katebauer's Profile
True Thai needs a face lift and it is not alone
Origami is another example of a restaurant that seems worn down and thread bare lately. We hadn't been for about a year and then went a couple of months ago and I was surprised by the shabby feeling. What stuck out to me especially were the scuff marks all along the hallway and stairwell. I mentioned the feeling to my husband and he agreed that the decor was past its prime. While certainly I don't need amazing decor to make a restaurant worth while, I feel like if you're paying a certain amount for the food plus ambiance then you shouldn't end up looking around and feeling depressed about the state of things. I think Origami has some of the better sushi in the cities and I would be sad it if ended up feeling as dated and unclean as Kikugawa.
looking for a good birthday cake - St. Paul
I have personal loyalties to TBW, but the past 2 birthday cakes I've had from there have been terribly dry. I'm not sure what's changed as we got fantastic cakes from there a few years ago.
Celebration dinner at kid-friendly restaurant?
Thanks! A private room is a great idea and one I had briefly thought of. Our 3-year-old daughter also has been out to eat probably twice a week for her entire life, but with the 2 kids together the excitement and noise factor definitely builds. We'll probably have 10 people, including the 2 children, so we'd need one that didn't require a very large group or commitment to a set menu. A traditional steak house isn't our first choice, my parents are pretty well traveled and adventurous food-wise, but it's a great backup option if there isn't anything else that fits the bill.
Any thoughts on KOO ZEE DOO? The family-style service makes me think kids would be okay, but I have no sense of the formality of the space.
Celebration dinner at kid-friendly restaurant?
We recently moved the area so aren't that familiar with the options, but are looking for a restaurant at which to celebrate my father's 65th birthday where his grandchildren - 3.5 and 1.5 years - will be welcome. We're open to anywhere in Philadelphia, on the mainline, or close to those areas. We're open to all cuisines but we definitely want it to have that special, not a typical dinner out, feel.
Inexpensive buffet options for business meetings
We recently did lunch catering by La Loma and it delicious and amazingly cheap. I think we fed 15 plus leftovers with our $100 order and that included the $20 delivery fee. If I recall we got tamales, enchiladas, chips with salsa and guacamole, and a fruit plate. We did order all veggie though which might have kept the price down somewhat.
We also got box lunches from Holy Land a few years ago. They were normally priced for box lunches ($8?) but had a ton of food - they even each included a 1/2 bag of pita. Unless you have big eaters it's probably cheaper to do platters than the box lunches considering everyone was bringing home leftovers from their box.
I've also ordered from Gandhi Mahal. That was one of our most expensive lunches but I totally over ordered (each entree can feed 4 in a buffet lunch setting, I estimated each would feed 2). Everyone loved it though.
Rye Delicatessen - Minneapolis
Don't you think though that the consistency of negative reviews, or in this case inconsistency of reviews of several food items, says something about the quality of the restaurant? It is really not that hard to make chicken broth that actually has flavor - they should be getting that right.
Rye Delicatessen - Minneapolis
We went tonight and while I really wanted to love it and have Minneapolis finally have a good deli, all of the flaws mentioned here came shining through. After ordering (and teetering back to our table holding 3 full drinks) we waited about 20 minutes for our food (which is strange considering not many (any?) dishes on the menu actually require cooking). I had ordered a ton of food for our 2 adults and 1 kid because there were so many "standards" I felt I needed to try to evaluate the place. We got "The Reason for Rye" sandwich, a Rachel, the kid's petite hot turkey sandwich, noodle kugel, a cup of matzoh ball soup, and cole slaw. The bill was around $55 which isn't terrible for a dinner for 3 although I was surprised by the $5 cup of soup and the small size and lack of sides with the sandwiches for $11.
Being a New Yorker whose Jewish grandmother made the best matzoh ball soup ever, I know I have high standards, but this soup was was really disappointing. The broth was very light on flavor and required several shakes of salt. The matzoh ball was light and fluffy but had an oddly very smooth texture and no flavor. The kugel was probably the second most disappointing thing - very, very dry - so much so that I didn't care that the portion was incredibly small.
Moving onto the sandwiches, my husband enjoyed "The Reason for Rye" but I felt it needed a little more flavor. I think the chopped liver went a long way to save that sandwich. I was disappointed that that was the only sandwich that came with a pickle. I had even looked for pickles on the menu when ordered but missed them because, as I now see, they're listed under Noshes and not Sides where I was looking for them. The Rachel was good, I'd have it again, and actually the hot turkey was my favorite, mostly because the gravy was extremely good.
We agreed we'd head there again, maybe over crossing the river to go to Cecils, but it's not somewhere we'd seek out until we knew that they had worked out the service kinks (and hopefully make more flavorful broth and serve pickles with every sandwich!).
Top 5 Restaurants for B'day Dinner
I second Saffron and La Belle Vie (along with Piccolo and Alma). Gorkha Palace is great but not at all of the caliber of the other places, and we found Meritage very loud and crowded - not great for someone who is craving a special night with their partner.
The Bachelor Farmer - who has been and can comment
I didn't think of it this way at the time, but I would totally agree that the starters were the stars and the entrees and (especially) desserts were nothing special. We had probably 5 apps - butter lettuce salad, kale soup, eggs with cured salmon, charcuterie plate, and Camembert toast. All were extremely good except the toast - I wasn't sure how they could not make Camembert amazing but it wasn't really. For entrees I split the chicken with a friend and it was fine, but not amazing. My husband can't even remember what he got - which I guess is the definition of forgettable. Similarly, for dessert I'm blanking a bit but it was maybe an apple tart with ice cream. It definitely was not anything worth repeating.
Considering we just had a flawless meal at Saffron, I definitely wouldn't say that BF is the best in the city
any good breakfast sandwiches in MSP??
Collossal Cafe's bacon, egg, and cheese on a biscuit is my go to breakfast sandwich. The biscuit is moist and flaky and the egg is soft, not rubbery at all. I'll admit it seems to have suffered a bit with their change in ownership, but it's still incredibly good.
Good, cheap lunch catering for large group (400+)
I've ordered La Loma catered lunch for meetings and it's always really good and appreciated. I've both picked up the order at MGMkt and had delivery, but we're ordering for 10-20, not 400. Other places our group has regularly ordered from are Pizza Luce (I like their party-size lasagna + salad combo), Ghandi Mahal (picked up there), Broders (picked up there), Sawatdee, Erberts and Gerberts, and Chipotle.
Last great meal in Minneapolis/St. Paul?
A quick check-in while we're on vacation. Thank you for all the suggestions and friendly notes! We're moving to Philadelphia so I've already started stalking that board. Speaking of spots with good memories, we'll have to add Origami to our list as that was the site of our first date. Husband has been to Victory 44, but I haven't, so we'll try and do that too.
I want to add The Nook to our list, but my husband is advocating for Matt's. We might be able to do both since they're kid-friendly locations.
I did pick up some SweeTangos this week (although they were from Kowalskis...)
Last great meal in Minneapolis/St. Paul?
We actually have been to Meritage and Khyber Pass - I forgot some restaurants on the other side of the river! I would like to get back to Khyber Pass before we leave, especially because we can take our daughter there. We thought the food at Meritage was great, but the space was busy and cramped and didn't quite replicate that sitting in a brasserie in Paris vibe they're going for.
I'm now reminded that Gorkha Palace too might be a must do again place.
I was also thinking a last meal at Alma might be at the top of our list. Thanks for the reminder!
Last great meal in Minneapolis/St. Paul?
Our time in Minnesota is coming to a close as we move to the east coast in 2 months. We have probably 2-3 more occasions of going out to eat at an "adult" restaurant and a handful more than that of hitting new kid-friendly locations. I'm wondering if there are any "must not miss" restaurants in cities that we haven't been to yet. Or, your opinion of where your last great meal in Minneapolis/St. Paul would be.
Here's a not exhaustive list of the commonly-recommended places we have eaten, perhaps it will help you see where the holes are. Off the top of my head we haven't been to Sea Change, In Season, Bangkok Deli, or the new place in Midtown Global Market.
112
Bar La Grasa
Bachelor Farmer
Heidi's
Piccolo
Cosmos
Heartland
La Belle Vie
Strip Club
Manny's
Travail
Cafe Levain
Blackbird
Cafe Maude
Saffron
Pizzaria Lola
Alma
Cave Vin
Al Vento
Sea Salt
Broders
Ngon BIstro
Masu
Tanpopo
Haute Dish
Red Stag
Brasa
Obento Ya
Punch, PIzza Nea, Black Sheep
Tilia - for brunch
I think every sushi restaurant in the cities - for those that remember our efforts from 4 years ago
Most Vietnamese, Thai, and Indian restaurants
Kinsen Noodles & Bar...?
I've been to Kindee Thai three times and all times have been extremely disappointing. The things that stick out in my mind were that the fresh spring rolls were huge and filled with lettuce, so had very little flavor, and the curries/stirfy were almost exclusively meat, not a nice balance of meat and complementary veggies. I also recall the chicken in my entree being very dry. I work about 3 blocks away and it would be wonderful if the food was good, but it's not.
Date Night in Minneapolis?
One of our first date nights post baby was at Piccolo. It's an intimate setting and it's fun to pick and share small dishes with your partner. Some of the dishes were stronger than others, but overall a really excellent and enjoyable meal.
The bar at La Belle Vie is another great choice. We've only eaten in the dining room, but I'd imagine sharing drinks and food on the couches in the bar area would be very romantic.
Finally, although we haven't been there in a few years, Al Vento sticks out to me as a good S. Minneapolis date night restaurant.
verdict's out
We went to Wise Acre last night and though the meal was very pleasant and the waiter extremely nice, I wouldn't say the experience was good enough to warrant a 30 minute wait on a Tuesday night and the high price tag.
The evening started off somewhat frustrating as to get your name on the list you need to stand in the small entryway of the hotel while the waitstaff are moving past you to get outside. Also, this isn't the restaurant's fault, but we were really turned off by the other people waiting for tables. For example, the woman behind us in line started a conversation with the host about getting her table of 7 in before we could even finish getting our name on the list, and while waiting outside we were subjected to a man being pretty rude to the kid working the window because he wasn't able to serve them food off the main window. It left me wondering what's become of notoriously polite Minnesotans.
Once we finally got a table the experience was enjoyable, although the restaurant is quite loud. As mentioned, our server was extremely kind and engaged us in conversation is a very earnest way. We ordered the wings appetizer which was good but didn't justify the $2.33 per wing price (!!). Our daughter had the hamburger from the kids meal which was as big as an adult-size hamburger, and it should be for $9, but was way too big for a child to eat. I had the Shades of Summer salad which was a bit heavy on the dressing, but overall light but still filling as a dinner. My husband had the brie and bacon burger and I enjoyed the taste of it that I had, but wasn't blown away by it (brie + bacon can't be too bad). We all really enjoyed the rhubarb ketchup, which is unusual for me since I usually don't like homemade ketchups (I'm thinking of TTD's bacon ketchup). Since we'd ordered a custard outside while waiting (vanilla with brownie bites - delicious - but they charge $1 extra if you want cone vs. cup!) and the kids meal comes with custard, the waiter comped us a beer which was unnecessary although appreciated. The bill came to around $60 without tip, which I normally wouldn't flinch at, but seemed like a lot for what we got. When I got home last night I compared prices with The Lowbrow up the street and noticed that similar dishes were 1/2 to 1/3 less at The Lowbrow, which also advertises locally sourced food and grass fed beef.
Main Line or NW Philly?
Thank you everyone... and we're still stuck in the debate as our two specific neighborhood choices were Narberth and Chestnut Hill ;). I do really appreciate knowing that there are similar pros and cons food-wise in both areas, although we know no area is going to be like Center City. We weren't considering living in Center City because we'd like to have a little more space and we figured the rents for that would be astronomical, but we'll take a look, maybe we're wrong.
Main Line or NW Philly?
Oh yes, definitely. This would be a short-term living option until kindergarten when we'll buy and pay more attention to school districts. That's why it would be especially nice to live in a neighborhood walkable to many restaurants and other attractions for the year or so we're renting.
Main Line or NW Philly?
We're moving to Philly soon and are torn between renting on the main line or in NW Philly. Insider tips on the food scene might help us decide one way or another.
We love going out to eat, especially for Asian/Indian food. We have a preschooler who joins us at many restaurants, but we also regularly get a sitter and check out nicer places without her. We know we can travel into Philly for great food, but also definitely want to live in a walkable neighborhood that has non-chain restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, etc.
Any neighborhood suggestions for this chowish family?
Tim McKee and Masu
We went to Masu last night and felt the way many others do - good but not great. The space itself is extremely loud and service was okay, but not extremely attentive. The sushi was fantastic - the best fish we've had here in the Twin Cities. Beyond that, the duck gyoza and ramen soups were mediocre. I had the pork belly ramen and felt that the flavor was quite flat. Very disappointing after all of the raves I've heard about it. My husband had the curry ramen and it was extremely salty. He was desperate for a glass of water and because no one came to refill our carafe, he eventually had to grab the 1/2 used one from the vacant table next to ours!
I would definitely go back for sushi, but for overall Japanese cuisine Tanpopo and Obenta Ya are much better and have a nicer atmosphere.
Celebratory Dinner with Kids (5 and 2)
We've gone to Cafe Maude with our 2 year old and it's been great. They even host a "family hour" in addition to happy hour. I was also recently at Blackbird and noticed that they had highchairs.
Any healthy takeout places out there?
Whenever we get Chinese takeout I order steamed chicken and vegetables. It's not the most exciting dish, but it's quick and tasty. I've never had a Chinese restaurant refuse to make it, even if there's not a "Healthy Dishes" section to their menu. For Chinese in S. Minneapolis I prefer Star Moon to Xin Won solely because of the taste of both of their steamed pork dumplings. In neither case are the dumplings fantastic, but Xin Won's sauce tastes funny to me.
We also frequently get takeout from the Vietnamese restaurants on Eat Street. While it's hard to find whole grain products, an order of fresh spring rolls and pho with seafood is quite healthy according to my definitions.
In general, takeout places have been able to cater to my specific requests such as leaving the sauce or dressing on the side, no mayo or cheese on sandwiches, etc.
Bagel + Lox
Heavy Table recently posted this review of local bagels:
http://heavytable.com/twin-cities-bagel-roundup/
As a New Yorker, I actually prefer just going to Bruggers. The bagel texture is the best and the lox is what you'd get anywhere that doesn't prepare their own fish.
Best Catered / Pre-Made Thanksgiving Dinner?
Brasa offers a Thanksgiving dinner for either 4 or 10 people. It looks fantastic, I think we're going to do it.
http://brasa.createsend2.com/T/ViewEmail/r/B48533C2718B2306
town talk diner
I feel that TTD has had one of the biggest falls from grace of any restaurant in the Cities. I haven't been since the staff drama, but we went maybe 3 months ago and it was incredibly disappointing. We had a careless server who didn't get my order correct and barely interacted with us. The food, although it sounded delicious, was boring. TTD was one of our favorite places where you could hang out at the bar, get tastes of fantastic drinks, laugh with the bartenders, etc. and now I find the space unfriendly and depressing. I still have my Groupon and I'm not really that motivated to go and use it.
Need A MSP dim sum Round Up
Pagota does actually have a handful of spots in the lot in back. Just read the signs carefully to make sure you're in the right place.
Travail in Robbinsdale
I went last night (Tuesday) with a group of 3 and we waited about 30 minutes but were able to grab a drink and seat at the bar.
Overall an incredible experience for an amazing price. Highlights for me were the charcutere plate, figlets (bacon wrapped blue cheese-stuffed figs), scallops accompanied by squash in many forms, and squash soup. The tofu preparation now involves it being served fairly plain with some baby bok choy and roasted red peppers - nothing exceptionally exciting. I'm not a big dessert person, so I could have skipped the dessert tasting which was I believe $9 for 4 over the top dessert plates.
Urgent Need for Counsel: What venue would allow dancing and gambling (maybe if we just use play money??) for a private party?
I think we were there in the early fall, but it's a fully-finished space with dance floor, bar, restrooms, etc. While it did seem a little damp feeling, there shouldn't be any major issues due to weather.
Urgent Need for Counsel: What venue would allow dancing and gambling (maybe if we just use play money??) for a private party?
Wabasha Caves!
http://www.wabashastreetcaves.com/
