http://augustinesmn.com
This new neighborhood hotspot is an intriguing marriage of bar / bakery and has an incredibly welcoming look from the night time street. Warm lighting floods out from all the large windows - you just want to open the door and step inside!
We enjoyed the nod to St. Augustine of Hippo, who apparently is the patron saint of brewers. The restaurant features a smiling hippopotamus, and St. Augustine presides over the beer selection board!
The menu is short but interesting, and the beer list is long - 40 craft brews on tap! Our group started by sharing the Brewer's Board, which was a delectable sampling of meats, cheeses, pickled veggies and lentil hummus. The headcheese was a hit all around!
For our entrées this evening, we chose the BBQ Rib special and the Pulled Chicken Sandwich - both were excellent. The nice little bite in the horseradish sauce was a perfect accent to the chicken sandwich. Annie ordered the Pear Salad with a side of Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup - and gave them both a 9 rating. Lovely!
Service was good - our waitress was friendly and available. She knew the menu and was happy to make some recommendations, let us pace ourselves, and did not rush our evening.
Wandering through the bakery section after dinner, we decided we'll be back for coffee and homemade goodies some weekend morning! In addition to a creative dinner menu, this would be a great spot either for a quiet morning meeting, a cheery neighborhood lunch, or a place to grab a beer after work - the bar sports a long row of taps.
All around a great evening out with good friends - we will be back!
Tiny Tuesday Rating:
Food - 8.5
Service - 8
Ambience - 8.5
Overall Experience - 8.5
