mitch cumstein's Profile
roasted pig for reception
my issue with divine swine was that the pig was not scalded, so the skin was hairy...best part is fatty, crispy skin, no?
Visiting Minneapolis Memorial Day weekend, what to eat?
Cheng Heng is mainly cambodian. Red stag(and all things in that restaurant group) has always been better to drink than eat at in my experience. From San Fran as a base, you probably don't need to spend any time in the "high end" realm of things here, but if you did I would hit piccolo...
sonora grill in the midtown global marked would be worth it for a tongue taco or 5
the foot long hotdog and smothered greens at butcher and the boar and a couple of sausages with a solid beer list would definitely be recommended, (avoid the pickled heart even though you want it, and the seafood sausage, fail)
the what seems to be obligatory reco for 112/bar la grassa get a lukewarm "meh" from me, but I might be in the minority on this board
if you are downtown for lunch, I would say the world street kitchen truck or smack shack truck, and the chef shack truck would be worthwhile, and better than most in restaurant lunch options....
these guys are on my agenda today...so maybe...
http://www.facebook.com/TheLeftHandedCook
Sezchuan Spice
The Szechuan Stirfry is nice, and if you are a fan of the kung pao, I would recommend doing a dry chili dish there, the chung king I think they call it, flavors are cleaner, and spicier, imo... The chengdu shrimp is nice, as is the whole fish with bean curd. My fall backs are the chicken with double chili and the stewed pork over crispy rice, which is essentially a braised belly over crispy rice. I am always pretty happy with the szechuan regional dishes and the "chiefs" specials. The owner is always manning the desk with the phone, and she's usually a good one to ask for recommendations.
Question from a novice sausage maker
Start with pork with provenance. I cant tell you how big a difference I find in the quality of fat in pasture raised berkshire pork. The butt not picnic is important, and keep it chilled...
How Do MSP restaurants compare to Chicago, Dallas, Miami, San Francisco Rests??
Busier high end dining=better quality service through steady income. Having only a handful of high end restaurants debilitates the training ground for polished and professional servers. Service is only ever as good as someone holds someone accountable to, and the standard isnt there for that in this community. My biggest grief in msp is that everyone wants the chi/sf/nyc level restaurants but then thinks they are too expensive to support them frequently. Good ingredients cost money!! Restaurants are expensive to run!! we need to get over it. We lack a population density to support a large amount of places. As for the execution of what we do have? really a lot of underwhelming aspects. But, we look great on paper, and that is a start. Locavore, farm to table, sushi, steak, fine dining, who cares if it isnt executed well, from food to service to atmosphere...Travel and exploration will help people understand where we really are in terms of the national standard, which, really isn't very high either, so it's not like we have a lot of ground to make up.
Potato Chips
bagged form zapps cajun crawtater flavor from new orleans, the salt and vinegar from busters are pretty solid, but I always ask for more vinegar...
Date Night Menus: order for 1?
Then there would probably be no problem paying the $50 and getting the full treatment...
Twin Cities visit (MSP)
I love the list at piccolo, but like brad says, don't go by the pedestrian one online only, its pretty deep and full of value when you get there. But, I'd replace 112 with piccolo, but maybe thats just being a local, and the menu never changing. If it were my first time, maybe I would feel differently.
I just read this article about corner table, so it's higher on my list to try....
http://heavytable.com/thomas-boemer-and-nick-rancone-of-corner-table/
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
horseradish is not traditionally a condiment for chicago style italian beef though...sweet or hot. Dipped or not(or double) combo or plain. Thats it.
A more specific Thai question
I've had massaman at Bangkok Thai Deli, pretty legit. Can't help on the pad thai front, however.
Reactions to City Pages "Best of..."???
Coupla thoughts....
Best restaurant when someone else is paying should go away...what a backhanded jest if I've ever heard one. It's minnesotan for too expensive for what you get.
Also, how Pat's tap inconsistent mediocrity gets acknowledged for anything other than something that soaks up whiskey? I don't get it.
Other than that, these lists seem like the same old thing...it's a pretty small dining scene when you boil it down, and this list ain't that chowish...
Where's the beef?
I have. It was ok, overcooked, overworked The flavor could have been nice but it was just lost to the beef fat not being present, due to the well done nature of the thing, and full of greasy bacon....
Mini brioche buns
not totally what you are looking for, but the mini milk bun from salty tart is super rich and delicious. Otherwise, good brioche has eluded me, unless you just learn how to make it yourself. Turtle bread makes a loaf sometimes, just ok, though.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
and it has to start a good product to finish a good product, and have enough turn over to keep it fresh. flaws in every spot we have right there. Broder's does it too, but for a 1/2 sized slice, its already 3 bucks. Slice $$ = subway token in NYC.
All Things Croissant
Agree w/ you quince, but even though it isn't the best thing they do there, I still think it is the best croissant in town. I will have to check out bars on the weekend, but the layering at p46 is almost pornographic...
Sonora Grill
So this was my second visit...I am over all pretty happy with the work that they are doing there. Here's today's rundown. They call the taco's caramelo's btw, for brevity I will refer to them as tacos...could be a regional difference, could be marketing, who knows.... I will put them in order of preference...
Shrimp Taco:
Solid, crispy, flavorful and not overdone shrimp. This was the best thing I ate today, and will become a staple in my weekly lunch diet. I tried to get what was in the batter out of them, but they wouldn't tell me....I respect that. The batter was well seasoned, and I detected the slightest hint of some vinegar, but it could have been a vinegar heavy hot sauce, which would explain the color.
Tongue Taco
Super long braise on the tongue. It was shredded and then cooked on the flat top so you got a really nice crispy bit on the outside, giving it a little body, which was nice. Jalapeno was pretty mild, side of salsa unnecessary, a little lime juice set me straight.
Skirt Steak taco:
They had a great beefy char which I have missed so far in any grilled beef taco I have had here. The guajillo sauce was a bit flat, but sweet baby jesus they added a little layer of refried beans which I didn't get til bite number 2 and wow was that one of the most flavorful bites of food I have had anywhere in quite some time.... With a rounder, robust salsa on top, this would be a star...
Pork Guajillo Taco
Nice. Little lighter on flavor until I hit some cheese tucked away, which gave a nice salty balance and really lightened things up. Without the cheese, meh. But still, head and shoulders above the majority of mexican food to date in msp.
Sonoran Hot Dog
ok.... Did they used to cut the fries in house? I remembered really liking them last time, but I would sub something out next time for sure.
Too much bun. Too much crema. Sausage flavor was excellent, but there was soooo much else happening it was lost. Even the bacon was lost. I still liked it on a basic level, and would be really happy eating it, just not juxtaposed against the other things I ate....
In all...It kinda sucks that they are in the global market because 1.) I want them to be around to stay, and if I had a shop in there, I would just be thinking about how to expand my business.
2.) With a few beers, I could sit there all day and feel like I was ruling the roost, at the counter ordering taco's 1 by 1....
Beyond that, couldn't be nicer guys and glad they are doing some really focused good work. I will be back to knock out the pincho's....
Moving to Minneapolis
Lake trout is relatively inexpensive, and availability is relatively consistent, but I've said this before when the blue herring comes up. Last season it fluxed between $9-13 wholesale pound price, with a non-existent market established. There is huge waste potential there, in my opinion, and it would be hard to undertake that. I can't remember, however if I have seen a commercial fishery for lake salmon, beyond smoked. I have, in the summer, been pretty happy with the availability of lake superior whitefish.
What's missing from MSP's culinary landscape?
99% sure that WIS used the patties from Caribbean American Bakery in Chicago...they may mail...
http://www.caribbeanamericanbakery.com/
MSP james beard semifinalists local rundown
Was at BLG a couple nights ago, and just wasn't feeling the love on the execution on the dishes... tried about 8 dishes, would reorder maybe 1...the gnocchi that was soooo gummy but cauliflower/chili/orange is so nice together, that if they got the texture right and didn't kill the cauliflower due to overcooking, that dish would be a monster. I wouldn't run back there, and they most definitely aren't on the same level of execution as alma is, but saffron is closer, however have not been post revamp.
Minneapolis weekend
Mike Phillips is the owner/partner of Green Ox Charcuterie. HIs meat is delicious.
On's Thai Kitchen
I love the sour sausage!!! anyone else know where I can find the fermented sausage in town?
Bun bo hue
So, Pho Tau Bay's version was not a really great expression of the dish. It lacked in a lot of areas, mostly, I found it missing any balance, and definitely was missing the silkiness that the congealed blood usually gives it. With a hard hit of lime, some spice could come out but mostly I would say this was a musty beef broth with little else happening. Seriously underwhelmed.
Bun bo hue
I have only had it at Quang, and it was solid. Smokey, spicy, rich. The pork knuckle was a bit devoid of meat, but it had a good iron-y backbone. I think I might just have to work through a few on this one for you. Quick search says Pho 79 and PTB both have a version. I will hit the PTB today, menu says its beef and pork trotter(yay!) and try to work down the eat street this week. Will report back.
Reasonably priced meats?
Everetts has lamb, usually in the freezer on the back wall. Chuck roast at everetts(they call it the bread and butter roast) $3.99. Grass fed/pasture fed ~$4.50. Just saying, its more of a flavor thing than the ethics if you want it to be, but there is that whole side to it. Best thing about everetts is that they will grid beef while you wait, so sirloin can happen, and it is about as clean as you can get. Pre ground beef is pretty terrifying, imo. They get there beef from the IBP.
Reasonably priced meats?
Lamb locally has been really short, so that has caused the spike in the price for the pasture fed, which has driven up the non pasture market as well...current retail for chops was $35 at clancey's and kowalski's!!! Super volatile market with high demand and short production numbers this year will do that.
The wedge is the best for the short rib price ~$3.50/lb all grass fed. Ground beef is high right now across the board too, but chuck/arm from a good local producer should be in the mid $4's a lb, which will play against any feedlot within a dollar. Skirt has gone from value to premium, near $10 for pasture fed local stuff, but you can still get in on the low side at most of the mexican butchers in town. Note: The local producers usually do not differentiate between inside/outside so variance can be huge. I generally stick with the meat counter at Seward Co-op and end up eating a lot more chuck and sirloin than everything else...
Restaurant in El Burrito Mercado ??
I usually do the take out/to go but it is usually pretty solid. I would say the strengths have been the tinga, either beef or chicken, birria(maybe weekend only) refried beans with the chorizo, chales(the little chicharron) and the salsa bar in the middle. The carnitas can be spot on, but depends on the volume that day. They have really expanded the offerings in the last 3-4 years, and the middle pastry counter now houses the salsa and other items, and there are beans and things by the line for the counter with the tray service food.
Dinkytown Recs
Alma would work, to sit at the bar and order a la carte... kafe421 at one point had a smart beverage program, been a few years though...
Local grocery store for Huacatay Paste & Aji Amarillo
Enso I've done my due diligence on this about a year ago(for the huacatay) and came up with nothing... probably called/visited a dozen places in south and northeast minneapolis... please, share if you find some!!!
Blood Sausage - Served or For Sale.
Seward Co-op has had bison blood sausage available in the meat counter for the last couple of weeks...
