Hot Plate: Art Gallery or Restaurant

[Jeremy Iggers]

Is it an art gallery? Is it a Restaurant? This much is sure: the Hot Plate Diner at 52nd and Bloomington has the most impressive collection of paint-by-numbers art I have ever seen. At least five different images of Jesus, two of the Virgin Mary, and oodles of poodles, cocker spaniels and sad-eyed clowns. The buttermilk pancakes with caramelized pecans were just about perfect. There's a lot more that I would like to try, especially on the lunch menu, when chicken pot pie, meatloaf and tater tot casserole are featured.
Also worthy of note: the cheapest wine prices I have seen anywhere. The house wine is $3.50 a glass, and marked down to $2 for happy hour. Cheaper still are the Bandit varietals - Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernet, bottled (if that's the right word) in one-liter Tetra Paks. They're priced at $4 a glass, or $10 a bottle, which works out to just over $1.50 a glass. I haven't tasted them, but somehow Tetra Pak Merlot sounds like the perfect pairing for tater tot casserole and paint by numbers poodles.

Hot Plate Diner, 5204 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-824-4794.

[PM]

I've eaten at Hot Plate many times, and have never been disappointed. Also have some great burgers at lunch time!