I've been fired up about Sea Change ever since I scored a sneak peek of the place in June.  After last night's official opening, I have to say Tim McKee, Josh Thoma and the rest of the crew can put on quite a party. 

I brought my friend Bethany as my "plus one" in an attempt to sway her recently-relocated-from-Chicago-butt into loving Minneapolis.  I could not have chosen a better venue. She was prepared for a jeans and flip-flops crowd. Instead, she got a room full of heels, cocktail dresses and I'm almost positive I saw a seersucker suit. 

Sea Change is sustainable seafood concept, hence it was diver scallops, clam croquettes and yellowfin tuna for all. I, along with every other person at the party, went bonkers over the crispy octopus, cooked sous vide and served with salsa verde, Spanish peppers and pimenton.  I know what you're thinking: Minnesotans? Octopus? Really? But really. It was fantastically tender (none of that rubberband action going on), with just a bit of char from the grill for a little crispy action. Interestingly, I think the person most baffled by the octopus popularity was McKee, who told me he never expected so many people would even sample the stuff.  Hmm... maybe the sea isn't the only thing changing in Minneapolis.

The food was great. However, I wish I would have eaten more of it, because the drinks were pretty darn good too. They served up a delish sugar-rimmed Sazerac, which tasted of with the perfect blend of whiskey and citrus. I totally felt like a badass and classy whilst sipping.

In addition to passing small plates, they had a raw bar set up in the restaurant's open kitchen.  While Bethany and I scoped out the king crab and oysters, I explained to my plus one that I'm not an oyster fan (though I do want to be). Here's my issue: It seems dumb to pay $3 a pop for something that tastes like goobery cocktail sauce. I mean, aren't people usually swallowing them like a giant slimy vitamin? Sounds like a rip-off to me, plus I hate when there are bits of sand in my food. 

Next thing you know, McKee is in front of us asking if we want to try anything and Bethany tells him of my oyster poo-pooing.  He then takes out his giant bag of knives, pulls out an oyster knife, does a little kitchen hocus pocus and poof! I have an east coast raw oyster, topped with cucumber-jalapeno sorbet sitting in front of me. Now, when Beard winner Tim McKee gives you an oyster, you have to eat it.

So I did. And I loved it. And I'm definitely going back.