If you try to list some of the classic downtown Saint Paul establishments, it is likely that The St. Paul Grill comes up in conversation. Nestled in The Saint Paul Hotel, across the street from Rice Park, The St. Paul Grill was founded to withstand the test of time, general manager Henry Buffalo says.
When the restaurant opened in 1990, the goal was to create a classic East Coast grill. “That was their vision for The St. Paul Grill—with a neighborhood twist and a family environment,” Buffalo says. “Family friendly, but “they really wanted it to be top notch, very elegant.”
So elegant that when the restaurant first opened they were overstaffed, to give it a “rich” feel. “They had eight bartenders out, six managers,” says Buffalo, who’s been at The Grill for three years. While they may have pulled back on the staff, everything The Grill does focuses on elegance—which isn’t too hard when you’re connected to The Saint Paul Hotel. However, as Buffalo says, “we’re a separate entity. We don’t do food for the hotel,” but adds that hotel guests often eat in the restaurant.
The St. Paul Grill is not just for the older generation. “Some of the younger people probably think, ‘Oh I remember my grandma and grandpa coming here,’ ” Buffalo says, and the trick is to get the younger set—those who were just kids when the restaurant opened—through the door.
One way they’re doing that is by bringing in a new executive chef, George Snyder. Snyder has a resume filled with high-profile restaurants including Kincaid’s and Pazzaluna, and got his start in New Orleans. Snyder moved there to hop on an oil rig after finishing school to be an auto mechanic in 1982, but he never got on the rig. Instead, he started washing dishes and became a prep cook at Commander’s Palace, working under chefs Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse. “They both kind of took me under their wings and said I was a natural for this industry. I’ve been in it ever since,” Snyder says.
He’s worked just about every position including bartending, waiting, bussing tables, prep cook, even general manager. “So I have a great understanding of how the front of the house and the back of the house work because it all needs to flow together.” This is why you’ll sometimes see Snyder outside of the kitchen, mingling in the dining room.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of folks since I’ve been here—[visiting] tables, stuff like that—building relationships,” he says. “I think that’s what it’s all about.”
Of course, it’s also about the food. People are edging away from the fancy six-course dinners, Buffalo says, and The Grill has been adapting to that, as well as to other trends.
“I think trying to use more local ingredients is the big thing, and focusing on the sustainability,” Snyder says. Customers care where their food comes from and The Grill supports that. They change the menu twice a year, for spring/summer and fall/winter, to keep plates seasonal. But some things never change—like the chicken pot pie.
“Pot pie is the big seller here at The Grill—it’s been on the menu since we opened,” Buffalo says. The Friday shore lunch has also been on the daily feature card for 10 years; other favorites are the walleye and salmon.
And they pay attention to dietary needs. “All of our sous-chefs go through an online program through the National Celiac Foundation [for people with gluten allergies] every year,” Buffalo says.
“There are guests out there with so many different needs these days,” Snyder says. When someone makes a special request on a meal, he says he tries to never say no. “If somebody wants something, I’m going to try my darndest,” Snyder says.
For those simply wanting to stop in the bar, they won’t be disappointed either. “We’re a huge dark liquor, scotch and bourbon [bar],” Buffalo says. The Grill has a scotch club with more than 1,500 members, in addition to a private scotch label. If you’re having a hard time making a decision, the staff can offer interactive iPads with the wine and scotch lists that provide background information on each label, and some have food pairings.
But don’t forget to look up from the iPad because you don’t want to miss catching a glimpse of the famous singer performing over at the Xcel later that night, or a pro hockey player from the Wild or an opposing team. “Celebrities really enjoy coming to The Grill because they really don’t get bugged all that much,” Buffalo says. Recently, the Travel Channel program Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations, hosted by Andrew Zimmern, taped a segment at The Saint Paul Grill.
And the most likely celebrity sighting? Saint Paul Saints owner Bill Murray. “He’s a fun guy,” Buffalo says. Last time he was here, he was going golfing later in the day, and Buffalo couldn’t resist. “I said, ‘Give me a line from Caddyshack,’ and he did it for me,” Buffalo says.
And if you can’t catch them in real life, check out the Wall of Fame in the bar area. It’s filled with portraits of famous Minnesotans including Judy Garland, Sally Ordway Irvine and Charles Schulz. “It’s a tribute to people who have done great things for Minnesota,” Buffalo says.
For Buffalo, working at The St. Paul Grill “is a dream come true. It’s one of the top jobs in the restaurant business.”
“That’s the way I look at it,” Snyder says. “This is one of my favorite restaurants … and to be able to run and cook and be the chef of one of your favorite restaurants—I’m going to put a lot more into that.”
(Left: George Snyder, executive chef; Right: The Saint Paul Grill is known for its scotch club.)
