Food Family.

Up until ten months ago, I didn’t get to St. Paul much. I’d spent a little time there when I was in my early teens for various school related things and had seen a concert or two at The Roy, but beyond that it was the smaller twin of the Twin Cities. I visited more frequently in recent years for roller derby and concerts, but when it came to food, Minneapolis had all I needed or wanted.

Or so I thought.

Seeing a friend’s enthusiasm about their imminent first time at The Strip Club, all the way over in St. Paul, I figured it might be worth checking out the brunch myself. That first brunch at Strip Club led to brunches at Strip Club which led to dinners at Strip Club. All of a sudden I was in St. Paul a more than I’d ever been. Ten months later, I’m extremely happy to be introduced to a Tim Niver affiliated establishment.

Saint Dinette ended up being a first time solo experience too, yet it fully exacerbated the aforementioned happiness. With a menu thoroughly informed by J.D. Fratske, the great chef at Strip Club, and executed by a very talented crew, it’s become my favorite dining spot before attending events in or near downtown or lowertown St. Paul.

They say things happen in threes.

One evening while I was dining at Strip Club I was treated to a piece of garlic bread unlike any I’d ever had before. I mean, I like garlic bread pretty much indiscriminately, or at least I did until this one. That night I learned that I could love garlic bread. I knew Tim and chef Chris Uhrich were getting ready to open an Italian restaurant, but I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know they were already doing a lot of research for the menu. I was lucky I was there the night I was. I got a first taste of Mucci’s Italian.

A pattern emerges.