Once again, I'm the last to know. I've been going back and forth to Duluth for a month now, searching on-line for authentic Great Lakes food experiences and finding more than I expected. I didn't, however, know a thing about the Duluth Grill until Scott and Britt called down from the third floor and asked Bob and I to join them for a late Sunday breakfast. Gargirl knew the way, so we drove through the ice and snow to the Grill. Windows were steamed over—always a good sign of a vibrant space; as many people coming out as going in—evidence of fast service and popularity; and small clusters of happy customers visiting in the parking lot.

Although there was a sign-up list, before we could read about Guy Fieri's  visit, we were seated, given thick menus, water, and coffee. The menu is too big to insert, but here are a few breakfast items: 

CURRIED POLENTA SKILLET—Curried garbanzo bean polenta with sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, broccoli, mixed with chick peas, pumpkin seeds and steamed spinach served over hash brown potatoes

SEVEN GRAIN PORRIDGE—Kamut, bulgur wheat, buckwheat groats, Colusari red rice, whole grain quinoa flakes, chia seed and flax seed, with dried organic cranberries, local honey, a touch of cinnamon and topped with steamed milk. Served with organic yogurt and fruit 

CARAMEL APPLE FRENCH TOAST—We first bake our special recipe bread with Granny Smith apples and pecans cooked in. Then it's dipped in our fresh batter, grilled and topped off with homemade apple topping, whipped cream, chopped pecans and powder sugar with caramel drizzle 

SMOKED SALMON OMELET—Northern Waters Smokehaus Salmon and melted Danish Havarti cheese with dill 

BUFFALO TOFU MELT—Grilled multi-grain layered with pepper-jack cheese, grilled tomato and zingy buffalo tofu strips, served with bleu cheese dressing. 

The Duluth Grill's menu has gluten-free items, a vegetarian and vegan section, eight burgers (including two buffalo burgers, a wild Alaska salmon burger, and a gouda burger), appetizers, entrees, salads, sandwiches, big salads, side salads, and desserts. They use only cage-free organic eggs, make their own maple syrup from local trees, make their own ketchup, use local food producers whenever possible, operate a sustainable, "green" kitchen, buy their scones from the local "scone lady", serve jam made by the local "jam lady", offer Vegan cheddar slices and "Veganaise" as substitutes, serve coffee roasted and ground from a local source, bake caramel nut cinnamon rolls the size of Pittsburgh, bake apple pies made with apples from local trees, and pour coffee into mugs individually hand-painted by local artist, Karen Kraemer. I'm tired just writing these words! 

Their community involvement is equally impressive: cookbook sales that benefit cancer research, free meals to local vets every Veteran's Day, school supplies for area students, health care for their employees, pancake batter provided for local fund raising events. 

Now for the blue-eyed soul  part. Our server, Whitney, pointed out the owner, Tom Hanson who was busy bussing tables, pouring coffee, and checking on eaters. When he had a minute I told him how impressed we were with his restaurant and how bloggeled we were at the choices he offered. 

"Well", he said, "It all started with some regulars asking for more vegetarian items, so we added a few. Then someone asked if our eggs were organic, so we bought organic eggs from the egg man. The egg man sent a fisherman by, so we added locally caught fish. The fish guy sent the pork guy, the pork guy sent the jam lady who came over with the scone lady and the honey man.  We are a local, family-owned business and decided that if our customers ask for it, we will respond. I love this place, I can't imagine being happy doing anything other than bussing, pouring coffee, and talking with my friends."

Food from the soul and a business plan from the heart, not necessarily from the back pocket. Any restaurant with an eight-page menu has an occasional quality problem, but Tom is always there to make it good. 

As I left to go back out into the sunny winter day, he said to me, "Be sure to come back. I'm working on duck confit for an omelette. Should be good." Duck confit in Duluth?—go figure.

I ordered two sides: red flannel hash and a Scotch egg. I make better red flannel hash, so here's the recipe. In 1986, Scotch Eggs were on the lunch menu at City Restaurant in Los Angeles and the ones I had at the Duluth Grill were every bit as good. Here's Mary Sue Milliken's Scotch Eggs recipe.

Red Flannel Hash

• 2 red-skinned potatoes
• 2 peeled carrots, large dice
• 2 small peeled beets
• Some corned beef 
• 1 bacon slice, chopped 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper  
• 4 eggs

Toss beets with a small amount of oil, salt, and black pepper and roast in a 425-degree oven for 60 minutes.  

Chop potatoes and carrots in small-medium pieces. Toss with oil, salt/pepper and roast in the same oven for 45 minutes. Cool beets until you can handle them, then slip skins off and chop into small-medium pieces. 

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until brown but not crisp. Drain all bacon grease but 2 Tbs. 

Sauté onion with bacon until translucent, add potatoes, carrots, and beets to onions in the skillet. Flatten with spatula to compact. Cook hash until brown on bottom, about 10 minutes. Continue cooking until heated through, stirring up bottom crust occasionally, about 5 minutes. 

Crack eggs on top of hash, cover with lid and cook until whites are solid. Serve with a piece of toast.

Scotch eggs

c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

4 servings 

• 1/2 pound ground pork 
• 1 tablespoons fennel seeds 
• 1/4 bunch fresh sage, chopped 
• 1 teaspoons salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 
• 4 hardcooked eggs, peeled and chilled 
• 1 1/2 cups fine, dry bread crumbs 
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 

1 recipe Watercress Salad (recipe below) 

2 tomatoes, sliced 

Horseradish and Mustard and Mayonnaise (recipe below) 

Mix together pork, fennel seed, sage, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 equal portions. Form a patty in your hand with the first portion. Flatten patty, place egg inside, and keep rolling egg and meat in the palms of your hands, until a thin layer of meat coats the eggs. Repeat this procedure until all the eggs are coated with pork mixture. Chill 20 minutes. 

Dredge chilled, coated eggs first in bread crumbs, then in eggs and bread crumbs again. Chill 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Our server, Whitney