Emerald Lounge and Tattersall: Two great new spots for a tasty nosh and creative cocktail

Jess Fleming, Pioneer Press
·5 min read

There are so many restaurants that have opened in the past few months in the Twin Cities, it’s hard for even a professional to keep up.

There are a few places I’ve visited recently, though, that I want to tell you about. One is perfect for the weather we’ve been having lately — an absolutely epic new patio with great food and drinks — and the other is an intimate spot good for an early evening or late-night nosh and an amazing cocktail.

EMERALD LOUNGE

This little sliver of a restaurant on West Seventh Street is as charming as it is tasty.

And it’s not a secret.

The pretty, jewel-toned cocktail lounge has been on-a-wait busy since its opening in late winter. Both times I visited, I was able to get a table within 20 minutes, though, so don’t let a little line deter you, especially when it’s nice enough to wait outside. They do not take reservations.

The eatery offers a short menu of food offerings from which you can make a meal, or have a little nosh to go with your cocktail or selection from their excellent wine list.

Menu items we thoroughly enjoyed: tender mussels in a Thai-inspired coconut broth, chips and two kinds of dip (French onion or harissa aioli), snappy, nicely spiced shrimp and creamy grits and a delightful, creamy coffee pudding that comes with a buttery shortbread cookie.

The only thing we tried that we really cannot recommend is the pork shank, which was tough and rubbery and bordering on inedible. The menu changes frequently, though, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that drop off soon. A tasty croque monsieur and some really great gyoza that were on the early menu have already disappeared, hopefully to return next winter.

Cocktails here are thoughtfully crafted and well-balanced. There’s not a single one my dining partners and I tried that we wouldn’t order again. The martini of the moment is always a great selection — it’s usually a variation on the classic gin drink. The Huntress, an aquavit version of the martini that includes white balsamic vinegar and an anchovy and a pickled onion as garnish, is a savory revelation. It wasn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but I love aquavit and a salty drink, so really, really loved it.

The wine list focuses on some underrepresented varietals. If you haven’t heard of it, order it anyway. Every glass we tried was great. If you have specific preferences, servers are knowledgeable enough to guide you toward something you will enjoy.

Overall, it’s really great to have an elegant spot for creative, tasty drinks and great wines on West Seventh. I’ll be back, frequently.

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

TATTERSALL RIVER FALLS

The sprawling new Wisconsin location of the Minneapolis-based distillery is sort of the opposite of the Emerald Lounge in size, but the quality of its offerings — and its gigantic outdoor space — make it worth a trip.

There is a lot to like about the distillery’s new outpost. It’s in a former Shopko, to give you an idea of the size, but the restaurant is just a portion of the facility. They also distill on site, have some really big event spaces and a sizeable gift shop — more on that later.

The restaurant is run by Morrissey Hospitality, the same group that operates the St. Paul Grill, the new Momento, Stockyards Tavern & Grill and many more.

The food menu includes a long list of shareable plates, which are great to go along with the top-notch cocktails, but also burgers, sandwiches and entrees that include pasta, steak, chops, fish and chicken. There are also brick-fired pizzas.

We enjoyed everything we tried, from a juicy burger to a fun brat burger topped with spicy sauerkraut to some flaky, tasty trout to some chewy-crisp crusted pizza.

And, of course, the cocktails are great. The bloody Mary lover in our group had two of the distillery’s aquavit bloodies, and I couldn’t get enough of the key lime gimlet, made with either gin or aquavit. The gimlet is made with coconut water, which gives it a little salinity and a tropical feel. Classics like the old-fashioned are done right, here, too.

Because Wisconsin has reasonable liquor laws, you can also get beer or wine with dinner, if that’s more your jam.

The patio here is gigantic and comfortable. There are tables, couches, fire tables and heaters, an outdoor bar, and a separate amphitheater, which will host outdoor music later this summer. Beware, though, that because of staffing issues, the restaurant wasn’t offering the full menu outdoors just yet. They were only offering small plates and appetizers, from which you could totally make a meal if you wanted.

While you’re there, check out the gift shop, from which you can buy full bottles of the distillery’s high-quality spirits — up to five are allowed. There’s always a spirit of the month, which is $5 off per bottle. We happened to be there during aquavit month and stocked up, since it’s one of our favorite local boozes, and picked up a bottle of their excellent bloody Mary mix to go with it.

Tattersall River Falls: 1777 Paulson Road, River Falls, Wis.; 534-248-8300; tattersalldistilling.com/river-falls

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