Spill The Wine
1101 Washington Ave. S.
Minneapolis
www.spillthewinerestaurant.com
Jim gives his take on the newest restaurant adventure.
Lamb Ragout
Friends of ours had recently moved to the cities, so we wanted to celebrate their arrival with drinks and good food at a fun restaurant that we hadn’t yet visited. We landed on Spill the Wine for its wine selection and location. After scrounging for quarters to fill the parking meter outside the restaurant, we made our way into the warmly-lit, comfortable restaurant.
To start things off, we agreed to share a bottle of wine and worked with our server to pick the right one. Between the four of us, we wanted a red wine that was light but not too fruity. Our waiter’s suggestion fit the bill. The Tempranillo was bold but not bitter, flavorful but not sweet.
I had the lamb ragout – a main-dish stew consisting of lamb, spinach, basil yogurt and potato gnocchi. The tasty dished arrived in a large bowl where all of the separate ingredients really mixed together well in each bite. It was the proper size portion, and I would happily order it again.
Homemade Spaghetti
Jacque had the homemade spaghetti with arugula, red bell pepper, striped bass and mussels. She was pleasantly surprised with the chef’s evening special, as the spaghetti tasted fresh and the flavors of the seafood, vegetables and light marinara nicely complemented each other.
All in all, Spill the Wine is a place we would recommend to others. Aside from inattentive service at times, we had no real complaints. The menu listed many enticing items, all of us were pleased with what we ordered, and the space was large enough to seat the large crowd of Friday-night wine drinkers while still feeling cozy and inviting. Our affection for good wine and well-executed food will bring us back for sure.
RATING (out of 5 ♠♠♠♠♠)
Ambiance/Environment: ♠♠♠1/2
Menu Selection: ♠♠♠♠
Service: ♠♠1/2
Food Taste & Presentation: ♠♠♠♠
COMPLETE EXPERIENCE: ♠♠♠1/2
Total bill, including tip: $63
