Semi-Redemption for the Beacon Public House

After a very public outing for its not-so-local practices (and its not-so-truthful claims to local practices), it would be easy to write off the Beacon Public House—the restaurant in the new Commons Hotel near the U of M. This week, City Pages' Emily Weiss gave the gastropub a mixed but ultimately hopeful review.

While many of the elaborately-described dishes "just didn't come together quite right"—including a housemade gnocchi with forest mushrooms and preserved vegetables that "tasted a hair too much like the penne rosa from Noodles and Company"—Weiss applauds the Beacon's handling of the meat and fish entrees, comparing the swordfish to the Strip Club's. She also singles out the Beacon's cocktail list, especially the Desert Heat, made with Patron muddled with cucumber, pineapple, lime, and jalapeño

She ends by pointing out that the Beacon's challenge will be creating a menu that is special enough to convince locals to pay the restaurant a visit, not just hotel guests. Oh, and yes, the Beacon does now have a revised menu, which has removed many of the prior false local claims and also the false associations with local farms. The restaurant is still working to make those local connections, according to Weiss.

· Beacon Public House Invites You to Stay [City Pages]
· Is Beacon Public House Making False Locavore Claims? [Eater MPLS]

[Photo: The Beacon Public House Facebook Page]