Meritage A Brasserie

We we went there for dinner on Sunday and I tried out their new special Recession a 24$ prix fix menu 3 course meal. I had the It was a fantastic deal for such amazing food. The service was spectacular and and everyone at our table was ecstatic about the food. This restaurant though is not for the average restaurant goer. It caters to a refined pallet and those with the means to afford it. But well worth it. Pros: Great food Cons: Spendy more

We had a fantastic 7 course meal with the wine pairing. Course 1 included sourdough bread and three small appetizers ? gazpacho (very good), tiny tuna tartar taco (good) and lamb bacon ? unique and fantastic. Course 2 was a tasty pistachio crusted foie gras. Course 3 was an amazing, melt in your mouth organic Scottish salmon in a spinach puree with artichokes. Course 4 was an excellent, tender and tasty Iowa lamb chop with lamb stuffed baby bell peppers, chickpeas, fennel tomato confit and black olive oil. Course 5 was a prime NY strip au poivre ? tasty, but not too spicy. Course 6 was a cheese course of three cheeses we selected from about six that were presented to us tableside. Course 7 was of course dessert ? a small cup of an espresso type pudding, Izzy?s chocolate covered dollop of vanilla ice cream, and a chocolate cream puff. Pros: Tasting menus, fantastic food choices, great wine pairings Cons: A little loud, little nearby free parking more

Service was very attentive. The portions are French :) Explore your adventurous side with choices, and be prepared to be surprised. Unique food, some you might appreciate but never order again. Give it a shot and see what happens! more

Meritage is beautiful restaurant. The food is spectacular & the service is attentive. I think it is one of best locations in Saint Paul. The decor is simple, elegant & comfortable. The food is fresh, creative and perfectly prepared. A great place for a romantic dinner. Pros: Food, Service, Ambience Cons: it can get noisy at times more

My mother and I went ot this restaurant on a wednesday night before a show at the ordway. The place was empty at 6:30 and I hate eating in an empty restaurant. We both ordered fish. They were both average. I asked for a glass of red wine when my fish arrived and the waitress made a point ofcorrecting me that i was eating fish and i should order white wine. I felt that was extremely rude. I don;t like white wine and I thing that I am capable enough to order what i want when i am paying. The best thing I had was a mojito before my meal arrived. Like I said.... totally average. probably won't return Pros: Drinks Cons: Service more

Four of us dined here on a recent Friday night. Based on only this one visit, we all agreed that this is a fine culinary addition to downtown St Paul. The saffron mussel soup, an amuse bouche for only $3 and served in a demitasse sized cup, was splendid. The sweet pea veloute, a soup wonderfully flavored with ham, was very nice. A first course of sea scallops ceviche, scallops sliced horizontally and served in a mild lemon sauce, met with everyone's approval, although no wasabi could be detected by anyone; it might need a bit more acidity. Among us, we had two halibut and two pork chop entrees. The halibut, a fish easy to overcook, was perfectly moist inside with a sugar and snow pea puree and cippolinis. Very good. A minor quibble: the advertised white truffle emulsion was evanescent and neither added nor subtracted from the preparation. The pork chop, ahhhh, the pork chop, is not your mama's nor any roadhouse's version. All of us agreed that this pig would've been proud; as it is, the chef should be. A wonderful sauce and mascarpone polenta made this an entree worth returning for. The hazelnut mousse cake and chocolate torte ended the evening on a fitting note. The ambience of the restaurant reminds one of a French bistro. It's a rather small place with no noise-softening surfaces at all. The result, like so many restaurants, is an annoyingly high decibel level. Why not aim for something in between silence and 80 decibels? Our Gallic waiter was pleasant and prompt and paced the courses well. I can't resist a comment now on the screaming child issue described in previous reviews. I'll never understand parents who bring humans to fine restaurants who are too young to use a toilet without assistance (maybe that should be the criterion). Since I wasn't there during the incident, I can't address this individual case, but I would ask such parents: Are you that inconsiderate in other aspects of your lives? I'm guessing, yes. Pros: Fine provender on our first visit. Cons: Too loud, like so many. more

Pros: Ambiance Cons: No more Valet parking during the week days more

One thing you need to know about restaurants is that they can get heated (no pun intended). The chef is not only the head of the kitchen but is also an owner and he needs to yell sometimes. It may not make sense and sometimes it may not be called for but after the shift is over, everyone is friends. He probably was concerned with guest satisfaction. Lunch anywhere is something that can't be controlled. you have one hour to get about a hundred plates out to people and must do it efficently. My point is that he needs to yell sometimes. Its not personal and he has good intentions. Also, this is nothing like A Rebours-i could tell you stories but i wont't. The food here is amazing and is some of the best in the tc. Accidents can happen and you should give the place another chance if you have a bad time. The waiter can be the best representation as well as the worste for a restaurant and shouldnt be used to judge the place. Sometimes one bad table can destroy your day and its hard to bounce back. You are putting yourself at the critism of others. Some waiters can't bounce back but they shouldnt be the only means to judge a restaurant. The food is what matters the most. Servers that arent what they should be can be excused. For the server they are talking about however, i advise you evaluate your appearance-you are given a job where you can make alot of money. Dont ever take it for granted. Take pride in yourself and your work and if you cant find the iron, go to the dry cleaners. Pros: The food, the servers (except one--shape up buddy), the overall place Cons: self proclaimed critics who are tarnishing an amazing restaraunt- look at the good instead of only the bad sometimes more

I'm not sure what some other people here are talking about. I have been to Meritage 4 or 5 times and it has never dissapointed. The food is is among the best in the Twin Cities and would fit with the best of any city in the country. The prices are reasonable and varied. I have had lavish multi-course dinners there, and also just dropped in for a tuna tartar taco (amazing!) and a burger and spent less than $25. The wine list is killer too, with lots of interesting selections at much less markup than other local restaurants. I have seen the chef and his wife every time I have been there and they are always working to make sure everyone is happy. The waitt staff seem to genuinely like working there and have a real passion for and knowledge of the food and wine. On our last visit I tried an unbelievable veal and sweetbread dish while my SO had snapper with artichokes. Our server informed us that they were both new to the menu and said the chef would welcome some feedback. Well, the veal was incredible. Tender, flavorful and rich. It was the best dish I have tried in a long time!. The snapper was just as flavorful but light and clean. It was amazing that the same kitchen was putting out such great food at different ends of the spectrum with such aplomb. The dining room is great too, with lots of energy. Everytime I have been there they have been busy and the room has great ""buzz"" We are lucky to have this place in dowtown St Paul. Pros: great food, great service, great atmosphere, wonderful wine list Cons: hard to get a reservation on Saturday nights more

I would suggest saying au revoir to this French restaurant in downtown St. Paul. My co-workers could hear some heated ""discussion"" from the chef(?) and another member of the staff during our lunch--we were seated near the kitchen area but I would expect more professional behavior from a restaurant that touts itself as ""fine dining"" ...granted it was lunch, but still my co-workers and I went to lunch to escape the office and not to hear some poor staff member get yelled at. The food was good but nothing special. Cute decor, but my co-worker told me it's almost exactly the same as the old A Rebours space. It just didn't do anything for me. Pros: Nice decor. Cons: I don't like to hear people getting yelled at while I dine. more

I went to Meritage a month or so ago and had a decent time. The only problem I had is that I asked for my venison entree medium rare as well as a guest I was with. Both of our Venisons came out medium well and I was so hungry I ate part of it. When the dryness and gaminess set in however I couldn't taste another bite. I showed my server, who agreed that it was completely overcooked and how horrible venison is when it is overcooked. The manager never came over to talk to me and so my other guest, who was too embarrassed to say anything, just threw a napkin over hers and didn't eat it. When we received the bill, the waiter simply stated that the manager/owner took off something like 50% because I ate some of it. Not only did she not come over and address the issue, she made me feel like I did something wrong or that I was trying to hustle them for a free meal. I simply did not want another entree because my table almost done eating and did not want to make them wait. Anyway, we ended up getting some food up the street and I will not spend my money there again. Pros: nice servers, decent ambience Cons: bad management, overcooked food more

My partner and I recently dined here before we attended a production at the Ordway. We were disappointed to say the least. My partner was reluctant (due to the reviews--professional and on citysearch--being across the board) but I wanted to give it a shot. I wish I would have listened. The ambience of the restaurant was lovely, but that is the end of my positives. Our waiter seemed to have knowledge of the menu, wine list, etc. but he was very...how do I say this... greasy. His shirt was wrinkly and his hair looked as though it hadn't seen shampoo in a very looong time, and he smelled like cigarette smoke. Maybe not the biggest deal, but it stood out to me as the most memorable part of the dining experience. The food was average and the bill wasn't outrageous. I didn't hate it, but I would not recommend it either. Pros: Lovely location Cons: Everything else more

I apologize for the grammatical errors...im in a hurry and want to set things straight. This restaurant is amazing. Kathy Jenkins plays favorites for whoever gives her the special treatment aka Doug Anderson. funny how you reviewed nick and eddy after a whole month and a half that it was open yet reviewed meritage the DAY THEY OPENED. Also you wrote things repetitively...do your job don?t go off past reviews. Finally to the people who had a bad time. things happen. that?s life. don?t be ignorant and think you know everything about what it takes to work fine dining. I know what it takes and sometimes accidents happen. Russell and Desta try to make it right when it does happen. Those that think this is anything but a great restaurant know nothing. Lastly to the woman with the kid, you were lying because I was there and I was a diner that night. You can?t actually believe the things you say. You sat there and let your child wail away thinking the problem would correct itself all night. Would you do this at a movie theatre? A play? A library? Most of those things don?t cost a lot of money. Dining does. How would you feel if you put up a hundred dollars of hard earned money and went out for your anniversary only to have a baby scream and wail all night? If I were you id stick to Applebee?s for know. Use common sense and not stupidity. selfish people like you disgust me. Pros: Everything. The owners, the kitchen and the wait staff...especially the val kilmer look alike Cons: nada more

My husband and I ate at Meritage last weekend after reading all of the reviews that have come out lately. We love the quaintness of downtown St. Paul and were excited to see if there really was a new fine dining spot that we could fall in love with - and it was true! Dinner was awesome - we had some amusements - tiny tasting bites - of tuna tartar and beef strudel then shared a french onion soup and the rabbit starter. All dishes were well cooked and on par with fine dining standards leaving us on the edge of our seats waiting for entrees to come. For dinner we enjoyed the bass, cooked perfectly with a nice smokey/spicy lobster scotch harissa sauce and the chicken, crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside - nothing disappointing here! Our server was perfect - attentive and on point but not over bearing or interferring. Wine was reasonably priced with some well thought out selections by the glass. To finish we had the apple tart - heavenly! It was the perfect night out and hopefully we'll be back before the place is booked to capacity and we can't get a table!!! Pros: A reason to venture out to St. Paul Cons: Nothing! more

Let's start with the hostess. An older woman who was antithesis of what a fine dining hostess should be: her voice and manner was grating--speaking to my husband and me as if we were small children, instead of highly educated members of the Twin Cities medical community. Pros: Ambience, Location, Attentive Service Cons: Hostess, Alcohol-soaked Server more

The food is hit-or-miss. I took my dad there for his birthday. He had the duck, wich was wonderful and I had the scallops which we subpar. As the end of the meal, one of the servers came over and offered us cheese and cognac. We accepted 4 small slices and a glass each. When we got the bill the itsy bitsy (and not good) cheese plate costed $80! It doubled our bill. I was too upset to complain but felt it was a total sham. They should tell you the price of the cheese because it is far more than what any reasonable person would assume. Pros: The Duck entree and Foie Gras appetizer Cons: the cheese plate more

I'll begin with the positives. Our server was awesome...we really felt taken care of and we have no complaints there. Pros: Server was a delight Cons: Just read the nightmare on taste street more

Last Sunday my son invited me to have brunch at Meritage. Again I was not dissapointed.I settled on the omelette du jour with fresh scallions and my son on the quiche du jour. My omelette was perfect light in texture and taste and not overcooked. The quiche was intense in texture and taste , accompanied by a mix green salad. Unusual but again perfect. The only dissapointment is that they had run out croissants, an essential to a french inspired brunch. The only offering were muffins. May I suggest pain au chocolat , pain aux raisins ( without cinnamon) and chausson aux pommes( again no cinnamon) as part of the offerings. These are terribly easy to suggest especially to family with kids. Again the service was attentive and friendly but not overbearing with Mel being our server. She never missed a beat Pros: Warm atmosphere more

From my very first visit to Meritage, I was very impressed. It was a Sunday and very brisk outside and I was seated in the perfect place by the windows so I could gaze out onto Rice Park and reflect on the day and enjoy the food. I was interested in something hearty and comforting, so I ordered the Cassoulet. It did the trick. I was very full, of food and smiles. I left that day feeling very well served. Since then, I have been back a handful of times and currently the duck and the lamb are my favorites, even though I do have to say the bloody mary oyster shooter and the foie gras are very important to mention as well. Every time there are new sensations to be had. I have felt several. I feel their service is something to be strived for by other independent restaurants. They have the setting and atmosphere (and lovely casual music), a very helpful staff, excellent and mind-bending dishes of flavor, a strong wine list, and overall panache for providing what is needed for a very comfortable and vibrant dining experience. The greeting is always that of welcome and smiles. It feels like home, or family, but in aspect of being served and attended by several of the staff...it feels more personal. All in all, it is a very good place to be for all kinds of occasions. It's a place to celebrate life. Pros: All of the above. Cons: I have none. more

We had a wonderful experience last night at Meritage. It is the perfect French Bistro and we talked with all the servers and diners at the table next to us. We found the entire experience to be just what we wanted. The food was fabulous, we started with the escargot and a tiny tuna tartar taco,then added the pomme frites. Our main course was the lamb and the duck breast. We finished the dinning experience with a cheese course and port, that was out of this world. Chef Klein and his wife were very gracious and made us feel at home. Our server Morgan was fabulous and recommended a great bottle of wine that paired perfectly with our dinners. Then to complete our meal Ross recommended the best sample of cheeses I have ever had. By the way, I love cheese and have fairly educated palate. We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and are planning our next evening out at Mertiage. We would like to thank the Kleins, Morgan and Ross for a great evening and we are very excited to have a your Bistro in St. Paul. Pros: I thought everything was great! more