jrnorton23's Profile
Om MSP
That's not quite accurate. Gandhi Mahal tops out in the mid teens, with most dishes around $12; OM tops out in the mid twenties, with most dishes in the high teens. Saying that OM is "better" and "fresher" is perplexing -- the styles of food served are apples and oranges, and, having said that, I'd prefer the reasonably priced apples at Gandhi Mahal any day of the week. You dine at OM, you pay for cool ambiance.
Maude and Cave Vin [South MPLS]
I've been going to Maude since it opened, and I've had three or four velvet rope-style encounters that have really put me off -- the worst was being told an attractive window table was reserved for another couple, dining for an hour+, and never seeing it get filled. I've had mixed (mostly positive) experiences with the waiters/waitresses themselves, but the host seems to invariably think that sophistication and condescension are one and the same.
MSP: New food/drink online magazine
The policy for comped meals is pretty simple: we don't take them when we're writing a review of the establishment in question. As for finances, that's a fine point. We're hoping to use a combination of ads, (clearly marked) sponsored content and the leveraging of social media to make the site profitable. We're launching at a challenging time in the economy, to say the least -- if we can survive for the next six months and things turn around on a macro level, I think we'll do very well. A big "if."
Anyone have a recommendation for a Jewish Deli in MSP??
As a Jewish ex-Brooklynite, I just want to chime in and say I think that we're collectively being a little harsh on Cecil's and Fishman's. Great, they are not - they won't be in contention for world champion. But I have had some really comforting and pleasant meals at Cecil's in particular, and I really dig the chopped liver at Fishman's. Dismiss them out of hand and you miss some nice experiences. Also, big thumbs up for the date hamentashen at Cecil's.
(MSP) Pierogies
I'm pretty far from being a pierogie expert, but I was surprised to find them on the menu at the Longfellow Grill, and even more surprised at how much I enjoyed them. It's an out-of-left-field recommendation, but they really tasted, for lack of a better word, "fresh" -- not as cannonballesque as they sometimes get. And the accompanying sauce (it's been a while, but I think it was yogurt-based) really worked.
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Longfellow Grill
2990 W River Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Opinions on The Norton's, Red Wing, MN?
I ate there more than a year ago and had a good meal, for what it's worth. The food was solid upscale fresh/local American fare (somewhat but not wildly overpriced), and the cheese plate was very nicely sourced and balanced, and consequently excellent. Norton (no relation) was in public circulation at the restaurant, mustache and all. We didn't try to hit him up for autographs / memories / etc., though, so I have no clue how responsive he'd be. Overall, a positive experience. I'd eat there again were I in Red Wing, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
Sea Salt (MSP)
My wife and I biked out to Sea Salt this Wednesday and had a really pleasant lunch. The fish tacos were of the classic Tapatio "two-small-tortillas + onions + cilantro" variety and at $5, a really decent buy. The crab cake was surprisingly moist and flavorful. Service was friendly, the wine was good, the outdoor dining space was incredibly pleasant. It's one of the few places in the Cities that reminds me of Madison's Memorial Union Terrace, which is my favorite outdoor dining venue in the world.
That said: the music was loud enough that I was bitching (inaudibly) about it throughout the wait. I like loud music. I go to shows, crank up the Replacements / Modest Mouse / Pixies / at home, whatever. But there's no need for 85 decibels of rock when you're standing around waiting to order lunch. Everything has a proper time and place.
Speaking of which, I don't tend to eat oysters unless I'm on the East or West coast. Call it pure prejudice (and I'm sure Oceanaire does a great job), but the oysters I've had at even reputable Midwestern joints like Barbette leave something to be desired. So I'm not at all shocked to hear Sea Salt oysters talked down -- makes sense.
Good sushi in Madison, WI??
I'd second the recommendation of Muramoto, but qualify it by saying that I've had better luck with the older, downtown location than the Hilldale one. Either would certainly do in a pinch. Stay far away from the old-school (in the bad sense of the word) Ginza of Tokyo, and if you go to Wasabi on State St., concentrate on the shrimp tempura rolls -- they're a really nice balance of mayo dressing and crunchy coating. And yes, yes, I recognize how shrimp tempura rolls are declasse and not really sushi, etc. etc. Fact is: They're delicious.
I've been to Takara a couple of times, and was neither impressed nor offended. It's like a modern update of Ginza, and if you like seeing volcanic flames shoot out of a tower of onions on a hibachi grill, it's a good choice.
MSP - Jambalaya & Po Boys
The newly opened Citizen Cafe in South Minneapolis actually does a po boy that compares with the one I (greatly!) enjoyed during my last trip to New Orleans. Incredibly bright and fresh bits of tomato help counterbalance the bun + small fried shrimp, and the whole package was nicely enhanced by the smoked tomato aioli. I wolfed it down, and I don't normally wolf down my food.
I fourth the "meh" on Dixies.
Wisconsin Cheese .... amazing
A few other suggestions:
The various styles of goat cheese on offer up at Bass Lake Cheese (just north of Hudson) are all worth the drive from Minneapolis/St. Paul, if not Madison.
BelGioioso is doing some great things with Italian-style cheeses up near Green Bay -- I particularly recommend the American Grana and the Crescenza-Stracchino, a tart, spreadable, incredibly bright and fresh-tasting incarnation of an Italian classic.
SarVecchio (Sartori's aged parm) is a sweet, nutty delight.
Some of the best string cheese in the state (it tastes like pure, fresh milk in solid form) is at Union Star Dairy up in Zittau, near Green Bay. More traditional (but excellent) string cheese is at Cedar Grove Cheese, near Milwaukee. Union Star's boutique aged cheddar is also terrific.
Don't miss the Gouda (particularly the Dutch Kase aged Gouda) from Madison's Babcock Hall cheese plant. Gary Grossen does an amazing job with it.
And there's a lot of good juustolepia (Finnish "bread cheese") out there these days. Worth trying if you haven't yet had it.
MSP: Conventioneers on a Budget
I'm trying to line up a hearty slate of Minneapolis-St. Paul restaurants that GOP conventioneers should make sure to check out while they're in town, with an eye toward volunteers and junior staffers, not the fat cats who will probably book Manny's solid for the duration of the meeting.
Any suggestions...? Places that show off local color, are convenient to the Xcel Energy Center, can handle large groups, serve tasty booze, and/or dip into any of the various ethnic scenes are particularly good...
Need MSP suggestion
You might want to try Gandhi Mahal, the new Mughal-style Indian place at East Lake and Minnehaha. It's at 3009 27th Ave. South. It's too new to be all that busy, they offer pretty good food across the board (try the korma and the dish described as "Persian," the name of which I can't recall, and the banana pakora if you like sweet fritters.) Also, as an added attraction for nondrinkers in particular, it offers the entertainment of a lassi bar. I dug the Badumi lassi (a nutty-flavored concoction) but the banana, strawberry and mango varieties will please most tastes, although they're not as hyper-sweet as some restaurants tend to make 'em. You can taste three sample-sized lassis for $5.
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Gandhi Mahal
3009 27th Ave South, Minneapolis, MN
Good Beef Stroganoff in MSP?
If you're willing to sample from the "pretty damned close" department, the red deer venison stroganoff at The Red Stag Supper Club is surprisingly light and delicate, yet extremely rich. House-made pasta, if memory serves. (If it doesn't, my apologies; but the dish is delicious, regardless.)
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Red Stag Supper Club
509 1st Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
MSP - Temple Closed
I dug Mysore Cafe quite a bit; its food was a bit more rough around the edges than most Indian restaurants (in a good way), and it had some South Indian specialties that always a treat to stumble upon. Decent prices, too. But as the CP blog notes, the space is terrible -- big, ugly, and apparently expensive to rent. And the Mysore approach to decorating didn't do much to moderate the visual impact.
Speaking of avoidable problems: They had a bit of a death wish opening with that particular name. "Mysore" makes perfect sense until you start to consider its English connotations... and then you're stuck trying to sell food to people at a restaurant named after a skin lesion.
[MSP] Dara leaving City Pages to boost national profile
Thanks, everybody -- I really appreciate it. According to the Chowhound moderators, I can't ask you to send me tips by email -- but I'll definitely keep my eye out for whatever you guys post around here vis-a-vis Minneapolis / St. Paul restaurants.
As it is, I'm still getting my "what's new?" meter calibrated... MNMO doled out assignments, but my City Pages work will be mostly self-generated....
[MSP] Dara leaving City Pages to boost national profile
Thanks for the best wishes, TDQ! Here's my CV, in a nutshell: I edited Middle East news during the Iraq war, quit that gig to work with Al Franken during the start-up of Air America Radio, and then shifted over into food writing as Al transitioned into the Senate race. I got my first real start at CHOW's own Grinder in 2006, blogged for Metroblogging in early 2007, and started doing real reviews for MNMO in July or August of last year. At what point, out of curiosity, did I become old and tired? I'm seriously happy to take whatever writing tips you might be able to offer me -- I read and enjoy your posts on Chowhound on a regular basis.
MSP: Just moved to St. Louis Park
Man, they must have been punishing you for complaining about the food; the exterior of the baked Alaska I ordered had a soft, velvety texture, and was fantastic -- and no problem whatsoever with the cake base becoming stuck to anything other than the inside of my stomach. I don't have your inside sources about whether it was made on site, but I'd happily pay $10 for another one. I suspect some of your dissatisfaction with the restaurant stemmed from ordering stuff like lobster mac and cheese; why mess with lobster in such a fashion? Alaska Eatery is definitely at its best when its working with wood grilled straightforward cuts of fish or meat.
MSP: Just moved to St. Louis Park
Alaska Eatery just opened in St. Louis Park, and would make a great special occasion / celebration-type place (ie., it ain't cheap.) The window-cut wood-grilled Alaska king crab legs that I had there a couple weeks ago were some of the best seafood I've ever had, and that includes a six-year period of living on the East Coast. Dessert is expensive as hell, but worth it. Either the strawberry macaroon or baked Alaska is worth getting; the latter, in particular, due to its s'more-like intense combination of toasted marshmallow + flourless chocolate cake + strawberry gelato.
Parasole Restaurants MSP
I had a great brunch at Muffuletta -- that's probably a great way to get bang for the buck.
Also, re: Chino -- they have a tremendous happy hour that runs until 7pm. The $3 Latin-style mini-sandwiches (with chips + guac!) are worth the trip unto themselves. With $100, you could take 8 friends out for a happy hour bash, just so long as no one orders off the regular drink menu.
I dug Manny's very much, but I think $100 might be enough for you + 1 guest if you spent frugally.
MSP best BBQ Ribs today?
The ribs at 128 are definitely worth the trip -- it's clear they put some real time and attention into them. Otherwise, the menu is all over the place, and the execution on certain dishes (chewy duck, under-seasoned "Szechuan" flank steak) was disappointing to say the least.
MSP Steak Argument
A friend of mine took me to Manny's, so I was able to enjoy the food and nutty atmosphere without the pressure of adding up the tab. The ribeye that I ordered was probably the best steak I've ever had -- but it should be noted that I'm not much of a steak guy. It had a depth of flavor that really caught me off guard. The tenderloin that my wife ordered was comparatively bland. All that said: I'm glad I wasn't paying the bill, and I wouldn't go back on my own dime. And I'll stick to my personal credo on meat... when I want to eat a buncha meat, I'll go get some BBQ.
to those who have moved from east to midwest [moved from the Midwest board]
I completely agree with the thrust of the thread -- the street food of NYC is the thing most conspicuously absent around here. Gyros particularly, for some reason, although you can get adequate ones if you look around. Vendor culture adds so much vitality to any given city... not to mention sometimes fantastic cheap meals that are an alternative to cooking, fast food or upscale dining. And totally unpretentious, to boot.
That said, one of the things I missed most immediately about living out East (Boston and then Brooklyn) was small, sophisticated, inexpensive bistros. Having now discovered Barbette, Cafe Maude and Blackbird, I'm a lot more content to be here. And speaking as a dude who bagel-hunted across Manhattan and Brooklyn (finding lots of good bagels and a number of world-champions) I'm a constant champion of Common Roots -- they're less consistent than I'd like, and they don't match up with something like Tal or H&H or Terrace (my favorite) -- but they're real bagels. That's progress.
And, yeah, while you're here, savor the bratwurst and cheese curds and sweet corn and caramel apples and Vietnamese and South Minneapolis Mexican food. It's good. Different. But good. And re: artisan or white bread... try the fry bread at Picosa. Particularly the fry bread taco at lunch -- really good, and not like anything else I've ever had.
MSP Visitors -- OK plan?
I realize this is a tangential knife-fight, but I've had five or six positive experiences at Amazing Thailand -- it's a much more creative (and, in my limited experience) "authentic" menu than Tum Rup Thai. At TRT, we couldn't convince the waitstaff to bring us spicy food. At Amazing Thailand, our waitress brought us a complimentary off-menu dish after we were bold enough to order the durian for dessert; to my knowledge, Amazing Thailand is the only restaurant that serves it.
[MSP] Bulldog or Bulldog NE, need a tie-breaker
I've been to Bulldog NE a few times in the last few months, and other than the patchy level of service, I've been really pleased. The much-vaunted truffle oil hamburger was really terrific (and it impressed a particularly picky out-of-town friend), and I can't find a thing to complain about vis-a-vis the tater tots. And I enjoyed my Chicago dog, though it was no hot shakes in an absolute sense. On the execution front: they do that thing where "medium rare" gets served "medium well," which drives me crazy. Even Fudruckers seems capable of serving its burgers at the correct level of doneness.
Has success spoiled Quang?
I'm not sure if it's success that did it (or what), but I went to Quang for the first time about six months ago, and found it to be thoroughly "just OK." I've had similar, better, equivalently priced meals at a number of similar restaurants in other cities. And the three folks I brought along with me concurred -- nothing was a disastrous, but nothing really shone, either. I dug Jasmine Deli a little bit more, and -- if memory serves, the prices were better. No atmosphere, but that's something I can roll with when I'm getting a cheap Vietnamese fix.
Sushi in Minneapolis area
Not surprisingly, you're not going to get sushi in Minneapolis as good as the best stuff from either coast -- I just ate at a humble neighborhood place in San Francisco called Grandeho's Kamekyo that blew me away. That said, I was pleasantly surprised when moving from Boston to the Twin Cities to find that you can get solid sushi fairly easily. I've had mixed experiences with Fuji-Ya -- the better of the two was quite good, the lesser quite mediocre. Sushi Tango is my fallback spot -- casual, loud, reasonably fresh, lots of entertainment value to the house rolls. Origami is my fancified pick when it's time to spend some bills and feel classy. One off-the-chart option: go to Chino Latino during happy hour, and get their "Samurai" spicy tuna roll. Cheap and delicious.
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Origami
30 N 1st St Ste 1, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Fuji Ya
600 W Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Sushi Tango
3001 Hennepin Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Grandeho's Kamekyo
943 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Best Burger (MSP)
I had the burger at Cafe Maude the other night and was impressed. Ordered it medium rare, and it actually came out medium rare. Tasted beefy in the best sense of the word, and was thick without being obscene -- great bun, too. That said, I'm definitely a Culver's Butterburger guy. But I realize that my preference for thin, small, char-heavy burgers is an anomaly.
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Cafe Maude
5411 Penn Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Culver's
4004 Silver Lake Rd NE, Minneapolis, MN 55421
BBQ in MSP?
Market BBQ, in my opinion. I've done it head-to-head versus Rudolph's and Famous Dave's, and definitely preferred it -- at least for the pork sandwiches, which are one of my personal interests. That said, I'm not CRAZY about it, and would love to find better places in the area.
Kate -- word up re: Redbones in Boston. They delivered a giant order about 45 minutes late to my house for a super bowl party, and comped it (about $125) to apologize. And gave me a free $100 gift certificate. And it was delicious, as per usual.
MSP Dara Didn't Exaggerate - Barbette is Great
There are weeks when I eat at Barbette three or four times. Which, I realize, is crazy. But they do a really solid breakfast every day, nice light lunches, terrific happy hour grub, super full-on meals... it's hard to find an occasion NOT to go there. And it's a swell place to bring out-of-towners to prove that Minneapolis has culture. In my book -- and among my friends -- a modestly priced, classy neighborhood joint that delivers sophistication and fun without being too uptight is generally more impressive than $30-a-plate haute cuisine.
MSP- Birthday Spot
Barbette -- Terrific mussels and fries. Great fresh locally sourced specials that change frequently, and they do very good fondue and cheese plates (always nice for a crowd.) The place is a little small, though, so if you've got more than 12-14 people coming it may be too tight a squeeze. Also surprisingly affordable (some of their starters are nice light meals, and clock in around $12-$14.
Amazing Thailand -- One of the most poorly named restaurants in the Twin Cities, but they really take Thai to a new level. It actually reminds me of The Elephant Walk, a Boston place that fuses Cambodian and French food; the dishes at Amazing Thailand are both more sophisticated and further off the beaten path. Dunno if their bar is up and running though, which could be a deal breaker.
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Barbette
1600 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Amazing Thailand
3024 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
