Cooper 11-17-09

Kyla and I went to Cooper for lunch. It is a fresh "Hot Spot" in St. Louis Park, in the East Side development. Upon entry the decor and architecture was absolutely charming. It was like taking a step back in time. We bellied up to the bar because the place was nearly packed to the gills. The bar staff greeted us promptly with menus and took our drink order. After taking a quick overview of the quite small menu, Kyla decided on the Wee Lunch Special and I on the Chicken Bites. Kyla's meal contained a very small salad, a hand full of fries and a mini burger. The salad looked good. It was comprised of mixed greens and on the lighter side of being dressed. The fries were very well done, but seemed like they sat in the window too long because their insides were soggy. The burger was appealing to the eye, but nothing special. The chicken bites description was not what I was presented with. The menu read along the lines of lightly breaded and lightly fried. What I received were odd bits of chicken that I would not call lightly breaded and were absolutely over fried. This was certainly not worth the $9 price tag. What goes on in the kitchen is just as important as what goes on in the dining area. I definitely think there needs to be more attention to detail in that respect. I hope Cooper finds a way to make the food preparation the main course instead of the decor.

In closing
Atmosphere 10+
Service 9.5
Fare 6
Overall recommendation: Go for a cocktail and enjoy the view.

Keep on eating!
Jackie the Grazer