TwinCitiesFun.com
The East Hennepin section of the Riverfront District
becomes more lovable day by day, and restaurants like this one are
part of the reason. The bistro's redone facade (a 4th Street address
that actually faces 1st Avenue N.E.) greets you with handsome striped
awnings and other European-like touches, and on the inside a
fireplace, dark wood and an upright piano create a casual, homey feel.
A manageable menu -- entrees average less than $15 -- offers a
thoughtful selection of both comfort foods and creative cuisine.
The food is as gorgeous as the restaurant's decor. Inspired by the
cooking of co-owner Jennifer Schroeder's grandmother, Mairin,
attractively presented dishes like chicken scaloppini and ''upside
down'' meatloaf are distinctively flavored. You can go light with
several small plates, a steaming bowl of French onion soup or a really
good BLT. Wine, beer and most every other beverage you can think of
are available to accompany your dining choices.
Citysearch Editorial Profile - Michelle
Olson
This northeast Minneapolis cafe's owners bring their American and
Moroccan backgrounds to the table.
In Short
This cozy neighborhood bistro could be accused of having a split
personality. The fireplace and piano are all American, while rich
colors and textures speak to its Moroccan side. The same goes for the
quirky menu. Mairin's meat loaf, served with roasted red pepper and
garlic mashed potatoes, is a staple of the eatery, while traditional
Moroccan dishes like chicken tagine with lemon and olives wow the
palettes of the locals who frequent the joint.
Insider Tips - When to Go
For a real treat for the eyes and the stomach, a $25-prix fixe
Moroccan menu is served the first Saturday of every month, accompanied
by a Moroccan musician and a belly dancer.
Home
Away from the House - Bob McClain - Wordsmithbob for Twin Cities'
Dining Guide
When I interviewed one of the owners of Mairin’s Table, Jennifer
Schroeder, she told me that when she decorated the place, she was
trying to create a feeling of “home away from home.” However, when I
walked in the door, I got a very different feeling. I had just
returned from a two week stay in France. And when I walked in, I
almost got that time-warp feeling of walking into our hotel in
Tours.
The Mediterranean color palette, large tile floors,
fireplace and Moroccan fabrics give it a wonderfully old and worldly
feel. I could see Hemingway hanging out here, arguing with his other
American ex-pats, over wine and dinner. To be frank, I didn’t want
to leave. If I lived near Mairin’s Table, I would be writing all
these stories from here.
I suppose you’d like me to stop babbling about the ambience and
tell you a little about the menu. The Chef has created a
simple but appealing collection of attributes for the restaurant.
One thing that struck me was the Fromage plate, apropos for this
restaurant. Described as “a nice array of cheeses, served with
seasonal fruits and bread,” I would expect nothing less in any
French restaurant. I was pleasantly surprised to find it in an
American restaurant. In deference to the other owner, Rafiq Antar, a
former Olympic basketball player for Morocco, Reed has included a
Moroccan Sampler under Small Plates with Kefia kabob, served on a
bed of couscous.
All of their sandwiches run $9. The salads are $7-8. The main
courses run a fairly wide range up to $19. While the Shrimp and
Scallops sounded appealing and I’ve always been a sucker for a good
Stroganoff, Jennifer suggested a first-timer get their “Upside Down”
Meatloaf served with skin-on garlic mashed potatoes. It’s the house
specialty and she says it will make an addict out of anyone.
Her other suggestion was to drop by the first Saturday of any
month for Morocco Night. The menu is all Moroccan and the belly
dancer is very entertaining. Another wonderful thing about this
restaurant is the live entertainment. They have an old upright piano
in the restaurant that Jennifer installed so she could practice
piano in her free time. One day, a young man asked if he could play
the piano. She let him. He was wonderful and now, on weekends, you
might catch him there playing for dinner and drinks while his wife
sits near the fire reading a book. Ah, France…uh…I mean Nordeast.
Mairin’s Table is at 23 NE Fourth Street in Minneapolis. Happy
Hour is Tuesday through Friday from 4-6pm. They are open Monday
through Thursday from 11am – 9pm and Friday and Saturday from 11am –
10pm. They are closed Sunday. They also offer Wi-Fi or as the French
pronounce it, Wee-Fee. And don’t forget to explore their small but
fun wine list featuring an eclectic mix from Chile, France, Italy,
Germany, Australia and South Africa. Monday and Tuesday nights they
offer half-price bottles. Call 612-746-4272 for more information.
Minneapolis Casual Dining
at Mairin's Table - Twin Cities' Dining Guide
Mairin’s Table
welcomes you to the near Northeast neighborhood of Minneapolis for
American comfort food with a Moroccan flair! While away your time in
our casual dining atmosphere or relax at the wine bar, choosing
amongst our playful and eclectic wine selection.
Here at Mairin’s Table, we are
working to be a community center for all the new residents in this
vibrant community near the river. We have comfortable seating, a cozy
fireplace, a stand-up piano that is a center of entertainment on the
weekends, and a selection of food by The Chef that will help you
relax and unwind in an atmosphere that feels like home.
Or come on the first Saturday of
every month to experience a spicy evening including a totally Moroccan
menu and a top local belly dancer. We may become your favorite home
for casual dining on American comfort food but on that first Saturday
of the month, watch out! We are open Monday –Thursday 11am – 9pm,
Friday & Saturday 11am-10pm and closed Sunday. And Mondays & Tuesdays
we offer half-price bottles of wine at the wine bar. Don’t forget to
check out the specials offered on the chalkboard every day.
Mairin’s Table: your Minneapolis
community center for casual dining on American comfort food with a
wine bar!
Mairin's
Table Moroccan Night - Nancy Ngo - Pioneer Press
Mairin's Table is venturing out from its American bistro roots — at
least, every 30 days or so. The Northeast Minneapolis restaurant
offers a Moroccan three-course dinner ($25) accompanied by belly
dancers the first Saturday of each month. The theme pays tribute to
Rafiq Antar, who owns Mairin's with Jennifer Schroeder.ou can divvy up the East Hennepin
dining
Bringing
a new mix to the table
- Jeremy Iggers - Star Tribune
Restaurants on East Hennepin tend to be either traditional or
trendy. Mairin's Table finds the sweet spot in between.
You can divvy up the East Hennepin dining scene into traditional and
trendy. But where does that leave Mairin's Table?
Smack-dab in the middle, which isn't a bad place to be.
Traditional includes Nye's Polonaise, famous for prime rib and
polka, and Kramarczuk's East Europoean Deli, where the specialties
include pirogi, kielbasa and borscht.
Trendy includes a growing roster of sophisticated new dining
spots such as Bobino -- whose current menu features marinated dishes
such as hanger steak with salsify-celriac salad, fried oyster and
green olive aioli -- and Oddfellows, where the offerings include
roasted chicken breast over truffled risotto.
The newest kids on the block include Let's Cook, an upscale
cookware shop and cooking school, and the trendiest of them all,
Fugaise, which features entrees such as squab with lobster bisque
custard, potato cakes and watercress.
Between these extremes we have Mairin's Table, which bills itself
as a neighborhood bistro. The traditional side of
Mairin's menu includes such classics as chicken noodle soup and
upside-down meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and a sandwich list that
includes tuna salad, chicken club and a BLT. Trendier offerings
range from chicken scallopine with shallot and mushroom Marsala to
shrimp and scallops in Bearnaise cream sauce over pasta.
I was very pleased with nearly everything I sampled, including
the tuna salad sandwich and all the entrees mentioned above. The
meatloaf was moist and flavorful, the shrimp and scallops plump and
succulent, in a sauce that was rich without being heavy. The level
of culinary sophistication isn't as high as at Bobino or Fugaise,
but neither are the prices. Except for the shrimp and scallops, all
entrees are under $15 and include soup or salad. The generously
proportioned sandwiches are all $9 with soup or salad. Wines by the
bottle are half-price on Monday and Tuesday night. Desserts are
store-bought and include cheesecake, chocolate cake and carrot cake.
Mairin's also has a Moroccan dimension, although its only
Moroccan dish on the regular menu is the kofta kebabs -- two skewers
of broiled seasoned ground beef and lamb, served over couscous with
seasoned poached carrots. Although it's listed as a small plate, the
dish is large enough to be an entree, and it's one of the tastiest
dishes they have. A larger selection of Moroccan food is offered on
the first Saturday of the month, when the restaurant hosts a
Moroccan night, complete with recorded music and a belly dancer.
The chefs are willing to prepare dishes for a crowd. When we
asked in advance for a meal for six, we got a feast at $25 per
person: a Mediterranean salad with artichoke hearts and field
greens, Wisconsin trout stuffed with seasoned couscous, two savory
tagines (stews), a vegetarian entree of mixed vegetables over
couscous, and three kinds of Middle Eastern pastry for dessert. The
tagines, chicken with preserved lemon, and beef with raisins and
onions, were both served in a traditional conical clay pot that is
also called a tagine. (They'll do the special dinner for as few as
four people or as many as 40. Please give at least three days'
notice.)
The Moroccan influence is co-owner and genial host Rafiq Antar, a
former member of the Moroccan Olympic basketball team. His business
partner and co-host is Jennifer Schroeder, a self-described former
desperate housewife, and recent graduate of the Art Institutes
International culinary program in downtown Minneapolis.
On a lunchtime visit, when nearly every table in the small cafe
was occupied, our harried server forgot part of our order and took a
long time to bring our entrees. On my three other visits, service
was friendly, attentive and prompt.
There is something about Mairin's that feels amateur in the best
sense of the term: as in done for love, and not too polished. A
professional restaurant consultant probably would have advised Antar
and Schroeder against the off-the-beaten-path location (Mairin's
shares an inelegant brick building with a chiropractic office). The
same consultant would have really scratched his head at the idea of
combining a dining room, wine bar and comfortable parlor with
stuffed chairs, fireplace and piano, all in one small room.
But somehow it all works, and it feels friendly and inviting. On
one visit, a shy but talented teenager sat down at the piano and
played a complex classical composition for his own amusement,
winning a round of applause from the other customers.
Mairin's Table ** 1/2
Atmosphere: Tastefully decorated combination bistro, wine bar and
parlor, complete with fireplace and piano.
Sound level: Moderate. A piano player performs on Friday nights,
and guests sometimes give impromptu performances.
Recommended dishes: Shrimp and scallops, upside-down meatloaf,
Moroccan tagines.
Price range: Dinner entrees $13 to $17, sandwiches $9; lunch
entrees $10 to $13, sandwiches $8.
Jeremy Iggers • 612-673-4524
Mairin’s Table set to serve
East Bank's growing populations
John O'Brien - The Bridge News
EAST BANK - Jennifer Schroeder and Rafiq Antar are the proud owners of
Old St. Anthony’s newest eatery, Mairin’s Table. Located at 23 Fourth
St. NE near University Avenue, it’s just around the corner from
Surdyk’s in the building formerly occupied by the Seven Bridges
Market, with a fresh coat of white paint, pretty new awnings and
flower boxes out front, and cars in the parking lot. Mairin’s Table
shares the space with 20 Below Studio, an architectural firm.
The interior of Mairin’s oozes relaxation with plenty of earth tones
and similar hues. The owners have tried to create a “going out to eat
at home” atmosphere, one which they build upon with down-home
selections from the kitchen. There’s a cozy fireplace ready to be lit
for the cool months ahead and a piano in the corner with keys just
waiting to be tickled. Ten tables hold room for 45, with additional
seating in front of the fireplace and by the bar. Out front are a few
tables to enjoy warm autumn days. Free parking for 25 cars is a real
plus in the sometimes parking-starved East Bank neighborhood.
According to the owners, the fare is “American Bistro, comfort with a
twist.” Some of Mairin’s specialties include meatloaf and mashed
potatoes, chicken marsala and French onion soup. Salads, appetizer
plates and sandwiches are available, too.
To add a little extra spice, the Morrocan-born Antar has added some
traditional dishes from his home country. As for wine, Schroeder says
they have “an interesting and fun list, moderately priced, sold by the
glass or bottle.” A variety of caffeinated beverages, sodas, juices
and desserts round out the menu.
Antar has an extensive background in food and beverage management
gained from working for the Marriott Corporation. Schroeder holds a
culinary arts certificate from the AI International in Minneapolis.
The Chef, formerly a line cook at Palomino and sous-chef for a local
catering company, runs the kitchen. The restaurant was named for
Jennifer’s grandmother, herself a “great cook and wonderful hostess.”
The romantic, wood-paneled, candlelit atmosphere of Mairin’s is
reminiscent of another Old St. Anthony eatery, the Wilde Roast Cafe.
Fact is, co-owner Jennifer and her husband were frequent visitors to
the Wilde Roaste according to Mairin’s website (www.mairinstable.com)
and sought owner Tom Degree’s advice on opening a restaurant.
Hours of operation for the restaurant will be 11 a.m.–9 p.m.,
Monday–Thursday, and it will stay open until 10 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday. The restaurant will be closed Sundays. As of this
writing, there is no weekday breakfast scheduled, but that may change
in the near future. Happy Hour is 4–6 p.m., Monday–Friday.
For entertainment, Mairin’s offers live piano music and the owners
eventually intend to host a monthly “Moroccan Night” with music and
belly dancing. For all those people who enjoy sipping a coffee and
surfing the ’net on their laptops, Mairin’s has complimentary WiFi,
wireless Internet access.
Both owners feel the excitement of the area’s growth and are happy to
be part of the Old St. Anthony business community. With two potential
condominium projects set to rise just across the street within the
next couple of years and others readying for construction nearby,
Mairin’s will be a very convenient meeting place for new and
established Old St. Anthony residents.
BISTRO FARE INSPIRED BY A LOVE
OF COOKING - John Sharpe - AOL CityGuide Twin Cities
The East Hennepin section of the Riverfront District becomes more
lovable day by day, and restaurants like this one are part of the
reason. The bistro's redone facade (a 4th Street address that actually
faces 1st Avenue N.E.) greets you with handsome striped awnings and
other European-like touches, and on the inside a fireplace, dark wood
and an upright piano create a casual, homey feel. A manageable menu --
entrees average less than $15 -- offers a thoughtful selection of both
comfort foods and creative cuisine. The food is as gorgeous as the
restaurant's decor. Inspired by the cooking of co-owner Jennifer
Schroeder's grandmother, Mairin, attractively presented dishes like
chicken scaloppini and ''upside down'' meatloaf are distinctively
flavored. You can go light with several small plates, a steaming bowl
of French onion soup or a really good BLT. Wine, beer and most every
other beverage you can think of are available to accompany your dining
choices. Finally, there is an easy and romantic vibe here that may
encourage couples to quickly down their espressos and make use of the
beautiful nearby Riverfront walking paths and vistas. So what's not to
love?
