BY CARLA WALDEMAR
Arezzo
5057 France Avenue
612-285-7444
arezzoristorante.com
Can’t make it to Tuscany this summer? Me neither. But to savor a taste of the region’s dolce vita, head over to Edina’s 51st & France (no passport, no euros needed) to inhale its wine-and-dining way of life at Arezzo, boasting a menu you might encounter in its namesake Tuscan town.
First, let me introduce you to Ed Hayes, a Minnesota-born chef whose Italian ancestry—like mine—amounts to zero, but whose passion for the land he’s adopted as his own (after in-depth visits and stints in a local kitchen) is off the charts. He knows his stuff, and he settles for nothing less than authenticity. Ed may look like a Minnesota forest ranger (no; that’s his dad), but his skills on the kitchen’s range are commendable. (He’s cooked around town at demanding places like Heartland and I Nonni.)
So’s the brand-new Happy Hour menu (weekdays 3-6 p.m.), where he practically gives away the food and vino. And none of those bitty Cucina Novella portions, either. Plates are generous enough to share, starting with (as you should) the assembly of antipasti called Carne e Formaggio, $8: salumi from the esteemed workshop of Mike Phillips of Minneapolis, plus pink frills of prosciutto, a creamy hunk of taleggio cheese and savory nuggets of pecorino toscano. A drizzle of honey, a couple of crostini, and you’ve got Tuscany on a platter.
Add the pair of meatballs (especially if you have picky kids in tow). They’re big as your fist, lolling in a fresh, sweet tomato sauce and shavings of Parmesan-like Grano Padana. Or maybe the arancini, the traditional, sweet and crispy Italian fried rice balls with similar sidekicks ($7 each) and you and your partner have got yourself a meal.
But don’t overlook the burrata ($10), which Ed says is the most popular plate on his Happy Hour menu. And for good reason. Picture ivory burrata cheese, so creamy it begs to be spread on the accompanying crostini, joined by ripe, juicy slices of heirloom tomatoes and a swatch of basil pesto.
Alas, I have to warn you about the pork belly. And the caution goes like this: It may not be on the menu, for it’s a daily special. But if you come across it, it’s your lucky day. Snap up those slices, fat and salty, brushed with balsamic, and served with colorful snips of cherry tomatoes and broccoli. Another daily special: beef brisket, just as tender as Nonna’s, sauced with tomato, vinegar, onions and white wine, just as nature intended.
Oh, and something sweet before you say Addio? See if Ed’s soon-to-be-legendary fig cheesecake is on the menu. If this light, ricotta-based version is available, you owe it to yourself …
P.S. A note about Arezzo’s Thursday Date Night Special: It includes two way-beyond-lettuce salads, two entrees (choose pizza or pasta, such as the dynamite spaghetti carbonara) and two beverages: wine, beer or non-alcoholic, for only $45. And did I mention that you can enjoy your feast al fresco? The sidewalk tables on 51st Street provide a view of the passing parade but not the autos’ fumes. La vita is dolce, indeed.
