Now at Contessa: sushi

By Mary L. Meyer, Special to The Free Press
The Free Press

MANKATO May 09, 2008 02:56 pm

— When Wendy Anderson established her downtown restaurant, Contessa, she wanted it to showcase fine cuisine from around the world. The recent addition of sushi to the menu is a reflection of that vision that meets the demand of the restaurant’s clientele.
The first restaurant in the city to prepare sushi on a regular basis, Contessa’s offerings have expanded in the year since the restaurant opened to feature international fare as well as the seasonal menu items. One week each month the featured cuisine has an exotic flare, such as tapas from Spain or Germany, and Italian specialties, Anderson said, noting some patrons also requested Far Eastern cuisine.
“A lot of people wanted to know if we were offering sushi,” she said. Fortunately, Cordon Bleu-trained head chef Jamie Waterbury’s culinary background in sushi preparation made it possible to incorporate it into the restaurant’s fare.
While some customers may order sushi out of curiosity, most are connoisseurs of the Japanese delicacy.
“The majority that come here come because they love sushi. They say, ‘We have driven to the Twin Cities for this,’” Anderson said.
Sushi is available at Contessa three days a month. Because only the freshest seafood is used, she said, it must be flown in daily.
Although sushi evolved from a method of preserving fish in Japan, it has become a work
of art as well as
a food. Originally, the word sushi referred to the vinegared rice, but the name has become synonymous with the raw fish, shellfish or vegetable it is combined with. The rice and seafood is sometimes wrapped in seaweed to make it easier to handle.
The names of the various sushi may be unfamiliar to the novice diner, but the experienced epicureans know what they like, she said.
Nigiri, small finger-shaped mounds of rice topped with a filet of seafood or shellfish, such as tuna, snapper, scallops or salmon, are highlighted on Contessa’s sushi menu.
Specialty rolls include the eel, crab and avocado roll and the spider roll, a combination of soft shell crab and avocado surrounded by an outer layer of smelt roe. Prices range from $3.50 for two pieces of asparagus or snapper nigiri to $9.95 for four to six pieces of spider roll.
Anderson has added monthly cooking classes to the restaurant’s calendar. The classes are offered the first Monday of each month. The May 5 class is Sushi 101, focusing on the basics of the technique, she said. Other summer classes will teach participants about outdoor grilling, seafood preparation and Italian country cuisine.
In addition to cooking classes and the international fare, Anderson has expanded her business for special events, such as a monthly wine-tasting gathering paired with appetizers in the establishment’s Renove lounge, meetings of the Martini Club and Therapy Thursday for guests who want to unwind with a drink, appetizers and friendly conversation.
In a collaboration with the Mankato YWCA, Contessa will be the site of a monthly luncheon series beginning April 28 titled “Women, Wealth and Wisdom.” The series is designed to provide networking opportunities for women and explore the relationships between women, wealth, wisdom and happiness.
Contessa has also gradually begun catering local social events, she said. A private dining room comfortably seats 60 guests and features a flat-screen video monitor for presentations.
“We focus on quality food. Our basics are steak, seafood and pasta. It’s all about ambiance, the experience, the quality of the food and socialization,” she said.
A Springfield native, Anderson graduated from Mankato State University with a degree in business education. She operated businesses in Texas and Colorado before moving back to Minnesota three years ago to be closer to her family.
Anderson researched the location and planned the restaurant for two years before opening Contessa in the Landkamer’s building. Incorporating eco-friendly materials in the project was critical, she said.
“Building green and eating quality organic food has been a passion of mine for the past 15 years,” Anderson said.

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