First look: Beloved steakhouse returns at St. Pierre Steak & Seafood in Minneapolis

The food: Befitting the name, there’s a long list of steaks, fish and seafood. But you might be distracted by the even longer list of vibrant appetizers, butter-rich sides and dumplings in multiple formats. Go with it. Thick slices of tangerine-colored harissa-cured salmon come with a crespelle, or crêpe, filled with housemade cream cheese ($16). A slice of Patisserie 46 toast is slathered in foie gras mousse, cut into diamonds, and topped with four curlicues of garlic-drenched escargot ($18). Schupfnudeln, or thick, gnocchi-like hand-rolled dumplings, bathe in Gorgonzola cream sauce ($19). Slices of semolina dumplings are buried under a blizzard of Parmesan cheese ($15). And to cut through the richness? Briny crab and seabean salad, a returning Burch favorite ($23).

We didn’t order the pici, one of our favorite Snack Bar menu items ($22), but were happy to know we could still come back for the chewy strands of thick spaghetti with pistachio and ricotta.

Maybe because we were filling up by the time we got to the entrees, we were less entranced by a breaded lobster cutlet ($38) and the less-than-tender 6-ounce Zabuton cut of prime Niman Ranch beef ($50). The loup de mer, a whole grilled white fish with stewed artichokes ($32), was an impressive entree we’d order again.

But our party agreed we would most likely return to indulge in the starters, sharing round after round of small bites. Almost like a, well, snack bar.

The drinks: Cocktails were stiff and fruity, including a blood-orange-yuzu-pomegranate cosmo; an autumnal drink built from gin, rosemary honey and a Sicilian amaro; and a spicy fresno-pepper-infused tequila cocktail ($15-$16). Equal attention is paid to nonalcoholic concoctions. And the “gin parade,” a holdover from Snack Bar, lets you choose-your-own G&T adventure. Wines by the glass start at $11.

The vibe: While there are hints of the former Snack Bar on the menu, it’s really the space that keeps its memory alive. It looks the same: supper clubby red booths line the exposed-brick outer wall, perfect for canoodling, with a view of the bar from every table. But for all the intimacy of the room, we wouldn’t call it quiet inside. And eclectic doesn’t begin to describe the attention-grabbing playlist during our visit.