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

Now Open: Café Armatage, and Mort's Delicatessen

Remember Cue at the Guthrie?

The press release from the Guthrie Theater touting a January three-course prix fixe menu for $29.95 took me by surprise. This isn't just a prix-theater early bird special - it's available any time, and includes a free self-guided iPod tour of the theater and complimentary glass of wine or cup of coffee after dinner.

The French figured out a long time ago that it isn’t just what you eat, it’s how you eat it: Slowly. In small courses. One course at a time. That might sound smart, but in the Minnesota marketplace, it can be a tough sell. The logic of the local restaurant economy is that if you’ve got to raise prices—as restaurants often do—the best way to make diners feel like they’re getting value for money is to dish out big portions. Enormous portions. The result? Diners eat too much, pay too much, and still take half of their meals home in a doggy bag.