Downtown Saint Paul MN — Kurdish, Coneys etc

In the heart of St Paul, a few blocks from the Capitol Building, is Babani's, supposedly the first Kurdish restaurant in the US. It's an appealing restaurant in almost every way—quaint building, pretty dining room and exotic yet somehow familiar food.







Kurdish food is perhaps closest to Turkish, though it borrows from many Middle Eastern cuisines. I started with dowjic, a light soup of chicken broth, yogurt and lemon. The spicing is uncanny, maybe dried basil, mint and red pepper. A beautiful soup and one I'll be trying to replicate at home. Babani's lemonade, made with fresh and dried lemons, is well worth trying. The dried lemons give it a slightly musty, pleasantly medicinal flavor. Another recipe I'll be playing with at home.

The menu has two versions of kubey (a relative of kibbeh), dumplings with either a wheat or rice shell. I opted for kubey brinj, the rice one.





I found this dish more interesting for texture than for flavor. The ground beef filling was, frankly, a little boring but the contrast of the crunchy, chewy exterior and fluffy rice made up for that. Accompaniments of jaajic (cucumber & yogurt), tabouli, rice and lentil puree were all first rate. I enjoyed this meal immensely on a crisp autumn day but got to thinking the cold lemonade, tart soup and light main course might make a perfect hot weather meal.

After lunch I spent an enjoyable few hours wandering around downtown St Paul. Only a few blocks south of Babani's is Mickey's Diner, a true St Paul landmark.



In spite of first appearances this isn't some Disneyfied Debevic's. Mickey's has been in continuous operation—24 hours a day, 365 days a year—since 1939 as the worn but beautiful interior attests. I stopped in briefly and planned to return for a snack but never made it back. From what I saw they're faithfully carrying on the old diner traditions. Next time in St Paul I'll stop for a Classic—a cheeseburger with some hashbrowns and a side of mulligan stew.

Continuing south on St Peter, just past Mickey's, is St Paul's most enigmatic eatery—Coney Island Café and Tavern.



From what I can piece together, the bar and lunch counter have been owned by the same family since 1923 but both have been closed since the mid 1990s. Reportedly the tavern opened for a few days during the Republican National Convention in 2008 but that was it for the last couple decades. Signs on the doors say "Total restoration in progress" but some passersby said it's been like that for years.



Peeking inside the café half, it looks like the pristine old doggery could reopen after dusting off a few things and restocking that ancient refrigerator. Who knows?

Seeing that beautiful old room put me in the mood for a Coney dog so I wandered east to the Gopher Bar, on my list of possible stops. The owner is notorious for his use of profanity and the walls are filled with plaques and bumper stickers flaunting the F word. The other decorating motif is anti-Obama. I'd have no problem with a few from each category but the overall effect seems more than a little obsessive and somewhat creepy. Certainly more atmosphere than Bennigan's, I'll give them credit for that.





"The Best Coney Island's in Town" says the outdoor sign and that might well be true. I enjoyed the Gopher's riff on the classic Coney—toasted New England style bun, smoky sausage, well-spiced meat sauce and a very generous amount of chopped onion. Fuckin' awesome.

Babani's Kurdish Restaurant
544 St Peter St
Saint Paul MN
651-602-9964

Mickey's Diner
36 7th St W
St Paul MN
651-222-5633

Original Coney Island (closed)
444 N St Peter St
Saint Paul MN

Gopher Bar
241 7th St E
Saint Paul MN
651-291-9638

Rene G wrote:Seeing that beautiful old room put me in the mood for a Coney dog so I wandered east to the Gopher Bar, on my list of possible stops. The owner is notorious for his use of profanity and the walls are filled with plaques and bumper stickers flaunting the F word. The other decorating motif is anti-Obama. I'd have no problem with a few from each category but the overall effect seems more than a little obsessive and somewhat creepy. Certainly more atmosphere than Bennigan's, I'll give them credit for that.





"The Best Coney Island's in Town" says the outdoor sign and that might well be true. I enjoyed the Gopher's riff on the classic Coney—toasted New England style bun, smoky sausage, well-spiced meat sauce and a very generous amount of chopped onion. Fuckin' awesome.

Great stuff as always and perfect timing. I'm headed to Minny-St. Paul in a couple weeks for da Bears vs. Vikings with some old college friends, some of whom are from the Twin Cities. One of them has been telling me about the hot dogs at a place he calls "F- this, F- that and F you too" since our days in Madison. He hasnt answered my text tonight but he must be talking about the Gopher Bar. Looking forward to seeing how these Coney's compare to other top spots around the Midwest and also hoping to try Mickey's. Thanks for the tips.

I've been enjoying the Twin Cities reports, too. I have some family there and maybe it's time to make a visit and check out some of these spots.

The last time I was there, two years ago, my aunt and uncle took me to Tavern on Grand for walleye -- definitely an LTH-er kind of place. I guess it's a mile or two southwest of the downtown places listed above.

Tavern On Grand
656 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105
(651) 228-9030 ‎
http://tavernongrand.com/
"Minnesota's State Restaurant Serving Minnesota's State Fish"

Dad and I visited Babani's a couple years ago on one of our many Barbecue Business trips. To my knowledge, it is not just the first Kurdish restaurant in the country, but the only one of its kind.

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience there, as described on one of my Roadfood tour threads ( if I can dig it up, I'll provide a link).

Wondering--were you brave enough to try the yogurt based drink described on the menu as, I believe, "Refreshing"? Apparently, Kurds will drink this substance on very hot days to give them a bracing lift. Dad and I tried a very small glass of the stuff, and the only thing I can think of is that it is so insanely sour that, upon taking your first sip it makes you shiver like you're standing outside on a freezing cold day without a coat on.

Still, all the food was wonderful, served in a warm and welcoming environment; really a special place to check out.

Buddy

Da Beef wrote:Great stuff as always and perfect timing. I'm headed to Minny-St. Paul in a couple weeks for da Bears vs. Vikings with some old college friends, some of whom are from the Twin Cities. One of them has been telling me about the hot dogs at a place he calls "F- this, F- that and F you too" since our days in Madison. He hasnt answered my text tonight but he must be talking about the Gopher Bar. Looking forward to seeing how these Coney's compare to other top spots around the Midwest and also hoping to try Mickey's. Thanks for the tips.

Da Beef - I'm a recent transplant here (August) formerly of the Ukrainian Village 'hood and I'm hoping you come fully prepared to cheer on the Bears as I get enough crap from the Vikings fans here.

I'm sure your buddies will show you the great spots around town but I've been doing some eating/drinking myself over the past few months. For a good beer/microbrewery, I would hit Town Hall Brewery on the seven corners, not too far from the stadium (more than walking distance though). There are a few other bars around there as well. There's a place about 2-3 blocks from there called "the Weinery" that exclusively sells hot dogs. They have a "Chicago dog" "NY dog," etc. Not bad when I need a fix but the most impressive thing about that place is that the whole kitchen seems to be on a four burner stove. They don't even have a fryer, just a pot of hot oil that they throw the fresh cut fries in. I've eaten there a couple of times and the fries are pretty good but you'll get some that are more done than others. I'd also second a walleye sandwich but you should realize that the walleye here mostly comes from Canadian waters (not local). One of my guilty pleasures so far though as been Taqueria Los Ocampo's (on Lake street across from the Midtown market - there's one in the Midtown market as well but the taqueria across the street is better IMO) Huarachazo. It's a freshly made Masa cake, flattened out to about the size of the plate it comes on and sprinkled with beans, meat of your choice, avocado, cheese, and radish. I must of ate two a week for about three weeks when I first moved here. Another decent bar is Stubb and Herbs, especially since they exclusively sell craft beers on tap. If you're into that sort of thing, it's a decent U of M campus bar (with a mixed-age crowd).

Have a good time and report back with any discoveries...

Da Beef wrote:One of them has been telling me about the hot dogs at a place he calls "F- this, F- that and F you too" since our days in Madison. He hasnt answered my text tonight but he must be talking about the Gopher Bar. Looking forward to seeing how these Coney's compare to other top spots around the Midwest and also hoping to try Mickey's. Thanks for the tips.

I don't think it can be anywhere except the Gopher. The owner wasn't in attendance when I visited and the bartenders on duty were quite polite. Honestly I was a little disappointed. I'd like to have the full Gopher experience before making up my mind about the place. They serve an interesting Coney though (my first in Minnesota so maybe it's not so unusual). I look forward to hearing what you think of Mickey's. I'm annoyed I didn't get back to eat something because most of what I saw looked good and the atmosphere can't be beat. Don't forget they serve breakfast 24 hours a day. I bet one of those chili omelets with hash browns would taste awfully good at 2am. I have another post or two from my recent Twin Cities trip and will try to get it done before you head northward. There's at least one more old bar I think you'd appreciate.

Amata wrote:I've been enjoying the Twin Cities reports, too. I have some family there and maybe it's time to make a visit and check out some of these spots.

You really should revisit the Twin Cities, if only for St Paul's Hmong stuff. And Chicago has nothing like the Somali marketplaces scattered around Minneapolis. I would seriously consider going in the spring. Around the end of May the Hmong gardeners have an astounding array of plants for sale in the outdoor section of Hmongtown Marketplace. You could also pick up some hand-forged gardening tools.

Amata wrote:"Minnesota's State Restaurant Serving Minnesota's State Fish"

Walleye was on my list but there just wasn't time (I had a walleye BLT on my previous visit though). It's good to hear a recommendation of Tavern on Grand. I'm a sucker for slogans like that but when I looked at their menu I wasn't so sure. If the walleye is good I don't mind that they serve nachos, chicken quesadillas and Buffalo wings.

BuddyRoadhouse wrote:Wondering--were you brave enough to try the yogurt based drink described on the menu as, I believe, "Refreshing"?

The menu advises their mastaw may be "perhaps too authentic for some." It has dill in it. Now I regret not ordering a glass but I had my heart set on the lemonade (which didn't disappoint).

tyrus wrote:For a good beer/microbrewery, I would hit Town Hall Brewery on the seven corners, not too far from the stadium (more than walking distance though). There are a few other bars around there as well. There's a place about 2-3 blocks from there called "the Weinery" that exclusively sells hot dogs.

I visited The Wienery and will try to say a bit more in a post in the Minneapolis thread (summary: I liked it). I didn't realize how close I was to Town Hall, a place I wanted to visit but didn't get around to. For some reason I thought only about approaching via Washington, not Cedar. It started to rain as I was leaving The Wienery so I took refuge and took care of my beer needs at Nomad World Pub, almost across the street.

tyrus wrote:Da Beef - I'm a recent transplant here (August) formerly of the Ukrainian Village 'hood and I'm hoping you come fully prepared to cheer on the Bears as I get enough crap from the Vikings fans here.

I'm sure your buddies will show you the great spots around town but I've been doing some eating/drinking myself over the past few months. For a good beer/microbrewery, I would hit Town Hall Brewery on the seven corners, not too far from the stadium (more than walking distance though). There are a few other bars around there as well. There's a place about 2-3 blocks from there called "the Weinery" that exclusively sells hot dogs. They have a "Chicago dog" "NY dog," etc. Not bad when I need a fix but the most impressive thing about that place is that the whole kitchen seems to be on a four burner stove. They don't even have a fryer, just a pot of hot oil that they throw the fresh cut fries in. I've eaten there a couple of times and the fries are pretty good but you'll get some that are more done than others. I'd also second a walleye sandwich but you should realize that the walleye here mostly comes from Canadian waters (not local). One of my guilty pleasures so far though as been Taqueria Los Ocampo's (on Lake street across from the Midtown market - there's one in the Midtown market as well but the taqueria across the street is better IMO) Huarachazo. It's a freshly made Masa cake, flattened out to about the size of the plate it comes on and sprinkled with beans, meat of your choice, avocado, cheese, and radish. I must of ate two a week for about three weeks when I first moved here. Another decent bar is Stubb and Herbs, especially since they exclusively sell craft beers on tap. If you're into that sort of thing, it's a decent U of M campus bar (with a mixed-age crowd).

Have a good time and report back with any discoveries...

Thanks for the tips, they are all in my word doc. of stops in the Twin Cities. After watching the Vike's on Monday night, there's no way the Bears should lose, they (Vikings) look like a team that has packed their bags for the off season. Although the Bears looked the same on Sunday...

Rene G wrote: I have another post or two from my recent Twin Cities trip and will try to get it done before you head northward. There's at least one more old bar I think you'd appreciate.

Thanks a bunch and looking forward to the report but you need not hurry. The damn Metrodome has screwed up many of peoples plans and b/c of the game being moved last week, my buddy doesn't have the shared season tix for this weeks game at TCF Stadium. No biggie, I'll get to Minny this spring for a baseball game and food exploration and now I'm thinking that a trip to Green Bay for a week 17 showdown that could determine the div. champs is a better trip anyway. Thanks all.

Finally tracked down my comments regarding Babani's. We visited back in the late spring of '08. These were my immediate impressions:


Babani's Kurdish Restaurant had a glowing write up so we figured let's head east into St. Paul and check it out. The building is near downtown and the Capitol Building, but a little tough to get to if you don't know the streets of St. Paul. Due to a plethora of one way streets, none of which were going the way I wanted them to go, I ended up taking the long route; going around the block and ultimately making an illegal U-turn in order to pull up in front of the joint.

Once inside we discovered a lovely oasis from the noisy world of downtown St. P. Two walls and the high ceiling were painted a subdued cantaloupe orange; almost sandy colored. Invigorating, yet very relaxing. The other two walls were exposed natural brick and windows, tying the whole thing back into its urban setting. The walls are adorned with tapestries and photos of, and by, native Kurds depicting everyday life in the old country. Sharing wall space with the artifacts are numerous articles from local and national publications (The Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Zagat, etc.) all singing the praises of Babani's.

Our waitress was very friendly and helpful in choosing the right combination of flavors. As we sat down she informed us that they only had one order of Chicken Tawa left in the kitchen. I had no idea what Chicken Tawa was so I took a quick look at the menu and discovered that it was "chicken sauteed with lemon and other spices then baked in layers of potato, green pepper, onion, and dried lemon. Served over Basmati rice." Hard to go wrong with something like that so we gave her the go ahead and told her we'd have that along with some other things.

I have to say that the operative word in Kurdish cooking is "Intense"! Intense flavors in everything from soft drinks, to appetizers, to soup, to entrees and on into dessert. Babani's was the complete opposite of last night's experience in terms of flavor (we had stopped at the TeePee Supper Club in Tomah, Wisconsin on the way into the Twin Cities-very disappointing).

We started with a small sample of Ave Mast, decribed as "The most popular drink among Kurds, [it] combines a Creamy blend of yogurt, water, ice and dill. Perhaps too authentic for some!" You've got to admire that kind of honesty and at the same time, how can you resist the dare? Our waitress brought us a small teacup filled with a thin milky substance, served on the rocks, with flecks of finely chopped dill floating throughout. There is nothing sweet about this drink; nothing at all like the mango flavored yogurt drink served in Indian, Nepalese, and other Himalayan themed eateries. It is the yogurt equivalent of a dry martini, leaving your mouth feeling like it had been scrubbed out with sand paper. And yet, after a few sips, it became rather appealing. Ave mast is not the kind of drink you can take big gulps of though; not the kind of drink that would pair up well with food.

Instead, I opted for Kurdish lemonade, their version of an Arnold Palmer, half lemonade, half Kurdish iced tea, with a hit of cardamom for good measure. Like I said, intense is the word of the day. All at once it was very lemony, very sweet, a deep tea and cardamom flavor rounded it out.

Next up was our soup. The waitress recommended the Dowjic, a soup made of chicken, yogurt, rice, basil, and lemon. Again, intense! Imagine the flavor of a thousand chickens all boiled down into one bowl, mixed in with lemon concentrate and flecks of basil. That was some serious CHICKEN soup!

We moved on to our appetizer, Bajan Rashk, deep fried eggplant smothered in Jaajic (cucumber, dill and fresh garlic in a yogurt sauce; sort of a Kurdish version of the Greek tzaziki), adorned with cucumber slices, tomatoes, and black olives, all served with traditional Kurdish bread to soak up the extra Jaajic. It was fabulous. The eggplant was creamy and its rich, earthy flavor was counterpointed by the sharp tang of the Jaajic.

Finally, our Chicken Tawa arrived. Two plump, juicy, flavorful hunks of chicken on the bone, smothered in a thin, yet rich lemony broth that was just waiting to be soaked up by the Basmati rice. The natural sweetness of the chicken and the lemon broth played perfectly together, accompanied by the buttery tasting slices of potato. There was just enough food for two people to share. We toyed with the idea of ordering another entree, but scrapped that in favor of dessert.

Babani's offers homemade baklava and flan. Yup, you read that right, flan! I suppose there's some Kurdish word that means the same thing as flan; custard is a pretty universal dessert. They probably just call it flan so folks would more easily identify it. Whatever you call it, it was some damn tasty flan, and it rounded out the tangy flavors of the rest of the meal perfectly. The baklava was rather different from the Greek and other Middle Eastern versions I've had. Not as buttery as most, slighty drier, and there was that cardamom again. It was a nice change of pace, but I think I prefer the classic versions I've had elsewhere.

Babani's will be added to the list of Twin Cities "Must Visit Again" restaurants that never seems to stop growing. This is becoming a problem. I might have to move up here just keep up with the list.

So, that's it, our visit to Babani's. At some point I may reprint the description of our excellent dinner last summer at Baku, a relatively new Russian restaurant in Plymouth.

Buddy