Twin Cities 10 Best Dishes of 2009 By Kathie Jenkins Restaurant Critic Updated: 12/31/2009 01:46:03 AM CST
(Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)	1. Cuban Sandwich BLACK DOG COFFEE AND WINE BAR Whenever I'm at Black Dog in St. Paul's Lowertown, I check to see if the Cuban sandwich is on the specials menu. A twist on the traditional Cubano — forget the roast pork and Cuban bread — this sandwich is made with lots of lean pulled pork and served on ciabatta bread along with the usual ham, cheese, mustard and pickle. A 12-year-old neighborhood gem, Black Dog also serves a great cup of coffee and damn fine brownies. (308 E. Prince St., St. Paul; 651-228-9274; blackdogstpaul.com)
(Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)	2. Grilled Octopus THE BUTCHER BLOCK Good company, good wine and a plate of grilled octopus with mixed greens — that's my idea of a perfect light supper at the Butcher Block, chef Filippo Caffari's oh-so-Italian trattoria in Northeast Minneapolis. The octopus has an elusive smoky char on the outside yet is amazingly tender inside. Caffari, who was a butcher in Rome before moving to Minnesota, also has a way with meat. If I'm really hungry, I'll follow with one of the pastas and the lamb chops with roast potatoes and cannellini bean puree. (308 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis; 612-455-1080; thebutcherblockrestaurant.com)
(Pioneer Press: John Doman)	3. Affogato RISOTTO ITALIAN RESTAURANT In terms of desserts, it doesn't get much easier than affogato (Italian for "drowned"). With this grown-up sundae, it's all about the quality of the ingredients, and Risotto chef/owner Gabriele Lo Pinto uses the very best — two generous scoops of creamy, rich vanilla bean ice cream drowned in perfectly brewed espresso. Go for the dessert, but be sure to order the risotto, the restaurant's signature dish is the best around. (610 W. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-823-4338; risottomn.com)
(Pioneer Press: Richard Marshall)	4. Shrimp Salad CHEEKY MONKEY DELI Shrimp salad is pretty much a lazy person's meal, an easy way of ordering without having to pay any attention to the menu. So, imagine my surprise after taking a bite of the shrimp salad at Cheeky Monkey Deli. Chef/owner Matt McArthur actually put some thought into the mix — chickpeas, cucumber, crisp greens and plenty of shrimp that still have a snap when you bite into them. I was tempted to also list the amazing coconut cream pie as a best dish of 2009. If you can score a slice, go for it. (525 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-224-6066; cheekymonkeydeli.com)
(Pioneer Press: Richard Marshall)	5. French Fries CHEROKEE TAVERN KFC has its 11 secret herbs and spices. At Cherokee Tavern, it's all about Tony's 5-Step Fries. Hot, crisp and greaseless, with plenty of salt, parmesan and potato flavor, these are seriously great fries. Cherokee also serves ugly but delicious hand-battered onion rings. Order both along with one of the Tavern's juicy burgers — just don't tell your doctor or your personal trainer. (886 S. Smith Ave., West St. Paul; 651-457-2729)
(Pioneer Press: Ginger Pinson)	6. Fennel Sausage, Salami and Olive Pizza BLACK SHEEP COAL-FIRED PIZZA Other places do pizza in wood-burning ovens. Jordon Smith is the first in the Twin Cities to do coal-fired pizza. Black Sheep's pizza is different from the ones at wood-fired places, but it's as tasty, if not better. Try the pizza with fennel sausage, hot salami, onion and cracked green olives and taste for yourself. Just don't everyone go all at once — the place seats only 47. (600 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-342-2625; blacksheeppizza.com)
(Pioneer Press: Ginger Pinson)	7. Pan-fried Chicken LORING KITCHEN & BAR Pan-fried chicken is one of the best dishes on earth. But you'll hardly ever see it on a restaurant menu. Most chefs can't be bothered because it's too pedestrian, not to mention labor intensive. But Loring Kitchen does the bird more than justice. Crisp-skinned, juicy but never greasy, it's rustic yet elegant at the same time. Because an order is half a chicken, you'll never have to choose between breast, drumstick or thigh. (1359 Willow St., Minneapolis; 612-843-0400; loringkitchen.com)
(Pioneer Press: John Autey)	8. Gnocchi with Cauliflower BAR LA GRASSA Gnocchi is a fun word to say but usually a terrible dish to eat. At their worst, they're little leaden lumps. At their best, they're boring. But at Bar La Grassa, gnocchi are light little pillows gently tossed with caramelized cauliflower and a bit of orange — a perfect combination of flavors. Start with the restaurant's cold pork plate with cherry mostarda, and you can fool yourself into thinking you're in Italy. (800 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-333-3837; barlagrassa.com)
(Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)	9. Collard Greens and Corn Bread BRASA ROTISSERIE This Grand Avenue outpost is just as crowded as the day it opened almost a year ago, and that's because the food is so good. It's almost all local and organic. I love the juicy pulled pork tossed with citrus, olive oil and garlic sauce; the cornmeal-dusted crunchy tilapia; the slow-cooked braised beef; and the lacquerlike rotisserie chicken. No matter what I get, my order always includes a side of collard greens. Cooked but not mushy and studded with tender smoked turkey, they're the best greens I've ever had. The flavorful and not overly sweet corn bread is another must-have. (777 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-224-1302; brasa.us)
(Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)	10. Fennel Salami Sandwich ST. PAUL CHEESE SHOP The salami sandwich at the tiny St. Paul Cheese Shop looks fairly ordinary — until you take a bite. While not gargantuan, the handheld feast stacks up nicely with fennel-flavored Tuscan salami and cheddar on ciabatta bread slathered with sweet, creamy garlic confit. While you're waiting for your sandwich to go, you'll find it hard to resist the shop's eye-popping array of cheese, olive oils, vinegars, handcrafted pastas, sea salts and chocolates. (1573 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-698-3391; stpaulcheeseshop.com)