Green Salads

corned beef & cabbage

Bacio is quite close to there and would work well for a business/work dinner. Nice interior, good service and generally well prepared food - fish, pasta, steaks ... (we've had a couple of less good nights over the years but nothing bad). I have a soft spot for the brasiliana salad - but celery, hearts of palm and lemon is not the combo for everyone.

http://www.baciomn.com/

Had high hopes for Pairings when they first opened and have had some good meals there in the past , but have become increasingly disenchanted (at least with the restaurant side).

Yum feels better managed, see a lot of long term staff, and is just generally a more reliable choice for a dinner. Their menu may be a little simpler in its ambitions than Pairings but at least they can prepare it.

On the other hand, last visit to Pairings was a couple of weeks ago - tried the spaghetti and meatballs (homemade!). Looked good, but the meatballs were cold, still refrigerator temp cold, once you got past the outermost layer. Explained the problem, server took it back to the kitchen without any fuss. A few minutes later brought me a new serving with steam pouring off the top and the pasta too hot to eat and and meatballs which were still <sigh> cold in the middle. I gave up at that point since they obviously didn't have any idea what they were doing, so I don't know if third time would have been the charm.

Byerlys (at least the one at Ridgedale) typically has it. It's in a small refrigerated case near their big deli case.

Hopefully others can help, because I still haven't been to Mandarin Kitchen.

My only advice on Yangtze is don't try to go after 1 (service runs until 2). My only disappointing experience there was when we showed up at 1:15 or so and the carts only came by once and they were pretty empty already.

Cocunut pudding? Was just there over the weekend, but don't recall there was much vegetarian, but wasn't looking for it either. There was a seaweed salad but it came on a plate with jellyfish salad next to it. The beancurd skin roll might have been all veg, but i'm not certain. I think everything else we tried had pork or seafood or chicken. They did have a list that you could look at as the carts came around (just a xerox copy of the dim sum menu) so you could at least stop and grab that and see what they list. I don't see the dim sum menu on their website.

But in general it was a pleasant surprise. I would still rank it behind Yangtze's dim sum but it's close enough and good enough that we'll be back.

Just a little bit further north of E.P. I had an outstanding lamb biryani on Friday night at Curry N Noodles in downtown Hopkins. Everything else we ordered was still good, but the biryani was the dish that has us trying to figure when we can go back. They do use halal meat.

I actually just tried this in Germany a few weeks ago (on a business trip). My understanding was the german version was somewhat unique in that the meat was typically a chicken/veal combo rather than lamb and was served on more breadlike roll rather than a pita. Haven't seen its like in the twin cities though, so not much help, but curious to see if you find anything close.

Over by that same area as Tea House is a Pineda Tacos - kind of a hole in the wall atmosphere - but good Mexican food.
I'll also put in a good word for Yangtze, which while it's regular menu is more standard american-Chinese (it's like a different restaurant during dim sum), they do a better than average job on it and get take out from there periodically - sczechuan lamb is a favorite or sometimes a mu shu.

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Pineda Tacos
2150 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN

Any idea where to find Ralston in the area? It's my mom's favorite and it would be nice to have for when she visits, but haven't seen it up here at all.

Driving on Hwy 7 yesterday, I noticed that there was a new sign up where El Gordo was that now says El Patron. Anybody know if it is open or if has any relation to El Gordo (which was awful) - is it really a new restaurant in that spot or just a new name?

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El Gordo
8140 Highway 7, Minneapolis, MN 55426

I think that is Maple Leaf Orchard at the St Paul Market - I'd suggest calling in advance. He's also advertising a pick you own day on the 30th this year, so he must have a decent crop.
http://www.mapleleaforchard.com/

I have not tried it but learned this year (while picking strawberries out there) that Apple Jacks orchard in Delano lets you order sour cherries (and some other fruit) through them from orchards in Michigan (deadline was July 10 for the sour cherries) - 10lb box for $39.00
http://www.applejackorchards.com/site...

Bacio in by Ridgedale Mall in Minnetonka is pretty reliable choice for multi-generational dinners and close to Plymouth, The service is always very good. The food isn't breaking any new culinary ground - but it's usually well executed. Same owners and pretty much the same menu as Zelo in downtown Minneapolis.

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Zelo
831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Bacio
1571 Plymouth Road South, Minnetonka, MN 55305

A few that you may find worth trying in the general area:

Origami West at Ridgedale - sit at the sushi bar, order a sake and you can forget you're at the mall and the sushi is very good.

Curry N Noodles, an Indo-Chinese restaurant on Main street in downtown Hopkins - I've only had lunch there so far, but expect dinner to be good. They had a nice mention in Minnesota Monthly a couple of months ago: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media...

Samba, Taste of Brazil (also on Main street in downtown Hopkins

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Origami West
12305 Wayzata Blvd,, Minnetonka, MN 55305

Samba, Taste of Brazil
922 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343

curry 'n' noodles
802 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343

There is a Brazilian restaurant in Hopkins on Main St that also has a small grocery section as well. You might give them a call.

http://www.sambatasteofbrazil.com/GRO...