dsg's Profile
Favorite Restaurant to bring out-of-town guests?
I almost always end up taking people to Ngon Bistro, as it demonstrates a true strength of the area (Vietnamese food), a commitment to local sources (for food and beer), and really tasty food. It doesn't hurt that the atmosphere in the restaurant is quite pleasant, as well. I tend toward a St. Paul-centric view based on where I live, and I like that it's not super expensive.
Need a good lunch idea for a late lunch tomorrow (Fri.) Like Heidi's or Corner Table but open for lunch
What about Ngon in St. Paul? They say they are open from 11am through dinner. Not sure about parking with construction, but it should be available.
I can't remember the name of the restaurant
Ngon Vietnamese Bistro.
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Ngon Vietnamese Bistro
799 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104
one night in MSP
Just to expand: there are two Indian restaurants in Northfield. Chapati is downtown in the Archer House Hotel, very centrally located. Kurry Kabab is south of downtown, along Highway 3, but not far at all. Both are good, but I prefer Kurry Kabab, as it is a bit lighter and less greasy. Chapati has the advantage of being in walking distance of one College (Carleton).
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Kurry Kabab
2018 Jefferson Rd, Northfield, MN 55057
Archer House
212 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
Seeking Christmas venue in St. Paul
You could contact the Germanic American Institute on Summit Avenue in St. Paul (www.gai-mn.org). I've been to events there which they catered and also events where groups brought in their own food, but I don't know what their policies are about outside food in general. It's a pretty house and has rooms that would be appropriate for a group of the size you mention.
Good lunch spot in Northfield?
You can definitely have experiences other than those on campus, and I would recommend looking at the town a bit, too!
If you want to be in downtown Northfield, there are a few good lunch options. I would recommend these:
Chapati: Indian buffet, in the Archer House hotel.
Bitterwsweet: Sandwiches and soups, in the Archer House hotel.
Hogan Brothers: Hoagies and sandwiches, on Division street between 4th and 5th.
The Hideaway: Sandwiches, salads, and paninis, on Division street between 4th and 5th.
If you don't need to be on the main street, other options are:
Sosa's Market and Restaurant: Mexican food, many options especially on the weekend, at Highway 3 and 2nd St.
The Ole Cafe: Sandwiches, salads, pizzas, etc. near the St. Olaf campus.
Kurry Kabab: Indian buffet, south of town on Highway 3.
I work in Northfield and regularly eat lunch in town. My favorite without a doubt is Sosa's. If I want sandwiches, The Hideaway is usually my choice, and for Indian I prefer Kurry Kabab.
Links are not working for me right now. I hope I provided enough information to find these places. Northfield is small!
White Truffles in MPLS or online?
I ordered one ounce of white truffle (it was two small ones) from Urbani Truffles (based in CT) at the end of October, as a gift. It was apparently very good, and I found the company contact to be responsive and helpful when I had questions about the product and about shipping methods, timing, etc. I was referred to this site by a friend at the Culinary Institute of America, so I figured it was a good place to try. I would certainly recommend this site if you want to go for the $200/oz imported white truffles.
Their website is: http://www.urbanitrufflesonline.com/
Restaurant for dinner meeting near Nicollet Mall (MSP)?
I have gotten so much useful knowledge from the 'Hounds on this board, I hope you can assist me with this one, also. I need to arrange a dinner on a Tuesday night later this month for a group of 10 - 15 people. We need to be able to have a conversation that includes all of us, so might need a small private room. Ideally the food should be good, but not super expensive (some entrees less than $20). We'll all be attending a conference at the Hyatt, at the end of Nicollet Mall, and I would prefer something in walking distance so that we don't have to deal with transportation. Your suggestions will be welcome. Thanks!
Chowing with the Choo-Choo's (MSP)
I have lurked on this board for years, and I am happy to have a suggestion to add now!
I just had a decent lunch at The Depot, in Faribault, MN. It's listed as the "Rock Island Depot" on the Minnesota National Register of Historic Places (Rice County). It's right on the train line that runs through town, and one train passed during lunch. There is a sign on the outside of the restaurant stating that they serve $1.50 tap beers when trains are passing, so probably that means they don't pass by too frequently, but I am sure that if you call them, they'll give you schedule information. The servers were all very friendly and efficient (and we were a group of 11, so that takes some skill!).
Regardless, it serves traditional grilled foods, burgers, sandwiches, etc. The sweet potato fries were terrific -- home-made, crunchy on the outside, and nicely seasoned. The grilled cheese and tomato sandwich that I had (without the bacon that it comes with according to the menu) was greasy and had American cheese in it, so it's nothing fancy but exactly what one would expect.
There's no place link or webpage that I can find, so the address is:
311 Heritage Pl
Faribault, MN 55021-5250
(507) 332-2825
MSP - MIDORI'S LATELY?
I typically read posts and rarely reply, but I will for this. I am a big fan of Midori's and have been there twice in the past ~2 months, once on a busy weekend and once on a weeknight. The service was just fine -- no long waits, no problems. I had been there numerous times during the period about which others were complaining, and agreed with their observations. If you go for dinner on a weeknight, you probably don't need a reservation, but on the weekend I recommend having one. It is my favorite sushi restaurant in the Twin Cities (my standards are based on my origins in the SF Bay Area), because the fish is consistently fresh and good and the atmosphere is calm and friendly -- a real neighborhood restaurant.
Midori's Floating World Cafe - MSP
We were there as a group of 6 people with a complex sushi order. Got served promptly, water and tea refilled, and the appetizers and sushi came at a reasonable pace. Everything was excellent. I have been there numerous times and had experiences like those described above (slow, tables not cleared, etc.), and was pleasantly surprised. Our waitress was new and did great. The food was, as always, consistently good.
St. Peter and Northfield, MN recs?
Enjoy the College visits!
There are a few other options in Northfield that you might want to know about and which have not yet been mentioned. There are many other food options in addition to the ones I am adding here, but nothing terribly exciting, in my opinion. These that I list are all places that I visit somewhat regularly (I work in Northfield, live in St. Paul, and come from the San Francisco Bay Area originally, and I am therefore constantly searching for good and interesting restaurants):
Kurry Kabab -- Northfield has two Indian restaurants, with Chapati and Kurry Kabab. Chapati is downtown in the Archer House Hotel building. Kurry Kabab is a little way south of town along Highway 3 (on the east side of the highway), and worth the drive. Both have large buffets for lunch and large menus for dinner. Both are good, with Kurry Kabab being a bit lighter, overall.
El Tequila -- A Mexican restaurant that is one of a few that are family-owned, and in various locations in the Northfield/Faribault/Farmington/Owatonna area. Good standard menu and a few less standard items. Located just south of town on the west side of Highway 3.
The James Gang Coffeehouse and The Hideaway -- Related to each other. They both have sandwiches, salads, panini, and a few other dishes. The Coffeehouse is located south on Highway 3, near Kurry Kabab. The Hideaway is on Division Street, downtown.
Bittersweet -- Also in the Archer House on Division Street, a nice cafe/bakery/lunch spot (soups, sandwiches, etc.).
Goodbye Blue Monday -- A great coffee house located on Division Street.
The Contented Cow -- A nice pub with decent lunch and dinner food. Definitely pub food, with a decent food menu and lots of beer on tap. They have a lovely patio out the back. It's hidden down a small alley on the west side of Division Street near the Archer House.
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Kurry Kabab
2018 Jefferson Rd, Northfield, MN 55057
El Tequila Mexican Restaurant
1010 Highway 3 S, Northfield, MN 55057
James Gang Coffeehouse & Eatery
2018 Jefferson Rd, Northfield, MN 55057
James Gang Hideaway and Wine Bar
421 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
Bittersweet
212 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
Goodbye Blue Monday Coffeehse
319 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
Contented Cow
1001 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
Archer House
212 Division St S, Northfield, MN 55057
[MSP] CSA's in the Twin Cities
I have subscribed to Big Woods Farm in Nerstrand (also with pickup option in Minneapolis) for 8 years, and really enjoy it. No work is required on the farm, but they host a number of festive days (eg. winter squash harvest in the fall) which are fun and involve work and a potluck. The produce is great and Laurie and David Hougen-Eitzman, who own the farm, are terrifically nice. Last summer they started a collaboration with Shepherd's Way Farms and offered a sheep cheese share option along with the farm share, which was great! I can't recommend them highly enough.
Some info about Big Woods Farm is available at this URL:
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M4652
Information about Shepherds Way Farms is here:
http://www.shepherdswayfarms.com/
