The Noble Lion — Restaurant in Victoria

Nobel Lion was a recommendation from a work colleague so first time visit. We love the vibe of the downtown Victoria area and reading how the Nobel Lion came to be, it feels like it fits right in. I made a reservation and understood that prior to 7:30, the expectation was that a party of 2 would spend 1.5 hours. It's understandable that this would be the case because seating is very limited. We were right on time and had to wait a few minutes to be greeted. Once seated, we waited for a bit for a server to appear. Given the compact size of the place, it's super easy to see when patrons leave and when they are seated; however, the alcove is a bit hidden from view and unless someone is stationed there consistently, it would be difficult to see that someone is waiting to be seated. That said, the hostess and server were very professional, personable and knowledgeable. Once we were greeted, our server was very attentive. We don't usually order "starters" but decided to give the French onion soup and crispy brussel sprouts a try. Yummy on both counts. For entrees I ordered the Branzino (sea bass) and hubby ordered the hanger steak. To my surprise the skin was still on my bass, which had me a bit concerned (tends to taste fishy), but I absolutely loved the crispy texture and with the green beans, capers and sauce, it is a dish I would definitely order again. Unfortunately, my husband ordered his steak medium and pink, and it was medium rare. He should have asked that they cook it a bit longer, but he let it go. The bigger issue was the absence of bordelaise sauce. We didn't realize it was missing until later when he commented on how basic the dish was and lacking flavor. I looked at the menu online and realized that the sauce was left out. This would have made for a much tastier dish. We did not have dessert, but decided to pop over to the Lion's Den for another drink. It's an intimate space, and pricing for an old fashioned was about what you'd expect. I only gave 4 stars overall for Noble Lion for the slight wait when we were seated, and the atmosphere (seats are hard and the noise level made it hard to hear sometimes), also a bit surprised that a manager or owner wouldn't stop by to see how things were going. Not a big deal. The food is amazing and our server was great, for these reasons we would...

Great food, drinks, and character - The Noble Lion is well worth checking out!

We stopped by a few weeks after opening for an anniversary dinner. It was a nice night so we sat outside on the newly decorated patio/alley. The owner sat us and the wait staff brought out some menus and water. The Noble Lion really did a great job overall, with fine attention to detail you just won't get at other places. For example, I kind of get obsessed about "the perfect drinking glass". The Noble Lion brought out water glasses for us that were just perfect in your hand, they begged you to take a big swig, felt heavy, and were beautiful to look at. Then I ordered a draft beer, to find that they offer each draft beer in its namesake glassware. Now, this is standard practice at legitimate European pubs, but to find that detail at a place like this I was not expecting!

The food was all excellent. We ordered the charcuterie board ($16), rib-eye steak with fries ($28), creme brulee ($6), and chocolate and raspberry flour-less cake ($7). The steak was definitely a highlight, cooked perfectly medium rare (as requested), with actual good fries that were crisp but still moist and not over salted. For me, creme brulee is one of my favorites and they hit it right home with that dessert. Overall, the menu is small but has something for everyone and what they do have is all excellent. Since they are new, expect them to be switching it up frequently until they hone in on exactly what will stick around.

The interior is quite classy, with black leather, marble, and an upscale feel that you aren't going to find anywhere else this far west of 494. I really like the theme that they went with, it is modern with a throwback to European architecture and style. Overall, I'd say that Chef Marc Huebner killed it and no doubt will be successful...

Last night was our second visit to this new establishment. I meant to write this review after the first time there, but so glad I waited to taste more menu items. The location is on target with the fasting growing suburb in the Metro area. The size and decor of the restaurant gives you a fine dining feel with out the pretense. When a few tables are open, you do not feel lost, when the place is packed and the bar is standing room only, you feel like you are lucky enough to be at one of the hippest places that only cool people know about. The menu is smartly crafted with proportional choices, not overwhelming - but diverse enough to appeal to savvy diners. The salad greens were garden fresh, nicely dressed. Other appetizers were presented with the right amount of eye appeal...not too fussy - a tell tale sign the chef is more interested in how things taste. And they tasted great! Our mussels where plump and fragrant with lemon and wine. The kebabs would have benefited from being served at once, still tasty - but suffered a bit of their excellence from a warming light. The entrees were outstanding. I had the Halibut for the second time to make sure my first experience wasn't beginners luck. I can honestly say this is the best and freshest tasting fish entree I have experienced in Minnesota. I loved the creamy perfectly cooked bed of risotto and assorted oyster fungi. It was generous and very reasonably priced. Our guests ordered the same and they were equally impressed with the whole experience. The wine list is very nice for a small place but the owners should consider one of the excellent nearby estate wines to round out the offerings. It could only add to their 'hipness' and let their guests know they are true...