Hazellewood Grill

The Lake 'burbs have always had a wealth of informal restaurants with great views and really disappointing food. The really wonderful restaurants always seem to lack the views. In keeping with that theme, Hazellewood Grill, now a couple years old, has grown into one of, if not the best, dining options around Lake Minnetonka. Many of its recipes were created by proprietor Scott Foster, a co-founder of Redstone American Grill, so the consistent execution and appealing flavor combinations should come as no surprise. If you miss Redstone’s garlicky coleslaw, Hazellewood’s is almost dead-on.

It’s an attractive earth-toned troika of rooms, the most appealing of which is the dining area that rings the large square bar. The vibe is upscale casual, the menu comfort food with inventive twists. And everything from the service to taste of the food exceeds expectations.

“Uh Oh” egg rolls with Italian sausage, spinach, peppers, and cheese served with a scratch marinara are a greasy delight. Congratulations to chef Jason Jacobson for not sugaring up his tomato sauces. Sliders topped with Boursin cheese were cooked to a proper medium and also delectable. They come on the restaurant’s signature potato flour breads, which are all great if occasionally too large, such as the Flintstonian ciabatta crowning a delightful beer-battered walleye sandwich.

Brined Iowa pork chops arrived medium (our server inquired about doneness, a rarity in the pork chop universe), reasonably tender with nice flavor, and sided by tasty roasted apples and a killer smoked Gouda potato gratin, perhaps currently my favorite side dish in town. Buttermilk fried chicken (hard to find on upscale menus these days) arrived juicy, served with a roasted corncob (husk-on, nice touch) and Foster’s killer garlicky coleslaw. Dessert of a thrown-together fruit crisp over crumbled oatmeal cookies was a downer of an ending.

Hazellewood’s wine list is reasonably priced, adventurous, and quite diverse for a restaurant of its ambition. As for the view—well, it’s a strip mall parking lot. But in the lake 'burbs, it’s either food or view. Most days, I’ll go for the food.

5635 Manitou Rd., Tonka Bay, 952-401-0066