Review: Saint Dinette

A new venture from the Strip Club team brings bold flavors to Lowertown

Saint Dinette dish
photo by tj turner

Never have I encountered citrus “cooked” beef and thought, “What this needs is a swipe of dulce de leche.” That’s why I’m not running the kitchen at St. Paul’s Saint Dinette, the newest restaurant from the Strip Club’s frontman Tim Niver and chef J.D. Fratzke. Serving that unexpectedly delicious small plate is Dinette chef Adam Eaton, who was inspired by French settlement in the Americas. That means flavors from Montreal to the Gulf of Mexico meld into a cohesive menu, and dinner might consist of lobster roe–studded elotes, a bologna sandwich, and a foie gras–stuffed blueberry crepe. Concrete floors, tin above the bar, and a long bank of windows should make acoustics difficult, yet conversation is easy. It’s a restaurant destination somehow suited for both pre-game beers and date night meals.Divine food and exceptional hospitality from this team? Now, that was expected. • saintdinette.com