Patti I.
Yelp
This review is for Matchsticks restaurant in the Hotel Crosby. I've visited twice.
The ambiance here is really nice. Warm, woodsy, contemporary but comfortable, very appropriate for the St. Croix Valley. They offer a variety of seating: booths, tables, and communal high tops. On my first visit I sat at a table and noticed something weird: Either the chairs are too short or the tables are too tall. I felt like a toddler, my chin barely clearing the tabletop. And I'm not a small person. On my second visit I sat at one of the long high-tops. Stools were comfortable and the appropriate height for dignified eating. Next time I want to try a booth.
They specialize in small plates. In my two visits there, dining companions and I have ordered these items: beets and yogurt; brussels sprouts; wedge salad; risotto; sausage plate; eclairs.
They will tell you, they just bring things out in the order they get done in the kitchen, so when you order two things that would go well together...they might not appear together. On one of my visits, my dining companion and I ordered a sausage plate and a risotto to share. The risotto came out almost immediately and was getting cold by the time its ideal accompaniment, the sausage, showed up. Then the salad appeared. Normally I like my salad at the beginning of a meal but we just set it aside and finished with it.
My overall take is that they can't resist using their smoker, and many of the dishes feature smoked something-or-other. Stuff was tasty but I'd like them to dial it back a little...you can get smoked out if you're not vigilant about what you order. The sausage was smoked. The wedge salad featured smoked tomatoes. The brussels sprouts were smoked.
That said, here's what I thought of the individual dishes.
Wedge Salad--generous portion, three big iceberg wedges topped with plenty of tangy blue cheese crumbles and dressing, smoky bacon cooked just right, and smoked tomato pieces. This was so good I ordered it both times. The first time the tomatoes were pretty, pretty smoky. Second time it was more subtle, and I liked it even better.
Beets and yogurt--smallish portion but bursting with flavor, including something citrus-y.
Brussels sprouts--Big, satisfying portion, roasted to caramelized perfection, very tasty. We ate it all.
Sausage plate--smoky, smoky wild boar and elk sausage served with grainy mustard and some kind of berry preserves. Both of us preferred the boar and mustard. The elk sausage was a little dry and the preserves didn't really make up for it.
Corn risotto--I'm a risotto snob and rarely order it out, but this was novel and cooked well, with whole kernels of corn adding sweetness and crunch, a nice contrast to the creamy rice. Too bad they brought it out so much earlier than the rest of the food. As a standalone dish, it's wonderful.
Chocolate eclairs from the dessert menu--meh. Companion and I each took one bite and sent the rest home for her teenage son to finish. Creme anglais inside was the best part, but the whole thing was chilly and unappealing. Seemed like it had been thawed out and wasn't quite ready for prime time.
One thing we didn't eat was bread...because unless you get something like bruschetta, they don't offer it. I wish they did, especially with the salad.
The place is brand new, and I liked the atmosphere, food, and prices enough that I look forward to going back. I'm not a drinker, so for food alone each meal set me back about $25 with tax and tip, a good value.