Update (May 8, 2008) – Just returned from a fabulous evening at Fugaise. We were sad to see the restaurant was completely empty but that allowed the server and kitchen to have their undivided attention on us. The 5-course tasting menu ($65) was ahead of us and we were looking forward to it. We were enticed with an amuse of Prosciutto wrapped Grilled Asparagus with a berry compote - refined rustic would be a good definition with the char flavors of the asparagus paired with the sweetness of the compote. Our first course was an Almond Crusted Scallop served with celery root puree, celery remoulade, and bacon vinaigrette – the crunchy salty bacon left a lasting impression and really added depth to the flavors. The Frog Legs, prepared two ways, was our second course – a light tempura frog leg and a pea puree with frog legs was immaculate. I’ve had the pleasure of some great Halibut preparations recently and the delicately flavored Seared Halibut with Leeks, Whipped Potatoes and a Parsley Artichoke Broth was no exception – the fragrance emanating from this dish was intoxicating. Our fourth course was the Pork Tenderloin with Glazed Pork Belly, Root Vegetables, and Honey Au Jus. The single most impressive component tonight was the crispy and sweet pork belly and that’s high praise for what might seem as an innocuous ingredient. We ended the meal with a Lemon Panna Cotta with Strawberries, Mint, and a Honey Foam. A light and clean finish to a wonderful meal – sour citrus, sweet strawberries and honey, and pungent mint. Service was impeccable and our server even went out and replensihed our parking meter. Chef Saunders is on a roll.
208 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-436-0777
http://www.fugaise.com/
Category: French
Rating (Scale 1-10, with 10 being the highest):
Food: 10
Service: 9
Ambience: 9
Recommendation: Excellent. Fugaise was recently ranked by Zagat as one of the Top 10 restaurants in the Twin Cities (we agree wholeheartedly and understand why) – the result of meticulous preparation and exacting execution is a meal we won’t soon forget. THIS PLACE HAS CLOSED AS OF MARCH 2009.
Fugaise is the brainchild of chef and owner Don Saunders (formerly of Vincent, La Belle Vie, and A Rebours). It’s located on a stretch of 
Hennepin Ave north of the river and even frequent visitors to the area probably don’t know it exists (the entrance is tiny and easy to miss). We’ve heard incredible things about Fugaise and were looking forward to the meal…although with a bit of trepidation because high expectations have sometimes lead to let-downs. The restaurant is located at the end of the building’s entrance corridor. As soon as you enter the restaurant, your eye is drawn to the mosaic tile that forms the backdrop to the small bar. The dining room itself has the feel of a modern, romantic loft with flashy, colorful, contemporary art adorning the dull gray and brick walls. There are no windows in this restaurant, but frankly it doesn’t matter – the décor is splendid and you don’t feel like you’re in a confined space.
The menu is small and is more readily appreciated by those with a more refined palate (luckily for us, our group of friends fall into this category). We were 
treated to fresh baked bread (warm out of the oven) and an Amuse – Olive Tapenade with Basil and Anchovy on Toasted Brioche (salty and wonderful). Among the appetizers, the Scallops with Parsnip Risotto and Lemon Truffle Froth was the clear winner and we’d all go back just for that dish alone. The sweet scallops were cooked perfectly and everything on the plate was a hit – this might be the single most memorable dish we have had in the Twin Cities. The pan seared Foie Gras with Poached Pear and Puff Pastry was amazing and came in a close second followed by the Fried Squid with Butter Lettuce, White Anchovy and Basil (which was good, but not in the same league as the first two).
We got an assortment of entrees, including the special of the day – Pheasant with Root Vegetables and Lemon Truffle Froth. It’s hard to pick a favorite, so we’ll pick two – the Assiette of Veal (Tenderloin, Sweet Breads, and Cheek with Sauce Perigord) and the Duck (with Grilled Mushrooms, 
Fried Sweet Potato, and Orange-Sherry Sauce). Both were cooked to perfection (actually, all meats were beautifully cooked) and the sauces worked really well with the meats mentioned above. The Pheasant special would have been up there with the other two if it weren’t for the Lemon Truffle Froth which we felt was too mild for the game. The Monk Fish with Savoy Cabbage, Pork Belly and Cider Jus was the weakest entrée – it just didn’t have the wow effect like the others did. In fact we swapped the Cider Jus from the Monk Fish and the Lemon Froth from the Pheasant and that significantly improved both dishes! For dessert we highly recommend the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Chestnuts, Toffee Sauce, and Vanilla Ice Cream – it was devoured quickly. The Dark Chocolate Marquise with Orange was quite good but could have used some more orange peel/zest as the combination of the two ingredients elevated the dessert. I know its nit picking, but that’s what remains when the meal is of this high a caliber. The service was great, partly because the restaurant wasn’t crowded but also because the staff was tag teaming when waiting on tables.
$$$$. Most entrees are $25-$30. On average we paid $55 with tax and tip not including wine, which was around $10 per glass.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Fugaise
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I agree completely with the review put up by the MSP Restaurant Critics with one minor exception. The idea that this sort of food is “more readily appreciated by those with a more refined palate” is ridiculous. This isn’t a rare vintage wine or some exotic piece of sashimi. Rather, it is former peasant food that is meticulously prepared and beautifully presented. I daresay that any backcountry yokel would enjoy this food just as much as the gastronomes (or is it epicures?) of the world. If a person can’t enjoy simple foods cooked exceptionally well, they don’t deserve to have tongues. Does that sound harsh? I guess they still deserve to speak… I take that back. They don’t deserve to have taste buds. :)
Walking into Fugaise is a pretty low key affair. There is a small hallway/waiting room with some low couches leading into a small dimly lit space that is attractive albeit fairly unremarkable. The multicolored tiles behind the bar are quite nice looking and it would be a good bar to hang out at if there were more than three chairs and if the chairs were not right in front of the restaurant entranceway. With that said, I definitely appreciated the unpretentious feeling I got from the restaurant. With exposed brick on one side and air ducts crisscrossing the ceiling, the vibe was definitely that of a remodeled Chicago loft. The only thing I didn’t really care for were the paintings of local artist Daren Steneman which adorned the walls. I have been accused of being able to appreciate good food but as my artist sister can attest, I cannot be accused of the same thing in regards to art. While I’m sure to the artist and those who appreciate art these are powerful statements of deep significance, to me (now playing the role of the backcountry yokel), it looked like a baby had gotten into the paint set and then vomited all over the canvas. Daren’s going to kick my ass, isn’t he.
While sitting down, I was a bit concerned that the restaurant was a bit empty (it was midweek and a bit cold in its defense) but I was happy to hear from the waiter that the chef’s parents and some friends were dining at the table just next to ours. “He should be on his ‘A’ game tonight!”, I thought to myself.
Again this was a meal that I shared with the MSP Restaurant Critics whose singular motivation it seems is to empty my wallet and expand my waistband. It couldn’t be my abrasive personality and acerbic sense of humor… Regardless, I agree with their assessments about the dishes although I didn’t really mind the sauce pairings on the pheasant and the monkfish. The clear winners of that meal for me were the scallops that we had as a starter. Those were the best scallops I have ever had in my life and the flavor and texture were reminiscent of the tastiest and most tender bit of fat on the finest steak you could buy. I am tempted to return to Fugaise, slap my credit card down on the table and insist that they continuously bring out scallops until I cry for mercy. The foie gras was spectacular as well with a sweet melt in your mouth quality without a hint of gaminess. Following those two dishes, the assiette of veal was a close third. The sweet breads were delicious, the tenderloin (normally my least favorite cut of meat) was perfectly cooked and full of flavor, and the braised veal cheek was a revelation. The sauce perigord that accompanied the dish was amazing and I wish I could buy it by the gallon to put on everything. Heck I’d even eat it with my Cheerios. All in all, it was an exceptional meal. I’m tempted to say something cliché like “the meal was an inspiration” but all I was inspired to do was to go back for a full Chef’s tasting menu.
Oh and between the main courses and dessert, I went to the restroom and on my return, I passed the kitchen doors where I saw Chef Don engaged in the noblest of cooking tasks… he was washing our dishes. It warmed my heart and I knew that here was a place where the chef was a true cook rather than simply an executive with a white hat.
In my last extended comment on the Little Szechuan blog, I wrote about the concept of food value. I have been surprised at affordable places such as little Szechuan and Quang’s while disappointed at higher end places such as Heartland. However at Fugaise, despite paying a fairly significant amount of money, I felt that the meal was well worth the cost. I have long held a skepticism that higher cost meals are in any way related to the quality and flavor of the food but for this particular experience, I stand corrected. Well done Chef Don Saunders. I shall return soon.
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