Walking into Boneyard was like walking onto the set of “The O.C.” Throngs of inebriated, fake-tanned braggarts gathered around the bar, hooting and hollering raucously. The revelers spilled out onto the patio to enjoy the balmy 40-degree weather, and they seemed to have forgotten that the Old Chicago that once occupied the space was shuttered and replaced.
Boneyard’s menu suffers from the same fakery. The concept rips off lauded Miami restaurant Yardbird, taking cues from both its website and menu.
But beyond this posing, Boneyard has potential. Boneyard is owned by Kaskaid Hospitality, the proprietors of local favorites Union and Crave. Kaskaid Hospitality appropriates successful restaurant concepts that aren’t present in Minnesota, adds decent food to the mix and markets them to different subgroups of trendsetters.
Minneapolis is a wasteland as far as Southern food goes, and Boneyard aims to change that.
Though staples like chicken and waffles are served as breakfast around town, there’s no restaurant that further explores the Southern canon. With plentiful chicken-fried dishes, Boneyard is a glutton’s delight.
Start with the deviled eggs. Though the taste of the egg whites was unimpressive, the mixture of egg yolk and mayonnaise was spot-on. The eggs were nicely accoutered with a small strip of bacon, and a slice of jalapeno added a pleasant yet mild kick.
The smoked and spicy dry rub wings packed a taste similar to pulled pork. The wings were both tender and unbreaded, teasing their natural juiciness to the forefront. The accompanying blue cheese dressing hinted at buttermilk — its tang made it feel like a carefully executed ranch sauce instead.
Skip the soggy coleslaw. Though perfectly shredded, the lettuce and carrots tasted stale, and it lacked either sweetness or spice to make it stand out. Liberal doses of mayonnaise and sugar would have made it passable.
The mac and cheese brought pimento cheese to the forefront. Relatively unknown in the North, it’s a delightful mixture of sharp cheddar, mayonnaise, pimentos and jalapenos. Its smokiness makes up for the flimsy, generic noodles and makes this side a winner.
Biscuits are a bastion of Southern comfort, and Boneyard’s are no exception, taking center stage in the belt-bursting, rich chicken and biscuits. Portioned into four small squares, they were doughy pillows of delight.
The chicken is an afterthought, and it was, surprisingly, not fried. Had it been, it would have served as the centerpiece instead of being treated as a vehicle for the heavy cream gravy. An unidentified root vegetable added a slight green hue to the dish’s white starchiness. That it lacked proper labeling on the menu was disconcerting.
Dessert is where Boneyard shines brightest, if the banana tart is any evidence. Based on the Southern staple of banana pudding, Boneyard’s variation will eclipse your Mee-Maw’s. The crust tasted freshly baked and was cool, crunchy and flakey. The ratio of bananas to whipped cream was ideal, and the whipped cream tasted real. Knowing that Kaskaid’s restaurants have sometimes been dinged on small details like these, this should be considered a small triumph. There’s yet to be a better banana-based dessert in town.
Service was brisk but friendly and clad in matching blue-plaid cowboy shirts. This theming was tacky, an unfortunate homage to cowboy-themed bars (which Boneyard is not). The dining room has a trendy West Coast appearance, and despite the disturbing presence of several TVs, it seemed at odds with the happy hour crowd.
As the night went on, the crowd changed and more people filed into Boneyard to try the food. And though it’s not going to win any James Beard awards, it’s easy to see why. In a metropolis lacking Southern food, a restaurant suddenly churning out reasonably palatable SoCo interpretations is something to take note of.
What: Boneyard
Where: 2841 S. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
Prices: $3.95-25.95
