy of the regions its represents.

Babalu is located at the edge of the warehouse district on Washington Avenue. The atmosphere is a great mix of romantic and trendy – the loft feel with high ceilings, exposed brickwork, and large windows is perfect for the location, and the young professional crowd it attracts. The dim lighting, dark ceilings and crimson walls/drapes make this a great place for a romantic meal. But when you’re done with a quiet dinner, there’s no better way to finish off the evening with dancing to the sensuous rhythms of Latin music (Babalu has a large dance floor right by the bar area).

The drinks menu has the standard Latin cocktails as well as a nice beer and wine list. The Pineapple Mojito is great, but it is on the sweet side. They also serve regular Mojitos which are great. If you want a good balance between the sweet and sour flavors, try the Caipirinha, a cocktail made with Cachaca which is distilled from sugarcane. The food menu is a mix of Tapas (small plates) and entrees. We liked the Empanadillas (puff pastry turnovers stuffed with cheese, chicken, or beef) which were especially good with the Babalu Flame Sauce. For entrees, the Churrasco Argentino (grilled beef steak with chimi-churri sauce) was excellent. A great sauce can take a piece of meat to the next level and we loved the garlicky and lime flavors of the chimi-churri. We also liked the Filete de Lenguado Relleno (file of sole stuffed with crab, shrimp, and brie) – we like the idea of pairing a simple white fish with other flavors and the stuffing and accompanying sauce were tremendous. The Atun Babalu (Tuna in a mango-lime sauce, pictured) was disappointing; the tuna was overcooked (even though the preparation was supposed to be medium rare) and the flavors were muted. The Paella Valenciana was good – the seafood was fresh, and the rice didn’t have a strong saffron flavor like the traditional ones do (that worked for Nick who doesn’t care for saffron). One of our friends who lived in Spain said that the paella didn’t have the flavors that the traditional dish does but we didn’t know any better. For dessert, the Tres Leches De Mencha (three-milk sponge cake) was melt in your mouth delicious. The Pastel De Limon De Acapulco (key lime pie) was good – it was different in that it didn’t have a strong lime flavor as traditional key lime pies do. We went with a group of 20+ people and our server managed this large group really well. He had great recommendations and was prompt in all regards. Our overall experience was good – we had to ding this place a point because it is rather expensive. The quality of the food is good but it doesn’t match other high end restaurants that charge similar prices.
Even if you don’t go for the food you must go for the music and dancing. The DJs spin some great music and the crowd, many of who go there to dance the salsa, is cool, trendy, and full of life.

$$$-$$$$. The tab for two, including a couple of drinks, a shared appetizer, and entrée each and dessert was $130. Street Parking on Washington Avenue. Valet parking also available.