Minnesotans are afraid of hotel restaurants. Maybe we think they’re only for guests at the hotel, maybe we think they’re too fancy, or maybe it’s because they’re boring or not executing well. It drives me nuts because I love a hotel vibe: The hospitality is usually great and the other people tend to be really interesting. And when I travel, some of the best restaurants around the world are inside hotels (a fact I noted in this 2013 Minnesota Monthly piece!)
Like many of our hotel restaurants, Tullibee at Hewing Hotel has struggled to figure things out. Menus that were too focused on game, or too expansive, or not firing on all cylinders. You’d be one of three tables in the dining room—enough to make you wonder if you were making a bad and expensive decision.
Things have changed. Tullibee has a new chef, new menu, new focus, and new pricing, and based on our first visit, I’m loving it. They shrunk the dining room space to expand the lounge and the bar, which is an absolute hot spot of the beautiful people and the pre-game crowds. So, the restaurant feels more intimate now, with open views to a giant wood-fired hearth and chef Nathan Kim.
I first ate Kim’s food in Chicago at Obélix. He’s brought a focus on local ingredients and signature Korean touches to Tullibee. Could have been a gimmick, but the Juicy Lucy Tartare ($18) was a revelation: The smoked cheddar mousse in the shape of the traditional egg yoke was so light and delicate yet a terrific binder for the beef. The cheddar added depth to the tartare but didn’t overwhelm it and make it taste like a cheeseburger. Super fun.
Chef Kim’s arctic char ($33) was on the money as well: tight, crispy skin with beautifully juicy fish on a bed of kimchi romesco. Just a nice punch of flavor to go with the fish, unique and balanced—I’m still thinking about this dish. Great textures on the sweet potato side with pumpkin seed and a black garlic aioli, it leaned a little too sweet for me. Clever presentation of the embered celery root ($14) on a skewer with tamarind and garam marsala flavors.
Cocktails are now all $16, down from $18, and the wine list lives in the $13-$16/glass range mainly as well. Nice friendly moves for locals, as well as guests in the hotel.
Tullibee, Open daily 8 a.m.-10 p.m., 300 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, 651-468-0400, hewinghotel.com/tullibee
