Kim and I are back from our 10 day vacation to Edisto Beach, SC (along with Charleston, Savannah, and Hilton Head Island) and I’ll have some photos of the trip posted sometime this week… In the mean time, check out the mobile pictures here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
We had a great week of relaxation and family. Good times. More to come soon :)
After being reminded twice in two weeks about Brianno’s in Eagan, MN I decided to place an order for pickup that afternoon.
I took a look at their take-out menu and asked Kim what she wanted. I was immediately drawn to the sausage, peppers, and onions longing for a recreation of memories from my childhood during Scranton, PA’s La Festa Italiana where sausage, peppers, and onions run rampant throughout. Kim chose their boxed lunch which includes small portions of two deli salads, carrot cake slab, a pickle, a piece of fruit (in this case an orange), a mint, and a 1/2 sub sandwich (she picked roast beef and I chose provolone for it).
I got my haircut and beard trimmed last night and drove over to Brianno’s at just about 7. I looked around the store a bit and then up to the counter. The guy making a pizza with his back to me asked, without turning around, what I wanted. So much for friendly service (but as Kevin mentioned later, no tip required for take out so no friendly service is expected — I tend to agree). I told him I was here to pickup an order for “Bill” and he then asked what I ordered. I told him vaguely and he appeared with a bag full of my food. After asking if there was anything else, he immediately returned to the pizza and I left.
I took a peak in the brown paper bag as I got into the car and was surprised as the small size of one pound of sausage, peppers, and onions. I was also somewhat surprised that it wasn’t drowned in tomato sauce (as that’s what I’m used to).
I got home and we dug in. I was wrong about thinking that one pound of the sausage, peppers, and onions wouldn’t be enough. Instead of being mostly veggies, it was mostly meat — and very good meat at that. It was nearly 100% what I was looking for. I must admit that I was in heaven. Finally a place that recreates one of my hometown favorites correctly!
Kim’s boxed lunch was nice and she enjoyed the tortellini salad but passed off most of the chicken salad with shells to me. She finished off the carrot cake but left a good bit of the sandwich to the side after finishing off the meat inside. She didn’t much care for that at all. I took a bit and found it pleasant but the bread was a bit too large for even my big mouth (heh) to eat so I’m not surprised Kim wasn’t a huge fan.
Overall, a very very very very very excellent meal for me and just a mediocre one for Kim. I would certainly return for some more of that sausage, peppers, and onions. They didn’t have any mini cannolis and the menu states you must call to order them so maybe I’ll give them some more advance notice to see how those are.
If you’re looking for some inexpensive Italian food, I highly recommend you check out Brianno’s in Eagan. I can’t make it a Top Restaurant because of Kim’s meal but if that had no bearing, I certainly would for mine alone! :)
See all the pictures from Brianno’s here (mobile).
Based on MSPD’s comment here, and a private suggestion from him in an e-mail last week, Kim and I made a stop at Luxury Sweets Gelateria located next to the now defunct Jan’s Brown Bag Deli and across from my other personal favorite, Two Guys from Italy.
We walked inside and found the large space quite empty. It wasn’t that there weren’t people inside, it was just that the available space wasn’t taken up by much. It was slightly uncomfortable but it kept my sights on the prize: the gelato.
I’m not a huge ice cream fan in any way. Kim, however, loves it. We don’t have Carvel ice cream stands out here in the Midwest (hell, there aren’t many — if any — left much of anywhere else either) but when I am in the mood, soft ice cream is my idea of good stuff. Gelato is a cross between hard and soft but offers some interesting flavor combinations while taking out the butterfat and extra crazy calories and adding in real fruit pieces.
After perusing the various items on display or for sale, one of the owners asked if we were interested in some gelato. I told her that I was and that I came specifically because the word on the street is that it is very good. She was surprised to hear this and asked if I saw anything I liked. Well, there were so many options, I really didn’t know what to start with. I asked her opinion on what she enjoyed and she directed me to the marscapone and strawberry. I went with a small cup of that and waited for Kim to taste the watermelon.
Kim said later that she thought that the watermelon would be the best option as it was the tub with the least gelato left but she found that it wasn’t for her. I gave her a quick taste of mine and she immediately settled on that and we were both very glad that we went with the smallest portion ($3.20) because it was piled on huge.
We paid and sat down inside and watched the steady trickle of people come through the door. There was never a line but there was always someone buying, trying, or licking their spoon. It was nice to see but I really can’t believe that Luxury Sweets will survive with that low of volume.
Now, with the new water feature filled Kelley Park across the street attracting what seems like just about everyone in Apple Valley with children, I would be there with a cooler full of gelato to give out samples. People would quickly make it a tradition to buy the ice cream and head over for some fun in the new park.
Overall, Luxury Sweets’ gelato comes HIGHLY recommended even from this ice cream hater ;) I loved the marscapone/strawberry and found that the gelato itself was on-par with some of the most excellent gelato that I have had elsewhere (including the East Coast!)
Kim and I will be back and we’ll be looking for something just as yummy. I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed by the variety.
See all the pictures from today here (mobile).
A new restaurant is going in across from Osaka Seafood and Steakhouse called Bucky’s which will apparently be serving up soup, sandwiches, and salads out of the old El Tequila.
I haven’t located any information on the web about this new location but I haven’t done much looking to be honest. Anyone else out there know any more info?
See all the photos from today here (mobile).
Loading ...
