Sunday, January 13, 2013

The Lowry, Happy Hour - South Minneapolis

Finding a good happy hour takes some digging. The afternoon/early evening 430-6 PM $1 off taps and rails may be convenient for the working class, but I demand more from a happy hour. What I want is accessibility to items/places I wouldn't normally be able to afford. I also prefer a later running happy hour, since drinking and eating at 4 PM isn't realistic for me, even on my day off. Even though I have been to The Lowry many times before, it was never on happy hour. Since they offer one that goes from 4-7 PM EVERY SINGLE DAY, I went there to end a busy day of record shopping.

Let me first mention that I initially wanted to check out Bar Abilene's happy hour, but it was the Vikings vs Packers game and to say the least, it was noisy and crowded there at 6 PM. Moving onto the Lowry, it was bustling but contained a much more mellow game-vibe, and I grabbed the one open seat at the bar.

I had wine on the brain (surprise) and was pleased they offer a thoughtful , small selection of $4, $5, and $6 wines by the glass. My first choice was the Cartilidge and Brown Pinot Noir. The pours are not generous, but not so small that paying $4 a glass for it is insulting.

I had already had a few sips before the picture, so the total pour is almost half a glass. I loved this Pinot. it was fruity, light and smooth on the palate. It was exactly what I had hoped for.

The happy hour menu varies, but always includes deviled eggs for $1. That means 1 whole egg, divided into half, is a buck. I ordered 2.

I can't say anything about these that I haven't already said. They're pretty much any deviled egg lovers dream. I've had them many times, and only one of those times were they off. Too salty. This time they were seamless, producing the eggy-mustardy-salty flavors that are classic to deviled eggs. Creamy and smooth, the addition of the little salty crisp of the bacon lend a slight contrast that is harmonious. Catch a pinch of the cayenne while slip sliding through the garlic aioli, and you'll get the backbone you want if you enjoy that sort of integrity.

Who doesn't like wings? I've (shamefully) only had a few versions throughout the Twin Cities, so I chose these based on 60% curiosity, 40% hunger.

I did not know they were fried, nor did I know they served a full 12 wings for $6. Both were pleasant surprises, as they were delicately crispy and so plump and meaty, I could almost convert to fried versions permanently. I asked the bartender what the dipping sauce was. The Lowry couldn't possibly serve RANCH with their wings...right? Not only do they, but it's homemade. And they add lemon juice to it, which gives it a clean, bright pop of flavor to the wings. Perfection.

I had no idea how much FOOD I would be be receiving. After eating 4 deviled eggs, and 5 wings, I was stuffed. I had to have one more glass of wine (Ugly Duck cabernet sauvignon - $5) while I listened to the cheer as the Vikings won the playoffs. And I didn't mind it one bit.

The only small complaint would be the service. I was at the bar, and there were 2 bartenders. It took me around 5 minutes to order my drink, and then after that around 15 minutes to get my food order in! Good thing I got there early enough to take advantage of happy hour.

My total bill: $18.54. For food that could have easily been shared. Happy Hour go to, locked and sealed.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Masu Part 2: Birthday Dinner

In my previous blog, I outlined my Masu test drive. I was satisfied with it, and decided it was an accessible medium for people to enjoy, so I made my reservations, hoping to snag the swanky black and white booth for my estimated party of 10. And...I did!

As I was seated underneath the wall scattered about with Munny dolls, I was ready to get my Izakaya (small plate bites!) on, my sushi on, my Japanese on! I enjoy going a little crazy with small plates, and since most of my friends were already present when I arrived, I dove right in.

The Izakaya menu is divided between cold and hot selections. My selections were the Crispy Pork Kara-age ($6.5), Shrimp Edamame and Shitake Spring Rolls ($8), and the popular Grilled Rice Balls (yaki onigiri.) For some reason, I couldn't find them on the online menu, but they're pretty cheap, around $5 for two. I also ordered a Gummi Sochu Sour in Ginger Peach, I suppose to ensure that I still didn't care for them much.

For my sushi, I decided to try my first Omakase! Masu follows guidelines and recommendations from the Monterey Bay Aquarium regarding sustainability. Apparently, 75% of the world's fisheries are fished to capacity, or overfished. This is why you won't see a standard fish selection (i.e. unagi, yellowtial) here. I am especially pleased to see they offer Anago, which I describe as "Unagi Supreme.

Masu's Omakase consists of: 4 nigiri, 1 Hosomaki (thin roll), 2 Futomaki (specialty rolls), and 2 hand rolls to a minimum of 2 people, at $18 per person. So that = $36 for a mess of sushi for 2 people to eat!

Shrimp Edamame and Shitake Spring Rolls

Japanese Spring Rolls are different from what some people may associate a spring roll with. The gummy/soft rice paper versions are mainly Vietnamese or Thai. Japanese are smaller, fried versions. These spring rolls came across to me as non-descript. I wasn't able to discern any specific bits of shrimp, edamame, or shitake. I should have ordered the steamed buns I spied my friends eating, as they were generous and looked delicious.

Pork Kara-Age

I've never had kara-age before, but my understanding is that it is yet another Japanese frying technique, akin to fried chicken. Crispy and succulent? Unfortunately, this was neither. It was limp, chewy, and had no detectable pork inside. I'm sure it was there, I suppose I couldn't find it. The plethora of dipping sauces (the dollops are supposed to be a mustard-mayonnaise thing, I think), were absolutely required in order to give this thing any flavor. I ended up eating one of them before moving on.

Grilled Rice Balls

I've heard great reviews about these, and mine won't differ. The first thing I'd like to remark on is the portion size. These plump rice triangles are quite filling! The textural contrast is not your typical crunchy-soft delight, but a sesame-seedy, chewy sticky rice-y one. A tad bland on their own, the ginger/soy sauce gives it the touch of salt and spice it needs. Just like a nice bowl of sticky rice with sesame and sauce, in fun eating form.

Somewhere in all this, my lovely friends bought me a specialty cocktail. The famous Lucky Millionaire Mojito, served with a lottery ticket. In my mind, a good mojito is light and herbacious. These mojitos have kalamansi lime at the base, lending a sour flavor.

Omakase

From top left to right:

Arctic Surf Clam nigiri, Scallop nigiri, Striped Bass nigiri, and Arctic Surf Clam again. 2 Scottish Salmon hand rolls. Bottom left was a Dynamite Futomaki roll (Tuna and Albacore Tuna with Avocado and chili sauce.) Smack dab in the middle is the Poke Futomaki roll (which I got last time and reviewed at this link), and on the bottom was our Hosomaki (thin roll) of Salmon and Cucumber.

I started off with the Arctic Surf Clam nigiri. I've been a tad adventerous with nigiri before (ika, mackarel), but had never had clam. I remember saying "I'm scared" as I raised it to my mouth. I popped it in, chewed and waited for...something. That something most fortunately turned out to be sweet, succulent, al dente (not chewy or rubbery, but not the velvet lush you get from flounder, or bass) nigiri treat!The striped bass was clean and lush, and my Omakase partner got the scallop.

The Dynamite roll was exquisite. I didn't detect much spice, but the combination and structure was remarkable. The Poke roll was just as I remembered it. The Hosomaki were tasty morsels, and a nice break away from Futomaki pieces, brimming with ingredients.

The hand rolls were a little more difficult to me. I've become accustomed to eating sushi in small or large bites at a time. Eating a big bite out of a hand roll seemed strange to me. Like if you were used to tea sandwiches, and then were handed a regular old sandwich. It was my first time eating them, so I would give it another try or two before I deliver a verdict.

My overall conclusion of Masu: The sushi is exceptional. Among the best I've had. Not so much for small plates (for those, go here) and I've heard the ramen and noodle dishes are actually bland. For it being close by, and having a decent happy hour, I will definitely return when a sushi excursion beckons.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Masu NE Minneapolis: Part One

Masu in NE Minneapolis was popular before it even opened it's doors to the public. I remember driving by, so pleased about sushi so very close to my house. Then it opened, and I never went! Shame. So I decided that my birthday dinner this year had to take place there. I didn't have a good idea of how many people would actually come, so I called far in advance to notify Masu that I wanted reservations, but the number of people could be between 6-12. They told me that they can't split bills with parties that size. I tried to explain to them that people may come and go at different times. The girl on the phone expressed some doubt and hesitance. I got uneasy at their capability at handling small groups. So I decided to wait on the reservation, and do a happy hour test drive of Masu, which I've decided to review as Part One.

Although Masu's happy "hours" are nothing uncommon (M-F, 3-6, yadda yadda), the specials are decent. $3 sake, $4 tap beer, $5 wine, and $6 for the popular Sochu Gummi Sours, which are normally $8. The food varies from $2 at the cheapest (kappa sushi) to $11.5 being the most expensive (Firecracker Roll.)

Photos of Masu can be found easily, and for good reason. The space is modest, colorful but dark, sleek, and ornate. With dramatic wall sized geisha-style models, Munny Dolls sprinkled about, sake barrels stacked, and of course the Pachinko machines. The centerpiece to this moderate space is the sushi bar, halved with the actual bar, which gives it bar-height seating. I bustled in and hunkered down.

People have mentioned that there's a high energy to Masu. That it can be noisy, even frantic. I found it to be none of those things. I found the atmosphere to be run of the mill Japanese restaurant; trendy, aesthetically pleasing, sufficient. No stress vibes at all.

I was very curious about the Sochu Gummi Sours. I love gummi bears, and I love Sochu (which is like sake, but stronger.) I chose the Lovey Gummi (japanese cherry blossom, green tea) after my helpful server described it. I also ordered the Ginger Glazed Chicken Wings ($7), and the Poke Futomaki Roll (marinated tuna, wakame seaweed, scallion, avocado, cucumber - $8)

Sochu Lovey Gummi

The drink came out in less than 10 minutes, and I was a bit disappointed to see how small it was. The pictures I had seen of them before looked like they were served in a pint glass. Sadly, they are served in a small round glass, like the kind you get a cocktail in at a dive bar. I personally found this popular drink to be ho-hum. It was tart, not sweet, and not substantial enough. Especially for a regular price of $8. Yikes! There are many more intriguing cocktails here for $1-$2 more. If I had that much money to spend on a drink (never) I would buy a specialty cocktail instead of another Sochu Sour. Even for $6 on happy hour, not worth it.

Ginger Glazed Chicken Wings

The wings came out within 15 minutes, and were served with a damp, hot towel. The flavors were mildly sweet, with a touch of heat, and a hint of sesame. The meat wasn't substantial, nor meager. They were not fatty or chewy. I've encountered many a succulent wing, and this comes in a few notches below them. Tasty, but not dynamite.

Poke Roll

They serve the rolls on your own wooden plank, and Masu places important on presentation. This was by far the best Futomaki roll I've ever had. Not in the sense of the combination, which is fairly standard. But the textures, the structure, and the absolute freshness make this an exceptional sushi roll. The fish is the star, the avocado co-stars, and the cucumber reminds you to use your teeth.

My total = $28.98, including tip. Not a steal, but not bad for what I got! Stay tuned for the birthday blog!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Resurrection.

Greetings,

After what has been a long and contemplative hiatus, I'm content to report I've decided to resurrect Boullabaisse Brain. My intention is to still keep it food-centric, with reviews on occasional different topics. Instead of assigning anything specific, I'm giving myself the freedom to review anything I feel strongly/specific about. In order to give it some focus, and to avoid a resurrection crash-and-burn, my promise to the overall blog theme is: quality, not quantity.

I started the blog back in 2009, because ever since I can remember I've had a driving need for expression. Since I wasn't afforded any necessarily creative talents, the expression took root verbosely, or via written word. And it is that simple.

I don't make claims on being excellent at anything. That's why I started to give up on Boullabaisse Brain in 2011. With the new year around the corner, time moves faster, and value systems shift. Following your bliss, perseverance, and vitality become more important than perfection or excellence.

Regardless, I continue to hope you enjoy what I have to say, as much as I enjoy writing it!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Fiona Apple: Minneapolis, July 16th 2012.

Fiona Apple returned to Minneapolis at the Orpheum Theater for the first time in 6 years on July 16th, 2012, touring for her new album, The Idler Wheel...I (along with many others, I assume) was very curious and in anticipation of Apple's return, as past reviews have not been exactly in her favor. I have been a big fan ever since the beginning of her career, as most of us have, with my personal favorite album being When The Pawn...I gave The Idler Wheel a few listens, and admittedly found it to be a challenging listen. So I approached the performance with mixed feelings, but wiped the slate clean and opened up to the experience.

The following are my thoughts on certain songs that I especially enjoyed.

She started off strong, with a bright version of Fast As You Can. Spinning around in strobe -style lights to the opening drums, with precise articulation of the complicated lyrical structure the song holds, it did the trick to disarm the audience.

She then delved into On the Bound. Belting out "You're all I need" with a desperation greater than what is conveyed in the album version. The neediness and insecurity of the song was raw and ever present in her performance.

Shadowboxer was up next, and it was a lush lament on lost love and abandonment. Soulful and thick.

Paper Bag was a gem. Whimsical and pessimistic all at once, she emphasized phrases with wormy twists and rigid foot stomping, in her eccentric little Fiona way.

Get Gone was next, and was one of my favorite performances of the night. Headstrong, raw and scornful. The part where she sings "fucking go" gave me the chills, which it never has with the album version.

Sleep to Dream was awesome. With guitarist Blake Mills holding the reigns, the song began with it's natural groove, and expanded. The way Fiona sang the song in her classic way, while also adding her new, grown up self to it made the song shiny, but reflective. Extraordinary Machine was passionate and reflective. The way she sang "I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine" was no longer for the sake of being sing-songy and indulgent. She sang it with a self assured tone that made you feel honestly happy for her.

I Know was captivating, mournful, and quietly bittersweet.

Every Single Night is her newest single on rotation here in Minneapolis. While my impression of it at first was difficult, I found it well composed and focused live. "I just wanna feel everything."

Carrion was towards the end of the night, and was incredibly powerful and stunning. It was slightly improvised vocally, primal, and self righteous. Hearing her howl "I've gone away" gave it a crescendo, and Blake broke through every exterior with his awesome guitar.

Criminal was the last song before her encore. I was surprised she chose to play it, and by the end I was pleased she chose to play it (unlike some artists who will never play their big hit live/Thom Yorke\) It was everything your old favorite is not. Comfortable in its own skin, Fiona reclaimed it and made it her own. Because after all, it IS hers, and hers alone....

As you can see, she played many old songs, which I interpret as making up for lost time and greatly appreciate. She played a total of 4 new songs on a 17 song setlist. Regardless of any comments about her appearance, her performance was triumphant. Her voice was often booming, jittery,(love or hate it, it's probably her style now), in tune, and raw in sections. Many times she would stand, wound up tightly and stamping her foot to her words, but eventually she would dance and spiral with fervent unconstraint. Nothing was ever forced, she was mostly confident, passionate, ardent, and reflective. Before her last song (a Conway Twitty song) she announced that it was to be her encore, and we should pretend she went off stage and came back on. A classy end to the night.

Her new songs were well portrayed and focused live. I get a feeling that there is a bit of genius behind these songs, not easily grasped with the naked ear. One could get the sense that our fragile Fiona is going to be (gasp!)....alright.

Setlist: Fast As You Can / On the Bound / Shadowboxer / Paper Bag / Anything We Want / Get Gone / Sleep to Dream / Extraordinary Machine / Werewolf / Tymps / Daredevil / I Know / Every Single Night / Not About Love / Carrion / Criminal / It's Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty cover)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

I went to Portland, OR.

Greetings! I've been back a month now, and have finally gotten together my report on Portland. Enjoy!

Firstly, my hotel was fine. It isn't in the greatest area, and there are a lot of cheap motels around there. I found The Monticello to be clean and spacious, with little to no extras (no lobby area, just a small office off the rooms. No coffee, breakfast, internet e.t.c.) It is however, clean, spacious, and within 3 blocks of the MAX station, which was beneficial.

My very first Portland thing that I did was hit up Lucky Devil strip club for my friends birthday. As you may know, Portland has A LOT of strip clubs. I had a blast, and saw girls do things I have never ever seen in a strip club before. Nothing nasty, but as my Portland friend says.."There should be a Strip-U for up and coming strippers here." And he ain't kiddin'.

My 2nd day in Portland, I headed downtown to wander, and eventually go to the Chinese Gardens. I stopped in for lunch at the Morning Star Cafe, and ordered a vanilla latte (my first in Portland, and it was gorgeous) and the Felipe sandwich (turkey, cheddar, stone-ground mustard, cilantro, onion and tomato $8.00) which was tasty. It was not at all dry, and the hint of cilantro with the mustard was a lovely assertive pairing. I fueled up for my trek through old Chinatown (which is barren and mostly empty), and for the Chinese Gardens!

The Chinese Gardens were lovely. A small circular area with a combination of outdoor nature, asian architecture, flowers, walkways and indoor spaces with art and setups of old fashioned rooms. They have a tea room which serves food and has a serious selection of teas, and styles of serving it.

Meeting up with a friend of mine later on, we chose 50 Plates. It was on my list as a good happy hour spot, so we went around 10 pm to take advantage. 50 Plates is quite trendy and modern. We sat at the bar, and got our own glass bottle of water, adorned with the 50 Plates logo. Very nice. For the happy hour, I ordered a modified version of the Dark and Stormy (dark rum, ginger beer and lime. $5) and opted for vodka instead. My company opted for the regular Dark and Stormy. Both cocktails were excellent, and served in a solid short glass, with rocks of ice. I was drinking in style. Our bartender was very friendly, humorous and knowledgable. Off the happy hour menu, we ordered Hush Puppies ($2) and the Cheeseboard ($5). The Hush Puppies were soft, savory and very comforting, and the Cheeseboard was refined and share-able. After that, we ordered an Old Guardian Barley Wine (him) and a dirty martini (me.) We left there a whopping $28 lighter. Afterwards, we stopped into the Rogue Distillery and Public House, and then 'round the corner onto the upstairs bar at Touche for some drinking.

The next day, I had crepes on the brain. Chez Machin was on my list, so I headed downtown, and then got a Radio Cab to the SE quadrant. One problem with my list of places is that many of them were in that area, and that ended up being a bit far from my hotel. I found the surrounding area to Chez Machin to be quaint and nice, with a ton of little cafes and such. Inside Chez Machin, I ordered the french onion soup ($4, cup) and the La Percheronne (Black forest ham, brie, avocado, mushrooms & crème fraîche $10.) The french onion soup was excellent, very savory and cheesy! I did not care for the crepe, unfortunately. I found the mushrooms and brie to be overpowering, and the creme fraiche on top added nothing. The crepe itself was a little bland, and not as soft as I thought it could be.

Afterwards, I decided to head back downtown for some happy hour at Clyde Common. I'm the type of person who wants a happy hour that offers something I normally would not be able to afford to drink, and Clyde Common meets that criteria. After a 20 minute search by foot (the only time I got a little turned around in Portland, a miracle for me), I found they were closed, due to what seemed like a wedding party. No one was inside, but there were people outside in wedding attire, having pictures and video taken. I wasn't too crushed, as Clyde's looked very upscale, which isn't my thing anyways.

In need of something close, a drink, and to sit down, I ended up around the corner at Mothers Bistro. I found Mothers to be very organic feeling, earthy and refined. I ordered a Moscow Mule, and then a Vesper (Aviation dry gin, Crater Lake vodka & Lillet Blanc, served up with a twist.) The bartender suggested a drink in between, which I received and did not care for. She happily offered to make something else. Very classy, and friendly.

For my farewell lunch, my friend and I went to Mio Sushi. Mio is a cute little sushi place, which felt very inviting. We ordered a coffee (that comes in your own little french press), the Shumai/Gyoza appetizer ($4.50), a spicy salmon and unagi nigiri (2 for each of us), and a Super Eel roll (Crab, cucumber, avocado inside, eel, sesame seeds, unagi sauce outside -$8.95). I was overall not impressed, and thought the sushi tasted too fishy. The shumai and gyoza were fried, which caught me off guard, and were a little bland without the dipping sauce.

After we ate, we stopped at a place for some coffee that I cannot remember the name of! It's a little coffee place across/down the road from Miho Izakaya on Interstate. I bought some Be Bop biscotti to take home, and my friend and I sipped and reminisced.

I didn't get to do even a fraction of the things i wanted to. Unfortunately, many of the restaurant in my list were in the SE area, which was a bit far from my hotel, requiring cabs, or many MAX and bus transfers. My biggest misses were Le Montage Bistro, Gold Dust Meridian, Pok Pok, The Art Museum, Ground Kontrol (an old school arcade!!), Tasty N Sons (which I was going to go to, but they were closed due to a shooting of Good Eats...), and I never did get to eat any Mac and Cheese! I did get to spend a few hours strolling through the entire Saturday Market, which was a highlight of my trip! I loved the festive and funky environment. I walked past a street performer who was singing my very favorite Sublime song. I bought a few little things, and got to see the food truck scene booming in front of me. I didn't get to eat any food truck fare, but the variety and choices are dizzying! Reindeer sausage! Porketta! Pho!

I did walk past Powells and Voodoo Doughnut. Voodoo Doughnut seems to be just..a bakery. Which would mean more to me if my sweet tooth were a little stronger, I suppose! I would have gone into Powells, but it's HUGE and I really had to pee (almost impossible when wandering downtown. Thank you Noodles and Co, for letting the public use your bathrooms.) I walked by Pause and Saucebox, but never got to go in.

Overall, Portland exceeded even my highest expectations for it. I felt comfortable, happy, and was able to get around with little to no problems, which surprised me because I am very directionally challenged! I liked the weather (remember where I am from), the funkiness, the cleanliness (first dual flush toilet I've ever seen!), and of course the plethora of places to eat and drink! Most of all, I really liked the people. The people were friendly, genuine, and open. And no one was bothered about the fact that I was just visiting. I intend to make this a yearly (at most) vacation spot, and will consider the possibility of moving there someday.

I still miss Portland, even a month later.

50 Plates cheeseboard