Sweet Basil - Brooklyn Park, MN

I tried once to go to Sweet Basil with the assistance of a mere map, and ended up instead at Great India. This time, armed with GPS and rebellion for my 30 min lunch, I headed to Sweet Basil since I won't be 'round these parts anymore after today.

Sweet Basil is just a basic little place located in a shopping center, much like Oishi. Shopping center clusters/ strip malls are to Brooklyn Center/Park are what bars and churches are to NE Minneapolis. So in I went, already having blown 15 minutes of my 30 minute lunch away from the drive alone.

They don't have a website, but their menu is a bit more original than your Chef Boyardee asian place. I can't tell if it's predominately Vietnamese or what, but they have a few stir frys, (basil, ginger) and a few curries. Appetizers are standard-satays, cream cheese wontons, and spring rolls. I decided upon the Spring Rolls ($5), and the Vietnamese Noodle Salad ($9).

Spring Rolls

The spring rolls tasted about how they look. Overall, they were quite bland. The peanut sauce was sweet and and not savory at all. The insides consisted literally of lettuce, vermicelli noodles, pork and shrimp. That's it. I'm not sure what's considered traditional, but how about some carrots? Cilantro? More meat? The pork itself defined bland. I literally ate it and thought - so this is what bland tastes like!

Vietnamese Noodle Salad (with chicken)

This had all the normal components of a vietnamese salad. I admit I have only had them at 3 different places, and this one looked similar. On one side, cold veggies (lettuce, shredded carrot, cucumbers, onions) and the other was warm chicken, peanuts, and sauce, over vermicelli noodles. I'm a mixer, so I mixed all the ingredients up. At first. I was really pleased with the cilantro taste I got. But after tasting other elements of the dish, it really just wasn't great. It did have a tiny hint of spice (it was not listed as a spicy dish) and the sauce in the salad was sweet and savory, but didn't have any depth of flavor past that. They serve a "dressing" on the side, and it's typically cold and on the sweet side. This one was really sugary. And I didn't even need it, because the thick sauce in the salad was already pretty abundant.

Greats:

-They have some nice looking curries I'd like to try

-Same thing with the stir fry's

That's all

Not so greats

-Spring Rolls

-Vietnamese Salad

-Location

Honey - NE Mpls

I was able to get a super special trip to the my old 'hood last weekend, and I've been wanting to hit up Honey pretty bad. For those of you who are curious - Honey is the old Jitters, beneath the new Ginger Hop (and the old Times) in Ne Mpls. The space, like Ginger Hop, is quite similar to the old Jitters but with some new twists. After walking down the flight of stairs, you're met with a wall of candles. They painted the walls bright colors and texturized them as well. There's art hung around, and a crazy metal chandelier thing that hangs really low above a flat cushion-bench, running the length of some opposing booths and tables. Overall, it's a slightly cramped space, but they've done well with the remodel.

When we arrived, the plan was to check it out and have a drink. I was hungry, and heard they have small plates, so I wanted to try at least one. It was pretty packed, and the bar doesn't have any seating. Fortunately, we found a small round table and tucked away in the booth area behind it. They were playing hip hop music (I heard A LOT of Q-Tip) and the crowd overall was your typical trendy crowd. It was too dark to get any pictures, which is a bummer, but I like dark places. As we perused the drink and food menu, and I found a lot of things that interested me. I was somewhat on a budget (when am I not??) so I couldn't get one of their signature cocktails (they are anywhere from $8 and up.) Instead I ordered a vodka pineapple-7-up. The food menu has a small selection of some small plate type things, and a few entree's good until 9 or 10 PM. Some selections are: bruschetta, red beet salad, and a chocolate flight! They also have different individual chocolate truffles as well. I can't remember the exact flavors and I couldn't take a pic, but it sounded DIVINE, and I'll be sure to try it on my next visit to Honey.

Since it was busy, the wait was a little lengthy - but after about 10 minutes, I got my drink. It was fantastic. I don't know why. Maybe it was because I was thirsty. But it tasted wonderful. I opted to order the crostini (with goat cheese, olive pate and tomato jam- around $7), and I couldn't resist getting the fries (with truffle salt, and red pepper aioli - about $5.) We waited approx 15 minutes, and the food (and my next drink) finally came. The crostini plate is an appropriate size for a small plate, There are 6 crostini, and 3 dabs of each spread right on the plate. There was nothing I didn't like about this. It was gorgeous. The olive pate was luscious, sweet and salty. The tomato jam is unlike anything I've tasted, but was also delicious. A tangy tomato taste, with the sweetness of jam and hint of basil. The goat cheese was just that, in all it's glory! My biggest praise however, will go to the crostini. They were toasty, but NOT HARD or crusty at all! My mouth incurred no injuries, and I found myself mixing all the ingredients together quite often.

The fries were of a generous portion, but really just look like McDonalds fries; skinny and limp. Regardless, I ate a mess of them! They were so good, but I'm not quite sure why. I really liked the red pepper aioli. It was kind of mayonaise-y, but the red pepper flavor came through well, as did garlic. The fries were hot, salty, and just really good. I've never had truffles, and I don't know that truffle salt is, but I feel this added a depth of flavor that "Mcdonalds fries" lack.

Overall, I liked it and will defintiely go back, even if for the crostini plate alone!

Great things:
- Crostini plate
-The fries
-The cool wall o' candles

Not so greats
-The atmosphere is kind of trendy
-Lots of loud hip hop (not really my thing)
-No seating at the bar!

Osteria I Nonni - Lilydale, MN

For New Years Eve, Mr. H and I decided to do a course meal again, since the last one we did on Thanksgiving (at Enjoy!) was a hit. This time, we really saved money and I gave Mr. H 3 suggestions and put it in his hands to surprise me. He chose Osteria I Nonni, as they had a choice of either a 4 course meal ($55 per person) or a 6 course. We chose the 4 course meal, and they had some great choices. I did not take pictures at this meal, so forigive me.

Upon entering Osteria I Nonni, I was a little uncomfortable. It's VERY white tablecloth. I'm not opposed to upscale dining, but this was really upscale. Everyone there was dressed really fancy, and the air of the place is very sophisticated. I felt pretty out of place. Regardless, we went to sit down.

We arrived a little late (at 10 pm) and I was not feeling the greatest. I was hoping to be out of there by 1130, in time to get to a New Years Eve event and ring in the new year. I thought an hour and a half would be plenty of time, even for a four course meal, so we settled in. We were offered ice or bottled water, and then waited about 10 minutes for our server to come.

The menu offers a few options for each course: the first being a salad, the second being a small pasta or meat plate, the third being a main course, and the last being dessert. All are offerings off thier regular menu. For my "asseggini", I chose:-

garden lettuces, honey crisp apple, gorgonzola dolce, pistachio, cider vinaigrette.

I don't remember what Mr. H ordered, but it was like a meatball, with breading on the outside, in a tomato sauce.

We waited probably around 10 minutes, and the food came. I must say, I was really disappointed in my salad. The vinagrette was so tart my mouth puckered, the greens were loose and the nuts were hard to handle and I had to put them on my fork by hand. There were about 3 thin apple slices that just kinda...sat there. The gorgonzola however, was in a chunk, allowing you to cut it with each bite, which was good. The size was perfect (small) but overall, I did not enjoy this.

Mr. H's dish however, was very good. The sauce was very tangy and tomatoey, and the meatballs were savory.

For our "secondi", I opted for the:
house-made gnocchetti “alla vaccinara” oxtail ragu, pecorino romano.

And Mr H:
linguettealla vongole manila clams, garlic, white wine.

We waited around 10-15 minutes for this 2nd course, which in my opinion is too long. I understand food takes time to cook, but in a course meal, timing is essential. When it finally came, I must say I enjoyed this a lot. The gnocchi were light, and not dense. I found myself wishing for a little more toothsome-ness. The sauce was very savory, and with a hint of nutmeg or cinnamon perhaps? The oxtail was like a mild roast beef, and very generous and flavorful. This dish came out piping hot, so I'm sure it was very fresh. Mr. H's dish was very salty, and suprisingly it was also very spicy. The linguine was al dente, but kind of "crisp" on one end of the bite I got, which was a turn off.

For our main course, I ordered:
chicken “saltimbocca” asparagus, lemon-caper butter

Mr. H got:
pan seared maine scallops grilled scallions, wild mushrooms, vermouth

This time around, we waited about 20 minutes, and it was already 11:15. I was getting very nervous and upset about the time it was taking. I realize that course meals take time, but a 4 course meal should not take over an hour to be cooked and executed. For one, the food settles in and you get full. By this time, I was very full. And anxious, I felt like I was forced to sit there and wait all this time. At Enjoy!, we had a 3 course meal that was timed well, and we ended up sitting and chatting for well over an hour after the food was gone. Because we WANTED to. See the difference? During this wait, a table near us was given new food by what I assumed to be an owner/manager. I'm not sure what happened, but something went wrong. Anyhow, our food came at around 11:20. I ate about 4 bites of my chicken and was too full to continue. What I did manage to eat was good. Not great. The "lemon caper" sauce did not taste of lemon - but the chicken was crisp on the outside and the proscioutto came through well. Overall, it was quite salty. I also ordered a Winter Bellini (prosecco with rumsoaked cranberry) which tasted strangely of cinnamon.

Mr. H Scallops came, and were cold in the middle. He had to send them back, and we waited 10 more minutes for them to come back. I will admit, the scallops when cooked correctly were the best thing I ate that night. Butter, creamy, and pure velvet. The sauce was earthy and mellow and overall it was a great dish.

We ordered our desserts and my remaining food to go. I ordered the cheesecake, and Adam ordered the budino cake. We were extremely full, and at this point I as not going to make it to my New Years Eve event. While we waited, the table near us was leaving, and the server informed them that due to the mistake, all their drinks were being comped. When our check came, we were offered nothing for being served cold scallops.

Overall, I was very disappointed. Maybe I'm not "sophisticated" or rich enough, but the food was very mediocore and the wait time was way too long. For me to spend that much money on a meal is quite a task, and I feel like I threw my money in the street. Admittedly, I was in a bad mood for not making it to the NYE countdown. I was eagar to leave, and got to my event at around 12:30 AM.

Greats:
-Pretty interior - kind of rustic but sophisticated
-Scallops were very good

Not so greats:
-The wait time
-Being served cold scallops, having to wait more and then not being offered anything for it
-Atmosphere is a bit too uppity for me

http://www.inonnirestaurant.com/

Obento-Ya Mpls. - Round Two

I have been feeling quite lonely for my city, and had a mad craving for sushi. Sushi for me is one of those cravings that I can't wait out. I tried, but after 2 days, I crumbled. Mr. H (a sushi virgin) and I found ourselfs at Obento Ya, my favorite Japanese place in Minneapolis thus far.

I was excited to see if Mr. H would like sushi, or understand the concept of small plate dining. He is a meat and potatoes guy. But away we went. Obento Ya was very busy, and we were seated at the bar area (which is just fine - it is a small place and I was happy to see it busy) and we ordered the following things:

Appetizer: Octopus Pancake Ball (Takoyaki)

Sushi/Rolls: Unagi Nigiri, The Ebiten Big Ten (tempura shrimp, yama-gobo, cucumber, lettuce, & eel sauce)

Small plates:
Bacon Asparagus Roll
Octopus Robata (grilled)
Scallop Katsu

Sake flight for $10 (I don't remember what they were and I couldn't find an online listing, unfortunately.)


The sushi items came out first:We were so hungry we ate the Unagi and almost forgot to take a pic. The unagi as usual is gorgeous. Velvety, lush, sweet and savory. The Big Ten roll was very good - the comforting taste of the tempura came through nicely, and there's good yama gobo crunch. Mr. H surprised me by really liking both types immediately. For some, even myself, sushi can be an acquired taste. Now I have a sushi eating partner! Which is awesome, because eating sushi with someone always adds to the experience - which is ultimately the main pleasure of eating sushi and Japanese foods, in my opinion.

Next, several of the other plates came out:

Takoyaki:
These were CRAZY. I have no idea how this is made, and cannot find a recipe online to indicate ingredients. This is hands down the most complex thing I've ever eaten - even Mr. H said that immediately upon eating one. Imagine a sort of bread-ey meatball, but the inside is mooshy, and there are chunks of octopus throughout. These were very savory and a little sweet. I don't know what the sauces on top are. Very texturally complex, with the more firm outside, the soft inside adn the firm octopus. They weren't bad at all, not fishy tasting or too rubbery. I would recommend this to any adventerous eater looking to have their mind blown a little.

Octopus Robata
I have never had octopus before, but know it can be rubbery. This did not seem rubbery, but octopus is quite firm and toothsome. To me, the flavor and texture on this resembled mushrooms, which I do not care for. Mr. H said it tasted like sea to him, but maybe our ideas of what sea tastes like is different. I didn't care for this, but it was a great experience to try it.

Bacon wrapped Asparagus Roll:I can't say this isn't Japanese, because as far as I know they could eat it every day over there. However, bacon is very American to me, and this was awesome and tastes exactly how you would think. Nice fatty, salty bacon and firm asparagus inside. Yum!

Scallop Katsu:

On my previous trip, I had the Scallop Tempura. I think I prefer that to katsu, because there is something so comforting about tempura that I love. Katsu is good too, but it doesn't add anythign to the scallop inside. The katsu sauce reminds me of a Japanese BBQ sauce, and I really like it.

Sake flight:This was more generous than I thought, and the sake's increased from a light sake, to a sweet sake that even had a hint of a "licorice" type flavor. Very nice compliments to our food!

After this feast, we were full, but Mr. H pointed out that he had not eaten anything raw, and was disappointed by this. So, we order the yellowtail nigiri sushi, which I've never had before. I didn't take a picture, but it's a white fish and it was awesome. I've only ever had the unagi nigiri before, and this was very differnt. Eel has a definite flavor to it, and this was just light, lush and delectable. Mr H and I both loved it.

For dessert, we had to order the chocolate banana crepe, which I had last time and loved. This time was no different - and Mr. H and I devoured it quickly.

Greats:
-Yellowtail nigiri
-Big Ten Roll
-Sake flight
-Obento-Ya is consistent, and the servers are always really cool and helpful

Not so greats:
-Octopus is weird
-I ate so much that I got really really full.