Food & Beer
LET'S EAT!
By Dan Greenwood
SOUTHERN MN STYLE From left, chef Kyle More, owner Julie Johnson Fahrforth and manager Ali Kuderle.
The Blue Boat Restaurant focuses on ‘Blue Zone’ regions, rotating its menu Photos by Pat Christman
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hen Julie Johnson Fahrforth opened the Blue Boat in downtown Mankato last year, she wanted a name that captured her vision for the new restaurant, which doubles as a retail art gallery and music venue. “I wanted something that represented our experience on the Earth, so I came up with the Blue Boat – traveling 67,000 miles (per hour) around the sun.” It’s a fitting title for the water and nature-theme artwork by more than a dozen local artists hanging on the walls and for the global cuisine on the menu. The food
56 • MARCH 2021 • MANKATO MAGAZINE
offerings now rotate every two months to focus on five regions of the world known for healthy diets and human longevity. Johnson said the menu is inspired by author and explorer Dan Buettner, a Minnesota native, who partnered with National Geographic 15 years ago to identify Blue Zones around the world. They are areas where people tend to live longer thanks to healthy diets and active lifestyles. “I’ve always followed his recipes,” Johnson said. “That’s the guiding light with the menu. For the first 10 months we’re going to
follow Dan Buettner and National Geographic around those five Blue Zone areas where people live the longest, starting in Costa Rica.” Johnson said the Blue Boat’s chef, Kyle More, and manager, Ali Kudrle, have been instrumental in getting the restaurant up and running. “Her management skills are off the chart,” Johnson said of Kudrle. From January until March, the Costa Rican-inspired cuisine was heavy on ingredients such as beans, corn and whole grains. Empanadas – savory pastries filled with meat, vegetables and spices – have been one of the more
