Michael Florey's Profile
Craftsman on Lake
I had a veal chop there recently that was superb. Also they were very accomodating about doing special orders for my somewhat picky kids.
How Do MSP restaurants compare to Chicago, Dallas, Miami, San Francisco Rests??
In terms of food we are major league compared to the cities you list, except maybe San Francisco. Really the quality of the restaurant food and variety here are excellent.
In terms of service we are minor league. Very friendly, but also not so good. I have said this before and always get lots of disagreement, but I still believe it to be true. The restaurants here have huge turnover and still seem to employ mostly students, starving artists, and other folks who don't really want to be doing the job. There are only a handful of top-notch, career minded service professionals in the Twin Cities. In bigger cities there just seem to be a lot more of them.
MSP Airport-Great Meal
My bowl was full of ground nutmeg and a nice drizzle of oil on top. Tons of flavor from the nutmeg.
MSP Airport-Great Meal
Just had dinner at the new Mill City Tavern at the airport. I think it is one of the places Lenny Russo is consulting with. Menu was reminiscent of Heartland. The meal I had was flat out great. pumpkin soup, followed by a perfect veal stew over polenta. Beer, wine, cocktail list was also first rate. Going from Chillis and McDonalds to this is a dream come true for a frequent traveller like me.
Where to buy "Game" meat in the Twin Cities?
Clancy's would be my first stop. They have beautiful rabbits and ducks and pheasants and sometimes wild boar sausage. Heartland Market also carries seasonal game. They sometimes have amazing Elk loins and chops. I would call first to see what they have. Also second the D'Artagnan recommendation - they have a wonderful selection of game, and shipping is very easy.
Downtown Minneapolis No Carb meals
Good To Go has nice soups, salads, and you can get grilled meat kabobs (including lamb) to put on top of the salads.
Solo dining Minneapolis
Another vote for Bar at 112 Eatery, Vincent (or Bar La Grassa).
The oyster bar at Meritage in Saint Paul would also be worth a cab ride. It is spectacular, and well-suited for solo dining.
If you want to experience the stuffed burger/fried foods thing, go to the Blue Door Pub in Saint Paul. Great tap beers, a long ist of stuffed burgers, and the best fried foods in town. The tater tots are beyond good. And it is a cool, popular neighborhood place.
Best Hero/Sub Sandwiches in MSP (Not Counting Subway and other chains)
The Italian subs at Buon Giorno are excellent. Not as good as the best in NY, but pretty satisfying.
Minneaplis suggestions for family of 5
I've done Easter at M Street. Really quite decent (although it is in the hotel basement -- no windows). Typical "nice" midwestern brunch. Not gourmet, but the food is well-prepared, the selection is large, and the service is friendly.
A similar experience closer to your hotel would be Nicollet Island Inn.
Minneaplis suggestions for family of 5
Masa on Nicollet Mall would be a good choice. Walkable from the Hilton, and the food and cocktails are very good. It is higher-end Mexican food. The guacamole is tasty, and they have salads and seafood dishes. The interior is nice.
Beautiful, Romantic Downtowner with great food?
Nicollet Island Inn would be a romantic place to stay. The food is nothing special, though the ambiance is very nice.
I think the eating in the lounge at LBV is the best and most romantic seat in town. It is a stunningly beautiful room, and you can order off the lounge menu and/or the main room menu. The half-moon booths in the back are the tops -- try and reserve one in advance. Their wine-list is excellent, but a little pricey for most folks. But they have corkage! Go to Surdyk's, buy a bottle of 2002 Chartogne-Taillet "Fiacre" Champagne, and bring it with for your dinner.
french toulouse sausage
We ship in duck-armagnac sausage and garlic sausage from D'Artagnan for our cassoulet.
If you want to buy local, Clancy's in Linden Hills is the place to go. Their duck sausage is quite good.
Dining for Hollidazzle Parade with 6 year old?
Keys Cafe on 9th St. is great for kids, and not far.
Fresh Quail Eggs?
There is a place in the Mid-Town Global Market (near the Italian Ice vendor) that has them. Thy were beautiful.
Heartland Tonight
The soups are outstanding.
They often have fish from Lake Superior on the menu, and it is usually good.
Cozy, Fun Birthday Dinner?
You should definitely consider WA Frost. Very warm, cozy rooms, several fireplaces, and a nice, well-executed menu. But also fairly conservative food -- the dishes will be recognizeable.
best breakfasts in/near minneapolis??
Bon Vie on Selby in St. Paul.
Butter Cafe on Grand in Minneapolis
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Bon Vie
518 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Huevos Rancheros in Twin Cities
Just had the HR at Good Day Cafe in Golden Valley. Really, really good.
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Good Day Cafe
5410 Wayzata Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55416
Searching the Skyway...
Zelo has a takeout spot in the Medical Arts Building called Zelino. The lasagne is superb, soups are excellent and they have great salad specials. Also a great egg salad sandwhich.
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Zelo
831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Zelino
831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402
Best cocktails + vegetarian friendly (downtown Mpls)
You'll have no problem at LBV. Eat in the lounge. You can order off both the lounge menu and the main menu. They routinely serve vegetarians. The cocktails are superb.
Best tuna fish sandwich in Minneapolis?
Might not be exactly what you are thinking of, but the tuna melt sandwhich at Brothers Deli downtown is awesome. Tuna salad, tomatoe and cheese all grilled together on good bread. Very yummy, though it's hot, not cold.
lamb at st paul farmers market
Honestly I think I've tried every single vendor there that offers lamb. We are lamb fanatics. The vendors all kind of blur together. I got the custom cut rib chops for a big party last year from the large guy with kids who look just like him. I think that was Otis Family. Farm on Wheels is good. There is another place, though, that has rib chops where the Frenched bones are like 12 inches long. They are insanely good. Can't recall the name, though. My experience is that if you stick with the more expensive cuts, everything is excellent. When you try to bargain shop lamb it gets more dicey.
lamb at st paul farmers market
Absolutely. I've done so on many occassions. I usually get rib chops with frenched bones, sometimes special ordered. Also have gotten legs and loin chops. Really some of the best lamb I've seen anywhere. The Frenched rib wracks are insanely good. We grill them all summer. I also buy a bunch and put them in the freezer for use in the winter. The only bad experience I've had was buying some "lamb steaks", which ended up being fatty.
Date Night in Minnetonka?
I don't think there's anything "exciting" in that area. You might try the Crave at 394 and Park Place. It's at least a grown-up atmosphere and the menu looks inetresting. (I've only had drinks there thus far.)
Downtown Minneapolis Breakfast at Fire Lake
Ike's would be another decent choice.
A little more high-end -- but reallllly good for weekend bfst -- is Porter and Frye inside the Hotel Ivy.
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Porter and Frye
1115 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Tamale Making Items...
I think the pot was about $45. They had different styles and sizes. I got a basic sturdy no-frills aluminum model.
We make excellent masa with only a big bowl, a wooden spoon, and our hands. I've never used a food processor. This recipe is outstanding for all the elements of tamales:
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/tamales/Tamale_Recipe.htm
Yes, we have the best meat here in the Midwest. The stuff at the STP farmers market in the summer is insanely good.
Typically local producers are more, not less, expensive. But the quality is much higher.
Good luck!
Tamale Making Items...
EBM has everything you need. Usually 2 or 3 choices for everything you need.
Also the place across the sreet from EBM sells tamale pots in a whole bunch of sizes. I just got a pot that will make 60 tamales in one batch.
Italian Grocery Stores near downtown Mpls?
Kramarczuk's is right across the bridge from downtown. No, they are not Italian. It' a Ukrainian place. But they make superb sausage. Their non-eastern-European efforts are quite good -- Merguez, Chorizo, and yes, Italian sausage.
Celebratory Dinner with Kids (5 and 2)
Cheeky Monkey is very casual, lots of kids, but the food is pretty darn good, as is the wine/beer list. More comfort food, but very well executed. Or . . . .
Get a babysitter for your toddler and go to Meritage or Cafe Levain.
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Meritage
410 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul, MN 55102
Cafe Levain
4762 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Any New Lunch Places Near US Bank Building in DT Minneapolis?
Mission would be my first choice.
Bank, the restaurant in the Westin Hotel, is also a nice business lunch place and is quite close. The food is not extraordinary, but it's decent, and the setting is very nice.
