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When my friends David and Grant moved here from Manhattan during a flat, frigid stretch of January 2006, I assured them there were plenty of wonderful restaurants in the Twin Cities where they could occupy themselves during the winter. Try La Belle Vie, I said. Heartland, Restaurant Alma, Five (now closed), Cosmos, and Fugaise.

I'll admit, I was trying hard to convince them we aren't rubes here in Minnesota. We don't eat pork chops and boiled potatoes at every meal. We have great restaurants, too!

They followed my instructions and dined around. But by February, the two men had a recommendation for me: duplex, they said, was by far their favorite local place. A small, glowing bistro on Hennepin Avenue — located in the old Pandora's Cup coffeehouse (which was, I'm suspecting, a duplex when originally built) — it was close to their Kenwood home, cozy, warm, and consistent in serving great, mostly locally-grown, healthy-yet-tasty fare.

Indeed, my partner Jeremy Iggers, wrote a review of duplex back when he was at the Strib that said in part:

The world would certainly be a better place if more people asked themselves the question, "What can I do today to make Jeremy Iggers, restaurant critic for the Star Tribune, a happy guy?" At least, it would be a better place for me. I'm not claiming that the owners of duplex, the intimate new Uptown dining spot, actually designed their restaurant with me in mind, but they definitely pushed all the right buttons.

If you haven't tried duplex yet, I suggest you sign up for one of several upcoming wine dinners. The first — which is being served this week, starting tonight, November 29, and going through Saturday, the 31st — features a five-course menu from Spain:

Ajoblanco de Málaga (garlic cream soup with almonds)

Revueltos (eggs scrambled with mushrooms and shrimp)

Remajon (orange and cod salad with red onions and green olives)

Pollo al Chilindrón (chicken with tomato, peppers and Serrano ham)

and

Cinnamon Flan

This meal, with wine, is priced at an unbelievable $37. Subsequent dinners will feature the cuisines of Italy, France, and the American Midwest.

For reservations, or more information, call duplex at 612-381-0700.