pm1013's Profile
This Weekend in Nashville...
Thanks for the suggestions all - that's exactly what I wanted to know & we can't wait to check them out. Will post back where we end up & what we have!
This Weekend in Nashville...
Hey folks! We'll be visiting from Minneapolis this weekend & are excited to check out the local fare. After reading previous posts, we have a couple of ideas but are looking for more suggestions. It's our first time to the city so we're wondering about...
* Meat & three - we don't have this in the north so we need help. Who does it best? What is not to be missed??
* We love classic cocktails, especially anything with bourbon or rye. Suggestions??
* Anything else that is uniquely Nashville we should try??
We are staying at the Hampton downtown but will have a car so we're willing to venture out if truly worthy. Thanks a lot!!
Looking for coupe glasses
Indeed, the coupes will be for my beloved sidecars & hopefully many other iterations. Frankly, anything sparkling (usually cava) in my house is consumed too quickly for the bubbles to go anywhere but straight to my head! I'm sure I'll try some bubbly in them though, just for fun:-)
Looking for coupe glasses
Thanks all for the suggestions, especially the store in Roseville. Definitely going to check it out since it's close-didn't even know about it! Love the pic of the thrift store finds too. Cheers!
Looking for coupe glasses
Hi all - I've been searching for some basic coupe glasses to have around for parties and am hoping to find the best deal. Being a non-industry civilian, I'm not sure where to go. I'd love to end up with 25-30 pieces, preferably dishwasher safe. Anyone have any ideas (that may not turn up on a basic google search)? Thanks folks!!
MPLS foodie in STL for a week.....
Forgive the oversight - being from elsewhere I didn't know there were 2 Hiltons downtown. I am indeed at the "Olive" location & tried it last night. Don't have a car, but that's not a factor. Willing to cab it, or I understand there are public transportation options. Thanks for the rec's.
MPLS foodie in STL for a week.....
Looking for interesting chow. I'm here now (so my dining plans are very last minute - should have thought of posting sooner!) and will likely be dining alone. I'd love to know where the locals go, anything uniquely "St. Louis" - high end, low brow - anything goes. Also, I love a good wine bar so if anyone has any rec's that would be fantastic. Lastly, I'm at the downtown Hilton but willing to venture if truly worthy.
Thanks hounds!
Racchette in MSP?
Thanks for the recs ladies. Anne, I hadn't seen the Martha Stewart show. I'm a huge tennis geek and had been on a tennis-gifts website (ordering cheesy cocktail napkins!) & saw these cute little bags of racket shaped pasta. However, I took your lead & checked out Martha's website & saw the segment with the great Johnny-Mac!!! I've had a crush on him since I was a kid, so as a tennis fanatic thanks for the tip!!
Actually, seeing the racchette got me thinking about throwing a Wimbledon brunch & I thought they would be perfect, so the shape is kind of important (again, I'm a geek). But I'll be sure to check those places out & post back on what I find.
Racchette in MSP?
Hi MSP hounds -
Ok, I know this is kind of a weird one... Does anyone know where I might find racchette pasta in the area? To be perfectly honest, I haven't done an exhaustive search & I know it's available online but I was hoping someone out there may have noticed it at a supermarket.
As always, any help is much appreciated!
Minneapolis on Valentine's Day - Reports
Based on the very mixed reviews that have been posted in the past, this should come as no surprise, but...
The hubby & I decided to go to Spill the Wine for the 3 course menu - each course paired w/wine @ $90/couple seemed like an ok deal. We've been before & liked it for happy hour or just your basic wine craving but have never had an actual meal. Now I have to say, I love the space, esp. the bar - I just find it a comfortable place to hang. The appetizers we've had have been decent, I love the little wine shop in the back - I really want it to be great. Unfortunately it was a disappointment on V-Day.
Service - while the host, servers & even the parking attendant were all very attentive & sweet, they seemed way too busy (our reservation was extremely late - 9:30pm & they were running behind), almost as if they'd overbooked.
First course - An extremely wimpy, uninspired little salad. Sparkling wine was good, but not a great way to start.
Second - Choices of some sort of potato wrapped fish (don't recall specifically), barbecued chicken or a dueling duo of tenderloin (beef & pork) over risotto. Both tenderloin were cooked very well, quite yummy - but atop blatantly undercooked risotto, just plain ghastly. I mean really bad.... (On a positive note, wine pairing was great)
Third - Red velvet cake. Meh. And totally predictable, right? Served w/AB chocolate port - waaaay too rich.
In order to salvage the night, hopped over to Toast where we're always happy. And, after reading their menu, really wished we'd just gone there in the first place. They expanded their menu to include a couple of fresh pastas which according to other diners were excellent. Not sure whether it's their wonderful Mallorcan red or our shared passion for Rafael Nadal, but Erin never lets us down! Hope to have a great V-Day meal there next year...
MSP - Fugaise Closing
Along with everyone else, I bid a fond farewell & will miss Fugaise dearly. Chef Don is our neighbor & not only a great talent but a nice guy too. Hope to see him land somewhere soon - I'm certain that many of us MSP hounds will bump into each other at Fugaise over the next couple of weeks. (Sigh...)
MSP - Need fun rec's for friend facing the big 4-0!
Help - I have a friend who is turning 40 soon and she's NOT happy about it! Her husband is trying to plan something fun (and potentially stress relieving) & came to me for help, so now I'm turning to you MSP 'hounds who've never steered me astray before. Here's what I'm looking for...
Her husband told me about a place he had been to in Seattle - a Greek restaurant where they let you smash the plates at the end of the meal. Sounds perfect for taking out aggressions while bidding farewell to the 30's! I know there may not be this exact thing in the Twin Cities, but does anyone have any fun, unique suggestions? Since it's a special occasion, I don't think location and/or price will matter. Any help would be much appreciated - thanks!
Any rec's for Fall trip to Door County [WI]?
Sorry - thought I added these links.....
Any rec's for Fall trip to Door County [WI]?
Last year, my husband & I celebrated our first anniversary with a long weekend trip to Door County - you'll have a fun time! The places that stood out to me were:
The Waterfront in Sister Bay - Excellent dinner, great wine & port and nice views. This was our anniversary dinner spot & oddly enough the couple next to us was also celebrating their first. Seems to be a theme....
Shipwrecked Brewery in Egg Harbor - Standard greasy pub food, but good. The treat was their own beer sampler and unless you have a very strong constitution, I'd recommend sharing - it's a lot of beer! You can purchase the ones you like to take home, too.
Simon Creek Winery in Jacksonport - Dynamite cab franc - love, love, love this! And of course, they have other great wines too. Seriously though, the cab franc.....
And I agree with previous posters about Mission Grille - also good.
Have a great trip!
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Shipwrecked Restaurant & Brewery
7791 Egg Harbor Rd, Egg Harbor, WI
Red Velvet cake in MSP
I have to say, I'm with Surly - I just tried Sheela's cupcakes this past weekend & loved them! I opted for these rather than a cake for my birthday party and they were a hit, in particular the Black Russian & the Lemon curd/Limoncello flavors. That was Friday and I'm devouring one of my very few leftovers even as I type this (peach w/lime ginger frosting - my favorite!) & it is still moist and tasty after 3 days in the fridge. Regarding the size & price - no, they aren't mammoth muffin sized, nor are they cheap. I think the size was a good, manageable size for my guests and didn't leave anyone feeling cheated or too full. As for the price - Sheela delivered them to my home (no charge) and I too appreciate the quality of the ingredients. Also, it was great to meet her in person - her joy & passion for what she does is evident and therefore worth every penny (to me, anyway). Obviously, every opinion is valid - but I would encourage a second chance.
MSP - Dinner for a group this weekend!
I always love Moscow on the Hill - they have a great little ante-room for larger groups & the menu is very reasonably priced and surprisingly diverse (do NOT skip dessert - White Russian Tiramisu, Napoleon Torte, etc. are fantastic). I don't know if they take formal reservations, but I'm pretty sure that if you called ahead they would be more than happy to accommodate your group. They also have a nice patio (weather permitting) and chances are pretty good that Valeri will serenade your group with his astounding accordion stylings! Behind the bar, Lisa (I mention her specifically because I think she's the only one who makes it) has created a delicious grapefruit cocktail for summer - mmmmmm!
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Moscow On the Hill
371 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102
[MSP]Has anyone been to Craftsman recently?
My husband & I also tried it for the first time on Saturday night and although we didn't have a reservation & showed up at 7:00-ish, they were still able to seat us (albeit at the bar) right away. AND they were still really kind to us - no hint of, "You idiots - who just shows up without a reservation?!" We continued to have excellent service throughout the evening.
Started with our favorite bottle of cab franc (which was a delight to see on the menu - cab francs can be scarce) and some yummy cheeses. For dinner, I was feeling gutsy & chose the rabbit. And while I was a bit plagued by images of the jackrabbits I used to dodge on the highways of SD growing up, I have to say, in a word - AMAZING!! The meat was very tender and flavorful & the skin was so crispy - just plain good. It was served with kale & polenta (both delicious) and finished with a honey gastrique. My husband had the pork chop served with espresso baked beans & savory bread pudding. It was good - but lacked the flavor punch & variety of my dish. He was a little jealous :-) We finished with the creme brulee of the day - rosemary & honey. It was ok, but definitely the low point of the meal. I was looking forward to the combo of rosemary & honey and didn't really get either - it was your basic custard with crust. Not horrible, but not what we'd anticipated. All in all, it was a great meal & we're definitely going back. And I'm with ShinyCake - it was a bit loud, but that may not be the norm.
(MSP) Best Pork Chops in Town?
Hey gang - thanks for all the recco's. After some thought, my husband remembered that he's had the chop at both Jensen's and St. Paul Grill and agreed that they were both very good. So, we decided to try someplace new...
Our first choice was Town Talk - not only for the chop, but we were also sent on a cocktail re-con mission of sorts by a bartender friend of ours. But, after seeing very loooong line out the door, we decided to drive down the street to Craftsman. Will definitely try Town Talk again sometime - all those people waiting in the wind can't be wrong :-) JD Hoyt's is also on the short list since it's close.
(Now, I saw that someone recently bumped a previous Craftsman post, so I'll keep my comments here related to my op. But, I will go back to the other post & leave a review.) My husband did his due diligence & ordered the chop (although, after perusing the menu I know he really wanted the elk dish!). Overall he was pleased - the chop was a great cut & prepared very well. It was served with espresso baked beans & a savory bread pudding, which he thought was the star of the plate. I sampled everything and I thought the dish was pretty good, although a little one-note - flavors and textures were a little too evenly matched for my taste. But, if he had to base it on the chop alone - the hubby was happy. Oh, and just to throw me off he ordered an old fashioned, instead of a martini. Figures. And the pork chop quest continues....
(MSP) Best Pork Chops in Town?
Hi hounds! I'm relatively new to this, but I know that based what I've seen thus far, someone out there in Chow-land will be able to guide me. Here goes...
The hubby & I were chowing about this weekend when he said, "The next time you're on Chowhound, find out where the best pork chops are." He's always game for the fun, chow-ish places I want to try, but he's really a meat & potatoes guy at heart - and he's a pork chop fiend. If it's on the menu, he's ordering it! So, with your help - I'd love to be able to take him to a restaurant I know he'll truly enjoy (and not the other way around for once).
Relevant info:
- Live downtown, but willing to drive
- I'll score extra points if really delicious bacon and/or garlic mashed potatoes are involved
- He loves a great dirty vodka martini
- Tried a chop at Monte Carlo & he wasn't impressed
Thanks!! (I apologize if this is re-hashing an old topic, but I searched & didn't really find anything)
Hennepin Theatre District - Restaurant Reviews/Recommendations (msp)
I think that all the previous assessments are right on (Solera, Chambers, Cosmos) - although I have to give a shout-out to Palomino's lavender cosmo...just plain yummy.
We went to R. Norman's before Jersey Boys & I would have to say it was alright, not stellar. The food was ok (I had tuna & hubby had a steak) and the cocktails were unremarkable (despite a lot of effort to appear so). But, on a positive note, the truffle-parmesan fries were pretty tasty.
While I haven't really eaten there yet, I've become a fan of Manhattan's - at least for their cocktails. We went after Sweeney Todd, since it's right next door to the State. I know the whole "a-hallway-runs-through-it" layout is kind of weird, but I still recommend it for an after-show nightcap, happy-hour, etc. I started chatting with the bar manager & was impressed with how seriously he takes his "craft." I think he's working out a few kinks, but really strives to provide consistently great cocktails. As for the food - we had an appetizer once, but I don't really remember it. Which means it wasn't memorable or, more likely, one too many sidecars for me!
Dinner in Minneapolis
I like Sapor Cafe - it might suit both your tastes (the mushroom wellington was fantastic).
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Sapor Cafe-Bar
428 Washington Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401
MSP-El Burrito Mercado-yummy!
Hey Anne - I'm a proud Cora's fan too! Mmmm - wings....
MSP-El Burrito Mercado-yummy!
Ok, once again, I find myself out of the loop - is Pineda on Lake still open? I thought they had closed - if they are still open I will literally jump for joy! We used to frequent the one on Robert & when we moved West, I thought I had to give it up. Are they still in that old Pizza Hut building? Thanks!
MSP: MOSCOW ON THE HILL
Well, I'm not sure - that's why I ask. I'm a rather inexperienced caviar eater, so I'm not entirely sure that I would recognize a "proper" service when I saw one. Many times when I've been there, I've noticed people eating dishes that don't necessarily appear on the menu (I once was given an "experimental" liver dish to try) and have seen what looks (to me anyway) like an elaborate caviar set-up. Perhaps it's a special request? So, if anyone can shed any light on the subject it would be much appreciated :-)
MSP - Restaurant Tidbits from the Uptown Neighborhood News
Also, Giorgio on Hennepin has been granted a full liquor license which takes effect on 4/1.
MSP: MOSCOW ON THE HILL
Ah, I see. Have you tried the caviar? I've never been brave enough...
MSP: MOSCOW ON THE HILL
Sorry to hear about the service experience - it sounds out of character for MOTH. We've been going there for years & are now actually good friends with most of the staff (and yes, we love Chris dearly). Have you had better bar service on the weekends? I'm just hoping it was a mid-week anomaly...
MSP Chowhounds - have you tried the new R. Norman's
Glad I found this post - I have also never been & have a reservation there this week. I'm going to assume the steaks are ok, but I'm not much of a steak eater. I was previewing their menu & am wondering if anyone can tell me if the fish/seafood selections are any good. Thanks Hounds!
Twin Cities wine bars - the complete list (?)
Hi Anne -
We used to frequent STW quite a bit for happy hour last summer & ordered from the bar menu. Here's what I remember-
- $15 bottles @ happy hour - only a few to choose from, not great but passable for the price
- I personally never ordered one, but I do recall a table next to us that had flights
- Never ate dinner, but had the calamari (basic, average but ok) & the bruschetta (nice - I've been trying to recreate the balsamic reduction at home since & there's a little deep fried basil treat on top. When I asked about it, the server said it was the chef's homage to MN State Fair, which I thought was kinda cute).
- Really enjoyed the by-the-glass menu.
I haven't been in a while, so things may have changed but, that's my 2 cents.
Salut!
