1121 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 238-8888
butcherandtheboar.com
Neighborhood: downtown Minneapolis, MN
Cuisine: New American
$$$ = $50 and less – Higher priced
Four Forks = Defines excellence in local dining. Worth the investment
Hours:
Monday through Thursday 5:00PM – 1:00AM
Friday and Saturday 5:00PM – 2:00AM
Sunday 5:00PM – 12:00AM
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Handicap accessible: Yes
Parking: Valet, Street
Vegetarian options: Yes
Kid friendly: No
Liquor served: Full bar
Wine List: Decent options, slightly expensive
Outdoor seating: Yes
Reservations: Yes
Unique:
There is a happening outdoor bar and beer garden to enjoy during the summer months; We started with a glass of wine outside while we waited for our table inside where we wanted to be seated for dinner as the ambiance on the inside is warm and inviting. The décor is very nice and a bit rustic with butcher block tables, Edison bulbs, and an exposed beam ceiling. The 300,000 pennies shellacked into the floor is interesting to look at. There is an open kitchen and the dining room is dim and comfortable, however, the tables are really close and you wouldn’t want to have a very private conversation as the guests next to you would likely hear every word. We dined here while celebrating our anniversary back in May and it wasn’t a cozy and romantic spot to be seated.
Complementary: Notta! But it was ok because the hype surrounding The Butcher & The Boar is well earned due to the tremendous portions and phenomenal food.
We had plenty to eat and to take home! If we had eaten bread, they would have had to roll us out of there.
Starter: Stuffed Jalapenos, $6
These are unique! An interesting twist on the traditional popper! They had a peanut butter, cream cheese filling and were served on a sweet golden raisin base. They were topped with salty peanuts, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro. Absolutely solid dish with so many flavors and texture!
We tend to share starters and sides and went with some of our servers recommendations after watching what was served at tables near us.
Bill went for the Founders Braised Lamb Shank, $33 (but looking at the menu now, the price has increased to $38)
The menu describes braised fennel, roasted carrots, house-made pappardelle, fennel-lamb broth; but you can see Bill enjoyed it with a sour cream type mash and nann bread.
The shank was topped with crunchy pistachio nuts and currants that come from very small grapes. Unlike raisins, which are sweet and grow on vines, true black currants are quite tart and were a nice contrast to the richness of the dish. He was very pleased!
I ordered the spare ribs, $29
On todays menu, I noticed Smoked Beef Long Rib, Tabasco-molasses BBQ, $48. Big difference in offerings and price I guess! The beef spare ribs were incredibly tender and juicy and I loved the semi-sweet and spicy glaze!
We shared a couple of sides including the Red Hot Brussels Sprouts, $9
Bill isn’t usually a fan and he loved these. They are so crisp and flavorful! I highly recommend them.
And the Corn Bread, $6
Absolutely amazing! It was sweet and delicious enough to be dessert!
It was served hot, thick and moist along with some caramel butter. I don’t see it on the menu today, but suspect they change items out seasonally, which is a good thing!
Bill chose the Guigal Gigondas, $79
A Red Rhone Wine, which is a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in the south of France. This bottle can typically be found for under $20 retail. It was good, but not my favorite.
~Chris
