Joans in The Park

St. Paul has a new neighborhood bistro in town. Those of you who have been around the 651 for some time may remember Grandpa Tony’s space on Snelling Avenue. It’s a cute little spot that has been remodeled into a bistro christened Joan’s In The Park. The space is cozy. When you walk in there is a bar that seats 8 and has about 15 tables. It’s a perfect spot for a romantic dinner, date night with the hubby or a quiet evening with a girlfriend and a glass of red wine.


I was there on a Thursday evening and two servers worked the room with the two owners. Joan Schmidt who served as food runner, maître d’ and bartender and Susan Dunlop who served as chef, and food runner. I felt like I was part of their family eating dinner in their home. The service was super attentive. They suggested menu items and shared with me the house favorites like, the crab cake and steak tartare for starters. A rosemary potato goat cheese flatbread or a baby beet blue cheese salad was also on the list for those who like a savory salad or the apple goat cheese salad for those that prefer a sweeter salad.

I selected the steak tartare that was top notch. It was hand chopped raw beef mixed with capers and shallots mounded onto the palate and served aside an arugula salad with toasted garlic bread crisps. My only wish would have been to have a few shreds of Parmesan shaved over the top otherwise the dish was near perfect. My entrée was 3 beautifully seared scallops that had the perfect caramelized light brown crust on the outside, while being soft and tender on the inside, sitting on a light sauce of butternut squash puree, accompanied by caramelized brussel sprouts with walnuts, dried apricots and a drizzle of honey. When I hemmed and hawed over dessert, Susan talked me into the Panna Cotta with the promise that if I didn’t like it I could send it back. This was a large promise in light of the fact that I was choosing panna cotta over their hot chocolate cake, with its oozing molten center running into the Izyys ice cream served on top. I was convinced to try the Panna Cotta and from the moment my fork sunk into that lovely custard I never looked back. The custard was topped with ginger lemon marmalade and two buttery walnut shortbread cookies that came on the side. I would have licked the plate if I were being served this at home – alone.

I finished my coffee, paid my tab and made my way towards the door. Just as I felt the cold air hit my face, Susan taps me on the shoulder and says, “So, did you like the panna cotta?” I gave her a resounding “yes” and told her I would be back again. Welcome neighbor and thank you for bringing your delicious bistro to St Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood.

Joans In The Park is located on 631 S Snelling Ave St Paul, MN 55116. You can make a resrvation at (651) 690-3297 or through www.opentable.com. They are open Tuesday-Saturday 5-10pm and Sunday 4-9pm. Visit their web site for a peak at the menu at http://joansinthepark.com/.