The trouble with Demi is that it's so very very good. You walk in having never heard of parsnip agnolotti, then after a few bites realize that you're eating the best pasta of your life and now will absolutely know what you're missing every time you eat pasta going forward. So it goes.
I am lucky that I have a foodie friend who has taken me here for a second time and even more lucky to have come for the Barrington menu, Demi's fall 2023 offering. The luckiest part? The white truffle add-on option. (Always say yes to the truffle.) Shaved over the pasta dish, this gorgeous ingredient is certainly something you should experience once in your life. It perfectly complemented the other delicious fall ingredients (including chestnuts and Pleasant Ridge mousse). But I am getting ahead of myself.
Demi, as you have probably gathered from the many reviews, is a place for those who appreciate fine dining with warmth. The restaurant itself is elegant without being formal. The service is excellent--warm and friendly while also demonstrating the precision and attention that provides a seamless experience. Foodies will love being able to watch as each dish is plated (ask to be seated along one of the sides for the best view!) and the detailed descriptions that are delivered with each course (and pour, if you're going with a pairing).
I was again blown away by the care, love, and attention that went into creating my vegetarian meal. As was the case last time, my courses were quite similar to the regular menu, just vegetarianized. The welcome broth was light and satisfying. For the canapé course, I had the same rutabaga and apple cracker (fascinating and delicious) and potato and cabbage potage (sublime!). My silky chowanmushi featured truffle caviar and crispy broccolini instead of the non-vegetarian option. (Side note--if you love the broccoli family, you'll really appreciate the Demi treatment. They really know how to make it sing.)
The next course was a fish course, but I got fennel instead. Fennel was an incredibly apt option for this dish, which featured coconut, peanut, chili, and fresh mint. It was close-your-eyes blissful--light, refreshing and clean--perfectly balanced. The fennel also "flaked" into layers as fish does, which was a fun touch. Next up was another fish course for the non-vegetarians. The vegetarian option was celery root. Like the fish, it was prepared with a lovely crispy parsley crust, beautifully prepared gai lan, and some lovely sauces. Next up was the pasta to end all pastas (rhapsodic), then the meat course (venison for non-vegetarians, carrot for vegetarians). The meat course comes with roasted sun choke, honey-poached cranberry, caramelized shallot, and a transcendent pepper sauce that tickled the tongue.
Then came the sweet courses. I love Demi's sweet because they feel like both coming home and going somewhere new. There's something familiar, and there's something new. Take tonight. There was a float! Yummy pear sorbet and homemade cream soda. It was light and refreshing and only just sweet enough. It made me smile. Next up was the hazelnut financier. Topped with dulce de leche, this absolute delight came with a stripe of chocolate-banana ganache, ginger, and a perfect quenelle of cardamom ice cream. It was exquisite. Of course, after that came the cozy potful of warm rice crispy treats (which they made with vegetarian marshmallows for me--all the hearts!). We were sent in our way with our boxful of mignardises, which again barely made it past the on-ramp. They were all great, but I could probably eat a dozen of those raspberry-yuzu pate au fruit.
Again, a true pleasure to experience. If you're in the Twin Cities, add it to your bucket list. If you're not in the Twin Cities, it's worth the trip! read more