Alto Pino Duluth — Restaurant in Duluth

A warm and inviting establishment that's straight forward with tremendous service. My partner and I made reservations for our one year anniversary. We stopped by early to see if they could get us in sooner, they tried however couldn't; they offered us cocktails while we waited. We declined but it was a fantastic option, we walked through Duluth some more to enjoy the scenery, and I got a text inviting us back as a table had cleared early. Welcome cm news to receive.

Upon arrival we'd been warmly greeted and advised of the menu and how it worked. For what they'd described as "small plate sharable meals" I personally feel they're underselling what they offer. The value, quality, the care of the staff and eagerness to see the patrons happy, all of it was tremendous.

My partner and I split the bread platters and each and every topping, and bread was its own and distinct.. The number of flavor combinations was quite a journey. The breads were all expertly done. The focaccia with pepper butter is especially of note, it was out of this world. We then got the salad, which hit all the right notes especially the heirloom tomatoes which were grown locally and it was apparent by how they'd tasted.

Following the salad we'd received the fingerling potatoes which were perfect. I have no notes beyond they're just what a potato should be with a hint of peppery spice, they were a great side to accompany the main courses which consisted of braised rabbit with a thoughtfully matched puree. The rabbit which had favors of dried lime and cinnamon was delightful.

If you're used to normal western, or Midwestern cuisine you'll want to approach this with an open mind because these flavors are spot on and a different spot than you may be used to. The technique? It's universally perfect.

The final course was locally sourced lamb chops, raised just for Alto Pino. It was absolutely wonderful. They were tender, and fun to eat.

We came to Alto Pino on an already high note, between the fantastic service, the wonderful cocktails with well selected liquors (I got a four-roses old fashioned, it was great and just what an old fashioned should be) we left with both our stomachs full and spirits raised even higher.

We hope to celebrate many more times in Duluth and at Alto Pino. One can tell the head chef/owner sincerely cares about everyone who comes through the doors and cares deeply about her craft. The most memorable restaurant I've been to in...

I'm going to start with the not so good. We spent one night in Duluth and chose Alto Pinto to celebrate an anniversary. That was mentioned on the reservation but I was slightly disappointed that I wasn't asked about the occasion. Our server was attentive but in my opinion, fell short of the professional expectations I've come to know for a restaurant in the "$$$" category. The cocktails (one Champaign cocktail and one olive oil infused drink) were unspectacular, and didn't have any business being $17.

Now for the better! The first course was a yogurt dish that was quite good, but the olive oil was not flavorful. The seared halloumi was nice, but I thought it lacked balance as the pickled fennel either lacked the punch needed to balance the dish or wasn't plentiful enough on this plate. I thought the spring pasta was a mess and completely lacking color or flavor. It reminded me of something my 7 year old would make, only she'd plate it fancier. The boar was probably the best overall dish-the Meat was tender, flavorful and cooked very well. I thought the polenta and sauce were lacking some pop that would have elevated it further. The last dish was the lake trout. It was delicious but I thought the plate lacked color. I bought fresh caught lake trout the next day and it was also delicious in a simple recipe, so not blown away here. As for deserts I think it's borderline criminal to have only two savory seeming desserts/no chocolate on the menu so we passed.

This may sound a bit critical but I think this restaurant is very close in many ways so I hope this is constructive for...

Considering it was their first month of operation, last night's meal was definitely a good sign

We started with lamb skewers. They were flavorful, and the char on the tomatoes was lovely. The tahini and garlic was a nice texture, and I would have loved a bit more spice in the dish, but it was very well balanced. The lamb was a bit chewy, but sourcing local lamb may be a challenge, and it was not so as to be called "tough"

We had the stuffed eggplant and the focaccia bread, both of which were very flavorful. The bread was nicely toasted and the tomato sauce that the eggplant was stewed in was very nice.

Pasta with lamb ragu finished the savory courses, and we basically licked the bowl clean

We tried both the olive oil cake and the panna cotta for deserts. They were both decadent, although the cake would have been amazing if they were more generous with the lemon curd. As it was, both deserts were good. The oat crumble on the panna cotta was a nice texture touch!

I will be back to try other things, and look forward to watching this...