FireRev's Profile
Wedding in Littleton...where to eat?!
Some friends stayed at this B&B in Conifer last weekend and found it outstanding! And it's got a winery attached. And I had brunch there, and it was pretty darn good. The owner is a very friendly Swiss guy. 30 minutes to Littleton.
http://www.aspenpeakcellars.com/
I moved to Littleton last year from Chicago, and I'm finding the area to be a chow wasteland. Mostly, I have to drive into Denver for anything decent. I do affirm the Opus rec, however. I had the tasting menu a couple weeks ago, and was very happy.
Toast is down the street from Opus. It's got some fun breakfast items.
Something fast is Pickle's Deli, attached to a huge liquor store called Tipsy's Liquor World. They cure their own pastrami, and such. It's on the western edge of Littleton.
K Wok now Baldy's BBQ?
I was visiting someone at Fairview Riverside a recent afternoon and had some time to kill. I started walking to Keefer Court, but noticed Baldy's on the way. I had to check it out. The brisket sandwich was not bad at all. I would rate it over Famous Dave's. If I was in the neighborhood, I'd go back. My server was super engaging, too.
Strange encounter as I was leaving. My drink came in a plastic cup with Baldy's mug grinning out at you. I know those cups are meant for taking home, but that wasn't convenient for me, so I left it on the table. As I headed for the door, sitting at a table was Baldy himself! He told me not to forget my cup. I asked him what would happen to it if I left it. He said it would probably get thrown away. Not recycled or reused? Nope. So I took it.
Chicago Style Subs?
Another native Chicagoan here. I know what you mean (although I don't know Fontano's). I go to Surdyk's for my sub fix. They have wonderful hot sandwiches, but also some cold subs that are great! The Euro Sub and the Six Shooter are the ones I love. They change the offerings each day, but usually one or the other are available. Fantastic Rustica bread, quality salame, good cheese. One of the Six Shooter condiment is not vinegar but mayo. First sounded weird to my sensibilities, but it absolutely works! Try Surdyk's.
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Surdyk's Gourmet Cheese Shop & Deli
303 E Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Jfood Visits Victory 44 - Excellent with Greater Potential
With us, the guys usually called the smaller, first one, the "pre-dessert." Ha!
And that big "main" dessert platter has always been too much for my wife and I. It could be half the size, and we would still be amazingly pleased.
Good chaat in MSP?
So just today I tried the new Indian place in Hilltop. Jalsa is in the same strip mall as Dong Yang (45th & Central). I had their Samosa Chaat. I thought it was OK. Not as good as Bombay2Deli. But it quick and not too expensive ($3.49).
I honestly can't speak to much to the quality, as the only chaat I've ever tried was at Bombay2Deli. But Jalsa's version was close enough that I'll try it again. Their space, by the way, is huge! During lunchtime today, there were only two other customers, one an Indian family. Maybe they fill it on weekends. They advertised a number of weekend specials.
MSP Victory 44 - A New Beginning?
There's no bigger booster of Victory 44 than me, but I have to say that I did not love the foie dog. For me, the slices of foie were overwhelmed by the hot dog. Don't get me wrong, it was a fine hot dog. It's house made, of course. But all I got was the taste of hot dog.
My wife, on the other hand, was over the moon. But she's a foie fanatic. She'd put it on popcorn, if given half a chance.
We had the tasting menu a couple days ago. I think the current standout is the Lamb Tartare.
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Victory 44
2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN
Molecular Gastronomy?
I agree that Victory 44 is the closest we have to anyone doing MG. Tasmanian Honey Pearls were on my plate last week. Little jellied spheres of honey. Fun stuff. Go with the tasting menu, for sure.
Cosmos and Piccolo both play at it some, too. I love MG. Alinea / Grant Achatz has been my favorite dining experience for years. I find that Victory 44's creativity and whimsy are the closest we have to that in MSP.
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Victory 44
2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN
Nala Pak closed - at least for the time being
That's no good. Don't they also own the Dancing Geisha downtown? If so, I wonder if the owners are consequently not so concerned about this.
Shoot. Is this a trend for South Asian joints in Northeast/Col Hts? I'm thinking of Pak Zam Zam, Bombay 2 Deli, and Chutney House all closing within a couple of years.
And what of The Vegetarian? Every time I drive by, it does not look open. I got out once got out of the car and peered in...it looks to be in business, it's just that th lights are never one. Anyone know anything about the status of The Vegetarian?
Restaurants You Love - And Nobody Talks About
Zakia Deli, on Stinson Ave NE. To me, easily the best middle eastern in town (and I live right by Holy Land!). Their falafel sandwich blows everyone else's away.
Pak Zam Zam (NE Mpls)
Sadly, it appears that Pak Zam Zam is no more. I peered in the windows last week, and the place is almost completely empty. No tables, no chairs, only an empty cooler that used to hold the soda pop.
Their website is still up, but their phone is disconnected. I'm really sad. The wife was trying to make it a go after her husband had his accident. But maybe it was too much.
MSP Victory 44 - A New Beginning?
Dara wrote about the new start on her blog:
http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/January-2010/Big-Changes-at-Victory-44-No-Servers-New-Chef-Home-Made-Tofu-Wait-No-Servers/index.php?
Last week I had the tofu dish she writes about. It was really cool. Even better was the lentil soup...the best I've ever had. It included a marvelous piece of fork tender pork and a soft poached egg. Rich, but wonderful.
I still can't get over the food that's coming out of this kitchen. It's creative and wonderful. I'm actually reluctant to eat anywhere else right now. This place is going to get all my dining dollars, both because I want to give it my business to keep it going, but also because this is exactly my kind of food! (and they're almost giving it away, it's so cheap) This place is a godsend for me!
Twin Cities Tasting Menus
Cosmos does a 7-course for $60. We did the tasting at both Cosmos and Heidi's in December, and slightly preferred Cosmos. We liked the creativity and the room (cool decor and tables not too close together!). I'd say Cosmos was even on par with La Belle Vie for us, even though they don't get the same press and acclaim.
MSP Victory 44 - A New Beginning?
I heard the chef tell other tables that the burger and reuben were both still available, even though they weren't listed on the board. Breakfast options are gone. He told us that the brunch business just wasn't happening.
It will be interesting to see how he balances the creative with the more basic options. I was trying to watch the reactions of other diners, but Minnesotans don't give much away!
My 12-year-old loved that Perfect Burger, too. But he's excited about the new possibilities. Granted, he told me that when he had free computer time last week at school, he went to the El Bulli website. So maybe he's not so typical!
MSP Victory 44 - A New Beginning?
Not only that, but I forgot to mention the amuse of chicharrones with yuzu cheese dip, and also the taste of the desert we did not choose, a meringue and coconut treat.
Jackpot indeed!
MSP - Is Barrio Overrated?
100% agree. I've also been to Barrio three times, and it's only been fine. No better than what you can get at a dozen tacquerias around town at a fraction of the cost. I've decided to leave Barrio to the other anglos who don't frequent such places. Barrio is doing smashing business. Tim McKee probably doesn't need my business, but plenty of the small neighborhood places do.
MSP Victory 44 - A New Beginning?
My wife and I stopped in at Victory 44 on Saturday. We had eaten there a couple of times, and liked their decent pub fare. But we were in for a big surprise. A great surprise!
The menus are gone. All the items are now written on a couple of big chalkboards. They've kept a few of the previous dishes (fish & chips, bangers & mash). But most of what's offered is new. The listings on the board are pretty basic, and just as we were speculating about them, a guy who looked like a cook showed up at our table to take our order. As he started describing the dishes, our jaws dropped. This was not the pub fare. We just ordered the first three things on the top of the list, and let the cooking begin:
BEET & ORANGE is how the first course was titled. Little squares of orange lined up like a row of tiles. Along side them were a couple of deep red ribbons. But as we started to eat, we began laughing out loud. The orange squares were the beets! And the red ribbons were the orange! (Blood orange gelee, we later learned). We love that kind of humor in our dining. It was a very refreshing start to the meal.
LAMB SHOULDER was three pieces of lamb, perfectly cooked sous-vide style. I don't think they were using an immersion circulator when they doing mostly fish & chips and burgers! It was accompanied by a bean puree, and a balsamic reduction. But I don't remember much because my wife loved the dish so much she would hardly let me near it.
CHICKEN CORDON BLEU This was a wonderful deconstructed version of the tired classic. Two pieces of chicken, again cooked sous-vide, and then seared to a nice crisp. Inside were some strips of ham. The cheese, usually on the inside of the stuffed chicken breast, was alongside, as a creamy gruyere sauce. And the breading that is supposed to be on the outside of the chicken, showed up as a coating for a crunchy brioche toast. Add a couple of browned brussels sprouts, and it made for a dish that was out of this world.
TRES LECHES CAKE We were a little reluctant to try dessert. By now, it was obvious that the guy delivering our food was a serious chef, and we couldn't believe that someone who cooked like that would do desserts well. They leave that to pastry chefs. We figured that he would have brought in desserts from somewhere else. He was pretty low-key about describing the three on offer, but without much probing, it became obvious that he was high on the tres leches. What we got was not at all a traditional version like from our Mexican bakeries (I'm partial to Durango's). But it was fantastic. It was another clever interpretation, with the cake separated from the sauces. The cake was moist by itself. And the sauces included all the taste of the traditional version. Add to that a bit of chocolate mousse and some leaves of dark chocolate, and we were in heaven!
At the end of the meal the chef chatted with us a bit. Turns out that he's only been at the restaurant for a few weeks, having been brought in as chef de cuisine. He's gradually adding these creative dishes, and wants to go even further in that direction. I asked him where else he's cooked, and he said all over: NYC, Napa Valley, Pacific NW. When I got home, I Googled him. His name is James Winberg, and he was chef-owner of a place in Washington state that was getting some serious press a couple years ago. He's a Minnesota native who has just returned. And this is what he's doing. Putting out some incredible food in this low-key pub in North Minneapolis.
Right now, it's just James and another cook doing everything, cooking and serving. It's great fun to have them bring out our food and tell us about what they've whipped up for us. It's also ridiculously cheap. Our entire bill was $33.00! I'm not exaggerating to say this meal was of La Belle Vie quality. We can't wait to get back!
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Victory 44
2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN
BBC series: The Chef. Is it worth buying (on sale)?
My wife and I own that DVD set, and we watch it over and over. It's one of the few sitcoms that we can stand. "30 Rock" is the only current one we truly enjoy (although "Modern Family" is growing on us). "Seinfeld" was our historic favorite. So that gives you an idea of what else we like, and whether "Chef!" is for you. For us, it's a classic that we fell in love with even before we got into food and fine dining. We're also Anglophiles, and we place it 2nd only to "Fawlty Towers" in quality.
It has clever, fast-paced dialogue. Every time we watch an episode, we catch another funny line. The 3rd series showed a dramatic in quality. But series 1 & 2 are filled with lines that we throw around our home all the time...much like we do with "Seinfeld."
As far as the food goes, I don't think it's entirely dated. So much of classic French kitchens are still pertinent. It's more about the kitchen, anyway, rather than cuisine. Overbearing, dictatorial chefs still exist. Poorly paid members of the brigade system are still with us. It gives a pretty entertaining inside view of the kitchen, while parodying the loud-mouthed chef (Gordon Ramsey, anyone?).
Peri-peri chicken in the Twin Cities? (MSP)
Enjoyed those chicken livers in Empangeni, a small industrial town in KwaZulu Natal, about a 90 minute drive outside of Durban, South Africa.
A three-day trip from MSP, costing upwards of $2,000. Those livers were good, but not that good!
Peri-peri chicken in the Twin Cities? (MSP)
Oh, man! You made me recall my time in South Africa...a place not particularly known for its cuisine. But I found a little greasy spoon that served the most fabulous Piri-Piri Chicken Livers! Wow!
Like so many of my favorites, I fear I'll just have to learn to make it myself.
NE Pizza Void? Snap Closed (MSP)
Yeah, this is bad stuff. The owners were a family of Caribbean descent, I believe. Nice folks trying to make it go. I tried to give them as much business as I could, and to spread the word. They seemed to be doing a decent amount of business whenever I was in, but I guess it wasn't enough.
Snap! was originally opened by the owners of Pop! But they didn't keep it very long. Never heard why.
In the meantime, we sure do need a pizza place in that spot. There really aren't any other local options, as princebaal points out.
Chimborazo in Northeast (Mpls.)
With Pak Zam Zam not currently open for lunch (although driving by last night I noticed a big, new banner proclaiming a dinner buffet!), I stopped in Chimborazo today.
I tried the Llapingachos - the menu describes them as potato pancakes. But they were nothing like the latkes I grew up with. These were light and fluffy, and filled with cheese and onion. There were three of them, and they were served on top of a fried egg. Over this, you pour a frothy peanut sauce. The combination sounded unusual to me, but it absolutely worked!
I'm looking forward to returning -- several menu items intrigue me. There's a soup that looks good...beef and peanut broth with plantain dumplings. And a quinoa and potato stew, too.
I was the only customer, and when I showed some interest in him and his business, the owner spent 10 minutes pouring out his life story. Working in his parents' small restaurant in Ecuador since age 4. His father's death, so he never got to go to school. His working to build the family restaurant. His love of traditional, homestyle Ecuadorian food, etc. His name is Marcos, and he seems like a really sweet, genuine guy. I'm rooting for him!
His application for a liquor license is on track, and he's hoping for August. I guess the previous occupant, Charly's Polleria, had a bad reputation with the neighbors. Marcos has had to do some bridge-building to get that license.
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Chimborazo
2851 Central Ave, Minneapolis, MN
The Butcher's Block [MSP]
Dara wrote about it today. She says it opens on the 18th: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/June-2009/On-the-Block/
There are some odd details surrounding it, but if they deliver on the meat, it might be worthwhile.
MSP - Cue at the Guthrie: anyone been recently?
We've got reservations for Thursday. I'm curious, too. My understanding is that the new team, with Eric Anderson running the kitchen, has been playing with the menu. Some of the items might be on the new one, while others will not. It sounds like a fun time to go (I think they close for the renovation after this weekend).
MSP-Molecular Gastronomy?
His name was Ryan Aberle. Here's Iggers' reporting of his departure: http://tcfoodies.ning.com/profiles/blogs/ryan-aberle-out-at-northcoast
I'm really sorry I didn't make it out there. Hoping he can find a place to play with his food...somewhere in the city, preferably!
Good downtown Minneapolis lunch spot for tomorrow?
Ah, the Vincent Burger! Did you see the wonderful "Ode to a VB" on shefzilla? It's a fantastic "gourmet" version of the Jucy Lucy.
http://shefzilla.com/?p=1682
Vincent is right across the street from Orchestra Hall. Whenever I'm in that area at lunchtime or happy hour, it's a no-brainer. I hear Vincent has some other nice food, too. I wouldn't know...I can't past that burger.
Pak Zam Zam (NE Mpls)
As soon as I read these latest posts, I HAD to get my channa dal fix. Walked down there for lunch, and found this sign posted on the door:
TEMPORARY TIME CHANGE
Monday-Thursday 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Saturday 10:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sunday 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
So I didn't get my dal today, but now I have something to look forward to on Friday.
MSP-Molecular Gastronomy?
The team at Porter & Frye was playing at some molecular gastronomy before the big shakeup there.
So for now, the only MG I'm getting is at my house, when I have the energy and courage to experiment with my Alinea cookbook. "Liquified Caramel Corn" was a blast!
New Restaurants - MSP?
Dara broke the Sea Change news a couple weeks ago:
http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/May-2009/Sea-Change-Sea-Urchins-Tosca-Preview-And-Oh-Yeah-the-Recession-is-Over/
MSP: Cue Redo
I'm really looking forward to this! When Erik was at P&F, he was doing some amazingly creative stuff. But I remember him telling me that he enjoyed working with seafood the most. This looks like a perfect situation, with Erik running the kitchen, and Tim overseeing this place as successfully as all his others..
And not only is Erik talented and tatooed...he's a really nice guy, too!
