Sopranos Italian hits some high notes

J.P. Samuelson joins the Crave team

Comments (0) By Rachel Hutton Wednesday, May 18 2011

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Sasha Landskov

A sophisticated yet versatile menu: The rotisserie duck at Sopranos

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Soprano's Italian Kitchen

5331 W. 16th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55416

Category: Restaurant > Italian

Region: St. Louis Park

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Details

Sopranos Italian Kitchen
The Shops at West End
5331 W. 16th St., St. Louis Park
952.345.2400; www.sopranosmn.com

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But if you place the right order, Sopranos is also capable of resembling a small, chef-driven bistro. Several creative, carefully assembled plates might just as well have been served at jP. The paper-thin lamb carpaccio is deftly dressed with pesto, chopped olives, and curls of Parmesan cheese. On its own, the meat is delicate and pliable and offers a slightly wilder flavor than the more typical beef. Three fat diver scallops, seared golden outside and soft within, are equally elegant when served on a bed of chewy faro nubs with tomato and almonds. During its heyday, jP served a tasty ice cream sandwich, and Sopranos revives the concept to even better effect in the form of tiny oatmeal raisin cookies stuffed with cinnamon gelato.

You can experience Sopranos in all sorts of ways, depending on how you choose to dine. You can hop on a bar stool, canoodle behind the curtains of a privacy booth, or take a table on the sidewalk. (While you're deciding, consider indulging in a sparkling cocktail like the Lady Madonna (cantaloupe, cucumber, Hendricks gin, and prosecco) or an artist themed-martini (the Raphael, made with Jim Beam, Fernet Branca, Licor 43, Aperol, and Cherry Bark Bitters could cut through the thickest fog) or a refreshing, nonalcoholic spritzer like the one that blends lemon and basil with effervescent house-carbonated water. In any case, you're probably going to want to arrive either early or late, or make a reservation. Already, those in the western suburbs are coming to Sopranos in droves, and treating the place like an extension of their own family rooms at home.