Use call-ahead seating to jump the queue. Highland Grill is often crowded, with a line of people waiting outside. We’re told no one ever finishes the order. Three medium- sized organic-flour buckwheat cakes come piled with an amazing overload of blueberries and sliced bananas, raisins, peanuts and excellent granola. Jack cakes have “your daily requirements for everything,” and are fantastic. Aside from the more pedestrian choices, we loved the crab cake Benedict (with plenty of crab), and the jack cakes. The best thing about Highland Grill is that you can get breakfast anytime. We didn’t like the pepper sauce that was mixed with the shredded chicken, nor the carrot-and-mayo mixture that topped it. The yellowfin tuna melt is good, but the Guajillo chicken sandwich is barely edible. Think of it is as souvlaki in burger form. It’s a patty of delicately spiced meat served with tzatziki sauce, roasted tomatoes and arugula. The hamburger was, you know, a hamburger, but the lamb burger was delicious. We felt the same way about the fish and chips: not fabulous enough. We wanted more zip in the chicken enchilada, although there was nothing actively wrong with it. ![]() It’s served with tasty bitter greens and garlic mashed potatoes. We can recommend the grilled salmon, done with organic maple syrup the combination worked surprisingly well. Our favorite was the roasted beet salad, with arugula, chives, cashew nuts, and citrus vinaigrette, although we didn’t care for the white bean and goat cheese puree over which it was served. Highland Grill also serves a variety of salads. We really liked the potato and cheddar pirogues, served with sautéed onions and horseradish sauce. Roasted corn and jalapeno hush puppies are served with both chipotle ranch dressing and chimichurri dipping sauce, but we wished they were cooked just a little more and served a little hotter. We liked the beer-battered green beans, served with an Asian-style plum sauce, and the sweet-potato fries with peanut pesto aioli. Much as we love the wholehearted enthusiasm of everyone we’ve met at the Highland Grill, not every dish makes us swoon.Īppetizers are generally interesting, and they’re good for sharing. Because their menu changes only twice a year, they’re not as nimble at serving short-season products. Currently, he relies on the year-round availability of bison, maple syrup, and lots of grains, legumes and flours. Head Chef Kevin Wencel describes the Blue Plate holdings as “the big little guy,” able to be a significant buyer from organic producers, and he’s always looking to increase the organic and natural foods options on his menus. And they use local and organic ingredients as much as possible. They do short-order really well, which is impressive given how complex some of their dishes are. The staff is marvelous, with kind and friendly servers, and a super-quick kitchen. They’ve certainly got that fine informal style, right down to the kitchen towels that serve as napkins. Highland Grill is a family diner with an upscale kick. It’s a good concept, and every neighborhood is improved by a decent drop-in restaurant. ![]() They are all neighborhood restaurants, similar to one another but each with a different style. The Blue Plate Restaurant Company operates four neighborhood restaurants around the Twin Cities: Highland Grill, Edina Grill, Longfellow Grill and Groveland Tap.
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