THE EATBEAT: Twin Cities airport boasts bevy of fine eating choices

• Marilyn Hagerty

Marilyn Hagerty

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With 34 places for quick foods and 18 full-service restaurants, you can hardly go hungry in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

And there are so many choices that people who travel through the Twin Cities develop their own favorites.

On my recent two-hour wait, I found the Itasca Grille on Concourse A a good place for a lunch.

I started with a bowl of chicken wild rice soup ($5.99) and followed it with warm apple pie served with a scoop of ice cream ($6.99). The soup was made with lean, large pieces of chicken breast and little squares of carrots. The broth was just right –— not too thick and not watery thin.

The Itasca Grille is nestled just off the concourse. It has a cozy north-woods decor with a fireplace and a couple of not-too-large TVs.

My daughter, Gail Hagerty (GH) of Bismarck, has a current favorite — roasted beet salad at the French Meadow Bakery in the mall area. (Another Meadow Bakery is on located on Concourse F.) This unique salad is made with organic mixed field greens, roasted beets and caramelized pears. It has blue cheese and toasted walnuts on top with homemade tarragon shallot vinaigrette. And it’s a beautiful meal for $8.99.

French Meadow also shines at breakfast time. It features fruit-and-nut pancakes with pure maple syrup ($6.99) along with a three-egg omelet with hash browns and organic sourdough toast ($8.99). And there is organic oatmeal with apples, bananas, raisins and toasted sunflower seeds with organic sourdough toast ($5.99).

The original French Meadow in Minneapolis is at 2610 Lyndale Ave. S. It has won several local food awards, including “best vegetarian” and “best takeout.”

GH also recommends a place called Surdyk’s Flights in the mall area. There, you can find a nice cheese selection with fruit and French bread.

David Borlaugh (DB), president of the Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation, said he is old enough to recall the days of just a cafeteria or two at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Today, as with any medium to large airport in the country, there has been an explosion of eating establishments.

DB said his personal favorite is Ike’s, located in the mall area with a smaller branch location on Concourse F.

“Emulating the storied traditions of their downtown locations on Summit Avenue, they pull it off nicely with a classy, yet casual atmosphere featuring incredible steaks and other hearty fare,” he said.

“A standout among their many offerings is called The Weekender Bloody Mary. It comes with a proliferation of munchies spiked into the glass — from shrimp cocktail to cheese to sausage and more.

“And,” DB noted, “The serving staff is first-rate with the bartenders considerate of weary airport travelers. Perhaps, all of this is why Frommer’s rated Ike’s among America’s 10 best airport restaurants this year.”

Reach Hagerty at mhagerty@gra.midco.net or call (701) 772-1055.

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