11/13/17
4 Bone Rack of Lamb at Sanctuary in Minneapolis, MN. When done right, I’m a huge fan of lamb, and this 4 Bone Rack of Lamb was outstanding. Cooked a perfect medium rare, it was marinated with a garlic-herb seasoning and accompanied by mashed rutabaga (a yellow turnip-like vegetable), chimichurri, and a red wine chili reduction. Every bite was juicy and full of flavor. I’m not a fan of a ton of sauce drenched on meat, as I feel like it typically drowns out the flavors of the meat. Sanctuary’s preparation, however, was on point - the chimichurri and red wine chili reduction gave it a nice kick when i wanted to mix the meat with the sauce, but because it sat on the bottom of the dish and wasn’t drenched on top of the lamb, it allowed me to fully taste the flavor of the meat itself. The lamb was tender as can be, and I used my carving knife to get every sliver of meat. Luckily one of my friends ordered the same thing and gave me one of his pieces of lamb (we ordered a ton of appetizers so he filled up), but I could have easily run this dish back several times. Sanctuary serves New American food in a quaint space not far from downtown. They have a diverse menu with terrific service. Open late (11 pm) on Fridays and Saturdays.