Fermentation is one of the hot new food trends in 2016 (never mind that it’s thousands of years old – that’s a topic for another post). While fermentation can produce funky, sour, and mouth-watering flavors, many of the new fermented foods showing up on the shelves of natural-food markets focus more on the health benefits than taste, and their soggy, over-fermented taste and strange mouthfeel are more about choking down your probiotics than being a delicious snack or aperitif.

Thankfully, restaurants like Noma and now GYST in Minneapolis applying culinary arts to fermentation, and fermenting to bring new and surprising flavors to the plate.

I was fortunate to find myself in Minneapolis on business this week, and I make it a point to leave enough time to seek out interesting restaurants on every trip. Prior to heading to Pizzeria Lola for their Korean BBQ Pizza and house-made kimchi (another great reason to visit Minneapolis), I headed over to GYST Fermentation Bar for a sampler of their fermented vegetables and a local beer or two.

Hashtag worththeflighttoMSP.

Every vegetable on their pickle plate, which changes seasonally, maintained it’s crunch and it’s underlying flavor, while being full of sour goodness. My favorite was the yellow beets with orange, which had just enough earthy beet flavor, natural sweetness, and hint of orange balanced with tart and sour. The fennel was also amazing – much more amazing than the last batch I made at home, leaving me slightly jealous of their fermentation kung fu.

I also couldn’t resist the Sandor, named after fermentation guru Sandor Katz – peanut butter on focaccia topped with kimchi and fresh green onion. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it’s delicious – peanut butter and kimchi make a surprising couple.

The mad geniuses at GYST are doing amazing things, and I hope it brings the delights and wonders of fermentation to a wider audience. Definitely check it out next time you’re in Minneapolis.