Curiocity: Does Cooper Make The Irish Pub Cut?
Since I've been back in the Twin Cities, I've made a promise to myself that anytime I go out to eat, I will try a new place. That is, with the exception of semi-weekly Chipotle visits, which I truly believe are necessary to my overall wellbeing.
That aside, when a friend suggested checking out Kieran Folliard's newest endeavor, Cooper Pub and Restaurant, I couldn't wait to see what the owner of Kieran's, the Local and The Liffey, had in store in his latest voyage to Ireland.
I had heard the restaurant was making a bit of a name for itself since its grand opening late last year but couldn't help but be curious to see if it would live up to the standards of the Irish pubs already a favorite to many in the area.
Cooper is located in the very up-and-coming expanded area of St. Louis Park, off Park Place Boulevard. The location is perfect for grabbing a lunch after shopping or stopping in for a nice dinner before heading out.
The underground, free parking is also a great feature. And yes, I said free parking. Oh and did I mention it's a heated, underground parking lot? I'm not joking when I say that alone would prompt me to spend time in that locale.
Upon entering Cooper, the beautifully ornate and even, eclectic, décor is sure to draw your eye first. Tall ceilings and classic, brown pillars create an elegance in the pub that is only capitalized by hanging cinched curtains and simple, modest chandeliers.
The round, decorative bar is the centerpiece of the restaurant with gorgeous arched glass windows that give a classy almost saloon feel. Behind the glass windows, there's an intimate party space, available for rent that's like its own private room right in the middle of the restaurant.
The bar ceiling is lined with paintings of what I'll call Greek goddesses. I'm not sure if that's truly what they are but the elaborate paint job is very cool, nonetheless. The rest of the restaurant wraps around the bar and mixes a sophisticated style with that casual "pub" experience. So basically, if you want to take your significant other out during the playoffs, you'll enjoy the classy dining and he'll be able to enjoy the flat screen HDTVs.
Though I must say, I don't get "Irish pub" from Cooper. It is much more eclectic and nothing about the ambiance or appearance says Irish to me.
The dining area is a mix of high tops and dining tables, though if you can, try to get a spot away from the bar. We found quickly that when you're seated near the bar area, bar dwellers tend to crowd over into the dining room. (One woman even thought it was appropriate to sit at an empty chair at our table, but turn it towards the bar. Um, yes, thank you for that.)
Which leads into my next point, the only problem with this hot spot is just that, it's still a hot spot. So get there early or prepare to wait a while for a table -- and prepare to feel crowded.
Anyway, on to the most important part -- the food. I had heard good things about Cooper's tomato basil soup and boy, was it good -- extremely rich but quite tasty. A good mix of rich flavor and cheesy oozy goodness. Unfortunately, that was the only truly noteworthy dish. Don't get me wrong, the food was good but nothing to write home about. Or write in a column about.
My advice? The place itself is fun to check out and the atmosphere is different from a lot of other places. The crowd's a little bit older but the party room could be a pretty cool spot for a number of fun events. I'd wait a little while for the "newness" appeal to die down, but then head over and check it out. And seriously, if nothing else, it's worth it for the free, underground parking.
