although minneapolis and saint paul are described as twin cities a walk along their streets is more a tale of two, the former a bustling metropolis while the latter’s “downtown” isn’t exactly desolate, but largely lacking in terms of storefronts save for a few local coffee shops plus the buttered tin where localswaitup to an hour as a result of not only the lack of competition, but a lengthy menu baked goods plus several breakfast and lunch plates.
now open since 2013 and featuring the skills of chef alicia hinze, a cordon bleu graduate who sought to fill a niche with “happiness,” it was just past 1:00pm that he buttered tin was found still filled since approximately eight in the morning, a situation overcome by a grab n’ go pastry counter in front of the bustling kitchen as servers passed by at a rapid and steady pace.
probably not a place best suited for the indecisive, the combination of countertop, racks and a refrigerated case displaying at least three-dozen styles of scratch-made sweets plus a few savory items such as biscuits, it was beginning with one sizable specimen featuring good layering and plenty of thyme that a first taste was taken, the herbs occasionally a bit overwhelming but not unpleasant while a seven-layer bar to follow developed in waves beginning with chocolate and slowly dissipating to a lengthy linger of butter and coconut.
unable towaitany longer at this point for hinze’s most celebrated item, a warmed cinnamon roll topped-to-order with cream cheese frosting, suffice it to say that in a region where the pastry is offered prominently across many menus this version is not as fluffy as some though it is still good, a housemade riff on hostess’ classic cupcake also falling short of accolades, particularly considering the $3 cost for what amounts to about two bites.
seated elsewhere and indulging with coffee, several halves later discarded to save capacity for additional dining, it was finally at this point that two items worth devouring in their entirety were discovered, a chocolate salted caramel cookie seemingly flourless and exceptional in its balance while a daily “milk ball” filled with oreo fluff reminisced of baked dim sum but with the springiness of an egg bread such as brioche.