Sneak Peek: Giulia at the Emery

Suddenly, we have a new Steven Brown restaurant in downtown Mpls.

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Well, well, well. The Hotel Minneapolis and its Restaurant Max is no more. On Wednesday, the redone space will officially relaunch as the Emery, and with it comes a new restaurant Giulia. 

While the head chef is Josh Hedquist (lastly of Spasso and Copper Hen, with a few Food Network appearances here and there), it was kind of floated that Steven Brown (of Tilia and St. Genevieve) was doing some consulting on the gig, that the restaurant was "inspired by" him. You know I get wary with a potential sticker slap of a big name on a place, both for the chef and the menu. Is this a quick gig, where the chef gives a head nod and a couple of blessings to the asparagus and we brand that as influence? Would the brand name chef be there for the first day and then never grace that kitchen again? I can happily tell you, this is not the case at Giulia.

"It's a partnership," Brown told me as I plopped into the new kitchen counter seating. "Josh and I have been creating the menu together. It's been really fun, there's a cool new energy to this guy and it's been really great working on this with him. You know it's reminded me a lot of when I first started working with Doug Flicker." It's hard to not think of the Dream Team that Brown assembled at that other hotel restaurant he once helmed. That good creative flow is evident watching the two in the space. It's clear they're both bringing something to the line, Brown's vast experience and time spent in Italy lays some of the groundwork, and Hedquist seems driven to try something new and push some limits. This isn't a short term gig, Brown has partnered up with the restaurant for at least five years and they're already thinking about menu changes with the next seasons and possibilities they can evolve towards. 

Giulia is focused on Northern Italian, so not a lot of heavy red sauces, more pesto and simple dishes. Brown referenced his time in the Alps, in the Alto Adige region that borders Switzerland, where he sipped some great wines. Hedquist remarked how the area boasts some ingredients that locals will feel familiar with, like venison and blueberries, that he's excited to showcase.

Pizzas are made in a Woodstone gas-fired ceramic stone oven, which keeps the heat even. The dough they're making uses the Caputo 00 flour to deliver a chewy but sturdy crust. "We're not going for wet and floppy, we want it to be thin and stand up," Hedquist said. The clam pizza is simply clams that have been pickled in their own juices, pecorino cheese, a bit of chili flake, and rapini pesto. "You know good food is simple, but hard to do well," Brown added. There will be three or four pizzas on the menu, with maybe one daily rotation. 

The bronzino saltimbocca isn't that lemon-sauce drenched version we grew up with at Buca. This one is a whole fish stuffed with lemons and wrapped in speck, that smoked alpine ham that is better than prosciutto (IMHO). That baby cooks in six minutes in that oven. 

All pastas are made and cut in house, using Brown's recipe that he worked on for years. You'll have to ask him, he might tell you. But it's mostly eggs and flour, which gives the noodles a springiness and chew. The angolotti is a dish they're both excited for, the little half-purses are folded around a venison sugo (like a bolognese) and then just lightly dressed with crispy sage and parm. "The type of venison they eat in the alps is actually from the white tail deer, which we have in abundance around here. We found a guy who's farming them in Wisconsin and jumped on that," Hedquist said. 

Another fun thing they're doing is pulling mozzarella tableside. They'll wheel a cart out to your table and walk you through how fresh mozz goes from dry curd to stretchy wondrous cheese. You'll then get a platter full of goodly warm cheese with accompaniments. It's a good show!

Now we have to talk about the amaro cart that will be rolling out later this month. "You know Eric Seed, he's a local guy who has changed the way America drinks because of all the amaros he finds and brings into the country. We're going to wheel a cart to your table with 50 kinds of these liqueurs and little aperitif/digestivo glasses, and you can try a chocolate amaro or an alpine amaro, things you've never seen before," said Brown. There's also plenty of other craft cocktails, and a dedicated negroni section. 

And honestly, can we get a low wolf whistle for the re-do of this space? 

The soaring ceilings and luminous white marble are finally being shown off in the right way. It's comfortable and modern and classy without being stuffy. Sincerely, this area of town needs a classy happy hour spot, and this re-do delivers a great lobby area, private dining, a Spyhouse coffee bar, and all the chic vibes.

Giulia officially opens tomorrow, April 3rd. Know that the hotel is fully booked for the Final Four, so maybe we all plan Tuesday happy hour? You in?