Crave - St. Louis Park

After seeing Alice in Wonderland at the Showplace Icon Theater in SLP, I was delighted to see Crave right next door. I have been wanting to go for some time now, and what better to do after a movie than nosh and drink and talk?? So...of we went, Mr. H and I!

Crave is really ultra modern and new, very spacious, but not at all trendy or stupid (like Azia. ugh.) It was very friendly and cozy, for being such a large space. The outside boasts some of the most gorgeous outside seating I've ever seen, and I immediately imagined myself on a nice breezy evening; lounging, sipping drinks and eating sushi and life is A-OK! We got there around 930, just in time for Happy Hour. I ordered a vodka cranberry/apple/ginger ale drink ($5!) and Mr. H, a mojito. Their Happy Hour food is seriously a good deal. You get 3 categories - $3, $4 and $5, with anywhere from five to seven things on each list. I got the Unagi maki ($3) and an and an order of the Lemon Garlic Chicken wings ($5.) Mr. H got the Scallop Poppers (scallops baked in spicy mayo wrapped in salmon, topped with crunchy flakes - $5)

Maki/ ScallopsThe maki was lush and lovely. I prefer my sushi food in smaller bites. Some places I've been to act like it's a competition to see how big they can make them. But I like being able to COMFORTABLY pop one in my mouth. These were tres bien! But the real winner were Mr's H's Scallop poppers. I took one bite and was immediately transported to a different universe. It was like biting through BUTTER, with crunchy flakes and my ever beloved masago adding to texture. The scallops were buttery and light and melt in your mouth wicked awesome good superb. I want these again and again.

WingsI loove me some wings, and these were the best I have ever had. In my life. Either that means I haven't had enough wings, or that these are really really good. And dude, they are FIVE BUCKS. The lemon came through just slightly, letting the chicken sing. The best part: the skin. Crunchy crispy greasy heaven. The wings are meaty, and are exactly what I think of when I think of a good nosh. Even ask Mr. H, who "doesn't like chicken skin." That boy was sucking and biting every last crumb of wing-tip skin (my favorite part) like a starving dog. I think I even heard him growl once or twice.

Overall, I loved the happy hour nosh and drink. I also got a nice glass of sake - all this came out to be 30 bucks. That's pretty awesome for all that food and a few drinks. Since Crave has 87 hundred things on their menu, I will have to make many visits. My mom wants to go to dinner tomorrow, and I WILL get her here, so be on the lookout for that blog. Hi Mom!

http://www.craveamerica.com/index.php