Husband loves French cuisine so Manger Restaurant & Wine Bar in Bayport, pronounced “mon-g” and meaning “eat” in French, has been on our list for a while. We decided to celebrate an early Valentine’s Day with a dinner reservation last week and I’m excited to share!

Snacks:

Oysters Rockefeller: Oysters topped with a mix of Watercress, Spinach, Fernet, Butter, Parmesan & Breadcrumbs

My husband is not a fan of traditional oysters so I was excited to see Oysters Rockefeller on the menu to get him to agree to try them one more time. Sure enough – they were a hit! The 4 size portion was also the perfect size to allow us to have room for the Foie Gras.

Foie Gras: Pan-Seared Foie, Pistachio and Figs, Madeira Reduction, Burgundy Truffles, Sel Gris and Juniper

This dish was served so beautifully that I couldn’t just pick one photo so I hope you enjoy your mini gallery! I’ve never had foie gras so I was all for trying it and while it was really delicious, I will admit that had I known the process of making it prior I wouldn’t have been able to stomach it 😬 so I highly recommend you do not look it up 😂.

Capunti Nero: House-Made Squid Ink Pasta, Fennel Black Garlic Creme Fraiche, served with Lobster

I couldn’t resist ordering the Capunti Nero, because my forever emo heart got a kick out of ordering a black pasta dish while out celebrating Valentine’s Day 😂🖤.

The presentation was beautiful and the lobster was prepared perfectly. Unfortunately, the sauce was way too salty for me. Researching the ingredients, the taste profile of this dish is meant to be on the salty side, but I do wish it had something to balance that out more.

Rack of Lamb: Swiss Chard, Pistachio Crusted Lamb, Blackberry Glaze

Husband absolutely loved the rack of lamb. The pistachio crust added the right amount of salt and nut and it was prepared perfectly.

*note that the menu on the website didn’t match up with what we had in restaurant. I would recommend checking out their facebook for any updated menu postings.

Drinks:

Espresso Press Martini: Tattersall Tightline Vodka, Loon Coffee Liquor, Chankaska Creek Walnut Kreme Liquor, Lawless Cocoa Nibb, Chilled French Press
Traditional Old Fashioned: Little Round Still Bourbon, Demerara, Orange Bitters, Luxardo Cherries

Manger has a vast wine offering, but they do also offer craft cocktails, and I also saw beer and n/a cocktail options. Of course I got the Espresso Martini variation and this is what happiness looks like:

Sharing some images of the cocktail menu, please note the ingredients are subject to change, but you can see the wine list on their website below.

Atmosphere/Service:

Manger lived up to the hype and we’re excited to go back and try more.

I love this little foodie nook of Bayport!

Manger Restaurant and Wine Bar
320 5th Ave N
Bayport, MN 55003
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