click pictures to enlarge
The
Historic Building
The La Minestra
building originated in 1896 as a funeral parlor. In 1947, the
grand mahogany bar was added as it became "Hensey's Pool Hall and
Card Room," and later, in 1982, was home to a country western
bar. Present owners, Mark and Stacey Mancuso, opened La Minestra
in 1998. Their renovations to this historic building revealed the
original tin ceiling and walls, wainscoting, and store front that had
been covered by knotty pine.
About Our Chef
Owner, Mark Mancuso
attended culinary school in Seattle.
He now prepares his Italian cuisine in the open kitchen of his restaurant.
In the Spring
of 2001, Mark competed in
the "Taste of Elegance," sponsored by the SD Pork Producers
Council and held in Sioux Falls, SD. He competed against 9 other
contestants from across the state and WON! The
winning dish was Black Mission Pork with Fettuccine
Alfredo.
BON
APPÉTIT, America's Food & Entertaining Magazine, talks about
LaMinestra in its September 2002 issue.
"Pierre, South
Dakota - In the historic downtown of the state capitol (population
13,200), Stacey and Mark Mancuso restored an old 1886 tavern to its former
glory by exposing wainscoting and the original pressed metal walls and
ceiling. The real fun began for locals, tourists, and visiting
pheasant hunters when the Mancusos opened LA MINESTRA and started cranking
out delicious traditional Italian cuisine. They also serve a mean
steak - this is South Dakota, after all."
This edition
also features a favorite La Minestra recipe, Crostini
with Sun-Dried-Tomato Tapenade.
