Our 10 favorite dishes of 2022, from sandwich to steak, are all worth seeking

Jess Fleming, Pioneer Press
·7 min read

This year, 2022, felt to me like the year that we finally started to get back on track.

Yes, the pandemic is still here, but we have vaccines and drugs to fight back with. And that means eating out is once again fully on the table.

Restaurants have responded with gratitude, but many owners and staff members also have taken a long look at their health and the health of the industry, and have started to implement long-overdue changes.

For consumers, that can mean fewer menu choices, earlier closings, more days where restaurants aren’t open at all, and even weeklong closures that offer deserved vacation time for hospitality workers.

I’m grateful that so many of these hard-working people have prioritized their mental and physical health so that they can serve delicious, creative meals for years to come. Even if that does mean it’s hard to find a late-night meal on a Tuesday.

Looking back on this year, as usual, I ate really well. Here are 10 of my favorite dishes from the year 2022. Here’s hoping 2023 is just as delicious.

Chips and speck from Gus Gus

I had some really great dishes at Gus Gus, the fun new eatery that replaced Stewart’s on Cleveland Avenue, but I keep coming back to this seemingly simple — yet perfectly executed — plate of bar food. Thin-cut, ultra-crispy potato chips, salty speck, creme fraiche and a shower of fresh herbs. It’s the perfect pairing to whatever you’re drinking, and at Gus Gus, that drink is bound to be good.

Gus Gus: 128 N. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-645-4128; gusgusmn.com

Eggplant at Estelle

After eating a bunch of variations on fried eggplant when I was in Spain, I was eager to try this closer-to-home version, and it did not disappoint. Fingers of crispy fried eggplant are nestled in creamy whipped feta, drizzled with a rich, tangy whey caramel in place of the usual honey and sprinkled with toasted almonds and herbs. It’s a vegetable dish I could eat every single day and not get tired of it.

Estelle: 1806 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul; 651-330-9648; estellestp.com

Nqaij Ci + Zaub (Orange Chicken) at Vinai

Chef Yia Vang has encountered difficulty funding his upscale Hmong restaurant, so this summer, he opened a temporary version of it in the Steady Pour Beverage space in Northeast Minneapolis. Steady Pour was the perfect partner because stellar, creative drinks were paired with every course. I had a hard time picking a favorite out of the courses, but this juicy, crisp-skinned chicken, paired with chewy, nutty Hmong sticky rice and bitter mustard greens was really the stuff of dreams. Vinai is still a dream — one that someone needs to back, immediately. Until now, it exists when and where it can. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s social media (@vinaimn) and the Pioneer Press, because I’ll let you know when and where to experience this deliciousness. Union Hmong Kitchen in Graze Food Hall and Vang’s smash-hit Minnesota State Fair booth are still here for us in the meantime.

Vinai: vinaimn.com

Lumpia at Kalsada

These little spring rolls sport delicate, shatteringly crisp wrappers and a well-spiced, meaty filling and are like potato chips — you can’t stop at just one. Chef Leah Raymundo is whipping up all sorts of Filipino goodness at this new spot on Selby Avenue, but these delicious gems, served with sweet/tangy banana ketchup for dipping, are the most iconic.

Kalsada: 1668 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-340-0496; kalsada-stpaul.com

Artichoke dip at Churchill Street

Simple things are done right at this gorgeous new suburban restaurant, and this artichoke dip is a stellar version of the classic appetizer. Artichokes and spinach — cut small enough that they don’t overwhelm — are mixed in a creamy, dreamy, salty base and served with spongy focaccia bread that’s been buttered within an inch of its life and crisped to perfectly accommodate a hefty portion of said dip. It’s worth a drive to nosh on this, especially when paired with one of the restaurant’s stellar cocktails.

Churchill Street: 4606 Churchill St., Shoreview; 612-466-2596; churchillst.com

Rye gnocchi at Myriel

I am very, VERY picky about gnocchi. Almost no one, save my friend Lynn, the chef/owner of Paddock Club in Elkhart Lake, Wis., makes a version I want to eat again. Honestly, her gnocchi has ruined me for all others. That being said, I really loved chef Karyn Tomlinson’s peppy little rye version, which is soft but has just enough chew and is really enlivened by sharp, nutty rye. The little pillows are bathed in an herby pistou that brightens them up nicely. Myriel’s menu changes frequently and is not available on its website, so consider yourself lucky if these are on the menu when you go.

Myriel: 470 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-340-3568; myrielmn.com

Mussels at Emerald Lounge

Mussels are the kind of seafood that happily take on almost any flavors, and as long as they’re not overcooked or past their prime, I’ll probably like them. That said, these mussels, simmered along with wild mushrooms in a light, creamy coconut milk and perked up with chilis and cilantro, are among the best I’ve had in a long time. Looking at the menu, they have since added rice to the dish, which is a brilliant move to soak up all that delicious broth. Looks like I’ll have to return to try them again. Darn.

Emerald Lounge: 455 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-410-1650; emeraldstpaul.com

Italian Combo Hero at Mario’s

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Twin Cities do not have enough good sandwiches. Burgers, yes. Sandwiches, particularly heroes, subs and hoagies that do not come from chain restaurants, no. The beautiful heroes at the new Mario’s on Cleveland Avenue begin to address this problem. The soft, house-baked bread, rolled in an obscene amount of sesame seeds, is stuffed with your choice of ingredients, and mine is definitely this Italian combo, which features trendy Mortadella; a few Italian salamis; provolone; tart, crunchy giardiniera; a killer olive-pepper relish and the usual lettuce, tomato and onion. It’s a wickedly flavorful sandwich that deserves its place in my top 10.

Mario’s: 232 N. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-207-5252; mariosstp.com

Prime rib at Noyes and Cutler

Prime rib every day? Yes! This cut of steak is often served just one day a week at supper clubs and other steak-forward restaurants, but Noyes and Cutler, the new restaurant in the former Public Kitchen + Bar space in Mears Park, wisely offers it anytime, and chef Aaron Cave’s version is fantastic. Beefy, juicy, a little smoky and served with the requisite au jus and horseradish sauce for dipping, it’s worth the venture downtown, especially during winter, because Mears Park is gorgeous in the snow.

Noyes and Cutler: 229 E. Sixth St., St. Paul; 651-968-1050; noyescutler.com

Seared polenta at W.A. Frost

A vegetarian dish where I don’t miss the meat? Yes, please! Chef Peter Drinan has an elegant touch with vegetables, but his seared polenta is perhaps the best of the restaurant’s meatless options. A thin slab of creamy polenta is seared until crisp and floated on a puddle of herbaceous, coconutty sauce. It’s topped with shaved zucchini, pickled onions, juicy little mango curlicues and a few other sauces. Everything works harmoniously, miraculously together to create a tropical, flavorful gem of a dish. Even if you’re a meat eater, I recommend starting your meal here.

W.A. Frost: 374 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-224-5715; wafrost.com

Related Articles