La Grolla – http://www.lagrollastpaul.com/

So, you are looking for a place to eat a nice dinner on a beautiful patio? St Paul’s Selby Ave offers an array of choices. W. A. Frost, Il Vesco Vino and my most recent stop, La Grolla.

The Italian neighborhood eatery La Grolla offers a beautiful patio just off of Selby Ave in the heart of what I consider St Paul’s “Eat Street”. Of course St Paul also offers Grand Ave and Minneapolis has the original “Eat Street”, but this section of Selby Ave in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood has a handful of wonderful gems in a brief few blocks. La Grolla being one of those sparkling gems.

My stop was for a light bite. Despite the mouth watering menu and the ear perking specials, we stuck with just two items today. The Crab Cakes and the Grilled Calamari Steaks, yes steaks. No more rings or mini bunches of tentacles caked in a batter to mask the quality of the Cephalopod. These steaks came out grilled to perfection with an amazing sauce and presentation. If you like calamari, find out if this “daily special” is being offered when your stop (It is not on their main menu).

We also ordered the Crab Cakes. While the cakes had wonderful flavor and offered a twist with the ingredients that were packed inside (red and yellow bell peppers, buffalo mozzarella and jalapenos), there was not much crab. While they were not advertised as lump crab cakes, I was still hoping for a little more of the crustacean. Always a let down in my book! The Cayenne Citrus sauce that accompanied the cakes however was an excellent pairing.

I must also say that the service and atmosphere at La Grolla warrants a stop even if Italian is not on your short list of favorite food styles. The cozy dinning room and the two level garden patio will enhance any dining experience. Your experience will then be completed by the experienced staff that seamlessly and knowledgeably guide you through your meal.

Bottom line, I can’t wait for the next time I get to go back and experience more of what La Grolla has to offer!