Subo Now Open!
It has been a sleepy year for anything really new in Minnesota dining, but I think that may have changed with the opening of Subo, a new Filipino small-plates restaurant in the old Hell’s Kitchen space in downtown Minneapolis. To be perfectly frank, this restaurant opening caught me by surprise; I had heard about Subo a few times earlier this year, but since it was a new restaurant with all-new, non-Minnesotan players coming into an old building, I put it into my ‘believe it when I see it’ file, expecting it to be subject to licensing and construction delays—but it opened last week, so goes to show what lengthy experience as a restaurant reviewer sometimes produces: Complete surprise. Anyhoo, I caught up with Chef Guillen on the phone a few minutes ago, and here’s everything I know:
The chef is 36-year-old Neil Guillen, a Filipino-American who grew up in Michigan, went to our nation’s most prestigious cooking school (The Culinary Institute of America), and then joined fellow Michigander Bradley Ogden for a long stint at that famous chef’s San Diego restaurant, Arterra. On a mission to the James Beard House for Arterra, Guillen met an old friend who had a Thai-Filipino small-plates restaurant in New York City called the Kuma Inn, and so Guillen changed course and spent two years working there. At the Kuma Inn, he met a Minnesotan investor who convinced him that Minneapolis direly needed a Kuma Inn-like restaurant, and then sealed the deal by putting up money to make it so. And here we are!
Looking at Suba’s menu, I immediately thought of David Chang’s menus at the various Momofuku restaurants—deep fried pork belly, yum!—and I asked Guillen whether there was any influence. He told me that if I knew more about the world, I’d know that in fact, Momofuku and the Kuma Inn are peer restaurants and Momofuku maybe even owes a little more than is widely known to the Kuma Inn, so…. I have no idea. If you know anything about this, feel free to chime in below, in the comments.
Basically, Guillen told me there will be a slight similarity between Subo and Momofuku to the extent that both restaurants fuse French technique and fine American dining habits with another cuisine’s traditional flavors. Filipino food, he told me, is particularly notable for its play with salty and sweet combinations, and for its use of sour to amplify the impact of the rest of the flavor spectrum. To experience this for yourself, Guillen says the must-try dish is his chicken adobo wings, long-braised chicken wings cooked with vinegar and seared crisp before serving. Another must-try, says Guillen, is the Pancit Bihon (pahn-sit bee-hon), wok-fried rice noodles made with signature house-made sausage and vegetables. When I visit, I’m also going to be sure to try the Roasted Pork Candy because it sounds amazing, and also the grilled sardines because how long have we been waiting for grilled sardines around here? (I did notice that Guillen’s old restaurant, Arterra, had duck-fat potatoes on the menu, and so I re-issue my state-wide plea for someone to please put duck-fat potatoes on their menu. Please? Someone? Anyone?)
Other important facts: The place seats 100, has a private room that seats 16, is not sold out for Christmas parties because they just opened, has a full liquor license, and is serving dinner till 11 o’clock most nights, and 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. And it’s Minnesota’s first Filipino fine-dining restaurant! What a nice surprise with which to end the year.
Subo
89 10th Street S., Mpls.
612-886-2377
www.suboexperience.com
Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 in Permalink
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Reader Comments:
This looks exciting. Any word on cost?
Guillen told me most tables Have been spending $20 - $30 a person (before alcohol) for food.
Looking forward to Filipino food! Wonder if they will have balut? I'm probably too chicken to try it.
I tried Subo on Saturday evening, and was very very pleased! Our server was knowledgeable and attentive, the decor is nothing like the old Hell's Kitchen (read: it's lovely, warm and comfortable) and the food was outstanding! Highly recommend the grilled sardines, adobo wings and pork bun. I'm looking forward to my next visit so I can try out even more of the menu.
Also good to know: the wine list is incredibly affordable. There were several bottles for under $20.
I cook and work in wine...so this needs to be different with at least a somewhat intriguing (affordable) wine list. Any word on whether Subo fits the bill???
Looks like a Kuma Inn Rip off, Chef Neil needs to do a better job at creating his own menu and style rather than copying it almost verbatum from Kuma Inn. Of course the food is good! Chef Neil had a great Chef in King Phojanakong at Kuma. Good Food but could be more of his own style he can do it!. Thats what makes a chef different from any other is the ability to learn from other's and creat in respect of what you learn not copy.
No crispy pata, pancit canton, sisig, kare-kare, the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately they only have very few actual filipino dishes on their menu. They may be filipino "inspired" but there is a LOT of menu items missing.