Over the last couple years I’ve finally developed an appreciation for seafood (except shrimp… reason 1 is the texture and reason 2 is because I was told that shrimp are a chromosome away from a cockroach and therefore literally the cockroach of the sea. Vomit). Therefore, when my friend Mikayla invited me along to a group dinner at 4 Bells, I instantly agreed.
4 Bells is known for their extremely fresh seafood and while they utilize local fish when possible, the bulk of their seafood is overnighted directly from the coasts.
Their name, according to their website, comes from the tradition of ringing a bell 4 times to signal to sailors that it’s time for a break.
Food:
We started off with oysters and calamari for the table. The calamari was made with curry tempura, harissa, yogurt, mint, basil, and lime which gave it this really delicious almost spicy flavoring.
Steamed Pei Mussels: BBQ Butter, Mustard Greens, Pepper, and served with Crostini
Mikayla and I could not make up our minds, because we both wanted to try everything, so we ended up ordering a feast to share. Oops.
We started with salads, I had the Ceasar Salad and she had the Beet Salad. I was not expecting my Ceasar Salad to be as large as it was, it was presented as a literal romaine heart with the cheese and dressing within the leaves. Beautiful, but the dressing was a little too thick. Her beet salad was delightful with both red and orange beets.
Next up we had the Steamed Pei Mussels. The BBQ butter mixed in gave it a southern kick. The mussels were delicious, but I wasn’t completely sure about the sauce, which is probably for the best, because we ended up having more crostinis to dip into the leftover garlic butter from our pull apart bread…yummmmm!
Scallops: Sweet Corn Cake, Bacon, Endive, and Coffee-Maple Jus
We also ordered the Scallops and they were served on top of a corn cake. That with the syrup was such an unexpected flavor and experience. I would order this happily again and again and again.
Garlic Butter Pull Aparts
Lastly, as I already alluded to, when I saw the words “garlic butter” on the menu I knew that it was going to be mine. I dare anyone to tell me something better than bread, butter, and garlic combined.
All in all, the food was absolutely delicious. It was smaller portions and also a pricier meal, but that’s a foregone conclusion when you go to a fresh seafood restaurant.
Drinks:
Blackberry Fizz: Alto Del Carmen Pisco Reservado, Blackberry, Lime, Egg White, and Gin Barrel Aged Orange Bitters
I may or may not have had three of the Blackberry Fizz cocktails and may or may not have felt no shame at all…5 stars.
Service/Atmosphere:
I was a little concerned that I would look underdressed in my distressed denim, but luckily it’s more upscale casual than formal. They have a rooftop during the summer which I’m excited to visit and there are a variety of dining areas in the restaurant.
The parking in that area of Loring Park is limited. There is either metered parking or there is also a public lot so definitely be prepared.
Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable, but we did notice that the service was pretty slow. We were a party of 8 so slower service is expected when it comes to food, but it took 15ish minutes after he took our checks to bring them back to sign.
4 Bells
1610 Harmon Place
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tuesday – Thursday: 4PM – 9PM
Friday – Saturday: 4PM – 10PM
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