MSPD's Profile
What Not To Miss - A Weekend in MSP
If you want a SPECTACULAR view of the Stone Arch bridge (and the MPLS skyline), when you go into the Guthrie Theater for Sea Change, make your way up to the Dowling Studio. Little-known tip - it's open until 10:00 p.m.
Best Pho?
I would recommend putting Palace's Pizza on your short list. 1373 Maryland Ave E, St. Paul (near Lake Phalen).
Sunday night only in St Paul
A lot of people really like Lee's & Dee's BBQ (Selby & Victoria) which is easy to get to from that stretch of West 7th. Rooster's too, which is a few blocks off West 7th. That said, L&D's falls into the argument of "inconsistent" and I don't like Rooster's.
Anyway....not sure why I'm even dragging out this conversation.
Sunday night only in St Paul
I guess I interpret "Foodie" as putting food in front of "design, atmosphere, and entertainment". Anyway, I wasn't taking a shot at anyone/anything. I mostly thought it was an unfortunate twist of fate that the OP chose between two places and then ended up ordering a dish that the one he didn't choose happens to do very, very well.
Dinkytown Recs
My choice would be between two: Pagoda for Chinese/Asian if you have to do walking distance. Alma would, obviously, be the best restaurant within a very short drive (less than 2 miles).
Sunday night only in St Paul
The funny thing is, the cassoulet at Meritage is as good as I've had anywhere (including Heartland). Oops.
And to the OP, if you're intrigued by Famous Daves, they have them in Manhattan and elsewhere in the state of NY. I don't know what intrigue it would have to a "Foodie in NY".
Authentic, fresh or innovative Mexican food?
This came to mind for me as well for anyone that likes Masa, although I wasn't impressed with it. Price was very high for what it is.
What's with the salt & pepper shakers and Sriracha at every table in MSP?
All I care about is that the fresh ground pepper hits my salad fast enough. Once I actually took a bite BEFORE the server twisted it on there. Disgusting.
2012 Minnesota Burger TDL
OK, I got moderated for recommending people mention the style of the burgers they are listing. Not sure how that was considered objectionable...without doing it, this is just basically a random list of burgers.
Anyway, in an effort to make this a useful thread, let's add why Burger X is good. The Nook might be too rare for many. Smashburger and Culvers smashed-flat style is horrible to many (me included). There are a lot of people who have no idea what Lion's Tap, Snuffy's, Convention Grill, Gold Nugget, etc. are like. In an effort to help people not waste a good meal, effort, and money, let's give some details/categories or something.
With utmost respect,
MSPD
2012 Minnesota Burger TDL
City Pages list FYI ("let's pick trendy and please everyone except Blue Door Pub junkies" seemed to be the theme:
Vincent
Matt's Bar
Bulldog NE
Victory 44
112 Eatery
Anchor Fish and Chips
Nook
Busters on 28th
Burger Jones
Mickey's Diner
I'm not intrigued by thin burgers, Jucy Lucy style burgers, and burgers with short ribs (Vincent style). It can have a few non-standard items, but REQUIRED are thick-style, great tasting beef, uber-fresh bun, and done medium rare (pink with bit of red). So my list is shorter (first two are in order, then the rest are all tied):
Nook (Nookie Supreme)
Good Day Cafe (bacon and cheddar)
Strip Club
Meritage
112 Eatery
Bulldog NE
I've had a few others that rank up there, but I don't list because I've only had them once and can't vouch for consistency.
best hotdog
Depends on your definition of awful. It serves a purpose in my dining repertoire.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
I stand corrected. I don't know why I mentally glossed over that.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
Sort of like your "NYC Pizza" confusion downthread, a "decent cup of coffee" can mean a million different things. I prefer bold coffees prepared in a French press, so none of those really qualify as "decent coffee" to me.
But I can confirm that Stockmen's is hot and the pots never sit for long. It's your basic diner/truck stop coffee with the quirk that you'll be only 1/3 done with the cup and the waitress will fly by and top it off before you get your nose out of the newspaper. (Which ruins the cream and sugar-to-coffee ratio if you use cream and sugar).
Bread Pudding Trend?
Boy, the French would be appalled if they knew what we were doing with their toast concept.
best hotdog
I'm not going to pretend there can be a definitive "best" hot dog.
What I do know is that I enjoy the heck out of Nate Dogs' offerings. If he ever Tweets that he's serving up bacon jam, get over there ASAP. Just prior to Christmas I bolted over to meet him outside MPR and he threw together a dog with bacon jam, a slightly sweet mustard, and the caramelized onions (which by themselves are delicious). It was one of the better combinations of flavors I've had in ANY dish in recent memory. I ordered another.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
What are you looking for in a non-chain, 24-hour restaurant? Stockmen's Truckstop in South St. Paul is open 24-hours and is chock full of great comfort foods. Almost everything they cook is from scratch and they have (I'm guessing) more than 150 different items on the menu.
Blue Door Pub
You would freaking despise Al's Breakfast.
Good to hear you enjoyed the burger. An online acquaintance of mine swears by Tin Cup's on Rice Street (at Maryland) in St. Paul. I haven't been there yet, but in the spirit of your quest, here is a link to her blog review of it....maybe if you like Matt's Bar, etc. you'll enjoy it.
http://www.twincitiesrestaurantblog.com/tcrb/2011/09/tin-cups-st-paul-mn.html
Blue Door Pub
Huh. Well, I've always thought the "grill patina" bit was a bunch of hooey anyway so maybe your person and I don't see eye to eye in general. FWIW, my good friend Bill Roehl who sometimes posts on here is also in the camp that the Nook is way better than Shamrock's. He has been to both in the last 10 days and just yesterday was blathering on about the difference on our way to lunch (somewhere else). He also hates BDP (he is very opinionated).
Anyway...all I know is I've never had great food at BDP, think the Nook is as good-if-not-better than always, and Shamrocks is also great.
Good luck in your search.
Blue Door Pub
Whoever told you the Nook has gone downhill is insane. (OK...hyperbole). I was there on Monday for my usual and it was spectacular. It was my 4th or 5th time post-fire.
It was mobbed (way more than usual...I think the nice weather and most people were off from work on Dec. 26). But as a solo diner, I got seated immediately at the bar (the place I prefer anyway). Parties of two were not waiting long, especially if they were also OK with the bar.
By contrast, I've been to BDP maybe just south of a half dozen times and have never had anything that I thought was special at all. Fair disclosure, I am not at all an afficianado of the stuffed burger, so that puts a cramp in the appeal to me of BDP. But, IMO it is nowhere near as appealing as the Nook.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
If you're anywhere near Eagan/Burnsville, there are 3 or 4 Russian and Eastern European markets that have wonderful sausages (and other stuff) at a fraction of the price of Kramarczuk's.
I'll be picking up some sausages at the Paradise Market (Parkview and Highway 13 in Burnsville, just behind the Dairy Queen) for the various Christmas activities.
Anniversary Dinner
Try the Strip Club in St. Paul. Easier to get to from Oakdale, not stuffy, food isn't weird, really friendly staff. If you don't want to break the bank, you can make a great meal out of several appetizers, salad, dessert. And don't underestimate the burger -- it's one of the best in MSP. My wife orders it almost every time we go there...I think it's her favorite burger on the planet.
My wife and I have been married almost 14 years and this is our go-to spot for birthdays, anniversaries, date nights, etc. when we don't want the hassle of a "fancier" place. They always treat us well there.
www.domeats.com
Happy anniversary.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
I'm too lazy to do any research, but my impression on the Lake Superior stuff is that it is a mix of economics, function of the way you have to catch that stuff, and the local restrictions on commercial fishing.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
What's missing is depth of field. I can satisfy just about any craving I have, but I have to drive clear across town for good this, and all the way to the other side of town for a good that. If you don't know every corner and joint in the entire metro area and/or are not willing to go 20 miles for an outstanding apple fritter, you're probably thinking a lot is missing.
The urges that go unsatisfied for me (and that I think can actually be re-created here unlike "Philly cheesesteak") are great soul food, a real honest-to-goodness BBQ place and, yes, Jewish delicatessen (and not just sandwiches/soup....I'm talking about actual delicacies).
I also think a few genres of food could step their game up. We are lucky to have a couple good Ethiopian restaurants, for example, but then you go to any of the "top 10" in Washington DC and there are some eye-opening dishes. Same with Chinese...it's always "safe". It's not entirely the restaurants' fault...part of that is that there aren't enough people willing to expand their horizons around here, so restaurants can't stock a lot of unusual ingredients/subsist on "exotic". But some innovation and escape from the mainstream is nice.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
My sentiments exactly, except you forgot "wait in line for a ridiculous amount of time".
Favorite Coffee Shop?
I like Bordertown as well, partly for the nostalgia. The coffee counter is literally where my bedroom was when I went to the U of M, although they've reconfigured the walls. If the patrons only knew.......mwa-ha-ha-ha.....(OK, truth be told, nothing really exciting happened aside from me meeting my future wife at the front door of that house).
Another bit of trivia -- Hai Truong of Ngon Bistro fame lived in that house then too.
Anyhoo....Cafe Bene' on Cleveland Ave adjacent to University of St. Thomas also has that vibe, although I don't think the coffee is anything unique.
Burnsville: Hidalgo - don't go.
Funny...I had been there a long time ago and didn't like it. With Taqueria La Hacienda nearby and Olmeca (which was great, but is now gone), I had no reason to go back. Fast forward to the other day and I needed a quick bite with my kids right there. The food was good this time. Not, like you say, comparable to downtown, etc, but satisfying. I had the Cubana torta -- things were fresh, including vegetables and bread. My kids' meals were all good from what I tasted.
Anyway, I guess it's at best unpredictable and sometimes surprisingly bad or good. All said, I won't be risking my money there anytime soon even with the good experience.
Glad to see a mention of something in my 'hood(ish)...thanks.
Rye Delicatessen - Minneapolis
To be fair, "smoked meat" in the style of Montreal delis, which is what Rye is serving, and pastrami are not one in the same.
BUT....that sucks. Neither should be chewy, tough, and lacking in flavor. This drum beat of awful reports is killing me. Like so many others, I want this place to get it. Torture....sheer torture, I say. Make it stop.
Dining for Hollidazzle Parade with 6 year old?
That'll probably work. Enjoy it! I sure love that one-on-one time with my kids...that sounds like a fun afternoon/evening.
Dining for Hollidazzle Parade with 6 year old?
You might get more response if you narrowed down the parameters. Do you want it to seem fancy-schmancy? Are you opposed to walking a few blocks (e.g. Graves Hotel)? Does it have to be casual and noisy (ie she's tremendously high-energy and/or has awful table manners)? Will she eat anything or does it have to have a kids' menu?
I have a daughter that age and she is happy going wherever I feel like eating. She's also happy walking a few blocks or getting in and out of the car. I'd take her (or any of my 3 kids) to Bar La Grassa, 112 Eatery, Haute Dish, or Saffron before the Holidazzle, but that might not be a good solution for everyone. Zelo might be a good option right there.
