THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cue

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Cue Restaurant Review:

This luxurious glass-walled space in the Guthrie Theater’s complex has it all: good looks, an intriguing menu, friendly servers, a great wine list, a patio with a riverfront view and a well-dressed clientele to boot. During the day, the dining room is flooded with sunlight, and playwrights’ images on the patio’s supporting pillars gaze in at well-set tables, a 13-foot-high steel wine tower and an exhibition kitchen where chefs perform their magic. At night, the room is transformed into a dazzling play of lights, glamour and action. The menu, designed by executive chef Lenny Russo, showcases locally grown and seasonal ingredients from small farmers and artisanal food producers. The real strength of the cooking, however, could be the classical techniques Russo employs, creating sauces that sing with beautiful flavors: a game stock-tomato reduction with Wisconsin rabbit, and a red bell pepper coulis with roasted breast of free-range chicken, for example. For starters, we recommend the green gazpacho accented with lime crème fraîche---it might be the simple bite of jalapeño that sends this dish over the edge. Or try the gently spiced couscous with baby artichokes. Desserts are all well done, but we declare the chocolate mousse with saké-soaked apricots and black pepper caramel sauce applause-worthy.