The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

The real test of a chef's talent isn't what they can do with foie gras or fresh black truffles. Those ingredients can make any chef look good, and the less you do with them, the better. The real test is what you can do with more mundane ingredients like beets, brussel sprouts and beef short ribs.

By that standard, Stuart Woodman's work at Heidi's (named after his wife and co-chef) is impressive. An appetizer billed as beet variation 13 combines a beet sorbet with roasted beets, topped with fennel and shallots, scented with juniper. The originality of the combination commands your attention, and then the subtlety of the flavors rewards it. Another appetizer, seared ahi tuna, breathes new life into the most over-exposed ingredient currently to be found on local menus: Woodman serves it over a thin slice of marinated roasted eggplant, and tops the fish with fried leeks, creating a delightful interplay of textures.
Woodman built his reputation at two high-end restaurants, Restaurant Levain and Five, both now out of business. Heidi's, in the former Pane Vino Dolce space, is a much more modest venture, with minimal decor, and entrees priced from $9-$19. You can get a decent glass of wine for as little as $5 (a rarity nowadays), though the list of wines by the bottle ranges all the way up to $109, for a 2005 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles.

My favorite dining companion, who doesn't eat meat, was delighted to find four acceptable options on the entree list: barramundi in a mussel broth; steamed halibut with kale, artichokes and fingerling potatoes; turnip ravioli with brown butter and pea greens; and (her choice) a vegetarian bolognese with firm, al dente pappardelle and an intensely flavorful mushroom chard sauce.

Lots of restaurants serve a pretty standard version of the molten chocolate cake, but Heidi's version (actually made by Heidi, unless I miss my guess) adds a flavorful seasonal twist: a hint of gingerbread spice.

My only gripe is about the decibel level. I only went to Pane Vino Dolce once, though I liked the food, because I found the decibel level painfully loud - like being trapped inside a steel drum. It's much better at Heidi's, but there is still room for improvement.

Heidi's Minneapolis, 819 W. 50th St., Minneapolis, 612-354-3512.