Crasqui
Day 1: 5-Course Nouveau Venezuelan Tasting Series
Opened in 2023 in downtown St. Paul, this Venezuelan eatery shot right onto MLPS/St. Paul Magazine’s List of “Best Twin Cities Restaurants". Crasqui is an island off Venezuela where Chef Soleil Ramirez grew up and learned to cook alongside her mother and grandmother. While she got off to a good start in the restaurant business in her home country, the corruption there motivated her to seek asylum in the US, and she arrived in Minneapolis in 2016. Her skills did not go unrecognized, and she cooked in the kitchens of Jonathan Hunt at Al Vento Restaurant and Jack Riebel at The Lexington, where she served as Chef de Cuisine for three years. In 2020, she opened her first restaurant, Arepa Bar, at the Midtown Global Market, followed by “Love & Soul Series,” a monthly private fine-dining experience that educated patrons about the historical roots of Venezuelan cuisine and its influences from Spain, Portugal, and France. Now, at Crasqui, she is delighting diners with a Latin menu full of exciting discoveries but never overly spicy. We can’t wait to visit here and learn more from Chef Ramirez about Venezuela’s distinctive cuisine.
About the Host:
Soleil Ramirez
Chef/Owner
A Venezuela native, Chef Soleil Ramirez moved to the US seeking asylum in 2016. After receiving a work permit, she quickly became the mentee of several locally renowned chefs, including Jonathan Hunt at Al Vento Restaurant and Jack Riebel at The Lexington, where she served as Chef de Cuisine for 3 years. She is the culinary force behind the "Love & Soul" Series, a monthly private fine-dining experience at The Central Mix.
The Lineup
All courses will be individually plated. This menu will be Gluten and Nut Free. For the list of restrictions Chef is accommodating, scroll to the bottom of this page.
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Seafood Empanadas
toasted white corn dough, calamari, shrimp, fish, venezuelan sofrito, squid ink
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Sancocho de Res
beef consomé, buckwheat, boniato, onion, garlic, corn
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Palmito y Aguacate
arugula salad with avocado purée, tomato, red onion, roasted heart of palm, chimichurri dressing
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Recuerdos de Margarita
pan seared red snapper, mango chutney, watercress
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Parchita y Guayaba
passion fruit mousse, guava purée
Crasqui
84 Wabasha St S
St Paul, MN 55107
Event FAQs
- Do guests need to be of a certain age to attend this event?
- Yes. All attendees must be 21+ to gain entry.
- Does this restaurant allow BYOB?
- No. This restaurant is a non-BYO establishment. Outside alcohol will not be permitted at this event.
- Will this event be handicap acccessible?
- According to the restaurant, this event is handicap accessible. If applicable however, please email support@tastingcollective.com with your needs to ensure proper accommodations.
- What is the event ticket cancellation/refund policy?
- Restaurants purchase the food for our events 14 days before the event date, at which point we are on the hook for the cost of your ticket. As such, we are not able to offer refunds (or credits towards future events) for any cancellation requests submitted within 14 days of the event date. We will, however, issue full refunds for all cancellation requests submitted at least 14 days before the event date. All cancellation requests must be submitted via email to support@tastingcollective.com.
- What dietary restrictions/food allergies can be accommodated at this event?
- Due to the large-format nature of our events, restaurants are not able to accommodate all dietary restrictions/food allergies or make any menu adjustments based on food preferences (e.g distaste for specific ingredients/flavor profiles). This restaurant will be offering substitutions exclusively for the following restrictions/allergies: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Allium, Dairy, Mushroom, Fish, Shellfish. If you have any of these restrictions/allergies, please make sure to note this in your profile (in the “Event Preferences” section) either before or right after purchasing your tickets so Chef can prepare accordingly.
