{"id":197403,"date":"2023-03-23T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lavendermagazine.com\/?p=197403"},"modified":"2023-03-23T10:51:26","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T15:51:26","slug":"high-hopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lavendermagazine.com\/featured-home-page\/high-hopes\/","title":{"rendered":"High Hopes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Shame on me. Karyn Tomlinson deserves our attention, I told myself (and her, and my readers) back when I was enjoying the culinary statements she brought to the kitchen while working for the bosses of Corner Table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then life, and the pandemic, happened, and I failed to follow her to the launch of her very own digs close to two years ago, when she took over a tiny, tiny (maybe a dozen-table) establishment in St. Paul\u2019s Highland Park that (I now recall) had originally lured the twin towns\u2019 foodies as an authentic Italian trattoria with a set four-course menu\u2014a breakthrough, back then. Today, it\u2019s a breakthrough of another kind\u2014home to Tomlinson, who is one of the nominees for Best Chef: Midwest, striving for that coveted James Beard award this spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back in the day, the room was shadowy, warm and cozily packed with a cult following. Today Tomlinson\u2019s Myriel is bright and cheery and still just as crowded, serving folks who\u2019ve achieved one of the caf\u00e9\u2019s hard-to-snag reservations (It\u2019s open evenings, Wednesday through Saturday), sending \u201cFinish that darn dessert and clear out\u201d thought waves across the hall from the jam-packed bar as they wait for the evening\u2019s first seating to clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two choices here: a tasting menu to reserve ahead at $145, or the a la carte list, which we chose. The tab for our duo, including one glass of wine each, was $138 before tip. Worth it? I\u2019ll describe what comes out of the kitchen and let you decide. Service was uniformly friendly and helpful, advising us that items were designed for sharing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begin with a plate of charcuterie ($16 small, $29 \u201clarge\u201d\u2014a euphemism for somewhat bigger) or bread and butter, $6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n