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Bobby Birdman New Moods They finally sent me a download link. It's a promo download link. There are audio watermarks on it. The album isn't great anyway. I don't care anymore.
Steve | 12-23-2009
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Bobby Birdman New Moods I'd love to write a post here telling you how great this new Bobby Birdman album is (as he's been a favorite of mine since 2002), but since his record label/distributer/henchman is seemingly unable to send me an album (or even a download code for said album) I ordered from them a month ago, I am not able to do that. I bet it's great, too. I hate everything.
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Betty's Pies Eggs, hashbrowns, pumpkin pie North shore I'm sure there are people out there who scoff at Betty's Pies. "It's phony." "It's too big." "It's just not what it used to be." To which I say: Chill out. It's great. You're not what you used to be either.
Steve | 09-10-2010
The Pie Place Chocolate pie North shore The Pie Place is weird. Not in a 'tiny hole-in-the-wall in the middle of nowhere' weird, but more like 'I just got offered an organic lemonade in a place that looks like my great grandma's house' weird. Their logo has two bears fishing for a pie, their tables are covered in white table cloths and glass, and the circa-1987 lighting fixture has six dead moths in it. And yet the lemonade the 20-something waiter offers is organic. Specifically. Interesting. And, despite being called "The Pie Place," there were a lot of interesting-looking items on the menu, from honey meatloaf to raspberry BBQ ribs, and other things I can't remember at the moment. Unfortunately, we weren't there for dinner, just for pie. And it was fine. Obviously made from scratch with love and stuff. But no so great that I'm telling everyone they have to go there. Lovely. So anyway, as we're leaving, we see that they have a "gift shop" upstairs, which sounds creepy but we decide to give it a shot. And we go up there and see some pretty impressive, well-made, tasteful pieces of art. Pottery, baskets, some drawings, paintings, and some actual working studio spaces. This wasn't the kind of bullshit gift shop that you'd expect on the upper floor of a restaurant advertised with two bears fishing for pie. And that's when I realized what was going on here: The organic lemonade, the 20-something waiter, an art studio upstairs. The Pie Place was something once, and now someone, be it the employees, the owner's son, whoever, is trying to turn it into something else. It may be in an awkward growing up phase right now, but I'd be willing to bet in a few years it will be a destination.
Steve | 09-10-2010
Sven and Ole's Pizza North shore I love the fact that, like Wall Drug, Sven and Ole's has become a famous vacation institution thanks to its free bumper stickers; I had heard of Sven and Ole's pizza in Grand Marais before I even knew where Grand Marais was. But unlike Wall Drug, which is a surprisingly interesting and novel place in the middle of nowhere, Sven and Ole's is shockingly normal. Not too big, not too small, isn't trying to be crazy or zany or homey or anything. It's just a decent place to get some decent pizza (which tastes, in my opinion, like really good Godfathers pizza. Not the best in the world, but totally satisfying). If they didn't hand out free bumper stickers with your order, they'd be an anonymous family pizza joint struggling in a quaint vacation town with plenty of other dining options available. And yet here I am writing about it. Go fig.
Target Field Vincent burger downtown minneapolis Target Field's Vincent burger is no joke. I'm still sure it's better at Vincent, but the ballpark version is a lot better than it could've been.
Steve | 09-04-2010
Louie's Bucket of Bones Ribs Ironton I knew something was wrong with the Minnesota Monthly's list of "Best Minnesota Barbeque" when Ted Cook's was ignored in favor of C&G's. Which--come on. Anyway, circumstance led us to be very near Ironton, Minnesota, home of the #7 BBQ joint on the magazine's list, Louie's Bucket Of Bones. So I dragged Libby and her North Country entourage along to give it a shot. And as you can imagine from the opening sentence of this post, none of us walked away terribly impressed. Which surprised us, because everything about this place makes it seem like it's going to be amazing; from the funky exterior, to the homemade menu, to the incredibly personable and gracious owner and her passionate descriptions of their cooking process, the place definitely has the feeling that you're experiencing something special. And then the food comes, and it just doesn't live up to the hype. Nothing was bad, at all. It was all competent and good and fine. But it was nothing that you couldn't get anywhere else. The ribs were a little tough, the sauce tasted sort of generic, etc. I'm calling it "BBQ Theater." Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The two staff members of Ted Cook's (or, say, Arthur Bryant's in KC) may yell at you from behind the kitchen wall and disdain your very presence, but the food is amazing. This was sort of the opposite. Which is fine, I guess. If I lived up there, I'd probably go there often enough (just for the atmosphere if anything), but don't bother making the 2.5 hour drive just to do it.
Bar Harbor Cheeseburger Nisswa My new least favorite thing at restaurants: secondary menus. Bar menus, pub menus, patio menus, whatever. I had a lame experience at Mabel Murphy's in Fergus Falls a few weeks back, where I was sitting in the "pub" section of the restaurant, where they give you a different menu than the dining room. In that case, they at least let you order off the main menu if you ask for it, but they definitely didn't go out of their way to let me know that before I ordered off the pub menu. And now, up at Scott's cabin, I got to order from a "patio menu"! (We were sitting on the patio, you see). This time, with my Fergus Falls experience fresh in my mind, I smelled that something was up, and asked about the dining room menu. And they said 'yes,' they did have one, but we weren't allowed to order from it on the patio. Ugh. So I got a bacon cheeseburger, I guess, and it wasn't great and was very expensive. But at least we were on a patio, lesser customers or not.
Steve | 08-24-2010
Day By Day Cafe Sausage hash St. Paul I was first excited when I overheard a server at the Day By Day mention that Carl Pavano was eating breakfast out on their patio. They even mentioned something about a mustache. But later in the day it occurred to me that the Twins had a 1:00 game that afternoon, and Carl Pavano was most likely nowhere near Day By Day's patio, nor was he eating breakfast anywhere at that moment. Plus, the italian sausage has I ordered barely qualifies as "hash."
Steve | 08-16-2010
3 Tiers "Elvis" Cupcake South Minneapolis 3 Tiers is now offering peanut butter, bacon, and banana cupcakes. And they are awesome. Take note, trendy hipster cupcake joints: this is the shit you should be doing!
Steve | 08-10-2010
Glaciers Cafe Chili dog South Minneapolis Well, my second stab at Glaciers in a week, and I must say... I'm still impressed. Vienna beef chili dog with some solid homemade chili, Libby had a totally respectable flatbread pizza. And we finally tried their frozen custard, which was fast-melting but otherwise perfect. Still, there's something off about the place; something between the service and the atmosphere and the menu that just does nothing to help their otherwise above-par food offerings. Too much blue, I think. Seriously. Read the link...
Charlies Cafe Steak sandwich Freeport Oh, by the way, I forgot to write about how I went to Charlie's Cafe in Freeport, MN on the way to visit a giant TV tower in North Dakota. It was supposedly the inspiration for the make believe cafe in Garrison Keillor's Lake Woebegone universe (universe?). It was okay.
Glaciers Cafe Chicken sandwich South Minneapolis Glaciers is one of those places that, until very recently, I had never even considered considering. I hardly even knew what it was; all I knew of it was just a overly-slick mountain logo on a couple signs near the Town Talk. Coffee shop? Smoothie stand? Tibetan bakery? Close. Turns out it's a frozen custard place first and foremost. That explains the glaciers. And they have breakfast. And burgers. And pizzas and sandwiches? I only decided to try it because I saw an ad in the City Pages that had a photo of a burger on it. I'll be totally honest: the place needs a lot of help. The interior is neither exciting nor intimate. The design of everything is pretty amateurish, in a bad way. And the service was fairly slow, as it seemed like there were just two teenagers running the whole place. But hot diggity dog the sandwich was outstanding! Plus it came with "Kansas City style" cole slaw, which was like no other cole slaw I've ever had. So in the end, even though I didn't have any of their (supposedly very good) frozen custard, I'm left feeling like Glaciers could be a really great place. But right now it just makes me sad.
Steve | 07-30-2010
Loring Kitchen and Bar Meatloaf and ribs Downtown Minneapolis I can't believe I'm at a point in my life where I can be let down by a menu. But here we are. I heard this place was good, found myself in Loring Park, and got a nice table outside on their patio. Then I looked at the menu, and it was just so boring. So boring, in fact, that I can't even remember what was on it at the moment to make fun of it. They did have some halfway interesting looking small plates, so that's what I did. Chorizo meatloaf (easily the most interesting item they had), barbeque ribs, and roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and blue cheese. And for as boring as it all sounds, it was all surprisingly fantastic; especially the brussel sprouts. I'm actually salivating thinking about them right now. The meatloaf was #2, and the ribs a respectable third (they were really good at the time, but afterwards I started thinking that they weren't all that special). So while I actually ended up being happy with the place, I've already exhausted my options there. So I guess that's that.
Steve | 07-30-2010
Midtown Farmers Market Hot dog, steak taco South Minneapolis Libby dragged me, kicking and screaming and kvetching even, to the Midtown Farmers Market. This was a compromise of sorts, after the previous Saturday's trip to the downtown Farmer's Market, which had all the human cattle of the State Fair, without the upside of having actual cattle. (I can ignore the inhumanity of the State Fair only for the potential that I might get to touch a mammal with multiple stomachs. Libby can ignore the same inhumanity of the Farmer's Market only for the potential that she might find some good lettuce. Which elsewhere is currently making its way to a cow's second stomach. A free range cow, mind you, that will someday be sectioned off and sold. Possibly at a farmer's market.) The Midtown Market is much more negotiable than the big downtown one, and actually had better on-site lunch options to boot. We shared a hot dog from the Magic Bus, which is a worthy competitor to the Chef Shack in the much-appreciated world of gourmet traveling food trucks. I'd still give Chef Shack the slight edge, not only because their food is a little more well-conceived, but you also don't have the indignity of ordering from a human cartoon in a Grateful Dead shirt and a flower crown. We also got a steak taco from Taco Taxi, which I've never seen around town before, but was quite delicious. Good steak, cilantro and onions and radish, and fresh, spicy salsa, and for just $2, which at the farmer's market is the same amount it would cost you to buy a bunch of cilantro, 7 onions, 12 radishes, a jar of homemade salsa, and two cow stomachs.
Steve | 07-24-2010
Grocery Stores 5th Avenue bar South Minneapolis You know the feeling you get when you eat a Butterfinger bar? That feeling like you just ate something magical, yet your teeth are coated with quick-dry plaster? Awful. As much as love Butterfingers, I hardly ever eat them, because I don't consider physical misery to be part of a pleasant eating experience (* see: Lotus of Siam). So shame on me for never having tried a 5th Avenue bar. You've probably seen them before: they're in the Sadness section of your local grocer, decked out in the same packaging they've had since 1930, in between the RC Cola and the 100 Grand bars. But these things are great! They taste just like Butterfingers, but without all the baggage. I think the chocolate/peanut butter ratio is much closer; they're about the same width, while 5th Avenues are only half the height. And the crispy, crunchy, peanut buttery (TM) inside is just slightly less sweet and sticky, and therefore more easily masticated than a Butterfinger. I need to stock up on some crates of these things, because I get the feeling that Hersheys is waiting for the last of America's 70+ set to die out so they can finally stop making these things, because I'm not sure if anyone born after the depression buys them.
Subo Some stir fried noodle thing Downtown Minneapolis "Subo" is Filipino, I guess, for "eat". Or "food". Or something like that. I don't really remember. But their logo has a fork and a spoon in it, so that's gotta be close. Anyway, I didn't find it to be nearly as exotic or impressive as the press has made it seem. Which is too bad, because I was hoping for something new and good downtown. It wasn't bad, but it was just nothing to write home about. Mostly small plate offerings; "tapas style," the waiter said. I'd complain about it being some cheesy attempt at fusion, until I remember that the Philippines itself is a bit of a fusion nation, thanks to our old Spanish pal Ferdinand Magellan. Oh wait--he was Portuguese. The point is, I tried three different things: Green curry potato cakes, pork spring rolls, and a dish that was sort of a combination of pad thai and paella. Considering the fire and passion displayed by the Filipino people that brutally killed Magellan with rocks and clubs on the shallow shores of Mactan, you'd think they'd have a little excitement in their cuisine. But mostly it was just salty.
Kokomos Jamaican pork something Bloomington I had to walk past the front entrance about 5 times before I built up the courage to actually walk into Kokomo. You know the place, right? Up on the third floor of the Mall of America? Across from the Forest Gump restaurant? Looks like it was designed by the gay brother of a cartoon witch doctor on an ether binge? Yeah, that's the place. I probably don't need to tell you how the food tastes, or what led me to eat there to begin with, but I will quote for one of their menu options: Bob Marley's Soup Of The Day. Just ask your beach staff for Bob’s favorite bowl of soup! Lobster bisque, if you were wondering. Wow.
Uptown Cafeteria Chicken and waffles Uptown Minneapolis Uptown is stupid. So stupid. Urban outfitters is stupid. North Face and Columbia and the Apple store are stupid. Calhoun Square is stupid. Chino Latino and Stella's and Il Gatto are stupid. The Uptown Cafeteria is stupid, and everybody that was there on Thursday was stupid. It's all stupid. The chicken and waffles, however, were fantastic. Dammit.
Steve | 06-20-2010
Szechuan Boiled beef in szechuan sauce Roseville City Pages named Szechuan the best Chinese restaurant of 2010. I can't say that it's not. But what I can say is that you shouldn't order the boiled beef in szechuan sauce if you actually plan on enjoying yourself the day after.
Pop! Steak sandwich Northeast Minneapolis First time back to Pop in a long, long, time (years?), and I was not disappointed in the least. In fact, I realized that I've never had a bad meal at Pop. Everything has been somewhere on the scale of good-to-great, this steak sandwich approaching the 'great' part. The only minor gripe I have is that they need to consider changing up their menu; it seems to be exactly the same as it was last time I went there, whenever that was.
Steve | 05-30-2010
Wagners Drive-In BBQ beef sandwich Brooklyn Center Totally worth the drive. It's a real, honest-to-god drive-in, and the service is friendly and the barbeque sauce was actually homemade. It's too perfect.
Steve | 05-22-2010
Brasa Beef and chicken St. Paul It is believed that about 1.8 million years ago, random genetic mutations in a series of generations of Homo Erectus (or, arguably, Homo Antecessor) led him to find himself with a larger brain and smaller teeth than his ancestors, which in turn led him to heat his food over fire in order to more efficiently chew and digest it. Some scientists may argue the timeline of this genetic and behavioral shift, many believing that it happened closer to 700,000 years ago, while many others, mostly those of a hard-line Christian faith, believe man was placed on this earth with inherent and unquestioned knowledge about the cooking of our food only 4,000 years ago by a singular, omnipresent creator. And now we have Brasa.
Steve | 05-22-2010
Al Vento Lamb bolognese South Minneapolis It somehow took us 6 months, but Libby and I finally at dinner at Al Vento last night. Yes, I've had it quite a few times before (mostly lunches), but this was our first official dinner there as neighbors. And it was super good. Even better than my bolognese was the blue prawn appetizer we had. Despite the fact that prawns look like freaky little aliens, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Some sort of white bean sauce with citrus. Who knows. It was great though, and respectably affordable. And I spilled all over my shirt, too, so that's cool.
Steve | 05-20-2010
Colossal Cafe Eggs and sausage South Minneapolis So Libby and I decided to try out the Colossal Cafe this morning for breakfast, only to find a camera crew filming for an episode of Drive Ins, Diners and Dives on the Food Network. At first I figured maybe we'd just be in the background while we were waiting in line, but after we sat down outside waiting for our food, it became clear that they were definitely going to do something with us. Libby ordered some fancy pancakes with apples and brie, and I ordered a plain old eggs/hash browns/sausage plate. As soon as the food came, we were swarmed by a camera, boom mic, and jovial producer who immediately started making small talk with us (he was clearly a master of making small talk with complete strangers). And they filmed us eating. So weird. I'm fully aware that I eat like a slob, but suddenly when there is a big professional HD camera 10 inches away from my plate, following my every move, eating became some sort of controlled, choreographed mission to keep my damn fingers out of the ketchup. I think I succeeded. So then after they left us alone to finish our meals, they came right back for the interview portion. Now, I was comfortable with the idea of speaking on camera, but I was sort of intimidated by the speed and certainty of the film crew. It wasn't really a case of them asking if we wanted to talk and giving us time to think... they simply surrounded us and started questioning. And I was awful. I kept looking at Libby and looking down the street, and the producer guy (bless his heart) kept reminding me to look at him. And I had nothing to say. Which is funny, because I sit and write crap about food all the time on this website. But the meal I ordered was so normal, that the only thing I could manage to talk about was the homemade sausage. And how it was homemade. They make it there, I think. Like, homemade sausage. WIth fennel in it, maybe? Idiot. What I really wanted to talk about was how I'd thought for years that the Colossal was a vegetarian/vegan diner, and it was only last week that I was informed otherwise. But all I could get out was "sausage good." Oh, I also described the toast as "beefy." Jesus. Libby was much better, and I'll bet she makes the final cut. I certainly won't.
Burger King Cinnabon(tm) cheesecake South Minneapolis Bite #1: o-kay!
Bite #2: o...kay...
Bite #3: o-kaaaaaaaaaay?
Bite #4: ohhhhh. kay.
Steve | 05-07-2010
Target Field Pork Chop Downtown Minneapolis (Yet another) Target Field Update! J.D. Hoyt's Porkchop On A Stick: You're better off eating the stick.
Steve | 05-06-2010
Target Field Chili Downtown Minneapolis Target Field Update! The Loon chili totally had steak in it this time! No ground beef! And it was spicier than it was last time, too. So good.
Steve | 05-05-2010
Hogan Brothers Corned beef sandwich Northfield Hogan Brothers seems to make a decent sandwich. Fine. But more importantly, the city of Northfield really does smell like Malt-O-Meal. I always thought that was some sort of rumor or joke or wive's tale. But no. It's like sticking your face into a newly opened bag of Marshmallow Mateys. Crazy.
Steve | 04-26-2010
The Sports Page Cheeseburger Bloomington Well, the old Sports Page is gone, but not entirely. Turns out they just renovated and expanded it, not move it completely. And while it's a little bit of a bummer to not have the same Sports Page experience with all the newly painted walls and much larger bar and kitchen, the food is still good, and the prices are the same. Still, the same joy I used to experience at the place is gone. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.
Target Field Everything Downtown Minneapolis - Loon Cafe chili
We all know that I love the Loon's chili. Best in the city. So I was pretty excited when I found out they'd be using the Loon recipe for Target Field's chili. With a couple understandable exceptions (ground beef instead of brisket/roast, no sour cream or other garnishes), it actually tasted quite good. Also, for $6, you get a pretty good sized portion. They definitely don't skimp.
- Kramarczuk polish sausage
Paul and I tried finding a Kramarczuk booth before the game, which was no easy task given the insane amount of human traffic in the main concourse. But when we eventually spotted it, the lines on both sides were zonkers. At least 50 people deep. I eventually found another one in the 2nd inning, and got a polish sausage with fried onions. It was clearly a good quality sausage, but unfortunately wasn't as well-done as I'd like. Still, for the price, it's definitely worth finding a Kramarczuk booth instead of going with the lame house dogs.
- Nachos
Totally decent. Far better than Metrodome nachos.
- Cuban sandwich
Ahh. The surprise winner (or leader, at least) in the Target Field food-off. There are only a couple tiny little carts labeled "Tony O's," named for Tony Oliva, an old Cuban Twins superstar who is known for his love of cuban sandwiches (and for Victor's 1959 Cafe). I didn't buy one myself, simply because they were clearly produced by the generic Sportservice food people, and not by someone who, you know, makes Cuban sandwiches. But Katie got one, and was nice enough to let me try it. Well color me shocked at how good this sandwich was. Like, wow. I've had plenty of Cubans at various restaurants around town, and this was actually one of the best. Crazy, right? Obviously it has nothing on Victors, but considering it's being sold at a random cart at Target Field, I could barely believe it tasted that good. Its only competition could be the Vincent burger, which I still haven't tried. Maybe next time?
All in all, I really think that Target Field probably has the best food of any of the 15-16 ballparks I've been to. Some have better hot dogs (Milwaukee, Boston, Los--well, a lot have better hot dogs), and some might have the random great item (Baltimore's barbeque, or San Francisco's garlic fries. And does KC have an Arthur Bryant's now?), but I haven't seen anywhere that comes close to the sheer quantity of quality choices as Target Field. Now if they could only do something about their damn scoreboards...
Steve | 04-20-2010
Hot Plate Bacon glazed doughnut South Minneapolis I don't have much more to say about Hot Plate's breakfasts after my third trip there (still good-but-underwhelming). But, this time around there was an added bonus: Glazed doughnuts with bacon sprinkles. It's exactly what it sounds like; a homemade fried doughnut topped off with fresh bacon bits and glazed, Krispy Kreme style. The first bite is a little curious, but by the end you're thinking, "Wow. I want another one." I asked the waitress if they'd have it every weekend, since it was listed as a special. She wasn't sure, because it was the first time they ever tried them. Apparently Hot Plate's owner saw a place on "Drive Ins, Diners and Dives" that served them, and thought he'd give it a shot. I gave her my official vote that they keep them on the menu. So we'll see.
Steve | 04-18-2010
Joys Pattaya Basil duck Richfield In order to prolong an otherwise brief and destinationless bike ride, I decided to eat tonight at the Calico Elephant, a Thai restaurant in what used to (pretty obviously) be an old American diner on Lyndale near 494. Not surprisingly, when I got there I found that the Calico Elephant was gone, but in its place was Joy's Pattaya. I don't know what a Pattaya is (or who Joy is for that matter), but since I just rode nearly 7 miles to get there, I said "what the hell" and got a table. And wouldn't you know, it was actually pretty darn good. I mean, maybe not as great as my last meal at Sen Yai Sen Lek, or even close to as good as the Thai Restaurant Of Death in Las Vegas, but you could tell they know what they're doing. Aside from standard Thai fare, they have some interesting items like a pumpkin curry (which, rumor has it, is actually served in a pumpkin), and spring rolls with avacado and mango (which weren't my cup of tea, but I bet Libby would love them). My duck stir fry, for example, included fresh green beans and bok choy, which I don't really see in Thai food too often, but gave it a certain unique flair. My only qualm was that there was maybe a little too much skin and fat on the duck, which was otherwise tender and tasty, so I'll let that slide. I'll definitely be going back to this place in the future (it's small and cozy, too). I just hope they last a little longer than the Calico Elephant.
Steve | 04-13-2010
Sen Yai Sen Lek Pad kee mao Northeast Minneapolis Awesome lunch at Sen Yai Sen Lek today. Last time (the first and only time) we ate there, I went away with an opinion that one could describe as "optimistically disappointed," in that it was probably my own fault that I didn't love it; I just didn't order the right dish. This time around, I went with the Pad kee mao, which is essentially stir fried noodles (very wide ones) with lots of basil, peppers, mushrooms, and chicken. A simple dish, I suppose, but it tasted fantastic. Pretty much exactly what I always hope for when I try new Thai places. Really, it's probably ruined Sen Yai for me, because I'm never going to order anything else again.
Steve | 04-10-2010
Crave Pulled pork sandwich Bloomington Like the funniest character in a Cormac McCarthy novel, or the most personable TSA agent at the airport, I've decided that the pulled pork sandwich at Crave is the best food item at the Mall of America. Congratulations.
Steve | 04-06-2010
Millside Bacon cheeseburger St. Michael On the drive from Minneapolis to Park Rapids, there is scant little opportunity for a good meal. You'd think between all the small towns you pass, and the 'funky' potential of St. Cloud, that you'd be able to find something other than Perkins or Culvers to eat on your way up north. But despite always being on the lookout for such a place, I've found practically nothing. That's why I've always been intrigued by one highway exit food sign a few miles before Albertville. Big, bold, unadorned black letters spell out "MILLSIDE," and the black silhouette of a burger and fries look so perfect (in a Wes Anderson sort of way) that there'd be no way it could be bad. So on Friday, Libby and I (having already given up on the Maple Grove vortex as a dining possibility after even TGI Fridays had a line out the door) decided to just go for it. Turns out the place is like 3 miles off the highway, and really is tucked away by a the side of a mill. But the unpretentious purity of their black and white sign was spoiled right away by a big, brand new log-cabin style monstrosity, and an overly fussy sign. Oh well. The inside was a no frills small town food hole (but not in a good way). At this point, I don't have much more to add. It was the Friday night fish fry. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and chili. It took a half hour for the food to show up. Other than the insanely long time it took for our food (an experience we clearly shared with a handful of impatient-looking diners sitting near us), I really can't complain about much. The burgers were fine, and the chili even tasted homemade, in a Minnesota chili sort of way. But it didn't live up to the expectations set by its own unassuming exit sign. And now I'm afraid there are no more mysteries to be discovered between here and the North Country.
Steve | 04-05-2010
The Cardinal Patty melt South Minneapolis I just ate a patty melt so perfect that it might have been grilled by God himself. Though since it was just a patty melt we're talking about, it was probably just cooked by one of the Cardinal's meth addict cooks.
Steve | 03-29-2010
Gandhi Mahal Buffet South Minneapolis I finally popped into Gandhi Mahal (near Lake and Hiawatha, sort of by the Town Talk) for their lunch buffet on Sunday. It was fairly cheap, $9.99, and everything I had was good, if maybe not quite as good as Bombay Bistro, and not quite as much to choose from. Plus the chicken tikka masala had tons of little bones in it. But it's the closest Indian place to us, and it was good enough to go back in the future, at least.
Steve | 03-29-2010
Target Field Murrays Steak Sandwich Downtown Minneapolis Today was the Target Field 'preview' game, where you could pay $2 to get in to watch the U of M get their asses kicked by Louisiana Tech from any seat you want. It was a great deal, really, because you could go sit in the $77 seats, go up into the off-limits suites, all that stuff. So it was really fun to go see the place without being confined to your seat, and without having to deal with 40,000 other people. It was so exciting I nearly forgot to try the food! But in the 8th inning, I finally discovered where the sell the infamous Murrays steak sandwiches. They're $10, which seems steep, until you remember that an actual Murrays steak sandwich at the actual Murrays is about $12. And while this ballpark version isn't exactly what you'd get for that $12, it's still surprisingly good. Two thin-ish pieces of steak on a grilled, buttered bun, topped with caramelized onions and provolone. Other than a somewhat scant pile of onions, there really wasn't anything to complain about. I ate it all without dipping it in ketchup, if that says anything. So thumbs up to the steak sandwich!
And three more pieces of Target Field food discoveries that I hadn't heard about previously: 1.) They have Vincent burgers! Jucy lucies stuffed with cheese and short ribs, like at Vincent on Nicollet! I don't know if I even want to try it, since I've never had a "real" one at Vincent yet. It's sort of like saying you've seen Psycho, but only the Vince Vaughn version. 2.) They have Loon chili! From the Loon Cafe! The best chili in the city! Didn't try it, but if it's even close to as good as the "real" stuff, then count me in. And 3.) Kramarczuk has a little booth! They sell brats and some other sausage. I'd imagine it's 10 times better than the crap you'd get at the concession stands. Definitely seek it out.
Steve | 03-27-2010
Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard South Minneapolis The new Dairy Queen by Minnehaha Park is architectural AIDS. Full-blown. There is no denying that. It's tacky, awkwardly placed, and 10 feet taller than it needs to be. It's a big stupid clown airdropped into a Judi Dench garden party. And also other metaphors. But--but--they actually put a reasonable amount of chunks into their Blizzards now, so maybe I can look the other way.
Steve | 03-23-2010
Bill's Garden General Tsos South Minneapolis We stopped getting Bill's at work a year or so ago after, well, I don't even know what. But after having it for dinner (and leftovers) this weekend, I really think that Bill's is sort of the best cheap/crappy Chinese place in the vicinity. Plus they sell big glass dragon statues and furry tiger ornaments! Can Xin Wong say that? 绝对不会!
Steve | 03-22-2010
Mon Ami Gabi French onion soup Las Vegas Oops, I forgot to post about Mon Ami Gabi. Not a whole lot to say, I guess. It's one of the Paris Hotel's "French" restaurants on the ground floor of their hotel, where Libby and I stopped in quick for a fast pre-dinner. We shared a fantastic cup of French onion soup, and a less-than-fantastic grilled cheese and short rib sandwich. Oh, and some top-notch fries. The place was not too dissimilar to Salut, really. Sort of an American steakhouse/bar with a few French touches. Better atmosphere, maybe. But if I had to choose the better French onion soup, I'd have to go with Salut. Basically, if you were on the strip near Paris and wanted a decent lunch, you could do worse.
Steve | 03-15-2010
Bouchon Bread pudding french toast Las Vegas We ended our Vegas trip with breakfast at Bouchon. Usually I'd imagine a place like Bouchon being a little too upscale for dirty old me, but I'd read their breakfasts were casual and reasonably priced. And Thomas Keller is sort of a deity to some people, the French Laundry and whatnot. Okay, deal. So we traveled up to the 10th floor of the Venetian, away from all the hubub and inanity of the strip, and found ourselves actually in what seemed to be a real, honest-to-god restaurant. Not the Vegas caricature of the "real" Bouchon, but what could honestly just be considered "One of three real Bouchons". It wasn't huge. It wasn't glitzy. The waitstaff was friendly and courteous. And the food, despite not really being my 'cup of tea' was all tremendously crafted. I ordered "Bouchon French toast," which was more like a bread pudding with custard and apples. A little too sour and mushy for my tastes, but you could tell it was correct. Libby liked it a lot more than me. She had some egg bake thing, which was also delicious. Top that off with some great potatoes, house-made blackberry jam, and unquestionably fresh orange juice, and you've got yourself an truly respectable French breakfast, all for the same price as the stupid buffet in your "French" hotel (who make you wait 10 minutes for a table even though you can see, as clear as day, at least 7 open tables within 30 feet of you, but they keep you waiting just so next time you'll pay 5 bucks extra for "VIP" seating, those jerks!).
1. The make-your-own burger concept. This place is the brainchild of Hubert Keller, a legitimate French chef who thought it would be fun to have a burger place. So why is it that there are only like 3 pre-composed burgers on the menu? Why would I be left to choose my own burger's ingredients when a guy named Hubert could've done it for me!? The guy won the burger challenge on Top Chef Masters, for cripes sake!
2. For the price, it really wasn't all that great. I built my burger with organic beef, prosciutto, provolone, and a red wine reduction. It cost me $20 bucks. The sauce tasted fantastic on its own (it would be great on a duck breast or lamb shank or something), but you could hardly taste it on the burger. It was just overwhelmed by everything else. Even the prosciutto sort of disappeared under all the beef. And the fries. They were just pre-made standard sports bar fries, but like $4. Can't you make some real french fries!? Just cut some potatoes and fry'em up! Maybe soak them in malt! I don't know, do something! I understand they're going for the whole "no BS sports bar" schtick, but the fries just seemed cheap. And the cole slaw literally tasted like nothing. Not even worthy of discussion. But speaking of the sports bar thing...
3. The atmosphere.. Awful. Just awful. Again, I'm sure they're just going for the "fun times sports bar" thing, but the interior of this place is just plain lame, especially for Vegas. Like a sub-TGI Fridays. You could pick up the place and move it into downtown Minneapolis and it would still be lame. So consider that's now in the glitz and glamour and over-the-topness of Vegas, and you wonder who ever approved of any of it. Oh, and the logo is horrible and all the waitresses were over-tanned, low pantsed, bitchy skanky Vegas chicks. They selled Burger Bar thongs! What!?
Don't get me wrong. The burger wasn't necessarily bad. The place was just so disappointing that it actually made me mad the more I dwelled on it. Ugh.
Lotus of Siam Nua Yum Katiem Las Vegas Never in my life have I had an experience like this. In my mind, it's an epic tale, but in reality, it's borderline embarrassing. So what happened is this: Lotus Of Siam is a Thai restaurant in a dirty strip mall a mile off the strip, on Sahara Ave., east of the Sahara Casino. After spending only a few minutes on Chowhound's Las Vegas boards, it became clear to me that Lotus was a must eat destination; practically every thread on the board recommended it without hesitation. There have even been national food magazines that have claimed this place to be the best Thai restaurant in North America. Whether this is true or not, I honestly can't say. Not only have I not eaten at every Thai restaurant in North America, I didn't even eat at Lotus of Siam. It ate me. So here's a tip for when you're ordering food at a "real" Thai restaurant: You know how here in Minneapolis they ask you how spicy you want your dish, from 1 to 5? Well I usually go with a 4. Spicy, sure, but very manageable. So when the waiter at Lotus asked me about spice on a scale of 1-10, I did some math and decided on 7. "That's like a 3.5, really." Logical, right? So they bring me my dish, which was pretty much char-grilled skirt steak with garlic and peppers and some lemon juice sauce on a bed of cabbage. After just one bite, I was already impressed. Perfectly cooked beef, fresh cabbage, a sauce tha--Oh my god. Oh my god. Ohmygodohmygod. I can't feel my tongue. Deep breath. Deep breath. It will cool down in a sec--no, no. It's getting worse. It's getting worse! Where's the water, where's the water!? Rice! Rice will help! Oh god the rice just burns more! Libby, Libby let me have a bite of your Pad Thai. Please! Oh god it's like there's an angry cat in my mouth!. And so forth. You get the picture. Easily the spiciest thing I've ever eaten. By the end of the meal, I could actually feel my body temperature rising. I was sort of light headed, and felt even a little nauseous. And yet I ate nearly 3/4ths of my dish, because it was so damn good! And Libby's pad Thai was probably the best I've ever had. And yet I could barely enjoy any of it, because I was just trying not to cry like a girl. In the end, I gave in and asked the waiter for something to help with the spice, and they brought me a tea with cream that worked miraculously, despite setting off an obscene chemical reaction in my stomach. It was truly an event. So in the end, I really wish I could've given it another shot, and next time I'm even anywhere near Las Vegas, I'm going out of my way to eat there again (maybe at like a 4/10 this time). But it might take a while before the night terrors end.
'wichcraft Pork sandwich Las Vegas Our first real food destination in Vegas was a lunch at 'wichcraft, Tom Collicchio's sandwich joint hidden somewhere back in the dark recesses of the MGM Grand. The first thing I noticed about the place (other than the line of 20-something photography convention attendees curling out the door), was that the place had a very chain-like feel to it. I didn't know at the time, but after doing some looking I see that there are 7-8 'wichcrafts in New York, one in San Francisco, and one in Vegas. So this is definitely a big operation. And while the food was certainly at least respectable, you could tell that the 'operation' aspect of it overwhelmed the 'Tom Collicchio' aspect of it. In fact, Collicchio's name is nowhere to be seen, be it on the menus, under the logo, or anywhere else a restaurant would usually want to splash the credentials of their celebrity chef owners. Very curious. Anyway, the food: Good, but not terribly memorable. My pork was a little dry and crispy (in a bad way), the cabbage did nothing for it, and the mustard was all sort of on one side of the thing. Libby had a turkey sandwich with balsamic onions and avocado, which I actually thought was much better than mine. And we shared a chicken corn chowder soup, which was surprisingly bland. I mean, from what I know about Collicchio, he's all about fresh, natural, local foods, and letting the ingredients sort of do the heavy work. No fancy sauces, crazy spices, or anything like that. And you could sort of see that in 'wichcraft; the pork, despite being dry, tasted like pork. You could really taste the corn and chicken in the soup. The problem, I think, is that you have 5000 people (Exaggeration? No idea.) coming through those Vegas doors every day, in only a few short lunchtime hours, and their expectations probably aren't terribly high. How are you supposed to keep quality control in check in the situation they're in? All while keeping prices (to their credit) very reasonable. I don't know how much business the New York locations do, but there's no way they pump as many people through as this one. I wonder also if that's why his name is nowhere to be seen.
Steve | 03-14-2010
The Cheesecake Factory Asian chicken thing Las Vegas I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. "You went to Vegas and you ate at the Cheesecake Factory?" Yes. Look, we were there with my family. And it wasn't even their choice, it was my dad's cousin's choice. He lives in Vegas and offered to take us out for dinner, and that is what chose. The Cheesecake Factory in Caesar's Palace. Maybe he doesn't know it's a chain. Maybe that's the only one in Vegas. I don't know. But... but... ready for this? It was actually really good. Maybe not the best, but at least the most satisfying meal I had in Vegas. I know, I know, I know, I know.
Steve | 03-14-2010
Home Beef in barolo South Minneapolis Libby and I made this Crock Pot beef roast thing the other night, from a recipe in a slow cooker cookbook. Beef in barolo, it was called. Not too complicated, just some chuck cooked in crushed tomatoes, red wine, some garlic, sugar, onions, and rosemary. Oh, and a bay leaf. And Libby made some awesome horseradish/garlic mashed potatoes with it. The first night we had it, it was fine. The rosemary was pretty much the only flavor going on in it, and the beef turned out a little tough, but it was nice. But tonight, three nights later, the leftovers were amazing. Everything really just needed to sit and stew a little longer, I guess. Anyhow, that's all.
Steve | 02-27-2010
Korean Garden Bul go gi St. Paul It's official. I totally like Korean food. Sweet beef? Pickled everything? Absolutely. (I'll note that I tried going to the more-respectable Mirror Of Korea tonight, but they're closed on Tuesdays! What!?)
Steve | 02-23-2010
Sen Yai Sen Lek Beef curryish thing Northeast Minneapolis I finally, finally, finally got to Sen Yai Sen Lek tonight. And I'm happy about it. I had the Khao Soi, which sounded exciting because had pickled mustard greens, and was "curried," instead of "curry" (which I interpret to mean it's more of a dry curry seasoning, not a soupy coconut milk thing). So I was a little bummed at first when it showed up and was basically a yellow coconut curry. However--however--it was extremely flavorful, spicy, and impressive enough that I'm not too bummed that it was essentially a yellow curry. Libby had some cold shrimp salad which I actually thought might've been better than my dish, even. Which is amazing considering, you know, it's a cold shrimp salad. So while I'm not going to say the King And I has a new competitor, I'm definitely excited to go back there again (pretty much everything on the menu looked great). Plus, we had a coupon!
Steve | 02-20-2010
McDonalds Chicken McNuggets Bloomington Olympics advertising convinced me to seek out a McDonalds to try their new sweet chili dipping sauce. So I took the train to the mall in order to do just that, only to discover that--get this--the Mall of America McDonalds has Pepsi instead of Coke! What the hell?
Steve | 02-16-2010
C&G's Smoking Barbeque Pulled pork sandwich South Minneapolis I'd never heard of C&G's, nor was I seeking out barbeque, but my bus today missed my stop, then dropped me off at the next one, right across the street from this place. It was sort of in a strip-mall type situation, connected to a gas station, a cheap Chinese place (Xin Wong, actually), and a glucose-free bakery. It seemed like it might be alright, so I gave it a shot. It's not all that different than a Ted Cook's or Rooster's, in that it's a small little place with an order counter, and maybe 4 tables. Their menu has mostly standard pulled pork, ribs, brisket, cole slaw, that kind of thing. But they also have Coney dogs, "loose beef" sandwiches (sloppy joes, I assume), chili, and some other stuff. I went with the pulled pork and fries, and walked away neither disappointed nor blown away. I think there might've been something weird going on back in the kitchen, like something wasn't working right, and they were rushing to get out people's orders, which might've affected the food a bit. The fries are fresh-cut, but a little soggy, and the pork was tender, but maybe a little fatty (which mushed up the bun a bit). The sauce was fine, but nothing to write home about. I'll definitely go back in the future, since it's a short bike ride away, and there are plenty of menu items to try. But in the end I'd say it's maybe a little better than Caps, about equal to Rooster's, but nowhere close to Ted Cook's. But what is?
Steve | 02-14-2010
Masa Duck enchiladas Downtown Minneapolis Holy mole! The space is a little loud and overly formal, the prices are a little high, and I think the maitre d' made fun of me at one point, but this was the best meal I've eaten in months. Braised duck and a little crema and cheese in a tortilla topped with mole and a few dehydrated apple slices. It was barely even Mexican, but it was muy pinche delicioso.
Steve | 02-10-2010
The Baker's Wife Rolls South Minneapolis Whenever I buy rolls at the Baker's Wife, I am overcome by a clear feeling of guilt. "This shouldn't be so cheap," I think. "They must've made a mistake when they rang me up." It feels like I'm stealing, just walking out the door with caramel rolls and bread pudding I didn't pay for. If they go out of business some day (and let's hope they don't), it's all my fault.
Steve | 02-01-2010
Chickwich Chicken sandwich Bloomington Look, I know you're really excited about Chickwich. It's not a Chick-Fil-A, but it looks like the next best thing, right? Fried chicken? Waffle fries? Cartoon chicken in the logo? Considering the only Chik-Fil-A in Minnesota is a tiny little kiosk in Coffman Union on campus, the fact that it has a second-rate doppelganger in the Mall of America food court sounds like a cause for celebration! Well, guess what? It sucks.
Steve | 01-20-2010
Crave Happy hour stuff Bloomington There was no way this was supposed to be good. First of all, it's called Crave. If you follow Steve's "Happy Chef" rule of restaurant naming, you'll know that any restaurant that needs to put a qualitative statement in its name is likely compensating for its own low quality. Secondly, it's in the Mall of America, with second and third locations (which all opened magically around the same time) in the Galleria, and that new stupid shopping complex in St. Louis Park. No good can come of this, right? But holy shit, were we surprised (shocked, stunned, stupefied, even) when it turned out their food is actually really, really good. Everything from their Korean chicken nuggets to their mini sausage pizza and their sushi was all high quality, well-conceived, and extremely tasty. But their pulled pork sandwich--my god. In terms of "nice restaurant pulled pork" (i.e., not Ted Cooks), this sandwich was head and shoulders (pork shoulders!?) better than similar pulled pork at Pop!, Citizen, Town Talk, or anywhere else I've tried the pulled pork. The secret is that they aren't afraid to make it sloppy and tangy. No subtlety here. And the pickles were chopped up and mixed in instead of just perched on top. Magnifique. Their happy hour deals were all pretty reasonable (mostly $4 and $5 appetizers), but they absolutely did not skimp on portions. Considering we went to this place with pretty much zero expectations, it was actually a joy to sit there eating this stuff. I'm still in shock. It was like going to going to a Sandra Bullock movie and walking away talking about Oscars (well, Golden Globes at least). It isn't going to compete with The Modern or 112 or anywhere like that, but until they give us any reason to think otherwise (we haven't tried any entrees yet, which seem a little on the pricey side), I see no reason to eat anywhere else at the Mall of America. At least during happy hour.
Steve | 01-16-2010
Town Talk Diner Meatloaf South Minneapolis You'd expect something like meatloaf would be a no brainer at a place like Town Talk. Well you'd be wrong. They could definitely do better.
Steve | 01-08-2010
Pizza Joes Pizza South Minneapolis Pizza Joes (not related to Hiawatha Joe, I think, I hope) is a new-ish pizza delivery joint down the street, which has always seemed a little too "questionable" to actually order from. Plus, when you're in Fat Lorenzo's delivery zone, why bother with anything else? But for those times when you don't feel like paying for pizza by the pound or having to put on your fly fishing waders to eat it, you need an alternative. That's why we gave it a shot tonight, and it wasn't too bad. There's still something creepy about the place; it seems to be some sort of chain, but not actually a chain, but maybe? And the pizza had a certain frozen pizza vibe to it. But, like, really perfectly cooked frozen pizza. Now I'm just making it sound like it's horrible, but it's not. I think. I hope.
Busters Brunch South Minneapolis Asian pork soup: amazing. Beer braised beef sandwich: dry (again). Breakfast burrito: tasty, but greasy. Steak eggs benedict: undercooked, but still delicious. Omelette: Apparently good, because Jake actually showed signs of happiness and appreciation. All in all, quite impressed by Busters' brunch menu. But there was a curious lack of pancakey, french toasty, sweet flour-based breakfast items. And they still need to work on their grease levels.
Steve | 01-01-2010
Kings Korean buffet Fridley It took nearly until 2010, but I finally got around to eating Korean food (Oh give me a break... it's not like there's a surplus of Korean restaurants in the cities. Hell, I had to drive past the edge of civilization [i.e. north of 694] to do it). I'm not sure I could tell you what I ate, or how much of it was actually Korean. But there was bulgogi, and there was kimchi, so I have those bases covered. Both were wonderfully delicious, and I will certainly try to eat more of it in the future when my surroundings allow it (i.e. when I am stuck in a bad part of St. Paul or a good part of Fridley).
Steve | 12-30-2009
Cooper Happy hour stuff St. Louis Park St. Louis Park opened a stupid new movie theater in a stupid new shopping complex, where we went yesterday to see a stupid new movie about stupid blue rasta otters. Surprisingly, the least stupid thing about the entire even was our time spent at Cooper, killing two hours before the movie. It's a new Irish bar/restaurant (I refuse to say "pub") by the dude that owns The Local and Kierans and every other , well, "poob" in the cities, and everything I ate was at least as good as the Local. Maybe... dare I say it? Better? I'll just say this: Rueben bites. Imagine biting into a piece of falafel, and finding it stuff with corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese. Yes, please.
Steve | 12-26-2009
Cantina #1 Noodle thing with chorizo Bloomington Remember when I said R. Burger wouldn't make it until March? Well, scratch that. We tried to eat there last night and it was closed because, to quote the manager, "We haven't been doing too good on Monday nights." Alright then. So on to Cantina #1, where Libby had some decent enchiladas, and I had this weird sort of Mexican spaghetti. Noodles in a tomato sauce with chorizo and crumbled cheese and avocado. Hell if I know if that's a traditional Mexican dish, but honestly it was kind of good. That's two trips to Cantina #1 now, and if you ignore the kind-of-depressing vibe in the place (4th floor of the MOA, mind you), it really isn't that bad.
Steve | 12-22-2009
R. Burger Burger Bloomington There's this new place on the 4th floor of the Mall Of America (cited by Lukas as "The Bermuda Triangle of Commerce") called R. Burger. It's connected to the new comedy club, and is now my go-to place at the Mall for a decent meal. Not because it was the best thing ever, or because it's cheap or convenient. But I was there on Saturday (the last Saturday before Christmas, mind you), and while every other restaurant in the mall was swimming in people, lined up out the door and whatnot, the R. Burger was host to myself, two other couples, and one guy at the bar. Totally dead. I loved it. At one point, a family of 6 came and sat down, then mysteriously (and sneakily!) left before ordering. It was very awkward. The waitress said she heard them arguing about something. Anyway, their burger was pretty good (a little greasy), but their big thing is that you can basically build your own burger, with kobe beef and horseradish and jalepenos, or whatever. You could even put tartar sauce on your bacon cheeseburger! Yowza! Basically, let's hope the comedy club can keep this place alive, or else it won't last past March.
Steve | 12-21-2009
Matts Jucy Lucy South Minneapolis Matt's has not only the best burger in town, but the best juke box. Pure class. And I dominated that thing tonight. "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder, followed by Rod Stewart's "Maggie May," and capped off by the lovely "More Than This" by Roxy Music. I saw four different people dancing or singing along to "Sir Duke" within the first few bars. They didn't know what hit them. And the burger was stellar as always.
Town Talk Diner Kitchen sink burger South Minneapolis Is 2:30 too late in the afternoon for a restaurant to serve only brunch? Or is that standard? Call me crazy, but I was very disheartened when Libby and Katie and Paul and I went to the Town Talk, after a long morning of moving couches and dressers and trombones and large rocks, only to find their brunch menu was our only option. Not seeing many lunch (the "unch" part, see) options, I submitted to the kitchen sink burger practically by default. But get this: it was easily the best burger I've had at Town Talk. Maybe the best anything I've had at Town Talk. Nothing fancy, just cheese and bacon and a special sauce (like 1000 island, but with umph), but it was just made perfectly. Not swimming in grease, not lacking in sauce, thick bacon, well cooked burger. And garlic fries. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I just won't be going back to Town Talk during "unch" again.
Nick and Eddie Pot roast Downtown Minneapolis We sort of went to Nick and Eddie as a fluke, trying to get a fast bite to eat before the Andrew Bird concert at St. Marks, dealing with horrendously slow bus service and horrendously cold weather. Joe's Garage was too much of a wait, so we ended up at Nick and Eddie, and were not the least bit disappointed. I have to say I was surprised by their prices; while it wasn't cheap, it was all very reasonable, and the restaurant in general was far more informal that I have always thought. Granted, the menu isn't terribly exciting, but we both enjoyed what we ordered. I had pot roast (short rib, I believe) that had a fantastic jus (I think with some cider in it), and Libby had lobster mac and cheese, which she enjoyed. Throw some perfectly good pierogis into the mix, and we left happily (and quickly).
Steve | 12-11-2009
Pannekoeken Huis Bacon pannekoeken St. Louis Park Pannekoeken, if you didn't know, is Dutch for "clinical depression." They don't tell you this in the menu, but it's easy to figure out once you step foot into the Twin Cities' last remaining Panneloeken Huis. The place has all the charm of an abortion clinic, and is staffed by waitresses who just couldn't cut it at Perkins. They still make a tasty Dutch pancake, though.
Butcher Block Short rib sandwich Northeast Minneapolis I ate so much food this weekend. So much. I won't bother with the full list here (as not to embarrass myself) but let's just say I'm not proud. Not proud at all. The climax was Saturday night, when we finally got out to Butcher Block for my birthday (because I'm not going to pass up a place who's menu contains 14 flavors of chicken wings and beef carpaccio). Any worries we had about a lack of reservation were replaced with entirely new worries when we walked into the door to find the place entirely empty, save for one table of loud U of M students, and about a dozen employees gossiping and joking at the bar. I don't mind being in an empty restaurant, but man, there's something about having all these staff members just sitting around that made me uncomfortable. And they kept walking back and forth from the kitchen (where there must've been something hilarious going on) to the bar, right past our table. Our waitress, while she did a fine job otherwise, seemed like she would rather hang out with her co-workers than actually wait on her only table. But the much-anticipated food? Fine, I guess. I tried two flavors of chicken wings. The sambal chili was the best, but I've had better wings. The short rib sandwich tasted good, but was drowning in grease. The fries were fried well, and were coated in some interesting spice mixture (five spice?). Our beef carpaccio was nice enough, and Libby's ravioli, according to her, had a very homemade quality to it, in a good way, but could've used a little more... flavor? Something like that. I'm not complaining, mind you; it was all good, and the service was fine despite the off-putting exploits of the staff. But considering they don't start serving the sandwich/wings menu until 9pm every night, I'm not sure how soon I'll be back there. Their menu looks fantastic though--plenty of good options for next time. In the end, the Butcher's Block gets a big, hearty "Could've been worse."
Busters Butt steak South Minneapolis Finally, a fully satisfying meal from Buster's. A butt steak (not sure what that means, but I can guess) wrapped in bacon and leaks and served on top of garlic mashed potatoes. I'm starting to think the entree route is the way to go at this place, since every sandwich I've had ends of making me a little sad inside.
Hot Plate Breakfast burrito South Minneapolis Second time at Hot Plate. Not as good as the first. In fact, my breakfast burrito was actually kind of gross. I'm going to continue to give them the benefit of the doubt (thanks to their pumpkin waffles), but considering their ability to screw up something as unscrewupable as a breakfast burrito (covering it with that nasty sauce from cans of chipotle peppers? Guh.), and the obvious frozen-ness of their fried potatoes, I'm a little wary of what this place has in store for our future.
Steve | 11-29-2009
3 Tiers Meatloaf sandwich South Minneapolis There are two anecdotal rules to sandwich-craft that I know in my heart to be true. One is that the addition of pickled onions on a sandwich will make that sandwich at least 20% better. The other rule is similar, in that adding horseradish to a sandwich makes your sandwich 20% better. So if we do the math, 3 Tiers has created a sandwich that, even if the meatloaf was replaced with, oh, wet paper towels, we already have a 40% edible sandwich. The fact that their sandwich also contains competent meatloaf and homemade bread (this being a bakery, and all), we're looking at like a 95% sandwich. That missing 5%? A little chewy. A little chewy.
Steve | 11-16-2009
Busters Beer braised beef sandwich South Minneapolis Ignoring, for a moment, the time that I ate their chicken wings and soon after found myself violently hurling by a tree on the parkway, I've never had a bad meal from Busters. Unfortunately, I've never had an amazing meal, either. They have a great menu, in theory, but in the end there's always just that little wisp of disappointment, that feeling that there's something just not... quite... right. But they're only a couple blocks away from the new house, and they have elk pizza. So I'll be back.
Steve | 11-12-2009
Singapore Some sort of curry South Minneapolis I don't even know where to begin with tonight's trip to Singapore. Like. Hmm. It was really one of those experiences that demands not a little blog post, but an entire short story. Perhaps a series of graphic novels. Or a puppet show. If we were in a hurry or had places to be or were generally impatient and humorless people, we probably would've gotten up and left at any of about a dozen different points in the evening. The place was mostly empty when we sat, was practically overflowing when we left, and the entire time there was only one waiter: The charmingly nerdy but cartoonishly bewildered Melvin, the teenage son of the restaurant's owner (who also happened to be the only cook, and could occasionally be heard screaming in her native language from behind the kitchen doors). And did I mention he seemed to be in the midst of a nervous breakdown? Food was burnt, orders were forgotten, to-go boxes were accidentally thrown away, incomprehensible statements were uttered. Frequently. There was running. There was yelling. There was Celine Dion. Lots of Celine Dion. And somehow in the end, we found the whole experience fun, and somehow not at all infuriating, because for as crazy as the night was, and for as out-of-his-element the waiter appeared, he was apologetic and clearly trying his best. And the food was nearly as good as "old" Singapore, back when chef Tee ran the place. There's a certain charm here that makes it feel like you're eating Malaysian home cooking in the dining room of your neighbors–-your crazy ass, dysfunctional, welfare-cheat neighbors. Recommended!
Steve | 11-07-2009
Hot Plate Pumpkin buckwheat waffles South Minneapolis Funny that you don't hear about Hot Plate more often than you do. Granted it's in a random little part of the city, 52nd and Bloomington, but I never even would've heard of it had my boss raved about it a couple years ago. But since we're moving into the neighborhood, we poked in this morning, and were shocked to find a busy, bustling, quirky, fun little place who's apparent popularity is matched by its delicious food (and borderline obsessive paint-by-numbers collection). While I may not strike you as a pumpkin buckwheat waffle kind of guy, it seemed like the perfect choice for a November morning, and it was absolutely worth ordering. It was pretty much everything you'd think it was, but came topped with caramelized walnuts and whipped cream. If anything, it was maybe a little too sweet; I could've eaten just one instead of two, with a side of sausage or something, and been happy. But as it stands I was perfectly content with the waffles and the experience as a whole, and we will certainly be going back there many more weekends in the future.
Steve | 11-07-2009
The Bulldog The Southern (something) Dog Uptown Minneapolis Pinto beans. Cole slaw. Bacon bits. Cajun seasoning. On a hot dog. I don't know who conceptualized this thing, but I think it works.
Steve | 11-04-2009
Rudolphs Pulled pork sandwich Uptown Minneapolis "Sweet. I'm going to go to Rudolphs like twice a week now that I live three blocks from it," I said to myself as I moved all my stuff into this apartment on Aldrich. A year and a half later and a month away from moving out, I hadn't once gone there. So I went over there tonight, sat down at the bar and ordered a pulled pork sandwich and read my book. That was nice until the mentally unstable "regular" sat down right next to me and starting hitting on all the waitresses. Then the sandwich came and was fine, if a little greasy. I love their sauce, though, and it has pickles on it, which is a definite plus. But I at least did the late-night Rudulphs thing once, and now I can look forward to being only a few blocks away from Ted Cook's, who's pulled pork is heads and (pork) shoulders above Rudolph's anyway. If only they had a happy hour.
Steve | 11-01-2009
Cheeky Monkey Meatloaf sandwich St. Paul I was told by multiple people who are "in the know," that Cheeky Monkey, despite its awful, awful (awful) name, makes the "best sandwich in town." Better, even, than B'Wiched (though we could argue all day about who chose the inferior name). "Dubious," I thought. "Dubious." And since today I was finally in a position, both geographically and spiritually, to try it out, I did. My opinion is as follows: Cheeky Monkey is very good. Outstanding, even. As good as the sandwiches were, the chili was even better. Easily the best chili I've eaten all year. The kind of chili that I wish I could make, so people could say, "Man, I hope Steve brings his chili to the party!" And the price on everything was reasonable-to-cheap. But really, the two are incomparable. Cheeky Monkey is hearty and loving, while B'Wiched is technically savvy and secretly hates you. And yet. I dare say, with apologies to Andrew and Craig and Lucas and whoever else carries an understandable sense of St. Paul Pride: In the battle of gourmet Twin Cities deli sandwiches, a battle which nobody asked for which the outcome affects even fewer, I choose B'Wiched.. If they ever move out of Cathedral Hill (which may as well be rural Budapest as far as I'm concerned), I would probably eat there about six times a week. But as good as it is, I feel like other places could equal what they're doing. B'Wiched, on the other hand, is in their own little world, charging more, yes, but also leaving me like I just experienced something great. They also don't have a cartoon monkey in their logo.
Steve | 11-01-2009
moto-i Braised pork ramen Uptown Minneapolis Apparently "moto-i" is not meant to be capitalized. Though it brings me physical pain to not hit the shift button, I will, out of respect for the restaurant and its proprietors, follow moto-i's brand guidelines and keep it all lowercase. There. Now that that is out of the way, I have to say that while I wasn't necessarily blown away by it, I'm very intrigued by moto-i. I had a very tasty pulled chicken bun, a satisfying-but-could-be-tastier bowl of braised pork ramen, and a plate of fried donuts coated in a mixture of sugar and 5-spice that was most likely sent from whatever omnipotent and benevolent being created life and love itself. (I liked them). I am by no means an expert on Japanese cuisine, or ramen bowls specifically, but I feel like you could make a better one than this. I liked it, don't get me wrong. It just could've used little more something. But considering that they had about 20 more things on their menu that I wanted to eat, and the fact that there simply aren't many other places in the Twin Cities serving this kind of food, I'm excited to go back again sometime.
Steve | 10-28-2009
Kindee Red curry Downtown Minneapolis God, I'm so over Thai coconut milk curries. The one at this Kindee place was fine and everything, but, well, blllluuuuh. It all just tastes the same to me now, wherever I get the stuff. Their fried spring rolls with chicken and mushrooms, on the other hand, were wonderful, and very unique compared to any other Thai place. They were good enough to convince me to go back again in the future, at least to try something other than the curry.
Steve | 10-24-2009
Roat Osha Red Curry Noodles Uptown Minneapolis I think I've finally decided that Roat Osha just isn't very good. Oh, wait, I decided that months ago. Nevermind.
Steve | 10-22-2009
Harry Singh's Lamb curry, chicken wings Uptown Minneapolis Go to Harry Singh's. It's on Nicollet and 27th. It's a perfect little place; between the food and the atmosphere and the service, you couldn't ask for anything more. I won't even try to explain the food, since it's Caribbean (i.e. "Indian meets soul food meets hell if I know what else"), but it is unbelievable. Real jerk chicken wings. A big pile of fresh and hearty (and very green) lamb curry. I'm just going to stop now, because I still don't know the first thing about Trinidad or Tobago, but I can tell you that every good thing you'll ever hear about this place is 110% true.
The Blue Door Pub Jiffy Burger St. Paul The Jiffy Burger seemed like one of those things that sounds gross but then you try it and have your mind blown. Seemed like. In actuality, it tasted like a burger with peanut butter on it. Nothing more, nothing less. The bites with pickle actually weren't too bad, but the pickle distribution on this particular burger wasn't what it should've been. It certainly wasn't bad enough to alter my opinion of The Blue Door (which is high), but I think next time I'll steer clear of anything that mixes peanut butter and beef and City Pages recommendations.
Steve | 10-11-2009
Sauce Rigatoni Uptown Minneapolis Good: I got a 50% off coupon to Sauce. Bad:The place was completely empty except for us. Good:It's in a "How could anything fail here?" location, replacing the recently-failed La Bodega Bad: The decor is a sort of lame combination of music club, upscale sports bar, and graffiti-clad teen hangout. Good:The food was exactly the kind of rich, hearty homey Italian food this city has been lacking. Bad: It all felt a little bit like leftovers. I'm pretty sure they made the meatballs yesterday, and even the sauce, despite being the kind that is slow cooked over the course of a day, seemed somehow stale. Good: Despite that, I have to say this is the closest thing I've ever tasted to my grandma's spaghetti sauce and meatballs, which is possibly my favorite food in the world. So they have that going for them. Bad: Thirteen bucks for a plate of rigatoni. A little steep. If this was like 8 or 9 bucks at a little place like Broders Cucina, my mind would be entirely blown. But for $13 at a sit down restaurant, I feel like I need something else. Meatballs? Fancier plates? A salad? Good:Someone took some letters off the "Seat Yourself" sign so it read "Eat Our Elf." Very clever. Bad:Is anyone really going to sit down and eat a big filling plate of rich, spicy red-sauce pasta before going to a rock show? Conclusion:I think they have some potentially great food here, but have chosen the wrong venue for it. A cozy little hole in the wall would be great for this stuff, and they could knock a couple bucks off it and everyone would win. But once you throw in graffiti'd walls and hipster jukebox choices and a bar and live music that doesn't involve mandolins, it just don't make sense. But, man, if you stick that plate of rigatoni in front of me again, I'll eat every bit of it and then lick the plate.
Steve | 10-10-2009
Brits Pub Shepherds Pie Downtown Minneapolis After spending nearly five hours in the emotional gauntlet of Wednesday night's baseball game, and coming out on the side labeled "Euphoric," I decided to stay downtown for a while and treat myself to some food. I ended up going to Brit's (because how better to celebrate America's Pastime than with the food of the British Isles?), where I seated myself and waited about 10 minutes before going up to the front and alerting them to my presence. 5 minutes after that a very uninterested bloke took my order, very uninterestedly. I went with the shepherd's pie, this being Brits and all. It wasn't very good. In fact, I would actually characterize it as "Completely lame." I've only had shepherd's pie once before, so for all I know this was the world's most perfect plate of pie. But as far as I'm concerned, The Local's version is far superior. But in the end, despite the terrible service and only slightly better food, I didn't care one bit, because I had just witnessed The Greatest Game In American Cricket History.
Lyndale Deli Lamb chops Uptown Minneapolis One thing I'm actually going to miss about living near Lyn-Lake is being 30 seconds away from the Lyndale Deli. Two years ago it was just a regular old convenience store deli next to Treehouse Records, where you could order a surprisingly good gyro, and not much else. But in the last year, they have been slowly expanding their menu offerings, mostly as daily/weekly specials. In the last couple months, it even appears as if they are phasing out their store shelving entirely, at the same time stretching their culinary offerings to places where you'd never expect such a place to go. We're talking Moroccan chicken stew, cornish game hen, that sort of thing. Lots of legitimate Middle Eastern stuff that I've never heard of, too. Tonight they had marinated, grilled lamb chops. No frills, but shockingly good, and cheap. They came with their standard basmati rice, hummus, and fantastic 'Greek' salad. If you would've given me this meal on a nice plate at a "real" restaurant for twice as much money, I would've been perfectly happy with it. The fact that it came from a junky little convenience store on Lyndale is mind-boggling. I'd guess they'll eventually try to convert the place into a full restaurant, but unfortunately I will be long gone by then.
Steve | 10-04-2009
VFW Bacon cheeseburger St. Cloud As I am not myself a veteran of a foreign war, I was not aware that it is possible to simply walk into a random VFW and order a burger and chili. But apparently you can. And we did. And it was okay.
Steve | 10-03-2009
Arby's Not Enough Roast Beef Uptown Minneapolis It's time now for Music And Food And Math. Get out your slide rules. So tonight I ordered a regular roast beef combo, which comes with a small drink and small curly fries. The combo was $5.01. Since I'm never content with a single sandwich, I ordered one additional regular roast beef for something like $2.50. This total comes to $7.50. Already, I'm pissed because Arby's is always about two bucks more expensive than it has any right to be. So then as I'm eating, I'm studying their menu and doing a little math. See, they're offering their 5-for-5 deal right now. That's 5 roast beef sandwiches for $5.00. If you get this deal, you can also get a small drink and fries for $1.00 each. That's $7.00 for five sandwiches, a drink and fries. If you remember correctly, I had just paid $7.50 for two sandwiches, a drink and fries. That is fifty cents more for three fewer sandwiches. Now, if this was a one-sandwich difference, I'd be a little bummed. A two-sandwich difference, and I'd be borderline depressed. But three entire sandwiches? Pure insanity. Shit. I actually went entirely beyond "depressed," and found myself entirely empowered to do something about it. And anyone who knows Steve Marth knows he's not the "empowered" type. So I brought my receipt to the cashier, who clearly had nothing go do, and he actually (albeit humorlessly) refunded me 50 cents and gave me three more sandwiches to go. I don't know whether to be glad that I got the deal, or confused about which ancient Mesopatamian god Arbys' financial officers consult when creating their menu.
Jasmine Deli Stuff with fish sauce in it Uptown Minneapolis I don't eat at the Jasmine Deli as much as I probably should, but I've had it twice in the last week, so try to follow along; Curry beef noodle salad: Awesome awesome awesome. Pork and shrimp spring rolls: Too much cilantro and/or mint, and too peanutty dipping sauce. Stir fried chicken noodle salad: okay, but should've gone with the char broiled. Pot stickers: unbelievably amazing dipping sauce. Mock duck sandwich: It's mock duck. Gimme a break. All in all, the curry beef noodle salad is the winner.
Steve | 09-16-2009
Mainstreet Bar And Grill Buffalo steak sandwich Hopkins Apparently it was Bingo night at the Mainstreet Bar And Grill in downtown Hopkins, where I randomly biked to on Tuesday. I knew this because when I walked in the door, the bartender was reading off Bingo numbers, and people were all checking their Bingo cards. "I can't read my book if there's all this hubub," I thought, so I walked across the street to the Hopkins Tavern (as seen on the TV commercials). Unfortunately it was also Bingo night at the Hopkins Tavern. So I walked across the street back to the Mainstreet Bar And Gril, where I ordered the most outlandish item on their menu: The buffalo steak sandwich. No, not buffalo steak like bison steak. I mean a ribeye steak sandwich slathered in buffalo wing sauce and fried onions and mushrooms. I love the classic sports bar mentality at work here; "Steak sandwiches are good, but we need something else. I don't know, maybe throw some buffalo sauce on there?" And voila. You have a "special." Actually, it was very delicious, and was something I have never seen on anyone's menu before (probably because it theoretically sounds awful). Best of all, it gave me a good excuse to not order buffalo wings and a steak sandwich. Mainstreet Bar And Grill, your home for Tuesday night Bingo and pragmatic solutions to menu-based indecision.
Steve | 09-16-2009
Red Lobster All you can eat shrimp Roseville All you can eat shrimp. Aaaall you can eat shrimp. All. You can. Eat... shrimp. What can I write about this? What timely anecdotes or hints of wisdom can I extrude plate after plate of shrimp and rice pilaf? Well, some of it was teriyaki shrimp. Some of it was cajun. Deep frying and coconut even got involved. There were biscuits as well. All that we could eat.
Steve | 09-13-2009
Chins Asia Fresh Mongolian chicken Minnetonka This is so stupid.Who am I? What am I doing here? And why is there pesto on my potstickers? I mean, really. You can cover up the potstickers with whatever substance you want, but the fact remains that they are still bland, wet potstickers. And you can put my Mongolian Chicken with brown rice on a fancy black porcelain plate, but it's still goddamn Leann Chins. Only I'm paying twice as much for it.
Steve | 09-06-2009
Kinh Do Holy Basil with chicken Uptown Minneapolis I know it's probably not some legitimate traditional Vietnamese dish, and I know it's nothing but jalepenos, basil, chicken, and a bucket of fish sauce and sugar, but hot damn this is a good pile of food. Sure, it's not better than the King and I's 34 with beef, but it's at least in the top 3 of my favorite Asian dishes around town. Quang could probably make it better, though.
Steve | 09-01-2009
The Duplex Hangar steak Uptown Minneapolis Call me crazy, but I don't love steak. It always sounds good, and I imagine how good it could be, but no matter where I order it, how it's prepared, or how expensive it is, I almost always walk away underwhelmed. The same goes for Tim Burton movies. So last night, imagine my shock when I took a bite of a hangar steak at The Duplex and actually said, "Wow, I really like this." Granted, a hangar steak is a very different cut of meat than a strip or a T-bone or whatever, and it was swimming in a tasty dijon mustard demi glace, but hot damn it tasted great, was cooked perfectly and there was enough of it to fill me up. The carmelized onion potato au gratin was too much "carmelized" and "gratin" and not enough "onion" and "potato", so that was a bit of a let down. If I was sitting at a judge's table ton Top Chef, I'd probably more quickly throw out words like "A total disaster," or make a reference to bricklaying or something, but I'm not so I won't. All in all, the Duplex is still holding up well. They need to change up their menu pretty soon here (I can only convince myself not to order the duck sloppy joe so often), and their space will always be noisy and awkward (same goes for the service... ZING!), but it's good to know there's a place to walk to for something like a birthday dinner when the Hour Car doesn't give us enough time for the Modern, and Alma is too full (or unwilling to deal with our gift certificate?) to visit on a Saturday night.
Steve | 08-30-2009
Katz's Deli A pile of money on rye Manhattan Katz's is supposedly one of the last original non-chain Jewish delis in New York, so of course we had to go give it a shot on my last day in the city (since I wasn't going to have time to fulfill my dream of throwing a trash can through the window of a racist Brooklyn pizza joint). It was delicious. There is no doubt about that. And the restaurant, while very large, certainly had a legitimate charm and history to it. But holy cannoli, look at those prices! Given the swarms of people that must eat there every day, it's probably completely reasonable for them to charge $15 for a single sandwich with no sides, or $4.50 for a side of cole slaw. They do brine their own corned beef and pastrami so it's incredibly fresh, and I assume they make their own cole slaw and potato salad as well. But if I lived nearby, I can't imagine wanting to go there too often. It was probably better than Cecil's (very different, at least), and at least as good as Mort's (and now that I think about it, Mort's certainly isn't for penny-pinchers), but I'd bet if you're living in Manhattan, you probably have a handful of places that you can get a comparable meal for half the price. Although I doubt you'll find better potato salad.
Oasis of Williamsburg Shawarma sandwich Brooklyn I've had chicken shawarma before, and I've had plenty of gyros before, but this thing I ate at this randomly chosen Williamsburg deli was something else. It started as a standard pita stuffed with sliced shawarma--lamb and turkey in this case--but on top of that was a pile of red cabbage, some sort of peppered pickles (which, according to my research, may have been pickled gherkins), mystery onions, a tzatziki sauce unlike any I have ever seen, and a substance that can best be compared to Chipotle's hot salsa. It was like Egypt, Germany, and Mexico all crammed into one unfortunate pita. The meat, I'm sad to report, was a little bit dry, and the meat/veggie distribution demanded some creative bite-taking. But as I made my way to the middle, it was juicy and delicious and different. And just five bucks. I can't imagine finding a much better and equally filling five dollar meal anywhere, be it New York or wherever. Okay, so I could probably get a better deal on it if it was "Oasis of Cairo" (where it would likely be served to me by the immigrant deli owner, a guy from Kansas City named Andy), but the more I think about it, I don't know if I could ever find a similar sandwich in the Twin Cities. As soon as I get home, I'm storming into the Lyndale Deli and demanding gherkins, dammit! Gherkins!
Steve | 08-24-2009
Random gyro cart Chicken gyro Manhattan Having been in New York for two and a half days now, I have already noticed a major and disappointing fact about the city's famous street food vendors. See, for years, I've been under the impression that the sidewalks of Manhattan are rife with roving street carts selling any and every kind of food--from hot dogs to burgers to tacos and maybe some barbeque ribs and duck confit or something. But in truth, it seems that there are only about four options. We have gyro and kabob carts, hot dog carts, ice cream carts, and hot dog and ice cream carts. And they all seemed to be operated by the same 2 or 3 companies. If you're in Central Park near the Upper West Side, you're stuck with the same exact gyro and ice cream sandwich as down south in Battery Park. I was hoping for some surprises, the occasional fancy/good/cool cart selling, I don't know, elk sausages or tikka masala or something. But all day, up and down Manhattan, are the same carts, the same signs, same prices, and the same processed meats.
(Speaking of processed meats, Ben and Justin mentioned on my first night how it's practically impossible to find bratwurst in New York. While that seemed unbelievable at the time, I really haven't seen it anywhere all weekend, counting all the concession stands at the Mets game. I mean, I'm sure you could find it at a good grocery store or meat market or something, but as far as casual sausage consumption goes, Italian Sausage is really the cased meat of choice in this part of the country).
Steve | 08-23-2009
Egg Cheese omelette, candied bacon Brooklyn The obvious first thought: "Oh god, someone opened a breakfast joint in the middle of Williamsburg and decided to call it Egg? Why don't you just shoot me in the head and feed my body to some free range chickens and get it over with? However, after eating there, I have nothing to complain about. For having the gall to name themselves "Egg," there was little or no sense of self-importance or preciousness in either the menu or the interior itself. The space was small and contemporary, but inviting--white walls, unfinished wood ceilings, reclaimed wood tables, that sort of thing, but lived-in enough that you wouldn't get kicked out if you spilled ketchup all over the floor (which I didn't do, thank you very much). The food was perhaps a little too pricey, but really no more than eating at French Meadow or such a place (and cheaper than Cafe Maude, although you should expect to pay a premium for suchcivilized leisure). I suffered major ordering regret--cognitive dissonance, if you will--about my omelette. I should've went with the biscuits and gravy, which Ben ordered and were spicy and just how I like them. The omelette was okay, a little too mushy in the middle, but the hashbrowns were fantastic. Very different, as well; they were basically a big ball of potato hash deep fried into what could easily be confused as a giant falafel ball. Crunchy on the outside, hash-browny in the middle. And of course, I wouldn't dare eat at this place without ordering their candied bacon, which sounds a lot more ridiculous than it really is. Basically, they cook up their bacon coated in maple syrup to create a nice layer of sweetness on the outside. Very tasty. All in all, it was probably a little too expensive, and it can be an awfully long wait to get in if you don't get there early enough. But I'd certainly go back there in the future if its space isn't taken over by a cupcake shop or discount keffiyah outlet. (Oh, and also, free homemade donut holes when you are seated.)
Steve | 08-22-2009
Grimaldi's Pizzeria Sausage and red pepper pizza Brooklyn For the second time this year, I found myself standing in line with a horde of bitter people for a unusually long amount of time outside a highly-regarded pizza place in a very large American city. But unlike my experience with Gino's East in downtown Chicago, this time I actually left satisfied. Granted, Grimaldi's is a completely different beast than Gino's East; we're talking about a one-off, family-owned, coal-fired pizza joint who's popularity is based solely on its reputation and quality, not a mythic regional institution who filters millions of customers a year through its several locations in search of a pizza the size of a tractor tire. The fact that it is located practically underneath the Brooklyn Bridge (very impressive, by the way) certainly doesn't hurt, either. Thin, chewy, and fresh, the pizza was much more similar to something you'd get at Punch than any big greasy pie you might find somewhere (anywhere) else. And to be honest I have a hard time finding anything particular that distinguishes it from Punch. But if you were to set a Punch pizza and a Grimaldi's pizza in front of me right now, I'd choose Grimaldi's, hands down. It was just a perfectly enjoyable pizza with good sauce, good crust, and good cheese. As we were finishing up, we were kindly greeted by who I assume is the owner, a cartoonishly Italian Brooklynite who managed to disparage Bostonians, Asians, gays, children, and himself in about 1.5 minutes, in a way that would've been charming even to gay Asian children from Boston. I believe the staff of Gino's East simply turned the lights off and spit in our to go boxes as they pushed us out the door.
West Indies Soul Food Jerk chicken South Minneapolis Every time I go to the Midtown Global Market, I see the West Indies Soul Food place after I've already eaten, and tell myself, "Next time, I'm going to eat there." And then the next time comes and I just eat Safari again. But this time...this time...I remembered it right away. And I didn't go away too disappointed. The odd part is that I asked the lady for a sample of the stewed oxtail, and she only would give me a sample of it if I ordered something else, which sort of defeats the point of samples, if you ask me. The oxtail was good, but I was stuck with the chicken. It was very dramatic.
Steve | 08-21-2009
Craftsman Bacon filled venison burger South Minneapolis We're looking at a house on 42nd and Lake, and in my scouting of the neighborhood, I saw that the highly-recommended Craftsman was less than a block away. One could quite literally throw a stone to hit it (and since this is Lake Street we're talking about, one most likely already has). I sat down at the bar to eat while killing time for the light to go down (my neighborhood scouting is just that thorough), and ordered a bacon filled venison burger. The burger itself was practically flawless; great taste and texture, the bacon didn't overpower the venison, the bun was a good match for the meat, and the chili ketchup had a nice tang. But there was one major problem: Bleu cheese. I guess I just don't like bleu cheese. And the stuff they used on this burger, while not a large quantity, was very strong, and made what should've been a fantastic burger a struggle to finish. But I won't blame the Craftsman, because it was everything they said it would be.
Steve | 08-16-2009
Banh Thai Panang gai Plymouth Back when I was a bratty little snot-nosed loser kid who didn't like Chinese food, there was this Chinese restaurant next to Marcellos in the Four Seasons Mall (the magnetic epicenter of all the sadness in the northwest suburbs*). The only memory I have of being in there involved me ordering a cheeseburger, which tasted funny because it was probably coated with MSG and cooked in a wok. Now, 20 years later, that creepy little Chinese place is a creepy little Thai place. It was unflatteringly decorated and completely empty. And the chicken curry was the best I've had in over a year. I'll make no claims of this being some hidden gem in the middle of a half-abandoned strip mall, as the menu looked a little boring, and Libby's pad thai was fairly unexciting. But I will say that, well, this place is actually worth investigating if you're north of 394. High praise.
* Libby would claim that the Down In The Valley location in Crystal truly holds this title, but I think since there's an Axe Man and Half Price Books within spitting distance, that the Four Seasons takes the cake.
Steve | 08-03-2009
The Modern Stewed pork Northeast Minneapolis For only the second time ever, I left the Modern tonight slightly disappointed. I blame the stewed pork. It wasn't terrible, just not necessarily up to par. To get technical for a moment: it needed more crunch. That would've done it. However, I had a cup of red bean and ham soup which was so good that I don't even have the heart to really complain about the pork.
Steve | 07-31-2009
Fitgers Rueben, homemade root beer Duluth Something I've noticed about Duluth on my last few visits is that, in terms of its shopping and dining choices, it's become a sort of Minneapolis Two (or "Minneapolis Too!" as some savvy marketing brain would likely render it). Pizza Luce. Grandmas. Hells Kitchen. The Electric Fetus. The Global Village. These are all perfectly fine establishments, some of them even got their start in Duluth, but when I'm driving three hours to get to a city, I want some options! And while I'm sure there are a number of hidden little gems sprinkled around town, there doesn't seem to be any one place that says "Hey everyone, I'm an amazing restaurant that is easy to find and entirely original to Duluth! Eat at me and tell your friends about how great I am!" Hells Kitchen would be one of these places if it wasn't an arm of the Minneapolis one, and Luce would certainly be one if it never left Duluth. But as it stands, I can only really think of two places that even come close: Pickwicks and Fitgers. Pickwicks, I have never been to. Someone told me the other day that it's very good, and it will certainly be on my list in the future. But this weekend, when killing time on the drive back from the Upper Peninsula, Libby and I ate lunch at Fitgers. More specifically, we ate at the Fitgers Brewhouse Brewery & Grille (points subtracted for the 'e'). Fitgers, you see, is really a big newly-renovated shopping complex which used to be a brewery, and now houses a mini brewery and a Life Is Good store. The restaurant itself, just a fairly standard bar and grille, and was actually, given the circumstances of its creation and surroundings, good. I had a grilled reuben, which suffered from none of the potential problems which ruebens often suffer from, and all-in-all was a great sandwich--well deserving of the little "chef's choice" icon next its title on the menu. Thanks chef! We also got onion rings, which were perfectly acceptable, and chips and salsa, which was seemingly homemade and not bad for being free with the sandwich. But the best part of my meal, easily, was the root beer, which they brew on site with all their beers (Libby liked her beer, too). I've had plenty of brewhouse-brewed root beer (Herkimer, Town Hall, that old Hops place), but this was probably the best I've ever had. Right up there on the list of best root beer I've had, home-brewed or not. It was like drinking pure velvet, cut from the finest robe of the most charming king, regal but just. Our waitress, however, was a female douchebag.
Steve | 07-28-2009
Barbette Bison ribeye Uptown Minneapolis Everyone is surely at the edge of their seat to see what I'll write about the ribeye special at Barbette Thursday night. So for the sake of being a contrarian jerk, I'm just going to link you to a photo of a barbette hat.
Barbette French toast Uptown Minneapolis Barbette is currently winning the "Best French toast in town" contest that, until this morning, didn't even exist. Someone tell Sunny Side Up that it's on.
Steve | 07-19-2009
Chang Mai Thai Spicy noodles with chicken Uptown Minneapolis What's the deal with Uptown? Like, Uptown Uptown. Lake and Hennepin Uptown. I mean, really. For a part of town that prides itself (lives and dies, really) on being the place to be, it seems every time I want to get something to eat around there, I find absolutely nothing. A few days ago, at 6:30 on a Thursday night, I actually tried going to Chino Latino. Chino Latino! I was that desperate. "How bad could it really be?" I asked myself. Without getting even five feet past the front door, I was so overwhelmed by guys in unbuttoned shirts and gold chains, and girls in high heels and all sorts of elaborate scents, I didn't even want to try squeezing into the bar. And to think that the place serves guinea pig! How on earth does a place that will prepare and serve you a a whole guinea pig also attract dudes with Ed Hardy shirts and girls with eyelash implants? And where are these people coming from, anyway? It's not I see them walking around on the sidewalks on Aldrich, or hanging out by Minnehaha Creek on weekends. But I digress. This is a Chang Mai Thai post. Because I ended up giving up and going there tonight. It was good. Try the curried beef spring rolls. Stupid Uptown.
Whitey's Roast beef sandwich Northeast Minneapolis After a long, grueling 14.5 holes of golf, Paul and Luke and Scott and I, completely by default, ended up eating a late dinner at Whitey's Saloon in Northeast. Now, I've always been aware of Whitey's existence (in the sense that if you were to say, "Hey Steve, let's go to Whitey's," I wouldn't respond by saying "WHAAA"?), it has never once crossed my mind that it might actually be a place where a human being could sit down and eat food. It's like Woody Allen and his relationship with the state of Maryland. (Think about it). Anyway, it was shockingly non-busy for a Saturday night, and everything I ate was remarkably good and reasonably priced. We got some spicy pork tostadas as an appetizer, which were as good or better than any such thing you could get at a real Mexican place. My roast beef sandwich, which they claim is slow cooked in garlic and wine, was right up there with Mayslack's roast beef. Maybe a little... better? Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with this place, and their menu is huge, so I feel pretty certain that it's going to quickly become my default Northeast Hennepin/Central eating spot.
EPILOGUE: So I left my hat there last night. Of course. When I stopped in this morning to pick it up, they had a sizable breakfast crowd. And judging by the few plates of breakfast I spied, it looks like it might be a great weekend morning haunt as well.
Steve | 07-12-2009
Burger Jones Bison burger Uptown Minneapolis While, after three visits, Burger Jones has yet to entirely blow me away, tonight's bison burger was the best I've had so far. Only $15 to go until I get $10 from my Parasole Dining Club card! (Why they didn't call this the "Frequent Fryer Club" is beyond me).
Steve | 07-08-2009
Olive Garden Braised beef tortellini St. Louis Park Libby and I just love the Olive Garden. It's such a great place to sit back with some friends, share some stories, drink some wine, and enjoy all the wonderful pasta dishes by the chefs from the Tuscan Culinary Institute. (Libby likes the endless breadsticks, too!). And the service is so friendly; you really are family! It's like going to a Tuscan villa without leaving the 394 frontage road!
Aaaaaand, done. Okay, serious time now. Libby got a $25 gift card to the Olive Garden for Christmas, and we decided to use it tonight. It wasn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. My short rib tortellini had a tasty sauce, though the meat was a little weird. Libby had a chicken pasta thing that seemed to be about 93% cheese to me, but she liked it. All in all, it was pretty good, but surprisingly expensive. If you're going to pay that kind of money for Italian food, you're better off going to Broders or Rinata or Al Vento or any other legitimate Italian joint, which are all very comparable in price. If the entrees were about 2/3rds the price of what they are (which is what I expected), I would actually be very willing to go back. As it stands, I'll keep the Old Spaghetti Factory as my go-to lame generic chain Italian restaurant, thank you very much. At least they give you free spumoni.
Namaste Chicken curry Uptown Minneapolis I've yet to have anything but a great meal at Namaste. That cannot be denied. But holy High Holiness, is their service slow. Ex-cru-ti-ating-ly slow. And not that I want to generalize or judge (HAH!), but it seems that as a Nepalese restaurant, they went out of their way to hire the kind of waitress that really wants to work at a Nepalese restaurant. Nay, nay; the kind of waitress that wants to be in Nepal. The waiting table part sort of becomes secondary to the collecting of prayer flags and the wearing of Asian symbol tattoos. I mean, like, why do they even have to wear shoes just because some ignorant city inspector says so, and they'll come take your order in just a minute, so calm down. Great place, though.
Steve | 07-03-2009
Five Guys Burgers and Fries Bacon cheeseburger Edina We have a winner in the Great Minneapolis Burger Wars of 2009! And a surprise one at that. Five Guys narrowly but decisively defeated Burger Jones in a hard fought trench battle that tested the gumption and wherewithal of both sides. But in the end, like Hitler marching into Russia unprepared for Stalin's scorched Earth defense, Burger Jones simply overreached where Five Guys pulled back to basics. A reasonably priced burger, pattied fresh with free fixins of your choice, cooked to order and piled high, yet surprisingly manageable, Five Guys is simply the better value. It's very comparable to In And Out Burgers out west, but I found it to be far easier to eat; In And Outs always seemed to fall apart and end up all over my shirt by the time I was finished. Throw in hand-cut fries (cooked in peanut oil!), and free peanuts, and you've got yourself a decent little burger chain. Even though it's a couple months old by now, it was still incredibly busy tonight, with no seating to be had. Luckily, there is a lame little man-made pond and corporate campus park across the parking lot, which, judging by the amount of people sitting on benches eating burgers and scattered ketchup cups littering the ground, seems to be acting as the de facto outdoor seating area for the time being. So congratulations, Five Guys. Now I'll see you again in about 4 months, when maybe I can actually find a place to sit .
Busters on 28th Chicken wings South Minneapolis Not that I want to slander a perfectly respectable local eating establishment, but I do believe that something I ate from Buster's on Thursday made me vomit so hard that I still have a piece of my own appendix stuck in my teeth. On the plus side, I think I can finally fit into my wedding dress again!
Steve | 06-20-2009
Burger Jones Bacon cheeseburger, chili Uptown Minneapolis After months of anticipation, I finally ate at Burger Jones this afternoon. And while it didn't exceed my expectations, it also didn't fall short. So that's something. The first thing to point out is to be very careful ordering. They really nickel and dime you with extras ($2.99 for a side of fries? Really?), and once you get a malt and an appetizer, you're looking at a very pricey meal for a burger joint. That said, everything we ate was worth the hefty pricetag. The chili was short rib chili, and obviously fresh and homemade. Not quite as good as the Loon's, but definitely in the same league. I just ordered a bacon cheeseburger, which is terribly unadventurous for a place like this, but I wanted to start basic and move up over time. When it came, I was a little disappointed that it had no pickles or onions. But then the waitress showed up with a bowl of homemade pickles (and pickled onions) which made the burger. I usually don't like sweet pickles, but these things were from some other world, and I can't even begin to guess what made them so great. There was almost a hint of apple cider in them. Who knows. Either way, these pickles are the key to making Burger Jones burgers worth the extra couple bucks you're paying for them. Overall, I'm excited about the potential this place has (the menu has plenty of options on it to keep you coming back). They'll definitely see more of me this summer, that's for sure.
Doug Fir Lounge Burger, chowder Portland We made a quick, whirlwind stop in Portland on the way home from our Pacific Northwest trip. As part of it, we stopped to eat at one place I had eaten at my previous whirlwind stop in Portland a couple years ago: The Doug Fir. If you're ever in Portland, it's worth visiting for the ambiance alone; it's like Jetson's retro-future meets log cabin diner. Very cool, but surprisingly welcoming. Anyhow, our food was quite good as well. I had a bacon and gruyere cheeseburger, which was a solid burger, and Libby had some fancy chicken and cornbread, which she was also happy with. But the best part in my mind was the seafood chowder, which was a close second to the Market Grill's for the best chowder of the trip. We also had a caesar salad with a crab cake on top, that was light but satisfying. There were also three guys wearing matching leather jackets who all ordered the exact same meals (coffee, salad, salmon, asparagus). They were probably in a band. How cute, Portland. How cute.
Steve | 06-14-2009
Market Grill Halibut sandwich, chowder Seattle Based on a kindly Chowhound recommendation, we made a quick stop at the Market Grill, a little dirty-looking stand in the middle of Pike Place Market. And while it was so loaded with tartar sauce that I could barely tell that the fish was even there, the sandwich was really delicious. The sauce seemed to be homemade, and the fish was blackened with some good spices. The chowder was even better. Probably right up there with the best chowder I've ever had. All in all, this place came highly recommended, and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
Steve | 06-10-2009
Safeco Field Sushi, Hot dog, chowder Seattle It seems the rumors of Safeco Field's supposedly endless supply of sushi stands and other exotic food delights have been much exaggerated. In the couple laps I took around both concourse levels, I only found a single concession stand, hidden back in a little nook behind a hot dog place, that served sushi. The selection was fairly limited, and the prices (obviously) were embarrassingly high. But I wasn't about to go to a Mariners game without eating any of their famous stadium sushi, so I bought some. "Seattle rolls", they were called. Not sure what that entails, but I think there was salmon in it. I found them to be bland and mushy, but Libby, who's sushi palette is far more sophisticated than my own, said they weren't too bad. We also shared a cup of Ivar's chowder (huge local chain, a "Seattle institution", if you will), and a hot dog. I had much better chowder on the trip, although it wasn't bad, but the hot dog was actually quite good. Probably in the top 3 or 4 stadium hot dog's I've had. Maybe there was fish in it.
Paseo Pork sandwich Seattle Holy shit. If this place existed in MInneapolis I would see no reason ever to eat anything else. I won't go into details, because they won't do anyone any good.
Mee Sum BBQ Pork Hom Bow Seattle The best cheap treat (well, treat, period) when you are making your way through the throngs of tourists at Pike's Place Market (*coughcough* you'reoneofthem *cough*) and hippies selling bad art and beaded items; dodging the tossed fish by the hot dudes in orange overalls; withstood the lines inside the original Starbucks to get your Starbucks-obsessed roomie a souvenir as you watch the baristas drop your cup for your iced coffee on the ground but make your drink in it for you anyway.* Then you come upon this Chinese bakery place smashed up next to this Chinese juice bar and here, delicately made golden rounds of hom bow, a filled sweet bun, sit next to sesame balls and other wrapped treasures. Order a BBQ Pork hom bow and it will slide into it's bun paper sleeping bag and you will hand them $2.50 and you will be intensely satisfied. Add a fresh-squeezed lemonade from the juice stand next door and go forth. A small moment where the stars align and everything is in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.
*The barista that took my order at Starbucks asked where I was from and when I replied she goes - "Oh she's from Michigan!" and I say "Nice!" as in, holla for the Midwest! The Michigan girl says, "Not really." Excuse me? Be proud of where you're from, Michigan barista girl! Despite the greatness of Seattle, I'd like some love for the Midwest.
Monsoon Lamb stir fried with bean sauce Seattle Very high on my list of places to possibly eat in Seattle is Monsoon, a slightly high-end Vietnamese restaurant that prides itself of giving a Pacific Northwest twist to Vietnamese fare (South Pacific Northwest?). I will spare you the infuriatingly long story about how we got lost trying to find another place, then got lost again, then punched a Seattle city planner in the gut (driving in this city is like watching the second season of Twin Peaks), but suffice it to say that we ended up at Monsoon in the Capital Hill neighborhood, and couldn't have been any happier. The waiter (who probably thought I was an idiot) talked me out of getting a crispy pork belly dish, and instead convinced me to get this lamb dish. The sauce could've used a little more zing, but the lamb itself was outstanding; perfectly cooked and packed with enough flavor to make me not care about the lack of zing. But the best part were these beans. I don't know what kind of beans these were, but I know one thing: They were marinated high upon a forested mountaintop, in the sweat of the world's only remaining unicorn. Libby's meal was almost even better. She had black bass or cod or some such thing, with shitake mushrooms and fantastic sausage and lily roots and more of those beans. I usually don't get excited about fish, but the couple bites I had of hers were outstanding. And the sausage was perfect for the dish. All of that, plus some shockingly good egg rolls and desert made up for all the hassle it took to actually get there.
Smashburger Smashburger Northeast Minneapolis Since Burger Jones has been too busy for me to make it there yet (despite dreaming about it every night), I had to make Smashburger my first battle in the Great Minneapolis Burger War Of 2009 (TM). While I found my burger to be perfectly enjoyable, I can't think of a lot of reasons to go out of my way to eat there in the future. It wasn't much better than Culver's (or some such place), and is in a depressing little fake-town in St. Anthony Village. However, I could see what gives it a slight edge over other fast food places:
1.) They have beer.
2.) They have garlic/rosemary fries. Which are fine, but at some point it's like "Enough with the goddamn rosemary."
3.) They have beer.
I get the feeling Five Guys Burgers And Fries is going to win out on this duel, but we'll have to see if the Burger Jones A-bomb takes both of them out in one big greasy burger Hiroshima.
Steve | 05-28-2009
The Sports Page Bacon Cheeseburger Bloomington The Sports Page is one of my favorite places to eat in the cities, not only for the tap root beer and surprisingly-above-average cheeseburgers, but for its goddamn charm. Wood paneled walls. Softball trophies behind the booths. An owner that tends the grill and tells dumb jokes and is named Moose. Moose. Not only is the inside stuck in some sort of late-60s-early-70s time warp, but it's located in the Great Bear Center, a little strip mall off of Lyndale and 80-somethingth that was seemingly untouched by the hands of time since its inception 40 years ago. Like the Golden Valley Center, but far, far cooler. Something out of a Coen Brothers movie, really. But today, when I drove up for the first time in months, to my shock and horror, they're renovating the Great Bear Center! The sweet, lovely Great Bear Center is being torn apart and given a new, generic, lame strip mall facade. This really pisses me off. Really. Say what you will about suburbs or strip malls or this or that, but in my mind the Great Bear Center was a little Brigadoon, a place stuck in time beyond the mists of Bloomington. But now they've paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Okay, yes, there was a parking lot there already, but you get the point. But let me tell you... if they even try to tear down the sign... I'm going to go all Joni Mitchell on their ass.
The Modern Cafe gnocci Northeast Minneapolis Now, we all know how Steve and I feel about the Modern. No real need to go over this again, but if I must remind you it's probably our favorite dining establishment in the Twin Cities. We don't go often enough to try everything on their menu before they switch it up (but God, I wish I could've eaten this one meal from last summer a thousand times: gnocchi with sweet corn, bacon, dates, creme fraiche and whatever else. The flavors complimented each other perfectly. Now, I order pretty much anything with creme fraiche), so it's always a treat to visit. This time I had the gnocchi with edamame, oyster mushrooms and lemon fondue. It was excellent, albeit a little chalky at first. Light and bright and super delicious. That was me, the youngest nerdy girl on that Tmobile commercial with the glasses and great striped sweater: The Modern is Super Delicious!
The Duplex Duck ragu Uptown Minneapolis We ate at The Duplex this evening, for the first time in a while. I had a duck ragu on rice. It was pretty good, except I couldn't help but notice that it was exactly the same as the stuff on their duck sloppy joe (as seen in my previous Duplex post). Only it came with plain rice instead of fries, and nothing instead of a bun. Oh, and it was about $6 more. Duplex? More like the Dupe-lex!
The Vegetarian Aloo gobi Columbia Heights We had a little get together for Dustin's birthday at The Vegetarian, an Indian restaurant on Central Avenue that, true to its name, is 100% vegetarian. And maybe like 50% vegan. Once again, I must admit that I have little knowledge of what makes good Indian food better than not good Indian food, but I can confidently say that, despite its lack of lamb (not to be confused with rack of lamb), my meal was superb. It was basically cauliflower, onions, potatoes, rice, and a bunch of spicy stuff. The garlic naan would've been delicious on its own, but was even better along with my entree. And even though the service was comically slow, you couldn't really complain, because everyone who worked there seemed so nice. The owner even referred to online reviewers as "a bunch of alcoholics." It was very funny at the time, but in hindsight I have no idea what it means.
The Modern Lamb burger Northeast Minneapolis The Modern can do no wrong. I'm assured of that at this point. After passing on it numerous times, then seeing it made (entirely from scratch, meat grinder and all) on Drive Ins Diners And Dives, I finally tried their lamb burger. And it was amazing. It was more Moroccan or Middle Eastern in flavor than I expected, but that was a very good thing. Tomato chutney, tzatziki, french fries. And love, I assume? Oh, and chicken wings. Chicken wings. It's enough to make me want to bleach my hair, grow a goatee, and throw on a bowling shirt.
The Blue Door Pub Cajun Blucy St. Paul We finally got around to getting all the way inside the Blue Door, which I've heard nothing but good things about. From everyone. In the world. But once you've actually eaten one of their Juicy Blucys (get it?), it's obvious why this place has already completely outgrown its space. It's good. Really good. I got the Cajun Blucy, which has jalepeno and pepper jack inside of it. Even if it wasn't stuffed, it would be a fantastic burger. So, as always, the question becomes: "How does it compare to Matt's"? And my answer is a total cop out. They're both extremely good, but it's like comparing boxing to ultimate fighting. The Blue Door's burger was big, exciting, perfectly cooked, and comes with a variety of stuffing options. But Matt's lucy's are classic. No frills, fried onions, cheap buns, but they taste so perfect you just want to cry. The Blue Door may be a big bloody UFC championship match, but Matt's is still the sweet science. Now someone just tell the Blue Door to build a damn waiting area.
Steve | 04-27-2009
Tuggs Juicy lucy Northeast Minneapolis With time to kill and a belly to fill (ugh...) before going to a play at the Guthrie (Caroline, or Change, highly recommended!), I wandered across the Stone Arch Bridge into St. Anthony Main. I've never really eaten at any of the handful of restaurants over there, but the fact that I never hear of any of them makes me think they're not necessarily the best restaurants in the world. But despite that, and based on a half-remembered (possibly imagined) recommendation from a co-worker, I stopped into Tuggs for a burger. All I needed to see were the words "stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon" and I was sold. While my expectations were low--something about the place weirded me out, possibly the fact that I was surrounded by TV's showing Lou Dobbs--I walked away satisfied. Not blown-away, mind you, but satisfied. The burger seemed fresh, and the fries, while not hand cut, were well done. But it was lacking a few key elements which my usual juicy lucy of choice (it rhymes with "Pat's") has: Fried onions, mouth-searing heat, and yes, juice. Overall, it was pretty tame, but better than I feared. Subtract 4 points for the warm and flat Coke, and Tuggs scores a 17 on my patented scale of 0-to-whatever.
Steve | 04-24-2009
The Loop Steak sandwich Downtown Minneapolis My last day of bachelorhood, and I decided since I was so worn out from yesterday's Shakopee trip, I'd just ride over to Leaning Tower for my traditional ballgame/book/chicken wings. But then I somehow ended up at Joe's Garage in Loring Park, who inexplicably wasn't playing the Twins game (although they were playing the Mets-Padres game instead. Good for them). So I left there with the intention of turning around and going back to Leaning Tower, but then I somehow ended up in the Warehouse District. Part of me had always wanted to go to this Loop place, even though I have never heard much about it, so I went. Aaaaaaand, it was alright. The steak sandwich was almost a carbon copy of the one I had this winter at the 508 (as were the fries), but somehow not as good. They must partake in some sort of steak sandwich exchange program. I also had some wings that were comparable to Green Mill's (in a good way), and the ass-hat bartender forgot my Coke until halfway through my meal and then charged me for it anyway even though I didn't even want it anymore. But on the bright side, I did get to hear a 50 year old business guy in a nice suit describe the entire plot of Bad Lieutenant to his buddies. "Oh you gotta see Bad Lietenant! This guy's a New York cop, but he fuckin' breaks all the rules!" I wish I was paraphrasing.
Taqueria La Bamba Pork combo Shakopee, MN So I decided to ride my bike to Shakopee today. It was Easter Sunday, Libby's out of town, my family wasn't doing anything, and it was a nice day, so I figured 'why not?' I believe I'm actually the first person in the state to make that ride without wearing spandex pants or a tiny little cap. Anyway, when I got to downtown Shakopee,I found that Wampach's, the place I was hoping to eat at, was closed. This makes sense, of course, because it was Easter. There were a couple of bars, but one had no food and the other only had frozen pizzas (or so I was informed by the dude hanging out outside of it), and another restaurant had a bunch of families eating an Easter brunch buffet which was going to finish in 10 minutes (meaning: lame cold food). But then I spotted Taqueria La Bamba, a seemingly new Mexican restaurant that seemed oddly out of place in this quaint Minnesotan riverfront main street. Plus, it was open! When I went in, the entire staff (and/or family) were all around a long table eating what I assume was their big Easter lunch. I asked if they were still open, and a lady got up to happily take my order. She spoke practically zero English, but her 7-ish year old daughter helped translate. It was very sweet. The food was delicious--and dare I say "authentic". This place was straight off of Lake Street, really. The pork was red and slow cooked, the chips and guacamole were homemade, and the cheese, good crumbly white stuff, and was neither "gooey" nor "melty". All in all, it was everything I could hope for after riding a used bike 20 miles without spandex pants. After I left, I rode around near downtown Shakopee a little, and was surprised to see a lot of other glaringly Mexican places; a church, a supermarket, and even a car dealership. Something tells me there have been more than a few late night discussions at the Shakopee VFW about this phenomenon, and I'd be willing to bet they're not talking about how lucky they are to have La Bamba.
Evergreen Chinese Boiled peanuts Uptown Minneapolis Since Libby is away in Phoenix, I decided to paint the town red and live it up in the big city. So like any happenin' bachelor, I went to Evergreen and had a plate boiled peanuts. They tasted like how I imagine China smells. Read into that how you will.
(I also had the the pepper fried mock pork again. And it was still good).
Steve | 04-10-2009
Oxendale Market Dill chicken pasta Grocery Stores I'm completely addicted to the dill chicken pasta at the Ox. I can't stop eating it. Every lunch. Every day. I'm not even sure what's in it. Chicken, dill, noodles, a few red and orange chunks, and white stuff. I'm not even sure why I bother getting anything else to eat with it, really. I wish I had some right now.
Steve | 04-08-2009
Home Lemongrass chicken Uptown Minneapolis Libby and I made lemongrass chicken the other night. The only lemongrass chicken I'm familiar with is Quang's, which is awesome and practically the only thing I eat there. I happened upon this recipe for it, and it seemed simple enough--nothing but chicken, fish sauce, sugar, peppers, garlic, and yes, lemongrass. I picked up fresh lemongrass stalks at one of the Asian grocery stores on Nicollett, and it turned out pretty well. Super cheap, super easy, and tasty. And who would've guessed: lemongrass smells just like lemon! I won't go into detail about the horrific bottles of fish sauce the store had, but suffice it to say, I'll stick with the less gross, less chunky fish sauce brand you can pick up at Kowalski's.
Leaning Tower of Pizza Pizza Uptown Minneapolis I don't care what you say; I like boring old Leaning Tower. I like their boring pizza and I like their boring buffalo wings and I like their boring cheese sticks and their boring hot hoagies and I even like the boring ambiance and the boring waitstaff. Sure, you can't get mock duck on your pizza, and you can't have it cooked over the embers of ancient Japanese pine trees, but it tastes good, it's a block away, and I like that they cut it in triangles. I also like Everybody Loves Raymond. So what?
Sawatdee Masaman curry Downtown Minneapolis Another Thai restaurant, yes. Sue me. Sawatdee on Saturday was really good. I've had plenty of mediocre Thai food lately, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Sawatdee compared to any of those other places (King And I notwithstanding). My masaman curry was good, although it could've been a little bigger helping, but I was happiest with the chicken satay (which is usually dry and boring, but this time was practically perfect), and their stuffed chicken wings. Stuffed with what? I don't know. I could've been fish bones and eel goo for all I care, because it was tasty.
Steve | 03-24-2009
Peninsula Lamb shank Uptown Minneapolis My second trip to Peninsula, and it was just as good as the first. I was a little hesitant to get the lamb shank, as it was a Sunday night, and I feared it wouldn't be as fresh as on a Friday or Saturday, but I went for it anyway. I was sort of right; it clearly wasn't as fresh and perfect as it could've been, but it was still awfully tasty, and not too fatty. In fact, the coconut milk (etc.) sauce on it made me rethink my "I'm totally over coconut milk curries" stance. But the best part (again) was the roti canai, a fried thin bread/pancake and spicy curry sauce which is super cheap, super simple, and probably the best $3.95 you can spend in the city.
Steve | 03-15-2009
Señor Wong Sir fried noodles St. Paul So when you add up the flying dragon in the logo and the little squiggle above the 'n,' it's pretty obvious what's going on here. Funky, wild, creative combinations of Mexican and Asian dishes! Well, you'd be wrong. The menu isn't fusion, it's fission; some Mexican dishes and some Asian dishes (Vietnamese, mostly), and never the twain shall meet. So while that lack of creativity was a little disappointing, I'm happy to report that the food itself was all very good. Libby's fish tacos were much better than than the average cruddy Mexican place, and my noodles were much better than the average cruddy Vietnamese place, and I couldn't really ask much more than that (except, jalepeno cream cheese wontons notwithstanding, a little more mixing of Wong and Señor.)
Blackbird Cafe BLT Minneapolis I'd like to give a quick shout out to my favorite corner cafe, Blackbird. It's right next door to work and for that I am thankful because I often have very good lunches and too many fries. I will probably write a post about every delightful meal I've had there (The Longhorn beef brisket! The flatbread pizza! The Mister Crunchy!) And everything's made from scratch. But let's focus on the most recent, shall we? Today I had the BLT for the first time (the re-added it to their menu recently) and it was dee-lish all Rachel Ray style! Delicious and simple: Good bacon, crispy lettuce, creamy mayo and what sets it apart - tomato chutney. God, I should've gotten their tomato basil soup instead of fries! This just came to me now, but I have no regrets. I just know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow.
Spoonriver Lamb burger Downtown Minneapolis Funny story: Libby and I met her coworker Anne and Anne's sister at Spoonriver this morning for a quick brunch before going over to the Guthrie for a matinee of Two Gentlemen Of Verona. But... get this... it turned out that there was no matinee today, so we had to come back for the 7:00 show! Can you believe it!? What a mix up! Anyway, my lamb burger was downright awesome. It was made of lamb and I think there were currants and dill seeds and other stuff like that in it. And it came with some sort of gourmet Arby's sauce, which was just as good as one would imagine a gourmet Arby's sauce to be (which, as far as I'm concerned, is "very good"). So Spoonriver is 2 for 2 in my book so far. To quote Speed, charmingly silly sidekick of our hero Proteus, "I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a laced mutton, and she, a laced mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour."
True Thai Red curry South Minneapolis The original post I wrote here was dumb and pointless. Moreso. Basically, the main points were as follows: 1.) Everyone likes True Thai a lot. 2.) I thought it was okay, but I've had better. 3.) I'm totally over coconut milk curries. 4.) I must have a tattoo on my forehead that says, "Give me the worst table in your restaurant."
Steve | 03-07-2009
Maverick's Beef brisket sandwich Roseville At least 6 times a year, for the last couple years, I find myself with a car in the vicinity of Rosedale, saying to myself, "Hey, I should go try Mavericks for once!" Mavericks, you see, is a little hole-in-the-wall roast beef joint hidden in a random strip mall in Roseville, which I have continually heard nothing but good things about. The problem was that I had no idea where it actually was, and I never had the forethought to actually plan on eating there. So those times when I was in Roseville, and it would suddenly occur to me to seek out and eat at Mavericks, I was left without a clue. But today, desperation finally took over, and I called Little Jake (a sort of Judi Dench to my Daniel Craig) so he could look it up online for me--this being especially desperate, considering he is 2000 miles away in Los Angeles, looking up a restaurant for someone in suburban Minneapolis. Anyhow, we eventually found it, and ate there. And it was quite good; like Arby's for people who hate Arby's. They're known for their roast beef, but they have pulled pork and beef brisket and that kind of stuff too. Very basic. The best part is they have a very thorough condiment selection, from ketchup and BBQ sauce to hot peppers, horseradish dijon, onions, and pickles (dill and sweet!). Overall, it was good, but not the best thing I've ever eaten. In fact, for my money, and even though they're completely different kinds of establishments (and cuts of meat), I'd sooner recommend Mayslack's roast beef as the superior beef (that's what she... nah.)
The King And I Thai 34 with beef downtown minneapolis Just so everyone knows, the 34 with beef is just as good with brown rice as it is with white. Just, you know, so you're aware. Thanks.
Steve | 02-25-2009
The Modern Meatloaf Northeast Minneapolis Because we are (or should I say, 'I am') so cynical about "Hallmark Holidays" and life in general that we go completely full circle and become cynical about the idea of being cynical at the idea of Valentine's Day (deeeeeep breath), Libby and I went to our favorite place, The Modern, to have an early Valentine's Day dinner before taking in some 20th century Scandinavian symphonies at Orchestra Hall. That last part was supposed to be read in a funny voice. Anyway, The Modern is one of my absolute favorite places to eat, and is right at the top of the list of "places I'd bring friends from out of town," that is to say if I had friends who were from out of town. I have never had a less-than-great experience there, though Saturday's was awfully close. It was fairly empty when we were seated, we ordered, got our soup, ate our soup, and then waited. And waited. And waited. It was one of those horrible feelings where everyone else in the restaurant who sat down after you were all eating their meals, and you were left wondering if maybe the waitress died. But she didn't die, of course, because she was giving food to all those other people. Eventually we got our meals and a minor apology (and free wine), so that was cool. In the end, the meatloaf was great, and I couldn't feel too bad about any of it because we weren't late for anything, and the service at the Modern had been nothing but fantastic up until then. So don't worry Modern. I still love you.
Steve | 02-16-2009
Salut Pork chop Edina Tried the Thursday special at Salut last night--a double cut pork chop with an apple-based sauce and some (pickled? appled?) cabbage. Not only did it taste great, but the whole plate looked like it was straight out of a magazine ad. Oh, it also came with a whole apple stuffed with brie, but I think that was just to show off.
Barrio Two tacos, soup Downtown Minneapolis Barrio, from what I gather based on their "totally sweet tattoo, bro" brand aesthetic, probably isn't much fun at any point after 6pm, at least for someone who does not own any hair gel. But since I've heard lots of good stuff, I gave it a shot for lunch this afternoon. They do their menu "tappas style", meaning (based on my extensive knowledge of Spanish) a bunch of small, cheaper dishes, and a few large expensive ones. I decided to splurge a little, and go with two tacos (one carnitas, one potato and chorizo) and a bowl of corn chowder. The tacos were both above average; the potato and chorizo was the better of the two, tasting downright foreign (I wonder if it was more "South American" or "Spanish" than "Mexican", because it certainly had a different taste than I'm used to). The corn chowder, however, was a big soupy bowl of cream and cheese, and not much else. Very disappointing. Really, the tacos would've been enough for a lunch, and at $3.50 a piece, it's a pretty good deal. But the soup was way too expensive, and not nearly worth it. In the end, I'd go back there for lunch, perhaps, but for dinner I don't know if it would be worth fighting off the crowd who see the words "tequila bar" as a good thing.
Manny's Tortas Chicken torta South Minneapolis Yesterday I ate my first ever less than good Manny's Torta. Up until then they had been a pillar of high-quality consistency. Probably my fault, though, considering I called in the take-out order to the wrong location. So when I showed up to pick them up at the Lake/Hiawatha location, I was alerted to my mistake and had to drive over to the Midtown Global Market and pick them up. So I'll just blame it on them for now. But I suppose I should've been more careful considering that all three of the Manny's locations are within about a mile and a half of each other on Lake Street.
(By the way, I also have to point out that Denny's was giving away free Grand Slam Breakfasts yesterday morning/afternoon. When I went to Manny's to pick up the non-existent food, people were line up out the door and around the block at the Denny's next door. I guess their promotion was truly a grand slam.)
Super Bowl Party 2009 Chicken wings, etc. Uptown Minneapolis While this side of the blog is for "food" as a general concept, I'm sure you'd agree that the title of "restaurants" would be more apt, given the subject matter of most of the posts. This is because, frankly, I'm just not good at cooking. So while I feel like I can go to a restaurant and feel strongly about one thing or another, I don't feel that any opinion I can give about my own cooking would be worth the effort of typing in this forum. This was proven once again tonight at our Super Bowl "party," when I tried to make some chicken wings for the first time since last year's Super Bowl party (which was attended by myself, two vegetarians, and Libby, who refuses to eat chicken wings. They were a big hit). I made three types: Two with pre-made rubs (and lime), and one with a red curry sauce. They were all bland and under-seasoned and terribly unexciting. Thankfully, Libby made her famous salsa, and some taco rolls, which contain nothing more than cream cheese and taco seasoning, yet are possibly the tastiest Super Bowl party treats in the world. Luckily the chicken wings were too bland, instead of too sticky and spicy like last year's, so I can still go back and douse them in some sort of sauce that was made by someone (anyone) but myself.
Axel's Bonfire Beef brisket sandwich St. Paul I don't want to turn this website into an annoying outlet where I complain about chain restaurants (see post below), but the subject is necessary to bring up when talking about Axel's, since it is slowly become a huge chain around the Twin Cities. Now, I've been to the Grand Avenue location (the first one, I think?) a handful of times, and I've always liked it, though I couldn't tell you what I've even eaten there in the past. So it hasn't left much of an impression. But this weekend we went there again and I had the "Cowboy brisket sandwich", which was beef brisket and a spicy sauce and poblano pepper. And it was great. The brisket was very well cooked, and lean, which is surprising for brisket. And how often is a sandwiched topped with a poblano pepper? It sounds so simple, but it really made the thing. Libby had a walleye benedict (best of both worlds for her), and also really enjoyed it. So at this point, I'm all for Axel's taking over the suburbs. I welcome them, even. And you just watch, because I'll bet the Chatterbox is right behind them.
Steve | 01-26-2009
Good Day Cafe Corn beef hash Golden Valley After two failed attempts, we finally got around to eating breakfast at the Good Day Cafe this weekend. The previous two times it would've been about an hour wait, which is pretty insane considering this place is on a frontage road of 394 in a commercial section of Golden Valley. Between the unqualified successes this place and Fat Nat's, I really wonder why there aren't more "mom-and-pop" (I hate that phrase too, but it's better than "independent") restaurants in the northwest suburbs. Clearly people go out of their way to go here, and they have cars at their disposal. So why is New Hope and Plymouth still overrun with Applebees and TGI Fridays and Perkins locations? Oh wait, probably because people don't want to pay way too much money for corn beef hash and toast after waiting for an hour and a half. That sounds as if I didn't like it, which is incorrect. It was pretty good, and the atmosphere (while crowded with people) was very nice. It was maybe just a little pricey for food that didn't blow my mind in the way that a much cheaper place could do, and has done. And come to think of it, I don't even like corn beef hash! Why do I always insist on ordering it?
Steve | 01-26-2009
Cue Shrimp downtown minneapolis Appetizers before a Guthrie show. "Chilled wild caught shrimp with yellow curry cocktail sauce. $13" It wasn't terrible, but come on. If you hadn't told me there was yellow curry in the cocktail sauce, I never would've guessed. You're really pushing your luck here, Cue.
Steve | 01-23-2009
Roat Osha White ginger curry Uptown Minneapolis Roat Osha is a new Thai place where Sawatdee and Other Nameless Thai Restaurant used to be. Supposedly it's owned by the people who own Tum Rup Thai, but don't hold me to that. They've fancied up the interior and jacked up the prices by a few bucks, but at least based on my one entree and appetizer (shrimp basil rolls), I would honestly put it at #2 behind King And I for my favorite Thai places in town. The white ginger curry was comparable to King And I's red curry (the non-coconut milk kind), and just as good, although you get less of it. Combine that with two big HD TVs that play sports in the bar, and I think I could see myself going back there.
Steve | 01-18-2009
Barbette Duck breast, sea bass Uptown Minneapolis Had dinner at Barbette tonight. I ordered the duck breast special (with sweet potato stuff, bok choi stuff, and cranberry-kumquat chutney). It was okay, but a little disappointing. Halfway through, I switched with Libby, who had some sort of sea bass dish with curry muffins and yogurt sauce. Or something like that. It was also okay, but a little disappointing. That makes 3 meals I've eaten at Barbette now, and every one has left me feeling okay, but a little disappointed. I have no particular complaints, I just wasn't really excited by any of it. But, I had a couple bites of Libby's appetizer, which was better than okay and not disappointing in the least. In fact, it was downright surprising. Two wild rice pancakes with cranberries, topped with real maple syrup and three seared scallops and some green herbs. I never would've considered pairing scallops and pancakes (classic breakfast pancakes, not some fancy fennel and squash Top Chef bullcrap), but they tasted perfect together. Not terribly dissimilar from pancakes and sausage. But the texture and herbs took it out of breakfast land and into "Holy crap, I could eat this all day"-ville.
Steve | 01-16-2009
Cantina #1 Shrimp tacos, chicken wings Bloomington A Mexican restaurant owned by Corona located on the fourth floor of the Mall of America with a second location in Kansas City? And they have their own gift shop? Count me in! Actually, it wasn't too terrible. It was just completely stupid. The decor, the menu descriptions, the fake Mexican staff (oh wait, they were real). "Famous Mayan pork chops"? It's a meal and a history leson! And of course, "Margaritaville" played in the background at least once while I was there. Recommended!
Peninsula Kambing rendang Uptown Minneapolis I can't claim to know the first thing about Malaysian food, but I can tell you that my meal tonight at Peninsula (on Eat Street) was fantastic. I've seen it a thousand times on Nicollet Avenue, but it's never crossed my mind to try eating there. But tonight I was on my own, Evergreen and Morelos were closed, and I said "what the heck" (because I'm from Minnesota). For an appetizer, I had Roti Canai, which is a very Indian-like flatbread, served with very Indian-like curry sauce (which contained a single potato and a single chunk of chicken--not that I'm complaining). I could've eaten just this appetizer, and would've gone home happy. And it was only $3.95! Amalayzing! My entree, a red curry lamb was sort of curious at first, as it seemed sort of bland compared to the roti canai's sauce I just ate, but after a few bites, I got a better idea of how it tasted, which just surprised me, because I'm so used to straight-up Thai curries. This was closer to a Nepalese style curry you'd get at Namaste. But it was both spicy and non-overpowering, and the lamb was cooked perfectly--lean, tender and flavorful. Maybe just about 2 dollars too expensive. But the super cheap flatbread made up for it. In the end, I'm totally excited to go back there, because there were at least a half dozen other things on their menu that I still want to try (Lamb shank! Duck breast!). Oh man, what if scientists managed to create a mutant lambduck? Count me in.
Lito's Empanadas Empanadas Chicago An empanada is a delicious little fried pocket of dough, stuffed with fillings of your choice. "A Hot Pocket?" Yes. But a Columbian Hot Pocket. Everyone really enjoyed theirs, but my personal favorite was filled with ground beef, potatoes, olives, raisins, and dipped in homemade jalapeno, onion, and cilantro salsa. It was our last "meal" (heavy snack, really) in Chicago, and made me want to find a good empanada source in Minneapolis. Or I'll just buy a Hot Pocket and tell the cashier about how much better the real ones are.
Wishbone Andouille sausage hash Chicago Wishbone is is what Sunny Side Up would be if it wasn't a total dump. Great breakfast food, based on 'southern-style' cooking. Grits, corn muffins, catfish, all that stuff, and my andouille sausage hash was probably the best thing I ate on this trip. I'd wanted to go there the whole weekend, and we finally found some time to do so. Plus, it's only a block away from where Oprah films her show! OMG!
Chicago Diner Black bean burger Chicago It's hard to believe that, of all the diners and eateries in Chicago, the one that actually gets to be called "The Chicago Diner" is located in a classic old diner space in a big gay neighborhood and is entirely vegetarian. And yet their menu contains buffalo wings, Philly cheesesteaks, bacon cheeseburgers. Entirely fake meat, yes, but as I recently learned with the fake pork at Evergreen, this can totally work--and it pretty much did. The buffalo "wings" (their usage of quotes, not mine) were weird at first, but then once you realized that the sauce contained no butter (50% of wing sauce, really), and the chicken obviously wasn't chicken, they were pretty tasty, and very spicy. My black bean burger was good, and had a great mustard sauce on it. Everyone else had good to great food, and were all impressed that such a place can even exist. And in a city as ridiculously large as Chicago, it actually does a ton of business.
Steve | 01-04-2009
Eleven City Diner Chicken Sandwich Chicago This was the second time eating at Eleven City Diner near downtown Chicago, and it was nearly as good as the first. In a place where you need to order corned beef or pastrami or something of that meat family to really get the full experience, I was worried about the potential of a cajun chicken sandwich, but it ended up being a well-above-average cajun chicken (which can often be pretty boring). The bread really made it. Big, fat, soft, and almost french-toast-like. Well worth the 5 hour wait. Or maybe a little less.
Steve | 01-04-2009
Gino's East Deep dish pizza Chicago Because eating a big deep dish pizza is a required activity for anyone who ever visits Chicago, we finally got around to getting to one of the standard deep dish spots (which are, in generally-accepted order of quality: Lou Malnati's, Gino's East, Giordano's). The actual experience of going to the downtown Gino's East was something akin to waiting for the cable guy. You wait and wait and wait, get yanked around and treated like crap, and then you watch hours upon hours of Bravo and think to yourself, "What am I doing?" Then you get the bill. And yet, in the end, you are really glad you got cable. Yeah, that's about right.
Steve | 01-01-2009
Dao Stir fried basil and beef Chicago Our first meal on our New Years Chicago trip was at a random Thai place right by our hotel, called Dao. We had to kill 45 minutes to get our room ready (ack...), and just happened upon it while walking away from some of the more ridiculous Miracle Mile mega-restaurants. It wasn't a hole in the wall, by any means, but probably at about one step below a Sawatdee (in size and decor, but certainly not taste). My beef dish was simple, but very tasty, just beef, basil, peppers, and sauce. Libby's chicken curry was above average (and subtly unique). And our potstickers (not Thai, but whatever) were honestly some of the best I've had anywhere. But best of all is that it was surprisingly cheap, considering its location in between Michigan Ave and Navy Pier. And there were cool hole-in-the-ground booths that made it look like you were sitting cross-legged on the floor, without actually having to do so (because that would be totally un-American).
Steve | 01-01-2009
Evergreen Chinese Pepper mock pork Uptown Minneapolis After eating one bite of this mock pork dish that Jeff had a couple months back, I was convinced that if I'm ever forced to sit and eat fake meat, this would be my choice. So tonight I ordered it at Evergreen, and it was even better than I remembered. And so simple... just breaded fried mock pork, garlic, basil, hot peppers. But that mock pork of theirs really does it. I'd almost say I'd prefer it to having real pork in that dish; there's no way Chinese restaurant pork could've stayed that tender after being fried. The interior, while basically a fluorescent lit white box, is surprisingly calm and welcoming. I could see myself sitting there and reading without feeling awkward. And bonus points for the the Chinese owner speaking Spanish to one of the customers as he ordered "Los seaweed" and "Tofu frito." Ah, Nicollet Avenue. Melting pots, and what have you.
Convention Grill Bacon cheeseburger Edina Hey, Merlin's Rest... this... (dramatic pause...) ... is how you make a cheeseburger. Granted I haven't been ordering burgers a lot lately, but this one was the best I've had in a long time. Big, thick, juicy, good bacon, perfect grilled onions, hand-cut fries, and a hot fudge malt to top it off. The Convention Grill is one of those places that I've been hearing about for ages, but never really had any reason to go to. But today I had time and was in the area, so I went for it. And at 2:30 in the afternoon, it was absolutely swamped with people--each one of them ordering burgers. And the interior of the place was surprisingly true to what it probably felt like in 1934, and not in some cheesy fake way, either. The only thing cheesy was the smoked cheddar on my awesome burger! (And that closing line).
Merlin's Rest Vadalia burger South Minneapolis Really nice little neighborhood bar. Cozy. Inviting. Lots of seating. Seemingly nice patrons. Totally lame cheeseburger. Although the onions were cooked in the meat. Magic. The menu is mostly 'Irish'. Shepherds pie, fish and chips, that kind of stuff. They also have a surprisingly large vegetarian menu, including a walnut burger, and vegetarian bangers and mash. I'd totally go back in order try the Guinness stew (which I overhead was good), but there's 100 other places to get a better burger. Thankfully I finished before the band started performing, because we all know how I feel about Irish folk music.
Steve | 12-17-2008
Citizen Cafe Biscuits and gravy South Minneapolis We had breakfast at the Citizen Cafe on 38th near Hiawatha this morning, after reading some positive stuff about it. And as a whole I'd say it was good, but maybe not so great that I'd want to go out of my way to go there for breakfast in the near future. I had the biscuits and gravy, which were cheese and chive biscuits instead of plain old boring biscuits. The gravy was better than some that I've had elsewhere, but there wasn't anything terribly special about it. I'll take Fat Nat's any day. All in all, considering how the place positions itself ("Citizen" title, constructivist logo and hip menu), I expected the food and atmostphere to be a little less timid. Homemade ketchup, chive biscuits, and lox benedicts are a good start, but if you're promising a revolution, you've gotta blow up some cars and knock down some statues and maybe use some fennel or something.
Indio Huarache Azteca Uptown Minneapolis After a second time eating at Indio, my first opinion still stands: !Muchos muchos el qualite food des Mexicanos! Last night I tried the Huarache Azteca, which was steak and peppers and cheese and other stuff on top of a flat, thick, corn-based tortilla (which was part cornbread, part pita). I assume that is the "huarache" part of the equation, although according to Google, a huarache is a sandal. But it was one tasty sandal. And surprisingly spicy!
Common Roots Roast beef sandwich Uptown Minneapolis As much as I really want to love Common Roots--their heart is certainly in the right place, and it's just down the block--every time I go there, everything seems only about 75% right. The cashiers never seem to care, the food is never quite as good as it should be, and I can never tell where to stand in line. Oh, and the water from the cooler is usually lukewarm. This time, I was ordering my food, and right after I say "potato salad..." the cashier walks over and starts scooping me some of the potato salad. I didn't even finish giving my order! Can't she wait until she's placed the rest of the order (including Libby's) and take our money before she goes over and gets the potato salad? Do I really need it that soon? She just walked away! Anyway, then it took forever to get our food, and it was good but not great. All that sounds totally catty and dumb, but it's stuff like that that happens all the time... yet it's never bad enough to stop going there entirely.
Steve | 12-11-2008
Quang Lemongrass chicken Uptown Minneapolis Birthday meal #3. Does anyone else, when reflecting late at night in their music and food blog about a meal they just ate at Quang, think to themselves, "Why isn't every restaurant in the city like this? How come it seems they're the only ones to make good, honest food, for a cheap price in a welcoming environment with a friendly, competent staff?" Because I do. There's really nothing not to like about the place, and it seems that everyone and their cousin (and Nate from Six Feet Under and Mayor Rybek) likes eating there. There's just something nice about being there; the interior doesn't try to convince you that you've magically traveled to the Orient, or that you're in a fancy restaurant with low lights and black napkins. They just pack as many tables and chairs as they can into a big well-lit room and give you a hastily printed menu of simple, cheap dishes, none of which are anything but classic Vietnamese food (i.e., no chow mein or sesame chicken). And in the end, you've had a big, tasty, satisfying meal for less than you'd pay at Khin Do or Lotus, and you actually feel welcome to come back any time.
Steve | 12-06-2008
Heartland Wild boar chop St. Paul Heartland was outstanding. Pheasant wild rice soup with squash and apple cider base, wild boar chop glazed with maple and cider, walnut vinegar roasted cauliflower, goats milk cheesecake with caramel and apple compote and a mini apple fritter--and that's just what I ate. So while I was slightly (and superficially) disappointed that the boar roast with homemade BBQ sauce wasn't being served tonight (which would have been three meals of BBQ pork in a row, covering every possible BBQ pork scenario from "working man's" to "rich bastard's"), the food all tasted even better than it sounds. And it sounds like something a 16th century king would eat. Not only that, but we actually received friendly service and were seated at a good table! What is this, my birthday?
Steve | 12-05-2008
Ted Cook's 19th Hole BBQ BBQ Pork Sandwich South Minneapolis We got Ted Cook's at work this afternoon for my chosen birthday lunch, despite the fact that I just had a BBQ pork sandwich at Hell's Kitchen last night (and not a bad one, either), and that I would be eating a big fancy birthday dinner tonight. But Ted Cook's is just too good to pass up. And today, for some reason, the barbeque gods were smiling down on Ted, because it was somehow even better than usual. The meat was free of fat, the jojos were crisp, and the coleslaw was slawed just right. And to top it all off, they've added gumbo to their menu. As a man who has had very little gumbo in his life and is totally ignorant on the subject, I can honestly say it was the best gumbo in the history of mankind.
Hell's Kitchen BBQ Pork Sandwich Downtown Minneapolis As part 1 of my 2-day birthday extravaganza, Libby and I stopped in for a quick dinner at Hell's Kitchen last night before going to see the hah-larious comedy stylings of Stella, three guys who used to be on The State. I knew that Hell's Kitchen had recently moved to a new location downtown, but I didn't know until yesterday that they're actually serving lunch and dinner there now, along with their infamous (and amazing) breakfast offerings. And while my BBQ pork sandwich, albeit a little soupy, was tangy and delicious (right up there with Town Talk's and maybe better than Pop's), I couldn't help but feel that their sandwiches and dinner entrees just weren't nearly as interesting or original as their breakfast fare (sausage bread!). Mostly just standard stuff, although a lot of their sauces--the delicious BBQ sauce, for instance--are homemade, so big bonus points for that. The other thing I have to say is that their new space is HUGE. It has three separate dining areas, two bars, and a take-out window. Between that and their big location smack-dab in the middle of Duluth's Canal Park, it amazes me how they're able to make enough money to not only stay in business, but to balloon to such a large operation without, it seems, having taken a second step.
Steve | 12-05-2008
Shish Chicken Shawarma St. Paul We just got lunch here at work from a Mediterranean place near Macalester called Shish. I ordered a chicken shawarma, which is basically a glorified chicken gyro. But by "glorified," I should really say "glorious," because this thing put every chicken gyro I've ever had to shame. The meat was slow cooked, tender, swimming in spices, and plentiful enough of it to feed a small camel. There might have even been some lettuce or onions on it. I don't remember and I don't care. I just wish I was still eating it.
Tandoor Chef brand Biryani chicken Grocery stores I am a newcomer to the wonderful world of Indian food, so I can't say my judgement is all too valid on the subject. However, I can easily say that the frozen microwave biryani chicken I had for lunch today was by far--by far--the best frozen microwave meal I've ever had. The rice was cooked well, the chicken was juicy, tender, and downright fresh-tasting, and it was legitimately spicy. If you would've put it out at the Bombay Bistro lunch buffet, I would be none the wiser. But best of all, for only four bucks, it actually filled me up and thoroughly satisfied me. Take that, Hungry Man!
508 Steak sandwich Downtown Minneapolis Not to be confused with the 112, 331, or 128, the 508 is a bar/restaurant on 1st Avenue downtown. While their usual nighttime clientele is dudes who couldn't get into Drink because it "was too fuckin' busy, but it fuckin' sucks balls anyway," it was pretty quiet on a Sunday afternoon. But let me just say--the food was surprisingly good. I had a steak sandwich, which was sort of Philly cheesesteak style with jalapeno cheese sauce. And the fries were hand-cut garlic fries! Da-umn, 508! Not too bad considering we went there because an ad on KFAN said it was "your downtown fantasy football headquarters."
The Duplex Duck sloppy joe Uptown Minneapolis Yes, a duck sloppy joe. And while that sounds like the best of all possible food combination possibilities, the reality is closer to, "Yeah, it was a sloppy joe, with duck." I would be raving about it if it had either more duck, or a better bun (which was sort of cheap and soft), but it was only $9, so I can't feel too disappointed. But I really should've gone with the bison chili (the second best of all food combination possibilities.)
Steve | 11-22-2008
Cue Happy hour Downtown Minneapolis We went to Cue at the Guthrie for some quick "happy hour" drinks and food after seeing tonight's performance of A Christmas Carol (SPOILER ALERT: Scrooge has a change of heart in the end). As we could've guessed, everything was too expensive, and some shaved-head dipwad waited on us. But the pulled pork sliders were tasty--cooked in a pretty strong and sweet sauce and topped with pickled onions--and the bittersweet chocolate cake was certainly bitter, sweet, chocolate, and cake. God bless us, every one.
Steve | 11-20-2008
The Loon Cafe Dirty pork stew downtown minneapolis I've been raving for a while now about The Loon's chili-- best chili in town. Seriously. They have 3 or 4 different kinds of chili, and one of them is called "Dirty pork stew." It's like a cross between chili and soup, and has pork in it (clearly). Anyhow, I thought it would be cool to find a similar recipe to make it at home, so I looked it up quick on Google. And sure enough, the first thing to come up is the actual Loon Cafe recipe! Hot damn! So I made it last night, and it's delicious and very easy to make--although not quite as perfectly delicious as it is at the restaurant. Plus, there's beer in it!
Indio Chicken flautas, shrimp and scallop ceviche, pork taquitos Uptown Minneapolis Saturday roommate dinner at Indio last night. My meal was pretty delicious (and just as delicious nuked the next day). The chips that came with the ceviche were housemade and nice and salty. The taquitos were tasty (but a little too juicy).
I'm almost more picky about the vibe and the service at a restaurant than I am about the food. Here I feel like we were left hanging a few times. It took our server awhile to make her way to us after we were seated to make the first contact and take our drink order and it took much too long for us to get them after we ordered (just two beers!). However, the owner or manager later mentioned that he noticed we were cold because we were putting on our scarves (we were seated by corner windows) and asked if the temperature had improved after he adjusted it. I thought that was a very nice gesture because we hadn't complained.
Overall, a nice meal. I'd definitely go back, just not on a Saturday night.
Indio Lechon, other stuff uptown minneapolis Indio is a somewhat new high-end Mexican restaurant across the street from Cheapo on Lake Street. Aside from Masa downtown, I'm really not sure what over comparable Mexican places there are around town, so it was a pretty new experience for me. And I have to say, it was all pretty tasty, and certainly worth the extra couple bucks you're paying compared to Pepitos or Pancho Villa or wherever. My "Lechon" was basically a grilled pork tenderloin served over a bed of mashed-corn-stuff and topped with anaheim peppers and some creme sauce and pickled onions. It was a south-of-the-border taste explosion! And despite some less-than-perfect service (see Libby's post), I'd definitely go there again.
Rinata Pasta with braised duck and goat cheese uptown minneapolis So this new place opened up where Giorgio's used to be, on Hennepin and 25th. It's owned by the guy who runs Al Vento, which is right across the street from Spunk, so I've had it a good handful of times. I had a pretty darn tasty duck pasta, with a red pepper based red sauce. Libby had a shrimp pasta, which she liked but I thought was a little fishy. It was a pretty nice place overall, and not terribly expensive, so I can see going back, even though they sat us at the dumbest table in the restaurant.
Steve | 11-12-2008
Salut Tuna steak sandwich Edina Had the tuna steak sandwich at Salut last night. It wasn't too bad. Just too small for the bun. Thankfully, I know* the head chef there now, so next time I have a bun that is too large for my tuna steak, I'll know exactly who to complain to. Their French onion soup is still awesome, though.
Amazing Thailand Green curry uptown minneapolis I finally ate at Amazing Thailand in Uptown last night. I had green curry. It was okay--nothing amazing, but not terrible. The leftovers this afternoon, however, were almost better than it was last night!
