Birchwood Cafe

I'd heard that Minneapolis has a lot of great places to eat, and if my experience at Birchwood Cafe recently is any indication, that is a very true statement. Birchwood Cafe is a one-of-a-kind place located in the Seward area, a quaint residential area not too far from downtown and not far from the University. It has a certain "college" feel about it and claims to have "good real food." It does! 

I ate here on a recent Sunday afternoon with my sister who also was my "tour guide" on a brief stay in Minneapolis. Jean is not from Minneapolis either, but her son and his wife live there and so she knows here way around. And she knows good food. 

After a bit of studying the chalkboard menus, I knew for sure one thing I had to try, the Root Vegetable Soup. A good choice, it was absolutely divine. I am not sure what all root vegetables were used, but I know that Birchwood tries to use locally grown vegetables and products as much as possible. Whatever root veggies were used, this soup was a success in my book. The soup had some tumeric in it which gave it a nice flavor--not overpowering--and a nice color. It was garnished with some bacon--how can you not love a dish with bacon in it-- and served with a bit of hearty bread. It was absolutely delicious. Had no one been looking, I'd have licked the bowl clean. I loved it.

For my main dish, I ordered the Furious Bison Sandwich. It was braised bison topped with aged white cheddar cheese, a slice of tomato, a parsley horseradish gremolata, and avocado yogurt on a toasted buttermilk bun. I chose to have it with a mixed greens salad, and it was served with a pickle slice. The sandwich itself, though a bit messy to eat, was delicious. I could tell that the bison was lean as it tended to be just a bit dry, but the overall flavor of the sandwich was very good and I ate every last bit of it.

I loved my lunch here at Birchwood Cafe. It seems to be the type of "neighborhood joint" where I'd spend a lot of time if I lived in the neighborhood, especially given the free WiFi access, too! The meal was delicious and the atmosphere warm and inviting without being stuffy. A definite gem of a place in Minneapolis.