LauraB's Profile
Craving a Mai Tai
Psycho Suzy's does have them - for some bizarre reason the "simple" drinks are listed on their wine menu on their website. (I remembered when I ordered a Daiquiri a few weeks ago there that was also hidden in a weird part of their menu.)
Visiting Minneapolis Memorial Day weekend, what to eat?
Restaurant Alma is not far from the University Hotel. They not by any means underground or bizarre, but definitely fit the local and seasonal characteristics.
Where to take some visiting Food Snobs?
Based on everything here, I would actually still suggest Meritage. There style is fairly French, but they have a decent amount of more "American" food as well. They make a really awesome hamburger that the "anti-French" person could eat (or roast chicken), they have steak (for the person that wants to go to Murray's), they have fois gras (for the visiting uncle) and most everything I have had there has been excellent.
Authentic thai boat noodle soup - msp
They even have it advertised on their sign. I have been to Krungthep several times for take-out. In general, I find it to be quite good (my favorite Thai restaurant in Minneapolis that I have tried), but I also have not tried the boat noodle soup.
Purchasing Au Bon Canard foie
They had it at Clancey's last time I was there. Depending on when you want it, I might call ahead. When I was there last week buying duck breast, the person that helped me said they would only be getting ducks from Au Bon Canard for another month or so as they do not do so well in the heat.
cheese plates in St Paul or Minneapolis
I have had nice cheese plates at the lounge at La Belle Vie and at Meritage (I think Meritage still has a cart). Both of these also have fabulous desserts.
Solo dining Minneapolis
I love Meritage, but cabs in the Twin Cities are pretty expensive between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul (probably >$30 each way) such that I would not recommend it if you are in town for a night, staying in Minneapolis and using a cab - there are plenty of good places in Minneapolis.
I second the 112 eatery and Bar La Grassa recs. I have eaten at the bar at both (the pasta bar overlooking the kitchen at Bar La Grassa) and have enjoyed them both a lot.
The lounge at La Belle Vie (just south of downtown) would be another good option. I they also have a bar that is good for solo dining.
Butcher and the Boar
We tried the Butcher and the Boar (http://butcherandtheboar.com/) Sunday night for my birthday. Overall, I would say some parts of the meal were fabulous, some parts were good, and a few just okay.
The bourbon selection was excellent and the cocktails were really good. I had a delicious old-fashioned made with their house single barrel bourbon.
We started with wild boar ham and their version of a shrimp cocktail. Both of these dishes were excellent. The ham was flavorful and tender. I liked the bread and butter pickles on the side too. The shrimp were cooked in a mix of lemons and herbs and were perfectly tender. The cocktail sauce served with them had a nice horseradish kick. It was a nice update on a classic and was a good mix of flavors.
We next split a “Sausage for the Table” plate. The wild boar hot link was nice and juicy. It was served with pickled vegetables, which I thought were fine, but not particularly interesting. The plate also had a pork cheddarwurst. It was also nice and juicy and had a lot of melted cheese. The final sausage was a beef sausage served with a chili sauce and slaw. I thought this sausage was fabulous. I loved the sauce and slaw as complements to the sausage, which was nicely spiced on its own.
We then moved on to the turkey roulade with bacon and cheesy grits. The turkey roulade was okay. It tasted good, but the texture was oddly mushy. My husband liked it more than I did, but compared to the other things we had eaten so far, it just did not measure up. It was served with more of the same pickled veggies as the boar sausage. This course was, however, redeemed by the cheesy grits. They were very creamy.
For dessert, my husband had the homemade s’mores. They were quite good. I had the grasshopper pie. Ice cream sounded really good on such a warm evening and it satisfied that craving. However, it just was a bit flat – it needed either more chocolate or more mint (or maybe both?) – as it was it tasted more like cream than like minty chocolate goodness.
I would recommend it and plan to go back, but would probably order mainly cured meats, sausages and sides.
Great dinner in Monday?
I like your ideas of Blackbird Cafe or Brasa (either the Minneapolis of St. Paul location depending on which is more convenient). I think Blackbird has a bit more "special occasion" feel to it than Brasa (both in food and atmosphere), but I really enjoy the food at both places.
A couple other ideas would be Tilia in Linden Hills (entrees top out at $21) or Bar La Grassa (I went with a friend the other day, left stuffed and had spent $45 on food between the two of us on one antipasti, one bruschetta, two small pastas and one dessert).
Note: The Tilia recommendation does not work this coming Monday (March 19th) as they are having an anniversary party - I discovered this when I went to go confirm that they are indeed open Mondays, but if you are talking about another Monday in the future, they are normally open.
Informal Catering
I had a good experience using Brasa for a work event. Everyone liked the food (and in general I like Brasa quite a lot). The pork and braised beef are my favorite meats from Brasa. When I was there recently, I particularly enjoyed the romaine and mozzarella salad and the chips and guacamole as sides.
Scallops- best dishes now
Blackbird - scallop appetizer with tobiko and lemon was delicious (the best thing I had in an overall delicious NYE meal there)
I have had excellent scallops at Meritage in the past, but I do not see them on the current menu (but if you are still craving them once they reappear on the menu there, I would recommend them).
Best Take-Out Pad Thai
I have not had the Pad Thai here (and it was the one dish not loved by the Heavy Table review I read...http://heavytable.com/krungthep-thai-in-minneapolis/), but I really enjoyed the Pad See Ew and Green Curry that I had for take-out from Krungthep. They were comparable in quality to those dishes at Bangkok Thai in St. Paul (same owners) and much closer to my house. :-)
Going to Heidi's first time
Most of the menu has changed over since I went, but I would say that the eggless "bennie" lived up to the hype and is definitely worth trying.
The Bachelor Farmer - who has been and can comment
We went about a month ago. I think had we stopped after appetizers and toasts, I would have said definitely - 4 stars. These dishes were delicious and on-par with some of the other best places I have visited in the Twin Cities lately. I agree with keg that I also loved the wine program concept. They will open a 1/2 bottle of anything on the menu (for 1/2 of the menu price) and then put the remaining two glasses on a board. You can order glasses off the board (for 1/4 of the bottle price). It is a nice way to expand the by the glass and 1/2 bottle options. We definitely took advantage of the increased options and liked what we tried. I tried a glass of white Burgundy from the board and we split a 1/2 bottle of pinot noir from the list - both of which were quite good.
However, the entrees and desserts were fine, but not particularly interesting.
Therefore, as a total picture it is more of a 3 or 3 and 1/2 star sort of place - but I would like to go back and perhaps try it more as a "small plates" sort of place as I think I could happily make a meal out of the appetizers and toasts - they really were delicious...and maybe have a cocktail for dessert downstairs...the Marvel bar does make awesome drinks!
Piccolo first visit / recommendations?
I think they just switched their menu very recently. Although I have not had the specific dishes on their current menu, I have particularly liked their stuffed pasta, pork belly, fish, and egg dishes during my previous two visits. I hope you enjoy your dinner.
Cozy, Fun Birthday Dinner?
I also like the Strip Club idea. A few other ideas would be Blackbird Cafe (no fireplace, but antlers!) or the Lounge at La Belle Vie. All of these strike me as fun, but not stuffy and friendly rather than a "scene" or a big crowd.
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La Belle Vie
510 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55405
The Strip Club
378 Maria Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55106
Minneapolis: 1 Bfast, 1 lunch, 1 Late lunch/early dinner this weekend!
Another couple ideas for your late lunch/early dinner on Sunday would be Barbette (in Uptown a bit south of downtown) or Red Stag Supper Club (across the river from downtown) as they are open from morning to night. While not quite on the same level as some of the "dinner only" restaurants you list above, I have generally enjoyed the food I have gotten at each of them.
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Red Stag Supper Club
509 1st Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Show me the Best of MNP
Grand Pad Thai is definitely the closest to Macalester (in fact it is under a Macalester-owned apartment building), but it is definitely nothing special at all. On's would be easily within the "Macalester bubble" - we used to go to the Snelling/University area all the time (and buy our groceries at the kind of sketchy Rainbow on the corner...back before there was a SuperTarget).
Show me the Best of MNP
I have not yet been to On's - it is on my "to try list", but I have not made it yet so take the rest of the comment taking that it consideration (although I have been several times to Bangkok Thai). I have been to Ngon Bistro.
Based on my experience living in both cities, I would say that Boston (where the OP lives) in general has stronger Thai food than the Twin Cities, while the Twin Cities has better (and more prevalent) Vietnamese food. So I would say they should try Ngon because it is more specific to the Twin Cities (and I really like both their food and beer selection).
Lasagna, pasta, salad & breadsticks
I think Pizza Luce makes pretty good lasagna. I think they might be more of a garlic bread/cheese toast sort of place than breadsticks, but they definitely have salad. Not a mom and pop, but at least it is local.
Congrats to Meritage on its first Oysterfest
In the initial press about the event, it said that the regular $25 tickets included a dozen oysters + the special beer so that seems decently reasonable...
2 dinners MSP: Alma + ?
It has been a little while since I have been to 112, but there was a favorable article on eating vegetarian food at 112 eatery today in a local food blog www.heavytable.com
Last great meal in Minneapolis/St. Paul?
Meritage would be a good place to try if indeed you have not been (I did not see it on the impressive list above). I have been very impressed the last few times I have been there and I really like the new oyster bar space.
If I were leaving, I think the two places I would want to return to the most before I left would be:
The Strip Club - I love the small plates and overall experience. It is also such a "Minnesota-specific" restaurant both in ingredients, inspirations for the menu, and history of the space.
Piccolo - I find the food to be creative and like the small plates approach. While not as uniquely Minnesotan as the Strip Club, I think it still definitely has a Minneapolis-specific vibe.
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Meritage
410 Saint Peter St, Saint Paul, MN 55102
The Strip Club
378 Maria Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55106
Where to get Fettuccine Alfredo in MSP?
Bar La Grassa has a carbonara that is definitely more about the egg than cream (I am not sure if it is no cream, but it definitely seemed to be at least very low on cream). It came topped with a poached egg and my husband loved it. I thought it was pretty tasty, but that sort of style of pasta is not quite as much my thing as some of the other things on the Bar La Grassa menu...mmm gnocchi with cauliflower and orecchiette with rabbit. They also have a fettuccine alfredo on the menu, but I have not tried it.
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Bar La Grassa
800 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Our State Fair 2011: it's the Best State Fair in our State!
I agree. I was a bit disappointed in the amount of corn flavor in the ice cream. I also got the bacon sauce and thought it did not have enough salt to balance out the sweet. I have noticed that everyone raving about the corn ice cream got the blueberry sauce. I did not try the blueberry sauce version, but based on my experience and what I have read, it seems like that is the way to go.
I also tried the Minneapple Pie (it made a perfect breakfast) and enjoyed it a lot.
Another food highlight for me was the wild rice and jalapeno cheese bratwurst from Sausage by Cynthia - it was a nice twist on a cheddarwurst.
In Minneapolis next month, need 2 dinner spots, one breakfast, and one lunch...
Black Sheep is coal fired.
when at the uptown art fair
Kitchen Window was selling Paella during the Uptown Art Fair. Otherwise, I do not think they sell prepared food.
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Kitchen Window
3001 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Bachelor Farmer Soft Opening Now
We tried Marvel Bar last night. It was quite busy for being a) tricky to find - it is back around the corner from the Bachelor Farmer entrance, through an unmarked door that opens into a somewhat utilitarian space with a purple door in the back which is the actual entrance and b) a Monday. Overall, I would put it in the same league for cocktails as Bradstreet/La Belle Vie/Strip Club Meat and Fish. It is currently in the middle of the pack with La Belle Vie and the Strip Club still winning, but very much worth worth returning to try Marvel again and see if it moves up in the standings. :-)
I like the space quite a lot (better than Bradstreet, not quite as awesome as La Belle Vie lounge). They have a nice, long bar and whimsical touches. The two cocktails I had were about average for the places I mentioned above (they were not the best I have ever had, but were tasty and well done). I had one with gin, maraschino liquor, lemon, oregano, and selzter and one with all sorts of stuff including tequila, horseradish, coconut and grapefruit - sounds weird, actually quite balanced. My husband tried one of their specialty drinks with two kinds of vermouth, campari and rye and a Sazerac. The Sazerac was especially well made.
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La Belle Vie
510 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55405
The Strip Club
378 Maria Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55106
Smoked Salt in Minneapolis
They sell smoked salt at the cheese shop portion of Lake Wine and Spirits at the intersection of Grand and Lake. I think there are several kinds and it is more of a "bulk" thing than gift packaging, but have not bought it myself (although I have tasted it at a friend's house and thought it was quite good). In general, I find their cheese prices to be quite reasonable so I would imagine their smoked salt prices are reasonable too.
