Enjoy! - Apple Valley, MN

After reading Dara's piece on Thanksgiving restaraunts, I got the idea to dine out for Thanksgiving this year. I've become increasingly interested in the dining experience, and me and Mr. H decided to make it our own family holiday! We chose a restaurant called Enjoy! in Apple Valley. After reviewing a suprisingly extensive list of Thanksgiving restaurants on opentable.com, we chose Enjoy! due to their Thanksgiving menu. I've never had the pleasure of doing a "course" meal, and was eager to try this out. The menu normally offers mostly steak, seafood, and chicken; pizza and sandwiches for lunch, and seemingly very high quality. I was intrigued.

Thanksgiving Menu (i have a pic of this, but its in my camera. Go here and look at the Thanksgiving Menu - I think it's still up.)

http://www.enjoy-dining.com/menus.php

It doesn't list it here, but the ham/turkey dinners were $22.95. The additional entree's were more, from $28-$35 - but you still get a 1st and 2nd course with it.

I had read some reviews about this place before I went, and the parts about it being...large were right. It can reportedly seat 400 people. It reminded me of the (old) Santorini, with different rooms, and a gorgeous patio. The patio is seriously awesome. It runs the entire length of the restaraunt, and has several fireplaces throughout. We were seated in a large booth, and it was decorated beautifully. I wish it weren't so dim, I'd have loved to get decent pictures. Especially the chandelier, with all sorts of decorative balls and such hanging from it - it was festive and lovely.

I don't go to "fancy" restaraunts much. While this certainly is not a stuffy white-tabelcloth place, it is very modern and grand. I ordered a Root 1 cabernet sauv. (one of my favorite brands - was pleased to see it on the menu) at 7.50 a glass (one of thier cheaper by the glass wines.) We were both craving a good Thanksgiving meal, but once I saw the salmon stuffed with crab and brie (with champagne and vanilla bean butter sauce, mashed potatoes and asparagus) I caved. It's not often I can afford that sort of thing, so I decided to go for it. Mr. H was feeling traditional and opted for the turkey dinner (with mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce.) For the first course, you basically got a choice of salads, or butternut squash soup. Mr. H got the enjoy! salad (pears, gorgonzola, walnuts and citrus vinagrette) and i got a normal salad (mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions) with asian vinagrette. For dessert: pumpkin pie, pecan pie or maple creme brulee. Mr. H got pecan pie, and I maple creme brulee.

Disclaimer: kind of bad pics due to the darkness of the place - use your imagination,

Mr. H 1st course:

My 1st course:

Mr. H's salad was far superior, as you can see. Nuts, strong cheese and acidity are always a great pairing. My salad was lackluster. The vinagrette was too sweet and tart. One thing I am noticing more about vinagrette's is the tartness. I know it's supposed to be acidic, but not to the point where my mouth prunes up. I did appreciate the mixed greens, and the large plate they were served on. Restaraunt pet peeve #37: getting salad in small bowls/plates. I'm a mixer, so half my salad ends up on the table/floor. Give me room to mix my greens!

Mr H. 2nd course:

This was a super delicios Thanksgiving feast. From the turkey: all white and not a bit dry, to the stuffing which was soft and mooshy, salty and savory (i like my stuffing mooshy) and the mashed potatoes which were fluffy, earthy and needed no seasoning - it truly was awesome. If I cooked my own thanksgiving feast, I would want it to taste like this. Low on the frills and high on the flavor, this is what "fancy" food should be. Presentation is nice, but unless you're presenting sushi, fondue or maybe an ice sculpture, good flavor needs no masks.

My 2nd course:

I struggle to describe this food. I haven't come across many salmon that I actually like. They are a stronger tasting fish, and I don't have a very seafood-ready palette to begin with. I took my first bite, and got a rush of such decadence, using cliche adjectives seems moot. The salmon was flaky and meaty, the crab and brie inside added a deep richness that makes you feel as if you're being super naughty. And that sauce - I have never, ever had a sauce like that before. I tasted it quite a few times with just my finger, and asked Mr. H- "what is this again?" It was champagne-vanilla bean butter sauce. Normally I don't care for anything vanilla, but this sauce magnificent. The mellow vanilla countered with salt and butter make the perfect sauce for this piece of fish. The asparagus was cooked perfectly, and the earthiness paired with the vanilla sauce composed a suprising balance of flavors: sweet, salty and savory. The potatoes were also wonderful - not lumpy, not artificial tasting, not bland and not too light. This is seriously one of best, most decadent dishes I've ever experienced dining out. Halfway through, I was already getting stuffed. How do the judges on Iron Chef eat 10 courses??? Here comes dessert!

Mr. H. dessert: (pecan pie)

I only had one bite of this, but it was quite good. It was very sweet and "caramel-y", but I liked it for being my 1st pecan pie ever.

My dessert: (maple creme brulee)

Very few things give me as much happiness as a good creme brulee. Especially the crack-ley top. That toasty, burnt taste against the cool, creamy custard inside is (in my mind) one of the perfect texture and flavor contrasts in existence. This was a good creme brulee. I couldn't taste much maple, and when I was eating the custard, it coated my mouth a bit. I remember asking Mr. H - "Why is it kind of making my mouth oily?" he said "Well that would probably be all the fat from the cream." I think I might like a lighter creme brulee than this. But the topping was perfect - nice and toasty and sweet. YUM.

After 3 courses - I was painfully stuffed. However, I do not regret dining out for Thanksgiving. I tend toward the non-traditional anyways, and this was a perfect and delightful meal. If you have a good amount of cash to drop, I would highly recommend this place over many other "fancy" places Downtown Mpls.

The greats:

Everything. Especially the fact we stayed so long that when we left, the employees were eating their own Thanksgiving meals at the bar.

The not so greats:

It's kind of a hike, being in Apple Valley. But worth it for a small food "getaway."

http://www.enjoy-dining.com/

Tha Anchor Fish and Chips (NE Mpls)

So I FINALLY got over to the Anchor this week to meet Mr C. and sup it up. I've been trying to wait for the Anchor for fish and chips, but sorta ruined it the night before by going to Hazelwood and having a fish sandwich (which was lovely, but I decided to not blog about since I was having an extremely bad day.) Alas, there was no guilt allowed upon entering the anchor. I stepped in to meet my friend, and it was crowded, dark, and small. I loved it right away. Maybe I owe this fondness to being away from anything city for the last 2.5 weeks. Either way, this place is lovely. Not overdone, not underdone, and bustling. They have an open "kitchen" (cooks and deep fryers!) which I think is a good idea at any restaraunt. Open concepts look nice, and also add to the "bustle" of a restaraunt. People talk more, and feed off the lively energy of the kitchen, without really noticing it. We were seated in under 10 minutes (there was a wait on a Wednesday-understandable due to it's hype, neighborhood, and small size) at a suitable table for two. This was ok, but this type of seating is very close set - a pet peeve of mine. Forgivness abounded, as I was just happy to be in my neighborhood.

The menu is short, so it really didn't take long to order. As you may know, I am firmly against 2 people ordering the same thing. This is why I always ask what the other party will order first. Mr. C. wanted the fish and chips. So be it; then I ordered the pastie (a blend of meat and veggies, deep fried.)

I apologize for no pics. It was too dark in the place. But our food came. and imagine: one basket with thick, steak style chips, and about an 8 inch long hunk of fried fish on top of it (seriously, it was pretty huge.) And basket two, with the aforementioned chips, and a big round hunk of deep fried-ness on top of it.

There is not a lot to say about this meal, except that it was simple and delicious. No complex flavors here, just straight up comfort food. The rumors about the chips; ALL TRUE. They are fantastic. I love fries, and am particular about them. Whiteys and Hazelwood have some of the worst fries (skinny, oversalted, soggy) and I like my fries to be something special. These are thick and mouthy. Some are around 3-4 inches long. LORDY! When I put the vinegar on them (yes they do only have white vinegar - but it's delicious on everything!) they tasted like salt and vinegar chips! Genius. My pastie was also very good. I took a bite of it, and immediately felt my endorphins ooh and ah. The breading is savory and toasty, the filling starchy and toothsome. I found myself wishing I had a hangover at that moment, and mourned for the hangover days that missed the Anchor while I was around. Some people have complained the pastie's are salty. They do have a sprinkling of sea salt on top, whch you get a bite of here and there, but it's definitely not overpowering.

Mr. C.'s fish was awesome. It's ok and fine for fish to be flaky - but sometimes it's flaky like you're eating nothing. This fish was flaky AND meaty. And the breading again was spot on crispy. It's a bit greasy, but it isn't out of hand. It's what you expect when eating fried food.

On the plus side - they sell wine by half and full carafe. We got a half carafe of cab for $8, which gave us both 2 glasses of wine. Not too shabby - but the wine was not that great. Oh well - not really a blunder for a place like this.

This place gets many plus points: 5 of the greats being:

-It's dark, and I like my restaraunts dim and dark.
-The chips are fantastic
-The pastie and fish are tremendous, super comforting and simple.
-The location. They are right smack in the middle of the hub bub of NE Mpls - near the Modern e.t.c.
-Open kitchen

5 not so greats
- The seating is close set
- They have CURRY GRAVY (!!!!) that you can order as a side to dip your chips in, and I didn't order it!!!
-There can be long waits
-Nothing else is wrong with this place.

http://www.theanchorfishandchips.com/The_Anchor_Fish_%26_Chips/Home.html

Sushi (yes, again.)

Yesterday, after having a pretty crappy 3 days, I decided I needed to treat myself to some sushi. Being chained to my desk, my only option was Oishi (again.) Oishi has 3 lunch specials - I went for lunch special 2 which is 2 rolls - 1 from list A and 1 from list B ,and a miso soup. They have lists A, B and C of sushi, in order of more elaborate ingredients/prep. I chose 1 Unagi roll (eel) and the Crunchy Philly Roll (deep fried Philly rolls, which normally have salmon, cream cheese and cucmbers I think? See previous Oishi blog - I got the normal philly roll.) I know - deep fried sushi! It's Americanized, but I had to try it.

I did the takeout thing, and was a little worried about that. Takeout can be pretty bad, and I wasn't sure what to expect with sushi. I got it back, and was delighted to see they had included chopsticks, soy sauce (the big Kikoman packs, not the little wimpy ones from Chef Boyardee "chinese" down the street), wasabi and pickled ginger. Also: a BIG soup spoon. Not a small plastic wimpy one. Nice.

The Unagi rolls were great. They tasted fresh and light, sweet and salty. I am getting more and more bold with wasabi, and find it a delight with sushi. I was starving, and wolfed down 4 of these in like 5 minutes. Then, I went over to my crunchy roll.

(I'm sorry about the photo - I dont know if my camera just sucks, or if I need to change settings.)

I was a little scared because this sushi has Masago on it (little orange fish roe, which I'm not sure how I feel about yet.) Upon researching it, I found pictures of sushi's COVERED in roe. Luckily, they put such a small amount on (i think it's quite expensive?) I barely noticed it.

This was an absolute delight! Since they are lightly fried, they're a little warm, so the cream cheese is soft. The breading is light and toasty, and the velvet salmon is wicked lush. I found I didn't need soy sauce or wasabi with these, as the flavor stood out enough on it's own. Totally delicious.

I find myself with a great sense of well being when I eat sushi. My mood immediately lightens and I feel a little more whole. I'm not sure why. Isn't comfort food supposed to be heavy - starcy - fattening?? I'm not sure, but this food definitely lifts my spirits in a significant way. I am glad I didn't give up on sushi. I am converted.

http://www.oishimn.com/

Love.

And just in case you are blind and can't see it, here it is again.

Chad. Serious girly drinks. They have this at an undisclosed location in Mound.

All: My birthday is December 1st.

THAT IS ALL.

Gold Nugget Tavern (Minnetonka.Glen Lake): Part 2

Since my move to the 'burbs, me and Mrs. D are commiting to occasional Tuesday dinner outings. Bless her heart! I really like to have "regular" outings with people, but lack the people able/willing to do them. Mrs. D is not too food adventerous, so when she asked where we would, go, I immediately decided on the Gold Nugget.

Last time Mr. H and I went there, I was pretty satisfied. The atmosphere isn't much, it's comparable to Houlihan's/ any other suburbia restaraunt. Which is why it was perfect for Mrs. D and I. I was sure she would love it, and I was right!

I had problems deciding what to order (is this a surprise???) and struggled between a dinner and a Juicy Lucy. I'm not too impressed overall by Lucy's, and figure I'd like to try one at The Nook before anywhere else. So I decided on the half chicken dinner, with mashed 'tatoes and roasted veggies. Mrs. D decided on the Pear and Goat Cheese salad. Please let me also note, in reference to my earlier blog, that they now have FOUR pasta's at Gold Nugget! One of which I'll totally order next time. With no further ado!

Pear and Goat Cheese salad w/ balsamic vinagrette (sorry it looks so cartoonish - my phone sucks)





I didn't have a full bite of this salad, but dude; that thing on top is a breaded patty of goat cheese! I love goat cheese, and having it (anything) breaded ROCKS. To add even more awesome, it wasn't greasy at all. Just crunchy, and then smooth goat cheesey smooth-ness! The vinagrette was also very good. Vinagrettes can often be overpowering and too tart, but this one wasn't too tart at all. Mrs. D said she loved the pears. They looked cooked, but they were cold and coated with something - maybe a bit of sugar? She gave this salad two thumbs up!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! (and more craptastic cell pics.)

Just gaze at it's glory for a moment, it's ok. This was perhaps one of the best chicken dinners I've ever had. The chicken itself was flavorful and moist, even in the breast area. The gravy below it was delightful - though I can'tput my finger on what it was made of. It's not your typical savory gravy - it's a little salty and a little sweet. The mashed 'tatoes were a tad lumpy, in a good way. They tasted earthy, but also creamy and light. They weren't over-spiced or box-y tasting, they were just plain old good mashed 'tatoes! The vegetables consisted of cauliflower and carrots. They were nicely roasted with a bit of char on the outside, but still firm and toothsome. I'm always glad to have cooked veggies that are texturally sound.

Halfway through dinner, we thought about dessert. I wanted to try somehting, but didn't see anything good on the dessert menu. I had hoped for a cheesecake, or a creme brulee. So I ate more of my dinner, only to have the waitress come over and explain to us that one of the dessert items was replaced with a pumpkin creme brulee (!!) I ordered it anyways.

I didn't care much for this. The top shell was nice and hard- the most fun part of creme brulee! But the "creme" was too thick. I am used to having brulee's that are more of a custard, and this was more of a puree. The flavor was ok - it just tasted like a mushy pumpkin pie. Not the best brulee I've ever had.

Greats

-Breaded goat cheese patty!

-The chicken dinner was large in and in charge

-Hanging with Mrs. D was great

-Our waitress was cool, and not overbearing (i hate overbearing servers.)

Not so greats

-Pumpkin creme brulee

-The atmosphere is just like every other place around there

-They don't have the same awesome drinks as last time (though Im sure it was a seasonal thing)

-The people behind me had their baby carrier (baby and all) on the floor, directly behind my chair.

CG Ham's Sandwich Shop

Myself and Mr. H found ourselves at CG Ham's on a busy Sunday afternoon. I have been wanting to try it out for a long time. So off we went, to this deli tucked strangely away in a strip mall by Men's Wearhouse and kids stores! The inside is just a small deli type place; basic and functional. We went inside and perused the menu for a little while, and asked some questions to (overly) friendly deli-woman. Mr. H really liked her, but I found her to be...overly nice. Thanking us over and over for coming, etc. Kind of made me think..."desperation!" There were samples of their ham out, and it's seriously some of the best ham I've ever had. I momentarily contemplated going only here for my ham (my regular "at home" lunchmeat) until I saw it costs $11 a pound.

Anyways, after some deliberation, Mr. H decided on the Prime Time ( Thinly Sliced Prime Rib served warm on a French Hoagie with your choice of Horseradish Sauce and/or Garlic Spread. (Au Jus served on the side) and I got the Unforgettable (Roasted Turkey Breast, Bacon and Avocado served on Sliced Multigrain Bread with Mayo, Sunflower Cream Cheese Spread, Tomato and Spinach.) I decided to upgrade with pop and ranch pasta salad for $2 extra. Not a terrible upgrade, but considering the place has Panera-like prices, 1 sandwich can clock in around $10. Since I'm broke most the time, this is a bummer for me. But I do realize that for normal, not-so-broke people, it's not too steep.



The Unforgettable!

I must say I really liked this sandwich. I didn't love it, but there was a lot of things "right" with it. The textures were my favorite part. The softness of the avocado and tomatoes, combined with the semi-firmness of the meat, the crunch of spinach and the bacon were a perfect textural cotnrast. The bread crusts were firm, but not overbearing. The rest of the bread was soft but not flimsy. I don't quite get what sunflower cream cheese is, but I got a good hint of it here. I was a little worried, because cream cheese is so rich it can overpower things. Not that I'm opposed to cream cheese bombs (i LOVE the stuff), but this had the perfect hint. And along with the mayo (also just a hint) and the avocado, it created great softness and flavors.

The pasta salad

It was pretty bland. Creamy, but bland. I wouldn't get it again.

The Prime Time

I didn't have a full bite if this, but I took a bite of the meat and found it much too salty. And hey- I like salt. Mr. H also said the Au Jus was too salty, so I tasted a bit and WOW...too salty was an understatement. It tasted more like soy sauce to me. Overall, quite disappointing.

I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again unless I'm in the area. Which probably won't happen, since it's right by a Toys R Us.

Obento Ya Japanese Bistro - Minneapolis

In regards to my last blog, I found myself and Mr. C at Obento Ya on a droll Tuesday evening. Japanese food is my new conquest , since the cuisine has been largely left out of my food experiences. I told myself I didn't like it. Through Obento Ya, I experienced the meaning of food experience, and acquired tastes.

Mr. C and I are fond of small plate eating (see Moto-i) and were delighted to find quite the small plate variety at Obento Ya. Obento Ya is a little out of the way place in SE Minneapolis, and it's atmosphere is that of a small cafe/sushi bar. Very quaint and pleasant. The waitress was friendly, and good about answering my sushi questions. I told her I was somewhat of a sushi noob, and this would be my first place to eat "good" sushi. She helped me along the menu, and agreed the Unagi Nigiri (Eel on top of rice, wrapped with a small strip of nori) is good for beginners, because the eel is slightly cooked, and the sauce is sweet. She also agreed the spicy salmon or tuna Maki rolls (wrapped with nori - which i haven't had great experiences with) are good, recommending the salmon over the tuna because it has avocado in it. And avocado rules. After much mulling over the variety of things to get, we finally decided.

I opted for:

The Spicy Salmon roll
Chicken Katsu (japanese frying method, usually with breadcrumbs, and they have varieties such as eggplant, scallop, etc)
A Scallop Tempura (tempura is an egg based batter, in which the items are fried.) These were all small plates, so you get one item apiece, besides the sushi of course.

Mr. C opted for:

Petite Katsu (a variety of vegetables, katsu style)
Eel Nigiri (yes! I got to try some of his!)
a Japanese Pumpkin Tempura
Yakitori Trio (grilled skewered chicken-different parts offered, such as thigh etc. He opted for the thigh portion.)
And we split an order of gyoza (pan fried dumplings, usually with pork and veggie mixture, all ground up.)

I introduce, in no particular order!

Spicy Salmon Rolls

These were very, very good. I did not taste the kind of "fishy-ness" I have previously had with every other sushi I've eaten. There is a delicate flavor, but it's natural and fresh. I am pleased to say I did not get a hint of the unpleasantness I normally have from the nori. I did have to pull at it with my teeth (as I struggled with at Oishi), so decided to go for it and eat the whole piece at once. While it does fill my mouth extremely full of food, (making me feel kind of...rude,) it also gave me a lush sushi experience. The salmon and avocado texture was VELVET. The spicy sauce came through light, but definite. I also ate more wasabi than I have before - putting a tiny ball on the end of one chopstick before picking the piece up and dipping it in the soy sauce. It was a perfect compliment to the flavor combination, adding a sharpness to remind your senses to come back home and evaluate what's in your mouth. Lovely.

Unagi Nigiri (sorry for the terrible picture)
These were just awesome. One thing I love about certain sushi's is the sesame seeds. That flavor pops right off. I then immediately tasted the eel - which had a more fishy flavor than the salmon, but it was slight and pleasant.. The texture was soft, and the sweet and salty eel sauce on top is the perfect partner to the sticky rice and eel flavors. I totally loved this!

Gyoza
I have had these before, and I must say I found these to be bland. The sauce was the same as anywhere, just a less salty/more sweet soy sauce. I didn't get the crunch from the edges like I did at Oishi, so I would have to say I prefer that gyoza over these.

Petite Katsu

I don't really know what vegetables these were, but I ate a few bites of the one on the far left. I think it was zucchini? I didn't care for it much. It didn't suck, but it was kind of watery and not much katsu or vegetable flavor coming through. Doesn't the picture kind of make you think: lollipops??

Scallop Tempura

This was gorgeous. The tempura came through nicely, and scallop absolutely melted in my mouth. Scallops are a favorite of mine - with their mild, light, almost buttery flavor. The tempura definitely didn't take away from this, and stayed crispy outside of the soft center. The only complaint I had is the sauce - for a tempura dipping sauce, it was quite mild and did not add to nor take away from this dish.

Chicken Katsu
My first Katsu ever - and it really is just like a great fried chicken item. Nothing too "asian" about it, except the cooking method being different from ours. Imagine the most flavorful, moist piece of white fried chicken you've had, but with lighter and less greasy - and you have this! It was fantastic, but my real praise goes to the sauce! The only way I can describe is: japanese BBQ sauce. I ate the entire dish of sauce with my chicken. It was very nice.

Japanese Pumpkin Tempura

I found this to be complex, and maybe too much for me to evaluate yet. It tasted like tempura potato, but without a lot of potato flavor. It was slightly squash-like, and I really don't like squash. This was just so-so. I much preferred the Moto-i tempura sweet potato, it had much more depth of flavor and was well defined.

Yakitori Trio

I had these at Moto-i, and found them to be...just grilled chicken. Which it is - but these were much more flavorful. The sauce tasted like a mix of soy and sweet sauce, but it actually permeated into the chicken a bit. The char is well defined, and the grill tastes lingers on your palette for a few minutes after eating it. Very well done.

After this feast, the waitress asked if we would like dessert. I wasn't expecting them to have dessert, so I asked about what they had. I usually never get dessert, but upon hearing CHOCOLATE BANANA CREPES, I buckled. I did not regret this decision upon viewing it - HOLY Mama!


Crepes are another "new to me" thing. I had one at the State Fair (chicken and pesto) and loved it. This was my first dalliance with the sweet side, and man was it amazing. Very simple, with sliced banana's, whipped cream and decadent chocolate ice cream inside. The whip cream had to have been homemade or something, it had that sweet, creamy flavor that a good whip cream should deliver. There was plenty of ice cream. So much it came out the sides, to my delight! Seriously would go back there just for this dessert.

Overall, I had one of the best restaraunt and food experiences ever at Obento Ya. As I explore and learn more about (some) Japanese foods, I find them mysterious, sexy, and delicious. I am still iffy (or downright frightened) of some Japanese cuisine (octopus pancake ball??) However, we are in this awesome honeymoon phase where the heights of our passion know no limits.

http://www.obento-ya.com/

Oishi Sushi and Teriyaki - Brooklyn Center

Ok. Anyone who knows me, knows my sushi predicament. I REALLY want to love sushi. I mean - look at it! It looks so tasty! Unfortunately, the sushi I have tried (high end grocery stores, Kabuki's, Floyd's) I don't like. Too fishy for my tastes, but I think I have an issue with the nori more than the actual fish. I liken sushi to eating a mouthful of sea - good for some, not so good for others! I'm usually up for a food challenge, especially one with so much variety. So my sushi quest continues, and landed me this day at Oishi.

Oishi is a small place inside a strip mall in Brooklyn Center (what whaaaat??) Next to it is a really bad asian takeout place, and a Subway. It is fashioned as japanese cuisine, without all the hardcore fish stuff. The menu includes teriyaki dishes, katsu (japanese fried chicken), noodle dishes (yakisoba, udon), miso soups and bento boxes (totally want to eat bento box style sometime!) It's actually Korean run, but the only sign of this is the offering of kimchee as a side.

So off I went for a sushi adventure. Oishi is really just a small takeout place, so no frills inside. I reviewed the menu heavily before going in, since sushi is somewhat new to me. I have been referred to "rolls" rather than the nigiri sushi (particularly the Caterpillar roll.) I wasn't quite sure how much to get, because I don't know sushi quantity. So i opted for the Gyoza (a dumpling basically-5 pc for $1.75) Philly roll (Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon, Avocadoes and Cucumbers $4.75) and a Crunchy Roll (Shrimp tempura, Cucumbers, and Avocados covered in Tempura Crunch $7.25.)


Gyoza is familiar territory. So when it came out, I immediately ate it. It was good - not great - not bad. The wrapping itself was actually quite light for something fried. And the edges were delightfully crunchy, giving good contrast to the soft interior. Without the dipping sauce (which i can never recognize, but is a common asian dipping sauce for dumplings) it was a little bland, but otherwise they were happy little nibblers. And 5 of these for 1.75 is a downright steal.




The sushi took about 10 minutes to make, and you can watch the guy at the counter making it. It came out at the perfect time. May I introduce:


Philly Roll
I am always astounded by the beauty of sushi. What I am not amused by is the strategy of eating it. I am a 2-bite-per-sushi-piece person. I ignored that about myself though, and ate the first one in whole. I felt like a pig. It almost over-filled my mouth. I chewed through, and immediately had mixed reactions. The rice was nice and sticky. The avocado was velvety and smooth, the cream cheese wasn't too rich due to the competing salmon flavor, but it served as a great lubricant and buffer for the fish and nori. The smoked taste of the salmon came through very well. Salmon however, is a fishy tasting fish. And while these were decidely fishy, it was delicate. But it's not something I want to eat every day. My biggest complaint is they were awkward to eat. It's not eay to bite through the nori, so I found myself "pulling" at it a lot, and then some of the rice would fall apart. Maybe sushi was meant to be eaten in one bite - but I find it a tad too much for my mouth.

The sushi was served simply, with a little ball of wasabi (funny how much it looks like play-doh!) and a gorgeous mound of pickled ginger. Wasabi is challenging for me, so I mix it a small amount with the soy sauce. I know that in some areas, this is considered to be an insult to the sushi chef. But I also know that in the US, many people do it this way. I find soy sauce alone too salty for sushi. So I also used my Gyoza sauce for dipping, which was more mild and a bit sweet. I love ginger, and this is my first time eating it pickled. It is said to aid in clearing your palette, which makes sense because sushi can be very flavorful and complex. I LOVED the ginger. The heat of the ginger and the slight acidity of the pickling - wonderful. It was not over-pickled or vinegary. Delightful!

After eating about 3 of my Philly Rolls, I moved onto the Crunchy Rolls. These were truly a sight to behold.

With these, I found chopsticks to be a deterrent to the eating. These sushi pieces are more narrow and taller than the Philly pieces. So I just used my hands. The first bite I took was really complex, and I struggle to identify all the flavors. The first thing that hit me was the tempura. It tasted so savory and toasty. I didn't get a fish taste from this, gladly, and the pieces were slightly warm compared to the cold Philly pieces. The shrimp flavor didn't come through significantly, but it is layered in there. I found the soy sauce and wasabi ill-paired with this, but a little Sriracha gave that sweet and savory the spicy I was looking for. I don't know what sauce was on top, but it was sweet and salty. I again struggled with the 2-bites/nori predicament, and found myself holding one piece with two hands like it was a tiny round sandwich. I was suprised by how much of it there was. I was confident I would be able to eat all the sushi served to me. After eating 4 Philly pieces, and 4 Crunchy pieces, I was stuffed!



Overall, I look forward to eating sushi not because I fell in love with it (I didn't) but to understand it more. To explore the variety and depth, and learn what it offers. This is definitely an intellectual food for me, and I look forward to a meeting of the minds again soon! (caterpillar roll!) I feel like Oishi does good sushi, but realize I'm still a sushi novice.

http://www.oishimn.com/

Hazlewood

Mrs. D (you may know her from the Jake's post) and I decided to go out for "lunch" on a Sunday afternoon. The reason for the quotes is due to the lack of actual lunch at 12 noon on Sundays most anywhere. Having looked at Hazlewood's menu previously, I saw there was a bit if difference between the lunch and dinner menu. Lunch is sandwich galore, so of course I was tempted! However, we arrived and were met with the dreaded "brunch menu." This consists mostly of, well... breakfast, and then a few burgers. It also states on the brunch menu on the website that the full menu is available for take-out. But when we asked for more options, we were told that they are only serving the brunch menu. Um...oookay. Anyways, I decided on the Cheddar Burger with Tilamook cheese and ordered it medium well, mostly because nothing else on the menu looked appealing. Mrs. D had the cranberry walnut salad.

I didn't know if I would be blogging so I took no pics. I don't usually like to take pics of "normal food" anyhow. It's a burger and fries on a plate, mmkay? This burger was a huge disappointment, especially for being 11 dollars. It was fatty and greasy, which is ok if the burger itself isn't bland. Trust me - I can handle some pretty high fat meals, but even this coated my mouth in juice and grease. I found the bun to be overwhelming, and they also put SHREDDED ICEBERG lettuce on it. Ugh. I had to ask the waitress for some mustard and ketchup, seeing as how nothing came on the burger, and there were no condiments on our table. The cheese flavor was non-existent, though I find this to be the case with any melted cheddar scenario. The fries were good, thin cut and really had depth of flavor - like they were fried in beef oil or something.

I did end up eating it all, but that was because I was hungry and it didn't completely suck. I will give Hazlewood another chance (on a NON BRUNCH menu) but was overall underwhelmed by this experience. It seemed to me you pay for decor, which is modern but also very Minnesotan, with fireplaces and exposed wood walls, combined with stylishly contoured light fixtures. What I didn't see was any good quality food. Mrs. D's salad seemed to be small and kind of thrown together, though I didn't taste it. I can see spending my hard earned money elsewhere and having a much more delightful taste bud experience.

http://www.hazellewoodgrill.com/pages/home

Town Hall Brewery

I have occasionally passed by the Town Hall Brewery, and usually barely notice it. However, upon reading some food blog recently (can't remember which one!) and hearing they have goat cheese nacho's, I decided I should probably get there ASAP.

Last weekend, Mr. H and I found ourselfs a-hungerin' AND a-thirstin, and we immediately decided on Town Hall. This is quite the accomplishment, considering it takes us around an hour (sometimes 2) to decide where to eat. Really, it's ridiculous. I will admit, - I looked at the menu online beforehand (they have a pretty nice website) and found immediately what I wanted. Something that I've not seen elsewhere! We'll get to that later.

Mr. H picked me up around 1030 PM. I was pleased to hear they serve food until midnight. That's a must for late night diners like myself and Mr. H. Off we went, to the West Bank for some eats. No parking lot, but they do have a ramp nearby that costs like 5 bucks. Kind of a bummer, but expected in that area. When we arrived, we walked all around the place to scope it out. There's a bar and dining tables in the first room when entering, really just a basic set up - but very cozy. There's additional seating in the back, one area even has a couch around a table, but we found it too bright for our tastes. So we sat at the front at a regular table.

Of course, the first thing we look at are drink/wine/beer menu's. They have quite a unique selection of brews, being a brewery and all. Things such as "Duchesse Bourgogne"
(6.0% abv. Traditional Flemish red ale from Belgium. Matured in oak casks for up to 12 months. Flavors include passion fruit, chocolate and an acidic finish. Served in 10 ounce glass only.) Or the "Tripel Vision" (8.0% abv. Smooth and rereshing Belgen style Tripel. Light in color and body and loaded with rich fruity untones.)

I decided to stick with my regular cocktail, while Mr. H opted for one of their blueberry brews (not listed on the website, booo!) I've only had one MN brewed blueberry beer, which is quite good. This blueberry beer was 10 times better. It wasn't too sweet. Blueberries are actually quite deep and mellow in flavor, and this beer captured that. It had a lightly toast/malt finish that was just fantastic. I'm not a big beer drinker, so the 10 oz pour in a medium sized, stemmed beer glass is perfect for beer wimps like me. I had some major drink envy going on.

Town Hall does offer 64 oz. growlers (those big old containers you can fill up with their beer and take home) for $13, but unfortunately this beer is not included in the list. HUGE bummer. However, they DO offer a ber flight with all their regular beers (5 of 'em) for $9. Mr H also ordered their scotch ale- "Hope and King Scotch Ale" (6.0% abv. Bronze Medal Winner 2002 and 2004 Great American Beer Festival. Our interpretation of the classic ale that originated in Glasgow, Scotland. A full-body ale, rich in malt complexity. Brewed with both English and American barley and many, many specialty malts allowing hints of roasted chocolate, caramel and raisins with very little hop presence) which IS offered in a growler, and also quite good.

For their food, they have a pretty basic bar menu, but with some twists. For appetizers, they have things such as pretzels, goat cheese nacho's (which I WILL try someday!!!) and sweet potato fries. They have burgers (Greek Burger: An old favorite… grilled ½ lb. burger topped with crumbled Feta cheese and Tzatziki sauce 8.25), sandwiches (Mango Shredded Chicken: Slow roasted and shredded spicy chicken, topped with melted pepper jack cheese, served with a
side of mango salsa 7.95) and some entree's (Roasted Half Chicken: Semi-boneless half chicken slow roasted with garlic and fresh herbs—served with our signature mashed potatoes and today’s vegetable 12.95.)

What really caught my eye was the pasta's. Too often, I see a pasta or two on a menu, like a mere afterthought. This place had some good looking pasta's for a brewery/bar. Such as the Buffalo Chicken Penne with grilled chicken (Town Hall’s special Buffalo cream sauce, roasted red peppers and diced tomatoes. Garnished with crumbled blue cheese 10.95) When I saw it, I wanted to sing. I love love love anything "buffalo", and to see it on a pasta excited and scared me all at once. With no further ado!

Buffalo Chicken Penne Pasta

Where does one begin when they feel such admiration for something? Do they start with the absolute perfection of the al dente penne? How it bounced off his/her teeth, and was sturdy and utterly satisfying? Do they gush about the stunning marriage of creamy and spicy in the sauce? Does he/she ponder how they captured the beauty of buffalo sauce...in a pasta? Would one tell you how they were scared of the muscle that bleu cheese boasts, but were delighted to find it added an excellent sharpness to the entire dish? I would imagine one would say all that. He/she would also add that the chicken was not cubed, not chunked; but pieced. Slightly charred in places, giving you a crispy bit of burnt skin ever so often, driving home the point that the stuff had to have been grilled. I am willing to bet hard earned money that one would testify to this being their new favorite pasta ever. I will also caution any rich food adversaries against this, as it was VERY rich.

Mr. H decided upon the Big Burrito (choice of shredded chicken, steak or roasted pork with cilantro rice, black beans, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and Town Hall’s green chili burrito sauce 7.95) and he chose the pork variety immediately. It was a night of no hesitations for us!

Lots of pleasing things in this monster. Cilantro rice, which actually had hints of cilantro against all the other stuff in the burrito. Their salsa and guac are also good. The guac tasted very fresh, and salsa was not too spicy, garlicky or smokey (all salsa no-no's in Ruby's food world.) The pork was shredded, and was very savory. Mr. H tried his best, but only got 3/4 through the beast, which made me realize how much this guy actually ate.

Icing on the cake time. Most of you (all one of you who actually reads this!) are thinking..o0o0o0, dessert! Nope. The scotch menu. It's delightful. They have everything from Glemorangie to Oban, and offer pours in either petite (1.5 oz.) or full (3 oz...i think) which I think is wonderful. I kind of loathe places that have strict standards on pours. Like, their shots can only be 1.5 oz etc, and the d-bag bartenders actually measure them and shit. This way, you can have a little or a lot, and still keep it on the cheap. Mr. H got a 10 year old Glenfarclas, single malt in the petite pour for around $7 I believe. Not too shabby! I'm not a scotch person, and I even liked this scotch. The glass they serve it in is awesome - its an elegant little scotch glass, with dents in the sides for your fingertips. I wanted to steal it, but unfortunately could not since we only ordered one.

Overall? LOVED IT. And next time, will get goat cheese nacho's!

http://www.townhallbrewery.com/#home/1549

Ginger Hop: Pt. 2

Given my previous excitement about Ginger Hop, I had the notion that I HAD to take as many people there, and as SOON as possible! See, when I get excited, I want to share that with everyone else. Not always so endearing though, trust me. So, my victim (Mr. H) and I found ourselfs there on a chilly, sleepy Monday evening.

This time around, I was eager to try an entree. We agreed to get a few appetizers, and share one entree. As always, with no further ado!

Cream Cheese Wontons:

(god bless Mr. H's good quality cell phone camera)

I found these to be quite good. One gripe I have with wontons is that they can be too crunchy, ruffin' up me mouth faster than 2 bowls of Cap N Crunch. These were still crunchy, but still soft enough not to hurt the mouth. And when you get to that bomb of cheese in the center, it's cream cheese bliss, as a cheese wonton should be. The dipping sauce was again, a winner. It was sweet and spicy and just perfect. My only gripes are that they came out quite lukewarm, and that they were a tad greasy. Which brings me to the next appetizer!

The Walleye Satay:

This was a very good satay, though nothing asian about it at all. The taste of the true walleye really popped here, and it was soft and delicate. However, it too was a tad greasy (i know thats what you get with fried food - but I napkin'd it up even more than I usually do) and also kind of lukewarm. This came with a wasabi mayo, and was again a winner, with very delicate hints of wasabi. For $2 apiece, these are awesome little nibblers when with friends, or just a simple companion to an entree.

For the entree, we decided on the Almond Chicken Stir Fry:

Unfortunately, I have more bad than good to say about this. First off, the rice portion was small, especially for 2 people who are going to share. The rice came tented under a small square plate, and was just very...meager looking. I found this dish overall to be bland. They do give you a spice rack (with thai chilies, crushed reds, sriracha sauce etc) so you can spice it up. However, I found the flavor really lacking. Maybe some more garlic? Ginger? Basil? Definitley needed more spice, more savory, more substance period. The chicken was in larger chunks than I like. This dish was also served to us lukewarm, and the rice was downright hard and cold by mid-meal. On the plus side, there were plenty of water chestnuts in the dish.

I am hoping to attribute this to simply being brand new. I was hesistant at first about whether or not to attend such a brand new restaraunt, without knowing why. Now I know why. My enthusiasm hasn't totally dimmed for Ginger Hop, and their appetizers and sauces are winners in my book. I am hoping to visit this place in a few months and find some of these kinks worked out.

Still no website for Ginger Hop.

Ginger Hop

The new Ginger Hop is in the space formerly occupied by The Times, in Northeast Minneapolis. I am not privy to the reasons for The Times end, but it was somewhat of a sentimental place for me. So hearing of it's demise had me feelin' sad. But then...it's almost like the god's themselves heard of such sadness, and decided to make it better. Way better, by opening a THAI place in NORTHEAST MPLS. I could barely contain my excitement at such a rarity. So barely, that I went there 3 days after it's grand opening on Sept. 21st.

I have so many thoughts about this place, it takes work to organize them. In order to do so, I'm doing this blog in sections.


DECOR/ATMOSPHERE:
There have been no extreme renovations to the structure, so the layout is the same as The Times. Which is good...but weird. The dining area has been revamped into an attractive, modern, clean looking dining space. Comfortable and romantic. Dark and inviting. Versatile, as you could just as well snack at the bar, or have a special night here. The vibes are good and stress free, which is what I sniff for immediately in restaraunts. Stress vibes are not my friend. In the bar area, there are Asian fans on the ceiling, individually waving back forth in unison. Very cute. But the biggest revamp is in the bathrooms.

Look! (the blob in my face is actually a red light bulb.)

The only critique I have is for the bar area. It needs something. If I remember correctly (which i often DONT so dont throw stones if I am wrong!) The Times had some back lighting behind the bottles and whatnot. My companion for the night (and Ginger Hop waitress, Christy Hunt) pointed out it needs some lighting. It is a new place, so I'm not concerned about tweaks such as these.

THE SERVICE:

Well - I sat at the bar. My bartender was one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen, and most importantly: they pour wine with a heavy hand. Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!

THE FOOD/BOOZE:

The cuisine is primarily Pan-Asian. Some appetizers are ceviche, spring rolls, wontons (cream cheese, or cream cheese and carmelized onion with no price difference.) and all are on the cheap. I'm pleased the menu is brief, but not so much that there's only one thing I would order. In fact - I would like to try about 90% of things on the menu. Specifically, the banh-mi! I have heard of banh-mi, but only imagined eating it one day, since it's not common fare here. For those not familiar, it's a Vietnamese baguette sandwich, with pork, carrots, lettuce, cilantro, something pickled (memory lapse, forgive me) and other dreamy things. Their spin on the reuben is innovative, using kim-chee, which I hear is local along with other ingredients. Other fare includes 2 curries, some noodles, asian salads and soups. The wine list seems extensive, affordable and user friendly. They have a standard cocktail menu, and some sake as well. I had the Red Tree cabernet, which was lovely.

Since I was a little money shy, I decided on the spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce ($5), and a chicken satay with peanut dipping sauce ($2.) I didn't take food pics, because it was a bit too dark. But - imagine some sqaure plates with spring rolls, cut into fours, and a chicken piece on a skewer. Nothing fancy, just simple and classic. The spring rolls were HEAVENLY (i'm lookin' at you Chad!) Some spring roll no-no's = gummy rice paper, loose fillings, lettuce/good stuff ratio being 75/25. None of this occured. NONE! The spring rolls were light, cold, and fresh. The balance of flavors, exquisite. The chicken satay was delightfully fragrant. When my food was placed in front of me, I immediately inhaled the delicate scent of yelow curry which the chicken is marinated in. It is delicately flavored. Not dry, not overpowering, and not bland.

I was concerned about recieving the same peanut sauce, but no. The spring roll dipping is a thin asian sauce, with some chopped peanuts in it. I usually favor this kind of sauce for spring rolls over a thick peanut sauce. The sauce was the best I've had, harmonizing all four S's (Sweet, salty, spicy, sour) perfectly. I was so pleased, I wanted to do some harmonizing of my own! The satay sauce was a thick peanut sauce, which actually tasted a lot like unsalted peanut paste. It was very complimentary to the satay.

Sometimes, you just go to a place where everything just works. I have no complaints about my visit to Ginger Hop. I'm even more excited for it's smaller counterpart, Honey (formerly Jitters) to open. I forsee going back many times, bringing many people.

There is no website for Ginger Hop yet.

Jake O'Connor's

I have only been to Jake O'Connor's once before, to stop in and have a drink. It was quite crowded, so I didn't get to stay long. The place's literal title is "Jake O' Connors Public House." Basically, the formal term for a pub, and appropriately so. So on my lazy Tuesday evening, I found myself with my guest (let's just call her Mrs. D) and actually kind of excited to try the food.

Jake's actually is quite nice on the interior. I rarely see an Irish themed-pub/restaraunt that I don't like. Dark shiny wood, nice spacious bar, and a variety of seating. The restaraunt is set up with tables, booths, and has another room just a few steps up from the main dining room, to accomodate more seating. It is somewhat posh, no surprise being in Excelsior, and on the $$-$$$ scale. It is also quite cozy, despite there being a good amount of space. Mrs. D and I chose a booth. The booth annoyed me, as wood booths normally do. They are too...upright, and usually hurt me bum. So usually I feel kind of lurched forward...with a sore bum. Ew.

The menu seems to have your standard such as Shepards Pie, Fish and Chips, Champ along with some others. Other fare is halibut, chicken, steaks, chops, burgers, a few pasta's, and sandwiches. The wine list looks quite extensive and a wide range of price, from 6.50 a glass to $200 bottles Ms. D settled on the half roasted chicken (Half a chicken brined for twenty-four hours before being roasted over a pot of gold. $16.95), and i went with the stuffed chicken breast A 10-ounce skin-on chicken breast stuffed with spinach, bacon and goat cheese. Seared crispy and finished with a white truffle chicken au jus. $15.95.) Each one comes with choice of potato (mashed, fries, or risotto) and veggie (brussel sprouts, mushrooms and onions, or the special: broccolli and cheese) I got the risotto and brussels, Mrs. D got the mushrooms and onions and mashed potatoes. I shall first introduce Mrs. D's choice!

Half roasted Chicken (and more crappy cell phone pics!)

And mine, the Stuffed Chicken Breast:

Let me start by saying I've never had risotto before. From my "experience" (aka...watching cooking shows) I understand it's difficult to perfect. It's either hard and underdone, or too gummy. Maybe I'm a newbie, but it was the best thing on my plate. It was cheesy, garlic-ey, and soft. But not gummy or too starchy. It didn't only taste of garlic- it tasted of roasted garlic. Even better. The juice you see on the plate is the white truffle chicken au jus. It tasted like a rich butter-garlic sauce. It had earthy depth to it, and was delicious. The brussell sprouts were perfect with this sauce. They were tender, but firm, and not mushy or artificial tasting. I really love the satisfying mouth-feel of this vegetable. The chicken breast was not so great, unfortunately. The description sounds pretty decadent. Goat cheese? Spinach? It even looks pretty good.



See?

I found this piece of my meal an overall disappointment. The chicken itself was bland and dry. The juice adds to it, but you have to really douse it in the stuff. I also tasted no goat cheese, no spinach, no...nothing. It's a puzzle for the senses - you can see it in there, but the flavors just don't shine through.

I of course tried some of Mrs. D's meal. Besides the mushroom-ey onion-ey DOOM on the plate. Her chicken was much more flavorful than mine. Parts of it were actually too salty (this coming from an American, where we cherish salt!) I had a little food envy, but not much. Her mashed potatoes were...bland. They has green onions on top, which helped. But it needed more of the usual mashed 'tato suspects.

I shouldn't blame Jake's for this entirely. Their interior is cozy and appealing, and while not cheap, it would for a good place to treat oneself/others to a few drinks. The next time I am in the mood for Shepard's Pie or Boxty, and have a nice chunk of change, I just may find myself at Jake's again. unfortunately, either scenario is likely to be no more than a fable for me anytime soon, and I don't feel that the food is worth the money spent. If I'm going to spend $15 on an entree, I expect to at least really like it.

http://www.jakeoconnors.com/

Sen Yai Sen Lek/ Big Noodle Little Noodle

As you may be able to tell, I go out to eat on whims. So on this whimsical Thursday night, I found myself cruisin' Central Ave NE to find an eating spot. I had a hankerin' for some Asian food - no easy feat here in NE. I had been to Sen Yai Sen Lek before with a friend, despite the great hype it had been recieving. But I found it lacking, for reasons unknown now because I didn't blog them. However, I reconsidered and found myself there again.

The decor is very appealing. Modern (nearing it's 1 year anniversary) and spacious. There's a main eating area, with an array of booths and tables, paintings on the wall (can someone change this trend?) and yellow walls, red walls, blue walls. Off to the right lies the bar area, and some additional seating, in what is a seperate room altogether. This is where I was drawn.

(a kind of picture)


It's quite cozy there. Kind of like you are in someone's apartment. So I decided to sit at the bar (which i never do - i usually loathe eating at the bar. I was feeling feisty I guess) and hunker down for some eats. Plan of attack: standard appetizer-entreee combo. The menu isn't totally extensive, nor is it bare-boned. They have 6 appetizers. Fried spring rolls, thai spring rolls, satay, lettuce wraps and fish cakes. I opted for the lettuce wraps. I vaguely remember having the spring rolls last time, and not liking them. I mean...isn't that kinda hard? Anyways, after a very short wait, I was brought this:

(excuse the dark crappy pic.)
Since its dim there and cell phone pics suck, I shall describe from the top, clockwise. It is:

Lettuce leaves - though I'm not sure what kind. Stems, dark, oval shaped. Is that lettuce? What is it??
Toasted coconut
Teeny tiny pieces of lime
Ginger (much appreciated)
Green peppers - green thai chilies? Diced very tiny
Small diced red onion
Dried shrimp
Peanuts (whole, without shells)
A salty/sweet shrimp sauce for dipping

Besides these being...not very hand friendly, allow me to collect my thoughts on the mess of this dish, and spew forth my well formed opinions about it. *rubs temples*

Ok -first off, weren't we all expecting something..pre-wrapped? Ok - so maybe you like to be creative with your food. You're a painter or something. However, I'm not. I was..hungry. Regardless, I went with it, but hesitantly. Putting each ingredient into the lettuce. First the coconut, then each other thing, kind of one by one. By the time I got through forcing myself to go slow and actually think about what I as doing, 5 minutes went by. Let me remind you I am severely ADHD. Anyways, I then tried to..roll the stuff up in there. It came spilling out, the lettuce tore, and the sauce got on my hands making them sticky. I also got a bite full of chili and onion, Mouth-fire! But, next time, I decided to be patient. I tried again, with a bigger leaf. This time I put no chili, and more shrimp and more ginger. This resulted in a loosely, but successfully, wrapped item. I bit in and got an unpleasant leather-texture chew of the dried shrimp. I guess..it IS dried shrimp after all. In addition, the whle peanut I put in there came tumbling out. Why in the heck did they have all these teeny tiny diced things..but then WHOLE peanuts? How about crushed? It makes so little sense, I have to stop thinking about it now.

What was I expecting? Should I have expected more? Should I have been able to successfully create my own appetizer, picking ingredient one by one, so delicately placing the tiny things on there in an expert flavor arrangement? In short: did I fucking do it wrong?? Needless to say, this dish made me think too much, and it made me question my abilities too much. I ate half of it before giving up. Sorry Sen Yai.

For entree, I ordered the Pad Bpai Graw Pao. Translated: Thai basil stir fry with ground pork or chicken, garlic, chilies and long bean. Served with steamed rice, topped with a fried egg. I chose chicken, like usual. As I do at every Asian restaraunt, I asked what vegetables come in this dish. Peppers and onions, which I do not like. I asked if they would mind leaving those out and putting broccoli and other green stuff in there. No problem, they said. I was hopeful, then waited.

Forgive me for lack of picture, but it was so dark and my cell phone really sucks. Here's the breakdown.

The rice was appropriately sticky. The broccoli was cooked well, and not in overbearingly large chunks. They also put chinese broccoli in there. Nice move. It was quite garlicky, or so my mouth told me after I was done eating it. It had a tray of 4 add ons if you wanted - sugar, thai red chilies (dried), some sort of soy sauce with peppers in it, and just peppers/chili's in liquid. I found the dish to be flavorful, but added some of the soy sauce concotion onto a portion. I found it to then be too salty. The fried egg on top comes out as is, not chopped up, and I appreciate this. You can cut it and get a nice eggy, yolky bite here and there.

Overall, I found it it to be well balanced. More successfully, it's one of the ONLY asian places I've ever been to that has gotten the spice level perfect. It had me sniffling, but just a little, and not as if I was thinking of dead relatives. One gripe I have is that I had to actually look for the chicken. It's chopped up so very finely, it gets lost. Trust me, I don't like huge, chewy chunks of whatever they serve up at some asian places. But I like to chew a bite here and there. I love the taste of chicken, but I also love the texture of it too. It just wasn't there.

I don't think I will be back. If someone wants to pay, then ok. I am just overall not too impressed with this place. And my hands still stink, after 3 washings.

http://www.senyai-senlek.com/

The Gold Nugget Tavern and Grill/ Minnetonka

I'm not sure if the Gold Nugget is new or just improved. This is the first I have heard of it, through a friend who suggested we meet there. Alas, we did not meet this time. But Mr. H and I took our hungry stomachs there, while in the area one evening.

The decor and atmosphere is nothing special. It reminds me of a small version of Houlihan's. I like Houlihan's - but I get sick of the same atmosphere almost every restaurant I go to in the 'burbs. It seems they are either dingy and old, or super yuppie. I would love to see someone open innovative and fun places,. Psycho Suzi's? Galactic PIzza? SOMETHING?

We opted to sit outside, since it was a nice Tuesday evening. We were a-thirstin (when AREN'T we a-thirstin'??) so we ordered up off the drink menu. Usually, these menu's scare me at $8.00 or so per drink (and usually real crappy ones.) Nope! These were around $5.25-6. Nice work. I ordered an Electric Lemondae. Citrus vodka, limoncello, blue curacao, and sour? 7-uP? Lemonade?? BAH. I don't remember (that'll teach me to wait so long before blogging!!) Mr. H ordered what was basically the equvalent of a gin based Mojito.

They came soon enough. Our waiter was so-so, service was not super fast and he made no lasting impression on me. Except when I asked to use his pen, he said "ok...but make sure I get it back!!" like he was really concerned. Ummm, ok there fella. Anyways, our drinks came, and I am pleased to say they more than made up for our waiters d-bag attitude. (i stole that term from you, Chad!) Let me introduce!

Electric Lemonade

I must say that lemonade drinks often scare me. They are too sour or sweet fo my taste. Seeing there was blue curacao in this soothed me, since that will mellow out any sour with it's mild orange flavor. Plus, it's a purdy color! This drink was really good. Sweet, not too strong, just right. Yum

The Gin Mojito thingy!

When I think of mojito's, I feel sort of bewildered and sad. The ingredients are my thing, so much so it makes me want to burst into song. However, the 3 or 4 mojito's I've had simply aren't that...good. And they are usually expensive. This one was no exception, ringing in at $7.50. But then....I drank some. I almost sang. It lived up to every expectation my taste buds and brain hold for these ingredients. Before you even sip any, when the glass comes up to your lips, take in the aroma of earthy fresh mint, clean gin and bubbly soda water. I had some major drink-envy going on here.

After all that adoration, we ordered food. They have lots of basic things on the menu - sandwiches, salads, chili, soup and...2 different kinds of pasta (which confuses me. Why only two, I wonder?) It isn't the cheapest place - you will pay around 9 or 10 bux for a burger, 12 bux + for pasta's, entree's e.t.c. I got the roast turkey sandwich: turkey, provolone, avocado, bacon, and garlic mayo on sourdough. With fries. Mr. H got the pulled pork sandwich. Here's my breakdown:

Turkey sandwich:

This sandwich was goooood. Anything with bacon + avocado combo wins me. However, these can both be a texture challenge. This sandwich did just fine. It was firm, and not goopy, not mushy or too soft (all pet peeves, unless you are eating a PBJ!) The bacon was nice and firm, without being too chewy or tough. Nice job. The fries were shoestring style, which is my least favorite. However, these were really decent. I didn't have to salt them. And even though they're thin, they are quite satisfying. My only gripe (and is usually always my gripe with toasted bread sandwiches) was the bread. It Captain Crunch'ed up my mouth for the next few days. How can this tough scratchy bread dilemma be resolved??




The pork sandwich
I have no idea, but my Mr. H seemed to be in heaven judging from the ridiculous facial expressions I observed.

Greats:

-The specialty drinks = cheap and gooood.

-The fries are yummy and salty enough on thier own

-Solid sandwich ingredients = yummy sandwich you cant stop eating.

Not so-greats:

-The waiter was kind of a tool

-It's the same as every other restaurant i attend in the suburbs

-The sammwich ruffed up me' mouth

-It's too expensive for a broke bum like me to go to very often

http://www.goldnuggettavernandgrille.com/