Photo by Kevin Kramer
What’s Up
“Edina’s not really a suburb,” my friend says as we slide into our velvet-upholstered seafoam green booth at the new Starling restaurant. Next to the Edina Country Club and near the popular 50th & France intersection, it’s the first suburban location for Jester Concepts, which also owns the decidedly upscale P.S. Steak, Borough, Butcher & the Boar, and Parlour properties. What I think he means is Edina has its own sense of style, affluence, and sophistication—and now, with Starling, diners don’t have to travel into one of the two main Twin Cities for a fancy meal or special occasion.
Side Dish
Named for the bird and its migratory tendencies, Starling has an overseas pedigree that’s all over the map. Culinary director Wyatt Evans and bar director Mike Liay find inspiration in global cuisines and ingredients, particularly pan-Asian flavors. We started with the perfectly balanced steamed pork buns and supremely shareable Szechuan long beans and furikake popcorn. While we were surprised by the spice level of the hamachi crudo, the curry cauliflower could use some kick. For the main dishes, the Balinese fried rice tasted as authentic as the same dish we had during a trip to Bali a few years ago, and the Filipino adobo pork with sticky rice reminded us of a visit to the Philippines. The chicken yakisoba was crispy and salty and umami at its finest, but it was the burger with American cheese and caramelized onion that we considered ordering a few more of, to have one all to ourselves rather than cutting it into quarters. If you crave Parlour’s burgers, you’re going to want to visit Starling to compare. And you can order these burgers medium-rare, like we did: “We take the temperature here, not like the smash burgers,” Jester Concepts hospitality director Jesse Zager explained. For dessert, the ube tres leches cake is as delicious as it is attractive, with a vibrant purple hue. The signature cocktails also include Asian twists, like Sichuan bitters in the Old Fashioned, grilled grapefruit in the Paloma, and a Vietnamese coffee martini.
Where It’s At
Starling is the anchor tenant in a new mixed-use housing complex that is tastefully decorated with an equally mixed design of lush semi-circle booths, banquets, and bar stools adorned with bamboo planters and all types of greenery. There’s little privacy and even less parking in this see-and-be-seen open concept that was buzzing (and quite loud) with hockey moms, happy hour snackers, young professionals, and a few families on a Tuesday night. This suburban spot surely will take flight. 4925 Eden Ave., Edina; 952-295-8180; starlingmn.com
