DeRusha Eats: The Mad Hatter Restaurant & Tea Room
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- There is nature, beauty, and tranquility alongside the Rum River, and outside one of Minnesota's oldest homes. But inside that home there is laughter, conversation, and the energy of a place that is far from a historic artifact.
"Once you come as our guest you kind of leave as family," Liz Koch, co-owner of The Mad Hatter Restaurant & Tea Room, said.
The Mad Hatter, in Anoka, offers a couple types of daily tea service. The Cheshire is tea, scones and desserts; but the Queen of Hearts tea service is really where it's at. Scones, desserts, and a savory course created from Koch's own recipes.
"We have our curried egg salad, Frenchy French -- lavender herb cream cheese, Havarti, cucumber -- herbed cucumber on rye, and cranberry pecan chicken salad on a zucchini muffin. In the fall we serve it on a pumpkin muffin," Koch said.
The Daily tea service is as beautiful as you'd expect. A lot of this china is donated, by guests who want their cups and saucers to have a second life. But the quality of the food is unexpected: it's fantastic. The sweet cream, lemon curd, and orange marmalade all made by hand, same with the dressings and the salads.
Tea can take two hours to enjoy. It's a chance to renew friendships, and more.
"It forces you to slow down, have conversation. People turn off their devices," Koch said.
No doubt the setting is part of that. The Woodbury House was built in 1857 in Anoka. After 150 years it had fallen into disrepair and foreclosure. The city of Anoka bought it, and the Koch's won the right to rent. They fixed it up, and the business has been blooming.
"There's nothing I'd rather be doing," Koch said.
It's a family affair: Koch's husband Tim helps run the business, her son does computer work and sometimes serves tables, as does their daughter.
Jason DeRusha: Do you like working with your family?
Liz Koch: Oh yes.
Jason DeRusha: Do they like working with you?
Liz Koch: (laughing) Probably not.
You can feel that love on the plate. For guests who don't want team, brunch every day features chicken and waffles with a Dijon dressing. They feature a delicious Pulled pork French toast, stuffed with apples and caramelized onions.
Dish after dish playing with a balance of sweet and savory.
"I am definitely into sweet, but not too sweet. I like to mix it up," Koch said.
It's a throwback: a slow meal, a spot of tea. The Mad Hatter is something special.
"You're making memories more than just having a meal," she said.
Mad Hatter
1632 S. Ferry Street
Anoka, MN 55303
763-422-4160