December 07, 2005
Serve Bread at the Restaurant?
When choosing a restaurant in which to dine, my husband and I usually hang out at the same joints. We love the classic chain restaurants like Biaggi’s, Red Lobster, and the Olive Garden. One of the main reasons we love these restaurants is because of the pre-supper bread. Every restaurant should serve complimentary bread before the entrée.
When I think of a restaurant that doesn’t serve free bread, I think of them as extremely expensive. It doesn’t matter if that restaurant has the same prices on all of their meals. If they don’t serve bread, I don’t want to buy food from them. It’s that simple!
The bottom line is: any restaurant that doesn’t serve complimentary bread is losing potential customers and money. It is true, that the more someone eats before a meal, the less likely they are to purchase a dessert. However, it is better to receive the customer in the first place. My husband and I don’t even set foot into restaurants that don’t serve free bread. We’re cheap, but it’s our policy!
Any restaurant that has unique bread gets a lot of talk around town. Everyone talks about the Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster. People flock to the garlic breadsticks at the Olive Garden. At Biaggi’s, the various breads with oil and cheese are to die for. You can’t beat a restaurant with great bread!
November 19, 2005
Non Traditional Thanksgiving
People always talk about family gatherings and home cooked meals at Thanksgiving time, but what about a non traditional Thanksgiving. There are many non traditional ways to celebrate Thanksgiving. One way is to prepare a home cooked meal, but serve different entrees. You could also celebrate a non traditional Thanksgiving by dining out at a restaurant. There are many benefits of dining out on Thanksgiving day.
If you think you are the only one who would love to dine out on Thanksgiving, think again. Popularity is growing around the country with restaurant holidays. You and your family would not be celebrating Thanksgiving alone. Restaurants quickly fill with people on this delicious holiday.
If you skipped all the baking and headed straight to your favorite restaurant you would save yourself A LOT of time and energy. You wouldn’t have to fix a huge meal, only to be greeted by a HUGE mess afterwards. You can eat and run at a restaurant.
Not only is the effort substantially less, but the food is usually wonderful. Many restaurants specialize in Thanksgiving meals. They may even have a special buffet designed for the holiday season. These buffets tend to be very popular on Thanksgiving, so be sure to make the necessary reservations.
If you find yourself with a low desire for holiday cooking, don’t feel bad about heading over to your favorite restaurant. Thanksgiving will still be Thanksgiving if you pay someone else to do the cooking and cleaning.
November 14, 2005
Portion Control at Restaurants
When trying to loose weight, portion control is one of the biggest obstacles. It is even more difficult when your friends or family want to dine out at a favorite restaurant. Not only are you tempted to order something full of carbohydrates or fat, but the portion sizes are gigantic.
It seems America’s favorite pastime is going out to eat. We all love someone else serving us. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is entertaining. However, it is very difficult to dine out while on a diet.
It is no wonder that a restaurant meal is enough to feed a family of four. The plates are huge! It seems though out the years that plates have gotten larger and larger. We figure we might as well be stuffed if we’re going to pay such high prices for meals. No wonder our country is overweight!
There are a couple things you can do to prevent overeating at a restaurant. You can share a meal with a friend. This is better for your belly and better for your bankbook. Some restaurants charge you for an extra plate, but the charge is minimal.
There are also some restaurants that keep portion control in mind when preparing meals. There are certain restaurants that have low-fat or dieter menus. These portions tend to be much more manageable. You could also order off of the children’s menu. It is much better for you to eat a whole plate of children’s chicken strips than an adult order of chicken strips.
Just remember that your belly doesn’t have to be stuffed when you leave a restaurant. It is okay to leave feeling just satisfied. Your body will thank you for it later.
October 04, 2005
Fast Food: A Turn for the Better
We can all remember the infamous lawsuit against the major food chains for creating obesity. The argument was that the patron was unaware that fried fish sandwiches and fried chicken would make him obese. He said he was under the impression that fish and chicken were low in fat and that fast food restaurants had deceived him.
Although this well known lawsuit was fruitless, the fast food chains have started to clean up their acts. A couple fast food restaurants have added health-conscious food items to their menus. The main restaurants of note are McDonalds and Wendy’s.
Wendy’s has a menu full of variety. They have delicious greasy burgers. They have golden fries. They also have mouth watering chocolate malts. On the healthier side of the Wendy’s menu they have full salads, chili, and baked potatoes. A mother or father on a diet can take their kids to Wendy’s and not have to break their diet.
McDonalds is another fast food restaurant that has made strides to be healthier. They offer a few healthy items on their menu. The fruit and yogurt parfait is a delicious combination of yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, and granola. It is the dieters dessert. McDonalds also has a variety of delicious salads. These are enough to fill up a grown adult.
More and more fast food restaurants are turning towards healthier food options. Healthy food brings more customers and is better off for the good of the general public.
September 20, 2005
The Greatest Restaurant For New Parents
Every new parent is familiar with the inability to dine out with newborns. Some restaurants have started catering towards these parents. Applebee’s makes dining out easy for new parents.
When considering restaurants, new parents must consider food variety. Mothers breastfeeding must watch what they eat so they don't affect the baby. Applebee’s provides a menu with various food choices to fit any breastfeeding mother's needs. Most new mothers also watch what they eat while they try to lose extra baby pounds. A recent addition to the Applebee’s menu is the Weight Watchers section. Here healthy food choices with assigned Weight Watcher points are available.
The added expenses of diapers, wipes, baby clothes, and other infant paraphernalia may cause the wallet to seem lighter. Applebee’s provides inexpensive prices that can accommodate a shrinking pocketbook.
The feature that makes Applebee’s the number one pick for new parents is the Carside-to-go option. Many times new parents want the enjoyment of restaurant food, but don't want to take their infant out in public. This could be because of a fussy baby or he/she may just be too young for the public. Applebee’s provides a solution to this problem. Without having to step one foot outside your car, you can still enjoy the delicious Applebee’s menu. Call in your order. Pull into one of the Carside-to-go parking spaces, and wait to be serviced. A waitress will bring you your food without you having to set a foot inside the restaurant. This way your baby stays asleep while the engine motor hums.
The category of new parents is one of the largest untapped restaurant markets. Applebee’s provides a wonderful solution to fit new parents' needs.
Posted by Kay Dee at 03:57 AM | Comments (0)September 10, 2005
Savoy Bistro & Lounge
The tiled entrance of Savoy, with its art nouveau bar, sets the dining room's Paris bistro mood. Curved booths flow along one wall, a row of private little wood-panelled rooms called snugs line the other, and a row of tables topped with white linen fills the middle. Ease into a snug, pull the olive-green velvet curtain and you're in your own private world.
How authentic is Savoy? My dining companion, an ex-Torontonian who has been happily living in Paris for a couple of years, said it was a ringer for Paris bistros, except the waiter had none of the "baditude" she's come to know there. We were charmed by a professional staff that struck the ideal balance between giving good, informed service and a relaxed air that never strayed into informal.
Savoy seems to be a ringer for Paris bistros, without the `baditude' from the staff, but we're here to dine. What about the food? Savoy's compact menu - 10 starters, 10 mains - pays homage to the best of bistro fare and for the most part delivers the goods.
Appetizers are generously portioned and could easily be shared, especially the big bowl of plump mussels ($11) in a classic white wine broth with frites on the side.
We are disappointed that the limp, slightly oily frites, a bistro staple, aren't better, especially when the rest of the food is so good. Ditto the Steak Frites ($24), a stalwart that forms the bistro holy trinity, along with wine and pâté. The flatiron steak was tough and chewy and the frites sub-par, although the scattering of crispy shallot rings on top added a crunchy twist.
But these two stumbles were the only faults we could find, and the rest of the dishes more than made amends.
Among our favourites was Steak Tartare ($14 appetizer/$24 main) - the kind of lovely stuff that graced Toronto dining rooms in the past. But these are skittish times about raw egg and uncooked beef, so it has sadly fallen out of favour. This could resurrect it. Hand-chopped, quality tenderloin was mixed into a creamy, satisfying mound with just the right amount of chopped capers, onions and cornichons. We piled it onto crispy brioche toasts to enjoy the mix of taste and texture.
The humble burger ($19) gets superstar status at Savoy, a succulent, toothsome patty that almost didn't make it to the menu. One of the bosses wanted a hamburger on the bill of fare; the chef wanted no part of it.
Inspired by the $50 burger frenzy that gripped New York a couple of years ago, Savoy set out to make the richest, most decadent, heart-attack-inducing burger. They grind lean steak trimmings with double-smoked bacon, patting it around a shredded pork belly centre. The burger comes topped with strong, tart garlic mayonnaise and a final kiss from the cook - a little veal jus before the bun goes on top. Even Jughead would have trouble finishing this baby.
Take a break with an espresso and don't miss dessert. Savoy's $9 offerings are innovative and delicious. Bistro classics take delightful twists, like the Crème Brûlée with crunchy pine-nut topping or a rich, not-too-sweet chocolate Napoléon where dark mousse is piped between thin sheets of chocolate phyllo and pistachio praline. But the standout is Brie Cheesecake, where the French cheese replaces the usual cream cheese to create a luscious, silken cone surrounded by rich fig compote.
While a tad pricey, Savoy has taken classic bistro fare and elevated it without being precious or pretentious.
Savoy Bistro & Lounge
Address: 253 Victoria St.
Toronto, Ontario Canada
Phone: 416-364-1013
September 07, 2005
Fat Lorenzo's
Work up an appetite with a walk around Lake Nokomis, or walk off the feast after dinner. They deliver, but hanging out at Fat’s is half the fun.
Mmm!
Big fat pizza. You know it’s coming when the server delivers a huge sealed can of tomatoes and places it in the middle of the table. They have two selections for pizza: the “Fat,” with loads of meat, and the “Slim,” with loads of veggies. Beyond that, you’re on your own. They offer the usual toppings to build-your-own, if you want even fatter, slimmer or somewhere in between. They’ve got everything a New York-style Italian place should have; great appetizers, hoagies, pizza and pasta.
Hmmm…
Sitting outside is almost fun, except for planes roaring overhead and cars whizzing by on Cedar Avenue. If your crowd is loud, go for it.
Best
A learned lesson from the serious college student who advised that a large for two people was way too much. After only finishing half of the medium we ordered, he welcomed us into the club of those who understand Fat Lorenzo’s pies. With a knowing smile, he asked, “do you want one box or two?”
The scene
Is painted over every inch of the interior and exterior of the building. Cherubs flit across the walls toting pizza toppings inside, while the exterior is camouflaged with a giant vegetable forest. Diners are serenaded with Italian opera classics piped in through speakers (no roaming accordion players to tip!), and can pass the time drawing on the sheets of white paper that top every table. Crayons provided.
Bottom line
Good pizza, fun kitschy atmosphere, fast no-nonsense service.
Fat Lorenzo's
5600 Cedar Ave
Minneapolis
612-822-2040
Posted by at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)September 05, 2005
Liberty Frozen Custard
Housed in a building that once offered a lube and oil change, Liberty Frozen Custard serves up creamy frozen goods in a space seeped in nostalgia. Two years ago, owners bought and renovated a 1956 gas station, turning the dilapidated eyesore into a homey neighborhood anchor. They retained the service station look, with cement floors and garage doors that stay open on nice days.
Mmm!
Their custard is heavenly; they serve it in floats, malts sundaes and even cakes. Or go for a basic cone, cup or take-home container. No matter how you take it, Liberty custard is a nice change from ice cream, and they offer it in fun ways. The “back to school” sundae—vanilla custard with peanut butter and fruit topping, sounds great, even for those not facing another year in school. The flavor of the day is posted every morning on the billboard to tempt passersby. In fact, it was the promise of mint brownie that drew me in the first day, and butter pecan the second. I wished for more big brownie chunks in what was more like plain mint custard (but still delicious), but the butter pecan was loaded with pecans.
Hmmm…
They offer the usual ice cream joint food: hot dogs and pizza. The vegetarian options were cheese pizza or a veggie dog. The owner reassured me that she’s a vegetarian too, and that upon searching for vegetarian hot dogs to serve, she found and that most are not good. “But these,” she said, “ really are good; I special order them from California.” I gave it a shot. It was better than what I remember of regular hot dogs. My dad had a straightforward, thin-crust Heggie’s pizza. Simple, but good.
Best:
My dad’s face when he walked in and saw the table stacked with magazines from the fifties. He repeated, “I can’t believe this!” as he went through one, then got up to get another and another. The food took a back seat to nostalgia, giving me a chance to steal some pizza off his plate when he wasn’t looking.
The scene:
Kids played in little red car in the corner, faces covered in custard and plastered in smiles. People flock here on foot, by bike and by car. Fun indoors or out, but best when the garage doors are wide open.
Liberty Frozen Custard
5401 Nicollet Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN
55419
(612) 823-8700
September 01, 2005
Anodyne at 43rd
Ask Microsoft Word for synonyms to the word “Anodyne,” and it lists: insipid, bland, neutral, colorless, dull and antiseptic, among others. I beg to differ.
Anodyne café sits at the corner of Nicollet Avenue and East 43rd Street; an enclave for readers, writers, small gatherings and neighborhood dwellers. Their menu goes beyond unimaginative café fare, and they brew some of the best coffee in town. Special bonus—they share a building with Sebastian Joe’s creamery so they get the freshest of the fresh ice cream.
They serve a full menu from open to close, with a good selection of comfort food from soups and sandwiches to Spam and macaroni and cheese. I ordered their baguette sandwich; a healthy-sized section of toasty bread filled with lots of globby melted cheese, roasted zucchini, red and green peppers and onions. A hefty portion of salad greens filled the plate and came drizzled with vinaigrette. It was fairly priced at $6.25
If you’re in the neighborhood before noon, not stopping in for breakfast is a crime. Anodyne oatmeal is made with apple cider and studded with pears, wild rice, craisins, raisins, pecans. They serve it with brown sugar and half & half. Anodyne waffles have the same goodies baked right into them, topped with pears. If you need protein in the morning, the Eggspresso is amazing. Served in a coffee cup and topped with cheese and salsa, they whip up a couple eggs and steam them for something different than the usual scramble. It’s a bargain at $4.95, including a side of toast, fruit or potatoes.
Whether packed or empty, Anodyne is rarely tranquil. They like their music loud, so it’s always upbeat, but with the requisite low-slung couches and the understanding that if you want to arrive at 7am and stay until evening, you’re more than welcome. I’ve been here five hours, watched the crowd wax and wane, and will place my vote for Anodyne as one of the best little independent joints in the city. I like their definition better than what my laptop says. Above the refrigerator a sign reads: “Anodyne- something that soothes, calms or comforts.”
Anodyne At 43rd
4301 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55409
(612) 824-4300
August 31, 2005
360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower
It's tourist time in Toronto, the annual migration of the picture-taking roamers who marvel over our city's cleanliness and streetcars. Many of them will end up at 360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower for what may be their only dinner out while here.
Even with the forgiving exchange rate for U.S. vistors, this is a high-priced night out. Is it worth it? That depends.
If you go to 360 content to feast your eyes, you'll glide back down in the high-speed elevator more than pleased. Sure you can get a better meal for the price, or less, in any number of earthbound Toronto restaurants, but the spectacular view is one-of-a-kind and worth a review of it's own.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the reborn dining room at the top of the tower, when a culinary team was brought in to create "a new philosophy" for the restaurant. Since the overhaul, basic prep, such as vegetable washing, stock making and so on, is done in a kitchen below the tower's base, but all the cooking is looked after in a kitchen within 360, using Jetson-like magnetic-induction stoves. We know the kitchen is at the top because the huge doors tend to stay open as servers come in and out, giving a clear view of the less glamorous side of the dining experience.
The dining room (which makes a complete revolution every 72 minutes, leading to warnings to patrons not to leave items on the window ledge, lest they disappear) underwent a renovation last year. Too bad the chocolate-brown leather Parsons chairs were covered in crumbs from lunch when we were seated on our last occasion. On another, we ended up sitting a few feet across from an open bussing station, able to see the ketchup bottles, dirty dishes and an overflowing bin of food scraps. Certainly not appetite inducing. Maybe it was the altitude that mellowed our attitude, but as we sipped champagne cocktails and did a slow pirouette around the city below, we were willing to forgive 360 its faults in exchange for the magnificent view.
This is a special-occasion place where families gather for birthdays and anniversaries and servers take photos of those celebrating. In the tables-for-two sections, lovers clasp hands across the white linen and stare into each other's eyes. Dozens of marriage proposals occur here annually.
But what about the food? While a few dishes at 360 soar, others barely get off the ground. Most hover somewhere in the middle. It's not a cheap outing, either, with the lowest-priced main courses ringing in at $31 and the steak and lobster costing a heart-stopping $110. And each diner must order an entrée to get the free lift to the restaurant, or pay $19.95 for the trip. Considering the lack of inspired dishes one is served once there, you would think they would at least cover the lift cost!
It can't be an easy thing to feed several hundred people a night, sending more than 850 meals daily in high season out the kitchen door. The size of the circular dining room (more than twice the seating of a typical Toronto Keg) means it takes a while for servers to get meals to the table. So plates come out covered with the kind of plastic lids you see in hospitals. Not only is it visually off-putting, it doesn't do much to keep things hot. We got entrees that were barely lukewarm.
Case in point is the osso bucco ($34). The otherwise tasty veal is room temperature and the accompanying saffron risotto with lemon and parsley gremolata is undercooked to the point of being unpleasant.
Ditto the wild rice and shiitake mushroom-stuffed spring rolls that accompany the Sesame Crusted B.C. Halibut ($36). The subtle Asian flavours are a good match for what should be a mild and meaty fish, but the poor halibut, perched on a raft of steamed bok choy, has had some rough treatment. It's barely warm and horribly dried out on top, so much so we mistake the outside of the fish for a piece of spring roll wrapper. Not exactly a good sign.
The current fondness among chefs for serving meats two ways is shown off with skill in the Long Pepper Crusted Venison Chop ($33). Succulent, juicy and medium rare, it comes with a savoury pastry shell on the side filled with braised, slow-cooked, brisket-like chunks of rosemary-scented venison. One of the few meals I have actually enjoyed at this tourist spot.
On the whole, appetizers at 360 are better than the mains.
I enjoyed the open-faced artichoke and tomato quesadilla with walnut and arugula pesto ($14). George, who learned how to make corn tortillas from his Mexican-born wife, brought a tortilla press into the kitchen and taught staff how to make them by hand.
Another winner is the Spanish Serrano Ham platter ($18), featuring the dry-cured, meltingly tender ham that's so popular these days. It comes with a variety of Spanish delights, including olives, spiced almonds, anchovies, artichoke hearts and a generous hunk of Manchego cheese.
As unimpressed as we were, I can only imagine how the kids of topurists that were brought along for a meal felt. On each visit, we saw plenty of kids, yet 360 does not have a children's menu. What it has is a "children's program," where youngsters are welcome to order anything on the menu and get a half portion for half price. Please show me the child who would be thrilled with a venison chop. Anyone?
Desserts are so-so, except for the Mrs. George's Butter Tart ($11), a gigantic, sinful pastry accompanied by lovely maple-walnut ice cream. It's named for the filling's inventor, Joyce George, a cookbook recipe tester, author and proud mom of the executive chef in dining room at the world's tallest building.
360 The Restaurant at the CN Tower
301 Front St. W., Toronto, Ontario 416-362-5411
Daily 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch; 4:30 to 9:45 p.m. for dinner. Last seating weekends is 10:15 p.m.
August 25, 2005
A sentimental review of a Toronto institution
My father died just before I turned 7. What an introduction to a restaurant review, huh? Well it fits. Because although I have few memories of the man, one stands loud and proud in my mind. The Shopsy's Deli.
My dad was a meat and potatoes kind of guy, and while I was too young to concern myself with ambience, atmosphere and au jus, I still think I would have waived all that knowledge had push come to shove.
While the menu is full of the expected fare (great sides, world class deli sandwiches and Shopsy's world famous hot dogs) one might be surprised at the amazing level of desserts, main courses and appetizers. Did I mention they have a walk in humidor? Well, I should have.
This Toronto institution has been in business for more than three-quarters of a century. Its large patio, peppered with giant yellow umbrellas, draws crowds for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. This is where you go for heaping corned beef or smoked-meat sandwiches served on fresh rye. This is also where I go to walk down memory lane.
While $6 may seem steep for a hot dog, I can assure you me and my son will wolf down our fair share. And really, is $6 too much for a slice of nostalgia?
Posted by at 06:29 AM | Comments (0)August 24, 2005
Haleiwa Joe's on the North Shore
Haleiwa Joes Seafood Grill
66-011 Kamehameha Highway, Hawaii
808-637-8005
What makes this place special? Its cradled on the North Shore of Oahu.
Approximately 90% of the waiters are surfers. And this means they ride Big Surf. There is a kindness and centeredness in the way they attend to the customers needs not usually found in a restaurant. Even if youre not interested in surfing, the atmosphere is contagious; love and respect for the ocean permeate the place. Photographs and paintings of legendary surfers, mixed with the occasional iconic surfboard, adorn the walls.
As I ate my delicious Gilled Chicken breast topped with a roasted red bell pepper sauce, garlic mashed potatoes and sauted fresh vegetables; I couldnt help but wonder what it must be like to ride those big waves. As I looked at the waiters, their brown skin and sun-bleached hair, finely chiseled arms and chests, firm legs, I couldnt help but respect them for their courage and love of surfing. They have come to the North Shore for one thing and one thing only, to surf the big wave and honor the ocean. Their purpose makes the experience of eating at Haleiwa Joes even better.
Ive eaten at Haleiwa Joes a number of times. Dinner has always been outstanding. I especially like the Grilled Tandoori Shrimp Salad, marinated shrimp on watercress with their own lilikoi (passion fruit) vinaigrette. The Grilled Chicken is also very good. My husband likes the Sumatran Grilled Beef Salad, grilled marinated tenderloin beef with basil, onion, ginger, sweet and spicy chili vinaigrette, and roasted peanuts on a bed of tossed greens and Thai slaw. Another favorite of his is the Filet Mignon, char-grilled served with Barnaise, sauted vegetables and the delicious garlic mashed potatoes. The Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Sundae, macadamia nut ice cream served with hot Belgian chocolate sauce and whipped cream, is heavenly.
We both have been disappointed with the sandwiches served at Lunch. There is more white bun than chicken or hamburger. I suggest another item on the Lunch menu. There is plenty to choose from.
Theres a bar, an outdoor patio, and two indoor rooms. It is usually crowded, so calling ahead for reservations is a good idea. There is a waiting list for the drop-ins. But heck, who can complain about hanging outside in the warm tropical air or rain with the birds going nuts in the trees and the picturesque marina just on the other side of the parking lot? A lovely stroll anyone?
Moderately priced. Open seven days a week.
Lunch: Mon-Sat 11:30 4:15; Sun 11:30-3:45
Appetizers and Drinks: Mon-Sat 415-5:30; Sun 3:34-5:00
Dinner: Mon-Thurs 5:30-9:30; Fri and Sat 5:30-10:30; Sun 5:00-9:00
There is something legendary about this quaint, rustic restaurant hugging the North Shore of Oahu. Its really a must.
Posted by wavingcloud at 03:25 AM | Comments (0)August 22, 2005
Stella's Fish Cafe and Prestige Oyster Bar
The corner of 14th and Lake Street across from Calhoun Square has seen less drunken debauchery and more seafood since Tonic left and Stella’s Fish Café and Prestige Oyster Bar moved in. While the deco changed from uber contemporary to more ship-like, Stella’s kept the same layout for the space’s real gem, the rooftop. With street space at a minimum, rooftops in Uptown are packing in patrons and Stella’s has one of the best.
Last weekend it was pleasantly populated for 3:00 on a Saturday, giving it the blissful feeling of actually being on a cruise ship deck; breeze, sunshine and all. The friendly server quickly brought two cocktails (one for me, one for a companion—just to clear that up), and told us that the dish we had really come for wouldn’t be available until after 4:00. Anticipation for the year’s first dish of fried green tomatoes made the wait worthwhile. Cocktails and a cool atmosphere didn’t hurt either.
When they did come, we weren’t disappointed. Fried green tomatoes don’t seem to vary much from place to place, but these really were tasty. Thick, firm slices with no hint of mushiness were coated in crumbs and fried to a crisp, laid out across a bed of lettuce, and accompanied by remoulade sauce. It was enough to share, and a great summer snack for a reasonable $6.95.
The rest of Stella’s menu ranges from fun (like tater tots) to Cajun fare, to fresh off the boat seafood and of course, oysters. Their menu is huge, and even non-fish lovers can find several yummy options. Best of all, they serve a full menu on the rooftop where you can wave across at all the other Twin Citians on other rooftops, who may also be out in the sun, but probably aren’t eating as well.
Stella’s Fish Café & Prestige Oyster Bar
1400 West Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: 612-824-8862 (TUNA)
Fax: 612-824-2526 (CLAM)
August 14, 2005
A Great Mexican Lunch Date
On Friday, my sweetie offered to take me to lunch. After we debated what we wanted to eat, and time considerations, we decided on Mexican food. There are 3 in our area, and our favorite for lunch is the Tacos Guaymas. There is a chain of these, we go to the one in Lakewood (located on South Tacoma Way off Highway 512).
The service is quick, the food is good and plentiful. We usually order "wet" burritos, covered with sauce like an enchilada. They are huge, and we take the leftovers home for our next day's lunch. My chicken burrito was packed with chunks of chicken, light on the rice and beans. They also put sour cream on the inside, which adds a nice flavor.
After ordering at the counter, you find a table, and the server brings the obligatory bowl of chips and salsa. Friday's salsa was loaded with veggies and nicely spicy. Maybe that's why I can't finish my lunch, I load up on the chips and salsa! As I said, service is quick and friendly, without the server hanging over you. About the time you think that it's time to ask for the "go" boxes, the server is there asking if you need anything. We are usually so full from lunch, that we have a light dinner much later.
All in all, one of my favorite lunch places. Prices are moderate ($6.50 - $8.00 for the "wet" burritos),but you do have enough for lunch the next day.
Posted by at 05:21 PM | Comments (0)July 30, 2005
Trattoria Toscana
My fiance and I have had dinner here a few times since opening just a few months ago. The first time was great, the second time, even better. I'm notoriously picky when it comes to Italian food, because most of the time I figure I can just make it at home and spare myself the grief of getting a dish that I can't stomach. But this place...
The first dish I ordered was rigatoni in a pesto shrimp sauce. It was delicious. I'm super picky about my pasta (it has to be al dente) and this place got it perfect. The pesto wasn't overly garlic-y either, which was excellent. My fiance had the lasagna bolognese, and he said it was the most delicious lasagna he's had in years. Very cheesy with just the right amount of sauce.
Last night we went for dinner again. I ordered the tortellini and prosciutto in a cream sauce. Oh, man! It was incredible and totally reminded me of Sunday dinners at my grandparents house. The tortellini was cooked al dente as well and the prosciutto was done just right (and there wasn't TOO much of it. Sometimes that can be overwhelming). My fiance had the spaghetti with cherry tomatoes. He's very picky about his spaghetti, too. Usually he likes his spaghetti drowning in sauce. This dish comes with no sauce, just the tomatoes. It was so good, he kept commenting on it. I had a bite of it and yes, it was delicious.
The bread they serve before the meal is plentiful and tasty. Again, it reminded me of the home made bread that my grandmother bakes. My fiance loves the olive oil they serve with the bread for dipping. You'll be tempted to eat all the bread because it's so delicious, but trust me, you'll want to save room for the main course.
The place is small, but very clean and inviting. It would be a great place to go on a romantic date for two. The waitstaff was very pleasant and attentive. We did not order wine, since we weren't in the mood for it, but they do have a small list of wines available. They also have Italian pastries for dessert, but we were too full to try any. Maybe next time.
I recommend Trattoria Toscana if you like dishes from Northern Italy. The price is reasonable, the service is great, the place is immaculate, and the food is out of this world.
Trattoria Toscana
133 Jersey Street
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-247-9508
Posted by at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)