Pip's Plate

We went to Brix last weekend for an impromptu dinner. This was the first time I’d been in this new restaurant (they opened in August 2006). Brix now inhabits the old Mojito space in the Excelsior & Grand complex in St. Louis Park right outside of Uptown.

Brix Bistro

4645 Grand Way

St. Louis Park, MN 55416

952-698-2749

I’d say they definitely made some improvements in the layout of the restaurant from when it was Mojito’s. The bar is now right by the patio – it should be a fun place to hang out in the summer. The tones of the restaurant are also pleasing- neutrals with a modern twist. I wouldn’t say it looks Italian at all. It has a modern yuppie feel without the pretension.

However, the Frank Sinatra playing all night was really annoying and that may have impacted my overall feeling of the place. I would love to hear some mellow, rustic Italian music. (I don’t know what that is, but it would be perfect if that’s a music style.)

We waited in the bar for our table, and I was happy to see they had Rush River on tap. It’s a delicious Wisconsin pale ale. As for the food, it was decent. We tried an assortment of appetizers and entrees – all recommended by our server. (Oh, and by the way, our server recommended all of the most expensive items on the server – a MAJOR pet pieve of mine.)

For starters we had fried tortellini, salad trio and mussels. The fried tortellini was filled with goat cheese and ricotta – it was very nice. The tomato sauce served with it, however, tasted a bit like jarred spaghetti sauce.

The salad trio is a nice option for a menu. I often see several salads I want to try, so this gave us the option to do that. We had the duck salad with arugula which was ok. I’ve never had shaved duck that I can remember, so I don’t know if it was supposed to taste like ham or not. We also had a version of a caprese salad. The fresh mozzarella in the caprese was excellent. It’s quite possible that it’s housemade. For February, the tomatoes were pretty good. The third salad was their beet and goat cheese salad. In terms of originality, I think this salad is on most menus in Minneapolis and other cities. However, I would order it again simply for the Donnay goat cheese – it is my favorite!

And lastly, we had the mussels. Hmmm…you may be aware of my Food Quest for best mussels, but I’m torn between adding Brix to the list or not. The actual mussels were terrible. They were gritty, small, and overcooked. The sauce however was incredible- and that’s why I would consider adding them to the list. It was a creamy saffron sauce. It was silky, perfectly seasoned and had the perfect amount of heat. Just incredible.

For entrees, we had the short ribs – which clearly won that night for presentation. The plate was absolutely stunning and simple with tiny sprigs of rosemary dotting the plate in between the gnocchi. The short ribs tasted the best of the night as well. Very tender and juicy. We also ordered what is considered the house favorite dish- Steak Toscana. Stay away from this dish. It was not good. The strip steak was approximately 1/2″ tall and 10″ long. The chef recommended medium, but I don’t know how you can get that piece of meat to be anything other than med-well to well done. It was tough and chewy- neither of which indicated that the meat is supposed to be aged. The presentation of this plate was also horrendous. I don’t consider myself a genius in terms of plating food, but I know that Chef Cory can do better than that- and he does next door at McCoy’s with the beef tenderloin.

Our server recommended a bottle of wine off of the 20 bottles for $20 – I was a little nervouse since I saw the likes of B&G and Indigo Hills (bottles for about $7 at the liquor store) but the syrah she chose was nice. However, I don’t remember the name of it. The entire wine list was WAY overpriced. I think they charge something like $78 for a bottle of Ferrari-Carrano Siena (which costs $18 at the liquor store). It was pretty insulting.

The bathrooms were nice, and I’m sure I’ll be back for a cocktail on the patio when it gets nice out, but they’re changing their menu in a few weeks and rumor has it that prices are going up.

I went to Good Day Cafe with some friends yesterday for lunch. It’s quite good. We had quite a variety of menu items and we were all pleased with what we ordered.

The interior design is very nice – rustic wood structure with a soft color palette. It’s very modern with a quiet and soft feeling, very inviting.

The staff was quite attentive. Our server in particular was excellent. Although they just opened on Wednesday, he was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and gave us excellent recommendations.

The four of us started with a round of fresh fruit smoothies. They were excellent! Talk about good food that tastes great and is good for you. We sampled the Tropical, Carrot, Pomegranite, and Berry smoothies. I’d have to say the Carrot and Pom smoothies were my favorite of the four. The Carrot smoothie was silky in texture and had apples, banana and yogurt in it. The Pom was nicely tart with a great addition of acai fruit. The Tropical and Berry smoothies were favored by 2 of my friends. The Tropical was a little too coconutty for me, but it was the best tropical smoothie I’ve tasted. And finally the Berry – it was to be expected of a strawberry, raspberry, blueberry smoothie.

For lunch, the menu offers a variety of breakfast, soup, salads, and sandwiches. Between the four of us, we had the Fried Egg Sandwich (definitely my favorite- I’d go back just for that), the Vegetable Sandwich, the Rachel, and we also tried one of the daily specials- Walleye.

The Fried Egg Sandwich was so perfect. It was the perfect level of saltiness and not too rich. The egg was perfectly cooked- just a little runny. Also on the sandwich was very delicious ham, tomato, and cheese.

The Vegetable sandwich was also delicious. It was light but full of flavor- sprouts, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, and some sauce that reminded me of a cross between hummus and tzatziki in flavor. The fries were excellent as well- served with spicy ketchup (yummy!).

The walleye was good. It was breaded but it wasn’t very bready, it was pretty light. The lemon garlic aioli served with my fries went really well with it. I was also told that the GDC potatoes were great and the cole slaw was fresh, crunchy and tasty. I didn’t try the Rachel, but I was told it was good. The bread might have been a bit much, but overall it was good.

In the end, I can’t wait to go back to Good Day Cafe! Oh, and did I mention it’s really affordable? My vegetable sandwich was only $6.75- a steal.

Other things I should mention- the bathrooms are very nice and clean. They also have a changing station in the women’s bathroom and it sounds like there is one in the men’s bathroom as well.

This was the most memorable Valentine’s Day. In fact, I could only remember what I did last year after thinking about it for a while so my record isn’t that great. Maybe what I mean to say is that I’ll remember this Valentine’s Day.

My boyfriend made a fabulous meal for me last night. We had basil egglplant soup which was unbelievably yummy. In fact I don’t really care for eggplant that much, but this pureed version with carrots and pesto was very good.

He also made grilled red snapper with  an avocado paprika wine sauce. The sauce had a little oregano and and sour cream in it too. He rounded the meal out nicely with a bottle of Sonoma Cutrer which was perfectly buttery to match the avocado sauce and the basil soup.

This was definitely the best meal he’s made and it was better than any meal we could have had last night at any restaurant.

It just goes to show how a home cooked meal is one of the most enjoyable aspects of life.

This is one of my favorite appetizers to make. It’s easy, healthy, and delicious.

Steamed Pork Dumplings

1/2# ground pork

1 1/2 t grated fresh ginger root

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small carrot, grated

1/2 c grated purple cabbage

1 T tamari

1 1/2 t sesame oil

1 egg beaten

salt + pepper

optional spicy version: add 1/2 t Sriracha

40 wonton skins

Boil water in a large pot with a bamboo steamer on top.

Mix together pork through salt + pepper. Put some warm water in a small dish. Lay out wonton skins on flat surface. Spoon about 1-2 t of pork mixture onto wonton skin. Wet your finger and run it along the edges of the wonton. Grab two opposite ends of the wonton and pull them up and connect them (the water will bind it together). Then grab the other two ends and pull them up and bind them with the other 2 sides. It will create a sqaure with a fluted top.

Place prepared dumplings onto bamboo steamer. Steam for about 12-15 minutes.

Serve with a teriyaki or sesame/ginger/soy dipping sauce.

If you’re looking to pair this with wine, try a Gewurtzaminer or Riesling. Those wines match very well with Asian foods.

I went to Rainbow Foods last night to pick up some limes and cranberry juice for my sister last night. While I was in line to check out, I noticed a major difference between the shoppers at Rainbow versus the shoppers at the Wedge.

The shoppers at Rainbow bag every single produce item. I saw a shopper with 1 onion in a produce bag. 1 onion! Are you afraid your onion might touch your jug of milk?

I looked around and noticed that people were bagging limes, lemons, tomatoes, avocados, carrots, etc. I can understand bagging produce that you might buy in mass multiples – think green beans. But 1 onion? It seems so wasteful.

Next time you’re grocery shopping, think twice about bagging that 1 onion. You can save the plastic that you’ll probaby end up throwing away once you get home.

Remember Coco Cha Cha’s? That same space will open next week to a breakfast and lunch cafe called Good Day Cafe. Restaurant owner Rick Webb and his brother David Webb are joining forces to open Good Day Cafe. Rick Webb is the owner of downtown hot spot Zelo and popular suburban spots Ciao Bella and Bacio. The location is Hwy 394 and Louisiana, right next to the Metropolitan. The menu sounds pretty good, and I’m anxious to try it.

UPDATE 2/14/07: Good Day Cafe opened for business today. I will be there for lunch on Friday, so look soon for a review.

UPDATE 2/20/07: Read my review here.

For breakfast you can expect an excellent Crab Cake Benedict, Apple Souffle Pancake, and Almond Crusted Brioche french toast. Other items include huevos rancheros, souffle omelettes, french omelettes, waffles, egg sandwich and quite tasty Good Day Cafe potatoes (think of crispy hashbrowns that aren’t greasy).

The lunch menu will offer salads, soups, sandwiches and egg creations. Rumor has it the vegetarian sandwich is quite good and the steak sandwich sounds deliciousy familiar.

Good Day Cafe will also serve as a wireless cafe with a barista bar where loungers can enjoy comfortable couches.

Oh, and I shouldn’t forget the smoothie and juice bar. I have a feeling that Good Earth diners will be extremely envious of Good Day Cafe’s juice and smoothie options.

I’ll keep you posted once I’ve had a chance to taste the food.

Good Day Cafe

5410 Wayzata

Minneapolis, MN 55416

763-544-0205

I once visited a place in Seattle called I <heart> Sushi (where “<heart>” = the symbol of a heart). I secretly call Sushi Tango my own personal version of I <heart> Sushi ’cause it is so good!

Sushi is like a drug. Once you taste it, you gotta have more and more and more and more. But unlike drugs, you can’t OD on sushi. Thank God for that – at least one drug that is great in excess.

Sushi Tango is my personal favorite for sushi in Minneapolis. (However, I am consistently scolded for not having been to Origami-not-in-a-mall or Midori’s.)

I have to argue that they have the best Hamachi I’ve ever had. I tried and tried and tried to unconvince myself of that when I was in California last June, but the hamachi out there didn’t come close to Sushi Tango.

The wait staff is great (ask for Amy, Hope or Moon), and the sushi chef’s are a comical crew. I love watching them on a busy weekend night.

I’d definitely recommend the Yummy Roll – it’s not on the menu, but it’s a must. It’s a spicy, tuna, avocado, chili sauce rolled inside out then rolled in tempura flakes. It’s a sensational textural experience. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, cruncy and smooth all at once. True to its name, it’s totally yummy!

The Tai (red snapper) that Tango puts together is to die for. Ask for it right when you sit down because it’s very popular and is often out. They serve it will a little grated cayenne and a sliver of lemon. Very, very good.

Also recommended options: Mutsu (super white tuna), Aji (spanish mackerel – incredibly good), Caterpillar roll, some of the best miso soup, awesome home made egg rolls that are piping hot.

Also, their oysters are phenomenal. They serve regular or spicy with ponzu sauce.

Go ahead and get yourself there. It’s worth it.

Sushi Tango

Calhoun Square, second level

Minneapolis, MN 55408

612.822.7787

GO THERE NOW! EARLY!

That’s the best thing I can tell you about the Town Talk Diner located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Town Talk Diner

2707 1/2 East Lake St.

Minneapolis, MN 55406

612.722.1312

We spontaneously went there after a long day of galavanting around town ending up at the Midtown YWCA.

It was 6pm and we were starving. First of all, who eats at 6pm? Apparently if you want to eat at Town Talk Diner, you better be there before 6pm. Sure it was Saturday night, but we got the last table when we walked in.

A few general comments about the place: exceptional waitstaff, clean bathrooms, great decor, and of course, awesome food.

It’s rare to find a restaurant that provides the level of service that Town Talk Diner does. They understand the importance of working together as a team to get the job done right. Adam was our server – knowledgeable, pleasant and overall delightful to have as a server.

Although the entrance is tight, we made our way into the dining room side (this is an addition to the original space). The host and the entire waitstaff attended to us throughout our entire meal. This is the level of service you might expect from a 5 Star restaurant.

When we sat down, there was the most delicious aroma coming from the table behind us. We asked Adam what it was. His response was like heaven rolled into a cheese platter: “Garlic parsley fries.” Seriously. Does it get any better than that?

We had a hard time trying to decide what to eat even though we knew the garlic parsely fries were a must. The menu is fun and everything sounds good – or was that because I had just finished working out and hadn’t eaten all day? Hmmm…I think not.

We both started with salads – grilled romaine w/Caesar dressing which was delightful, and a green salad that I’m told was equally as good.

We both had burgers for our main course – again with the garlic parsley fries. I had the home-made veggie burger that had a great Greek twist to it. The burger itself was excellent in an oozing-out-of-the-bun-when-I-take-a-bite kind of way. It was topped with tahini sauce and a cucumber yogurt sauce. De-lic-ious!

And of course the garlic parsley fries were just as delicious as they smelled. Mmm mmm good! Go there just for the fries – you won’t be disappointed.

The cheeseburger with bacon was cooked perfectly to order – medium rare – and was also quite good.

We didn’t have room for dessert, but we’ll be back.

In addition to burgers and fries, Town Talk Diner serves up excellent fish dishes, pasta, breakfast, a great selection of beer and wine, and last but not least, a list of Adult Shakes. We didn’t try any of those, but I’m sure we will when we get back.

And for those of you reading this that are afraid of garlic parsley fries, I have 2 things to say:

1. do not fear the garlic parsley fries – they have flavor
2. if you can’t quite get into the garlic parsley fries thing, then they have regular fries too

Mpls St. Paul Magazine is launching what I think is a don’t miss event week. They’ve collected a list of restaurants that will be serving up a 3-course prix fixe menu for lunch and/or dinner for an entire week. What Mpls St. Paul Mag says about Best of the Best Restaurant Week:

“Restaurants recognized by our readers, or by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine food critics in past Best Restaurant issues, can participate in this exciting program. Restaurant week participants will be asked to create specially priced prix fixe menu options-from gourmet to casual.”

Mpls St. Paul Magazine is not currently listing details, but I found out some on Open Table:

What it is: 1 week of 3-course prix fixe menus offered at lunch, dinner or both

Where: restaurants that have received a “Best of” award from Mpls.St.Paul Magazine

Cost: lunch menus can cost $10 or $20 and dinner will cost $30

Why go? This is the perfect time to get to those restaurants that you’ve been meaning to get to

Here are the restaurants listed on Open Table that I would recommend trying (you can make a reservation online at any of the following restaurants at open table):

• Brix Bistro + Wine Bar
• Cafe Lurcat
• Chambers Kitchen (you can read my review of Chambers Kitchen here)
• Cosmos at Graves 601 hotel
• Cue at the Guthrie
• Fuji Ya (only because it’s sushi and I’m really curious as to what they’ll have – but I’m hesitant since it’s not my favorite sushi place and I’ve heard some not-so-great things about it from die hard fans) – eat here at your own risk
• La Belle Vie
• Masa
• McCoy’s Public House
• Mission American Kitchen + Bar
• Pazzaluna Urban Italian Restaurant + Bar (I heard a recent glowing review so I’m intrigued)
• Vincent – A Restaurant

This is just the list of restaurants that I recommend and are available at Open Table, so I don’t know who else will be on the list. Check back for updates.

UPDATE 02/27/07: MSPMAG Restaurant Week Info & Menus

Update 02/21/08: See recommendations for 2008 Best of the Best Restaurant Week locations