Cosmos

I kept calling it Recession Week to my friends. I just couldn't remember the exact phrase that OpenTable was using to promote their mid-November Restaurant Week. Oh yes, Appetite Stimulus. Witty. Haha. They promoted special menus at a number of their member restaurants - $20 lunches and $35 dinners. Not much of a special deal for me since, as a vegetarian, I actually can walk out of most places in this town with three courses under my belt for around $35 or less. A much better deal for bigger cities. Regardless, it just means that you have to make sure you pick the right places to go and/or call ahead for the menu to make sure you are really going to get a special $35 worth of value for your meal.

I went with WH and JA and to Cosmos on the last day of the Recession Week promotion. We called a day ahead to inquire about the menu and to inform them that we were planning to take advantage of the special. We also checked to make sure that I could have a vegetarian option with the special menu. Lots of yesses in response and we were all set for our reservation.

Fast forward one day to Cosmos - one of the most modern of dining rooms in the city, subdued but upper crust, hinted at all not too flamboyantly by the high prices of their wines by the glass. These prices at the bar indicate that you must be in for something good. Our coats checked, we were seated and handed menus. Now, unfortunately, we were not handed the Recession Week menu. We sat and perused the regular menu all staring at each other wondering who was going to pull the plug be that person to have to make the move to ask for the "cheapskate" menu. Our good man in finance at the table, WH, speaks up and asks the waiter, who looks puzzled for a moment before saying, "Oh, I know what you are talking about."


Upon receiving said menu, JA and I both decide to take advantage of the special while WH sticks to the regular menu. I kindly ask if I might have a vegetarian entree with my Recession Week menu and the waiter balks saying he has to ask the chef. I noted back that we called yesterday and asked over the phone and that they had said no problem. He quickly backtracks and says, well, then of course, of course.

I would like to pause here to now say that I had received some feedback from my La Belle Vie post that I cannot expect restaurants to read the notes I submit with my OpenTable reservations and that I should instead always call. So, we had called. But even that didn't seem to do the trick. We weren't given the menu we had requested and obviously there had been no communication on permission to do a vegetarian entree with the special menu. Did they really have to make us feel like cheapskates and ask for the special menu? My friends who went to D'Amico Cucina earlier in the week got sneered at for requesting the special menu as well. If these restaurant choose to participate in promotions like these in the first place, they absolutely should not punish their diners for choosing to come to their restaurants through making them feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. Tsk, tsk, Cosmos. And D'Amico Cucina.

So, then, all that aside and I am now awaiting a measly meal for the disrespected. To my utmost surprise the food was instead delightful. Seriously, I don't use that word a lot. I was delighted. Every dish was perfectly prepared and plated. And the Amuse and Intermezzo were fun and delicious.


For the Amuse Bouche, a Roasted Tomato Tartar for me that tasted of a mouthful of delicious tomato sauce should taste. I have a disturbingly large fondness for tomato and garlic so this was heaven. My comrades tasted Kangaroo Tartar.

First Course: Baby Arugula Salad of Port Wine Vinaigrette, Stilton Cheese, Bartlett Pears, and Candied Pecans. This was a wonderful salad which had great individual flavors in each of the quality components but that also, when paired together on the fork, worked perfectly. I particularly liked the preparation of the Stilton; it seemed almost creamy and trailed down the center of the plate drawing a picture towards the tall pile of arugula. It was great.

In between our starters and entrees, a hint of molecular gastronomy surfaced with an intermezzo of cherry juice with an elderflower "burst" in it. It was like having the pop of an egg yolk in your mouth but being rewarded with gorgeous flavor rather than egg. So fun, so sweet and tasty.

Next up for me was the Artichoke Terrine with Sunchoke-Sunflower Seed Puree, Red Pepper Vinaigrette, Swiss Chard, and Sunflower Sprouts. Another wonderful execution of a unique vegetarian entree. A standing ovation for a dish full of interesting textures, delicious flavors and
gorgeous presentation. It was also very generous in size so quite filling. I smiled a lot during this course. WH had the lamb, which came with the lamb belly being smoked on the plate. As the glass top was lifted away, the warm smell of smokiness drifted across our table. It was a really wonderful play on the senses.

And then I was almost brought to tears by the Chocolate Gateaux. I was disappointed with this simple description on the special menu but then overwhelmed by the actual dessert. It was a layered chocolate cake mostly consisting of a mousse-like texture, each layer bringing extra nuances of chocolate to the plate. Accompanying the cake was the perfect ice cream tasting of spices and bitter oranges. I am a sucker for citrus anything and when paired with chocolate, I have gone to heaven. It was delicious and a great finish to a delicious meal.

Cosmos redeemed itself, almost. The food was great but I am still a little peeved at the attitude.

Thumbs Up: Wonderful food, unique molecular gastronomy touches
Thumbs Down: Lack of acknowledging previous communication, hauty attitude about serving the special menu, closed kitchen so you can't see the chefs

Cosmos 601 1st Ave N Minneapolis www.cosmosrestaurant.com

(Writer's Note: Those of you that know me know that I know Chef Stephen Trojahn of Graves and Cosmos. I want to note here that despite this they had no idea I was there. I didn't have the reservation in my name nor did I see him or any other member of the cooking staff while dining. In fact, it was disappointing that no one from the kitchen ever actually poked their heads out to look in on the diners - the sadness of a closed kitchen)