I guess I should probably recommend Azia, I did have my wedding reception there, but then a week later they nearly doubled their prices so we don't eat there much anymore. Now they also charge almost double for wedding receptions after mine too, so I guess I ruined that one. I still think chaing mai thai has the best massaman curry (true thai is pretty close) bu other than that chiang mai is only average. I can't stand Sawatdee. When I want something hot, I don't mean I want it with a handful of red pepper flakes on top, I want the heat cooked into the food! I used to share a house with a lot of the cooks at al's breakfast. That place is awesome, but if its a good time to have breakfast (like 9-11am on sunday) its going to be absolutely packed, and they really do only have like 15 seats.
Best pizza I've had is Chanticlear (sp?) .. cause they are right down the road from me. Best pizza in a pinch? Papajohns cause I don't gotta call them. .. I finished an Uptown omelet and I'm not a fatass ...
South Minneapolis http://www.victors1959cafe.com/ 3756 Grand Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55409-1119, US Be prepared to get there early or stand in the entryway a long time. It's very small, and very popular. My fav is the Ranchero Cubano
OOOOoooOO Safari on 13th & Nicollete. AWESOME somali food. Probably $20-30 for a couple. If you like curries, lamb and the like you will like this place.
Very true. I'm a huge fan of massaman curry and Chiang Mai is where I prefer to get it. Sawatdee depends so much on the location. St. Paul and Bloomington suck. Downtown Minneapolis can be good, and I do love their green curry. But I know what you mean about the red pepper tossed on the top. If we're mentioning restaraunts that are closed, the Loring Grill was run by some friends of mine and the food kicked ass, especially the desserts. For those of you mentioning Chipotle, take a look at the nutritional information sometime... http://www.chipotle.com/images/nutrition.pdf Add up the calories, fat and sodium in your order sometime. It's obscene.
+10,000 on the benihana! just got back from there like 2min ago and the happyest s.o.b on hear i bet.
I would have to agree with you on both of those, Thomas. For steaks I would still go with Mannys over Ruth Chris but to each their own. Kinda thinkin about that Spice place Chin mentioned. Thats right down the road from my house...I'll have to check that one out sometime. Another good place for asian food I think is Village Wok. I love that place and they are open til 130 am every day of the week.
I second the vote for Origami as the best sushi place in town. It is pricey though, and don't show up too soon before your reservation or your GF will drain your wallet on chocolate martinis while waiting at the bar One of my favorite places, and one that I miss the most from up there, is the Claddagh Irish Pub in Maple Grove. Aside from having every Irish whiskey available in the US and a healthy selection of single malts they also have great food. The ambience is pretty cool too. I used to go there every Thursday and Friday after work. I was just back up there after living down here for 6 months and the servers still remembered me! Since my favorite food and drink is beer I can't say enough about Town Hall Brewery. If you're really into beer then that place is a must. New brews bi-monthly if not more, growler fills, and a decent menu. If you're not into beer (yet) stop by there and get a sampler. Perhaps you've just not tried the right beer for you. And since I'm over a quarter Italian my favorite pasta place is a little restaurant called Buena Sera in Champlin. Reservations are highly recommended, it doesn't have a very large dining area and the place is full most nights. I recommend the wine dinners they do, though IIRC they are $60 a head. I've been to tons more places aound the Cities if you're looking for references. My dad's a member of the local ACF chapter so he knows a lot of the CECs in town. I really miss tagging along with him getting the hook-ups at those places...
Yeah, it's by the far the best Thai food I have ever had. You even ignore the duct tape on the seats... :laugh:
I like Mt. Fuji in Maple Grove for Sushi. The Crazy Tuna Roll is off the chain!! Service well.............sometimes its good sometimes its just plain sucks. I'll check out Origami one of these days.
Ok, so you had me wondering/worried. I added up what I typically get and compared with other take-out/fast food stuff to get an idea of how naughty Chipotle really is. Since I usually eat until I'm satisfied, I tend to concern myself mostly with the ratio of fat calories to total calories, so I calculated those out. I also don't suffer from hypertension (and I'm already old) so I'm usually indifferent to salt levels. After looking at this, I wouldn't call Chipotle nutrition "obscene". Sure there are a lot of calories but one burrito weighs a lot more than any of the items up for comparison here and is *way* more satisfying. I would have to eat at least 2 of the burgers listed to be as full as one burrito, or maybe 3-4 slices of pizza. Often one burrito will be 2 meals for me. Here is a quickie comparison:
best chinese i've ever had...DK Express on county23 in st. cloud close by the subaru dealership...so i can do things i love most...sit...eat...and look at subarus while i eat...$15 to $20 best korean is at the old shilla on snelling in st. paul best kim-chi bokum ever......$20 to $30 for two
My co-workers are frickin' obsessed with mt fuji. The sushi is decent, but they constantly want to do the habatchi thing, and it's just corny and anoying to me. Plus the food is quite bland and I'm always hungry after a habatchi meal (even though I down a bunch of sushi). Plus plus I hate eating at restaurants in the suburbs, never feels authentic to me (I know that probably makes me a snob, but whatevs). It's quite spendy too, prob $50+ for a couple. If I have to eat in maple grove, I'd rather walk across the street to the claddagh, food is good and harty and the atmosphere is more chill (not getting broccoli thrown in your face). For sushi, origami definately hits it, also try nami on 1st & 4th (accross from harveys?). All their sushi is the bomb, and you can get a really good chefs mix for like $20 (cheap for sushi). Also, +1 for all you can eat sushi at ichiban down the street from king & I. First come first serve with a boat conveyor thingamabob, I think that's like 20 or 25 bucks.
yeah there habatchi aint that good like you said. Its more of a show then good food. I did it once and wasn't too impressed.
Nancy's Landing in Waconia is great if you're out in the area. I would say only go there in the summer when you can sit on the deck. Its like maynards or bayside on lake minnetonka, except less boat traffic, much better staff, less people, spread out tables, and no drunks. Get there about 6:00 pm with your sunglasses and enjoy the sunset! Oh, and $20-30 buckeroos for two.
This seems kind of interesting: "local dining in decline?" http://www.kare11.com/news/ts_article.aspx?storyid=244091 So get that food before the restaurant closes!!! hnoes:
Lol, I live two blocks from auriga and I hate to say it but it sucked. way too many journalists loved it and ran around thinking it was the apocalypse that it closed even though before it remodeled it was dumpy inside (staind ceiling tile) always had head in the clouds inattentive waiters (in a small expensive place seems out of hand) and food was often experimental but not great, especially since dara moskovitz (city pages) literally heaps praise on every single thing they do. I was actually offended by her article when it closed, it was so annoying. good riddance, auriga was pretentious and didn't deliver, hands down. If it was better it wouldn't have closed.
+1 for Nancy's Landing. Haven't been there in a while though. I hate crowds so I like it better than the Lake Minnetonka offerings. Now you really have me itching for better weather...
If any of you guys are ever in Robinsdale right off of west Broadway is the best steak house ever! my dad he's the best cook!! the steaks taste great i think its even better then outback! and Cheaper too.
Actually, didn't RTMFT, now I know. And although I have no experiences with said FlameBurger, I'd be down.
Went to Benihanas like a month ago and almost died that same night. I felt so bad, i was throwing up for a hours all night and had really upset stomach. I dont know if its bad food or my pancreas failed, because the food was so greasy. And another thing its an asian restaurant, but all the cooks are Mexican:laugh: i thought that was kinda funny.
+1 for Raum Mit in St. Paul. Edina Grill (near 50th & France) - good for breakfast Arezzo Ristorante (51st and France) - great italian...little expensive. Sorry, had to call out a few in my area.
The best tex mex in MN. The Dinkytowner Restaurant on U of M campus. EDIT: Sorry to break the tables, but the picture must remain as is to ensure maximum appreciation.
lol, i got a plate of rancid hash browns at the dinkytowner a few years ago. the waitress argued with me until I made her taste them. She had to run to spit them out, yet did not offer to replace them or give me any kind of discount. I havent eaten there since. There is better tex mex out there, dinkytowner is ok breakfast food though. I wonder if university students actually go there nowadays.
For Mankato: The Neighbors' Food: Italian Cost for 2: ~$40 If there's no immediate seating, they give you free wine while you wait.
-Chino Latino is the wife's favorite (~$20/person) -Punch rocks for pizza (I am THE pizza snob) -Solera for tapas with a hot date (my homie cooks on the uber-cool roof) -Holy Land Deli on Central in NE (awesome cheap lunch buffet with gyros and hummus and pitas. About $8 last I checked) Also, drop me a line for home-cooking advice, I am educated and experienced in the field
