W.A. Frost: just decent, and that ain’t right.

Let me just state first off that this is not a lousy review of the venerable Cathedral Hill anchor, W.A. Frost and Company. Not at all. Everything I and the lady friend ate there about one week ago was just fine. The service was great. And if it weren’t for the middle-aged jackass trying to draw attention to himself and his money (snapping fingers for service—what a dick) at the four-top behind us, well, we didn’t have much to complain about the ambiance, either (we were seated romantically in front of one of the wood-burning fireplaces).

I suppose I should admit that, stupidly, I never dined at W.A. Frost during Russell Klein’s tenure as executive chef. But I ate there during Lenny Russo’s (he of Heartland) tenure, who began the old restaurant’s resurgence with fresh takes on traditional, Midwestern fare and use of local ingredients. Klein arrived and added to all that, returning Frost to the level of fine-dining prestige it deserved. Klein had been pondering opening his own joint, and that plan was allegedly hastened by Frost’s ownership whom, according to Kline in a City Pages article, “realized they could replace me with my sous chef for half the money.” Nice. True or not, who knows, but Klein was out on the street early in 2007, and later in the year opened Meritage in the former A Rebours spot in downtown St. Paul.

Into Klein’s old clogs at W.A. Frost stepped this former sous chef, Leonard Anderson. And, as luck would have it, on this evening our server informed us that this was the first night of Anderson’s own menu. I liked hearing this, even though I never tried Klein’s to compare it to.

What can I tell you? Well, the chef’s tasting menu, a seven-course affair with wine pairing for $110 didn’t grab me. I wasn’t repulsed by any item, I just wasn’t curious, and don’t recall anything about it. I also though $110 a bit steep. I had a five course at the dearly missed Restaurant Levain for $75, prepared by a chef and team with a reputation. Needless to say, I didn’t get Frost’s tasting menu.

But the regular menu was equally challenging. Perhaps it was our mood, or the distraction of the moron at the neighboring table, but the lady friend and I head trouble settling on a meal. Perhaps it was the Asian theme strung through the menu. Now, I’m not a menu consultant, but I don’t go to a classic, Midwestern/St.Paul restaurant like W.A. Frost for sushi and sashimi. Yet there it was on the “Shared Plates” section (titled Ahi Tuna Three Ways). There was gravlox in the “First Course” section, which is more the Midwest/Scandanavian heritage “sashimi” (yes, I know it’s not technically raw) that fits better in an environment with a roaring fireplace. But with squid ink mustard? C’mon.

Foams and froths appeared a few times throughout the menu (hasn’t that trend died?) within lengthy meal descriptions. I was left with the impression of someone desperately trying to attract attention.

We shared crab and ahi tuna cakes with a peanut-curry sauce, celery, mint yogurt and toasted cashews. Sound like overkill? It was. But not bad. Although the cubed celery swimming in the broth-like peanut curry sauce was…well, I’ll just say it: stupid. The lady friend went with a perfectly acceptable “Mixed Green Salad” with “citrus vinaigrette, port reduction, cherry tomatoes and julienne carrots,” and I the “Roasted Beet and Orange Salad” with “frisée, apple-horseradish vinaigrette, goat cheese, toasted walnuts and walnut oil.”

Know what? You had me at beets and goat cheese, man. Settle down back there and cook.

For the entrees, the lady friend went with the “Braised Café Sirloin” with “garlic potato purée, lemon scented spinach, horseradish sour cream, preserved meyer lemon gremolata and red wine reduction.”

Braised sirloin? Eh, just a high-falutin’ pot roast. Lemon “scented” spinach? Funny. It just tasted lemon-y to me.

I, in a moment of insanity, chose the “Vanilla & Chili Glazed Wild Acres Duck Breast” with “cranberry and coconut risotto, spicy haricot vert with mushroom tea broth, chive oil and chili thread garnish.”

I don’t even know what to say. It sounded ridiculous, yet I understand some of the flavors he was putting together. And, it wasn’t bad. Throw in the nice bottle of cab sav we had, and all in all, it was a decent meal. But not, after tip, $180 decent (that included a couple cocktails at the beginning, too).

Fast forward exactly one week later at Moscow on the Hill (just across the street), pops and I had a totally satisfying—and all around more expertly cooked—meal, the proteins carved from the same animals (duck and cow). The price, with cocktails and a decent bottle of wine? About half the price.

So, again, nothing was terrible with our meal. But for $180 for two, ya gotta be better than good. I’m not a chef, but I’d think a restaurant like W.A. Frost isn’t an audition, it’s tradition. Doesn’t mean a guy or gal can’t tweak and twist and make an eye-popping presentation—or, on a specials menu, offer something entirely different. However, when pork in any form is absent from the regular dinner menu, someone has drastically misunderstood what W.A. Frost—for decades—has meant to the Twin Cities.

Comments

[Dr. Biggles]

Ya know, I was actually kinda laughing through the list of ingredients and methods. I think I would have left, no fried chicken with gravy.

Biggles

[Anonymous server who worked there.]

Lewis, love your column. However I've worked at W.A. Frost and the night that you were there was not Leonard's first menu. That guy has had his menu on since last Spring. Just wanted you to know the accurate 411. I don't know why that got mixed up. The server must have meant that it was the first night of one of Leo's new menus. By the way, that guy is kind of arrogant and his talent does not match up to Klein or Russo.

[T27]

First off in response to the article's chicken and gravy? Go to Old Country Buffet if you want half ass food.Foams and froths being dead? Apparently you live a very sheltered life in the culinary field Alinea,Fat Duck, WD 50, and even Cosmos make there living through molecular Gastronomy. Of course his menu isn't the same as Lenny or Russel's, that's the whole point of hiring a new chef. As for the Gravlox if you new your head from your ass you would know Leonard spent time under Marcus Samuelson. (Aquavit) You don't need to mention your not a chef it's rather evident by your poor pallet,lemon scented spinach that taste lemon-y, why are you confused by that? What flavor profile should it be? A lot of Russels menu was created or thought up by leonard. And yes sashimi is raw fish.

[Lewis]

T27: You missed the point. But thanks for commenting.