Windmill Cafe originally taken by reader MSPD
I’ll admit it. For a few minutes I thought about going with option B. The decision was right there in plain block letters, stuck to the bumper of a beater Ford F250 with lift kit, Confederate Flag, rust and all the other trappings of a typical Klanmobile.
“America: Love it or Leave it”
Talk about lousy timing. I was dead in the middle of suburbia, flipping the dial from some idiot blathering on about American Idol to some other moron dropping phrases like “Social Media” and the “Digital Age” and breathlessly stomping on the grave of a whole bunch of things that I really like—like newspapers and deals made with handshakes and actual conversations with actual people that happen in real life and in more than 140 total characters. Although a simple “F.U.” was kind of appealing at the time.
They even laughed at the thought of anyone still owning a CB, to which I reacted by punching the dashboard and retreating to the sound of wind and the thwap-thwap of my tires over the road seams.
Frankly, if I wasn’t so damned hungry, I might have made a U-turn right then and there to pack and set off for an exotic, faraway land, devoid of “popular culture”. A place like Bora Bora or Saskatchewan.
“I’ll get to it after lunch,” I said.
I’ve soothed more hangovers than I care to count at the Windmill Cafe in Savage, so I figured it would be a great remedy for the constant nausea and headache of 21st Century America. It’s the perfect place to stuff the belly and starve the gray matter. If you’ve never been to the 50 year-old Windmill Cafe, a) you should and, b) it’s frighteningly similar to the set of the TV show“Alice” (which is another American cultural icon that I’m sure Gen Nexters would delight in pissing over on their Facebook pages).
The funny thing is, as soon as my creamed chipped beef on toast hit the table, before I could even release the beautifully runny poached egg yolks with my fork, I almost forgot what exactly got me all codgerly. All I could think was, “This?? THIS is America, bitches!” as I delighted in my newspaper and forkful after forkful of pure bliss.
creamed chipped beef on toast originally taken by reader MSPD
That old pile of cinder blocks and Formica countertops has been pushing out American classics like hot open-faced sandwiches, steak and eggs, and biscuits and gravy since the Kennedy administration, and they haven’t changed a bit. And God bless them for that. There’s nothing fancy about the food. You’ll need the salt and the pepper. Even the menu has the same typo it had when I first warmed a booth there two decades ago: “BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY ALL”.
I’d still like to kick Ryan Seacrest or whatever a Lady Gaga is in the face, but thanks to the Windmill and its hot, satisfying, home-cooked good ol’ American food, I’m at least off the ledge and sticking with option A.
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February 4th, 2010 at 7:59 am
I’ll agree with you on the ‘handshake deal’ – That’s a practice that’s gone by the wayside, replaced with contracts, penalties and blame-gaming in the current times. ICK.
As for the Windmill Cafe – I think we should setup another LL Outing (once DaddyBill is back on the move)
February 4th, 2010 at 8:10 am
This is amazing work RT @SouthMetroNews (Guest Post by MSPD) America Isn’t Dead – It’s Just Hiding in Savage, MN: http://tinyurl.com/ydctxg2
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 4th, 2010 at 8:22 am
I’ve driven passed the Windmill Cafe a bazillion times and each time I see it I tell myself that I have to check that place out.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Ditto what Dave said. I guess I need to follow up on that impulse next time!
February 4th, 2010 at 9:17 am
now that i’ve drooled all over my keyboard at your awesome pic, by the way, in my beloved NAVY we referred to this delicacy by a different name! where is it located?? savage is a pretty big place you know:)
yes i’m a shut-in.
thwap-thwap?
bb
February 4th, 2010 at 9:18 am
That makes 3 of us needing to make a trip sometime. Although, after reading MSPD’s crotchety rant, I’ll be sure not to whip out my Windows Mobile-based smartphone to tweet about my visit until after I leave the restaurant and MSPD is out of sight! ;)
February 4th, 2010 at 9:23 am
MN-13 right near Buffalo Tap.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Great post MSPD.
I am going to stop by this weekend. I am sad to say I have not been, although growing up I ate at these type of places all over this country. When I was a child I spent the summers in a truck with my dad crisscrossing the central and south eastern US delivering Hawkeye Eagle grain trailers. Until insurance companies said that you could not have a child in the truck with you…………..God Bless America and stuff.
My grandma used to make us Chipped Beef Gravy on Toast all the time. I honestly did not realize other people still ate the stuff, but it was one of my favorites for the better part of 20 years. Its probably been more than a decade since I have had it.
BB, I am guessing in the Navy the term was abreviated as SOS?
February 4th, 2010 at 9:36 am
That’s what my father referred to it as. Still won’t eat the stuff.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:50 am
I’ve lived in Savage for 14 years and haven’t been there yet, though I keep telling myself I need to. Does anyone know when they’re open? As I recall They’re open for just a few hours in the morning and perhaps for lunch.
BTW, I still work with handshake deals when the client is comfortable with it. I’d estimate I do close to $1M a year in handshake deals. Just don’t tell our legal department.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:52 am
I’m on “vacation” for a bit. Maybe I can convince my wife to let me sneak out for breakfast. Any takers?
February 4th, 2010 at 10:58 am
A couple notes — Chipped Beef was the Wednesday breakfast special…it’s not on the regular menu.
Their hours are as follows:
Monday – Friday, 4:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 6 a.m. to (???…not shown on the menu)
Tel: 952-895-1869
February 4th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Thanks for writing this place up! I, too, have driven by it a million times and always wondered. Sometimes I wonder if it’s still operating (probably driving by after 2 pm on a weekday) sometimes I wonder if it’s any good because, how couldn’t it be with all those vehicles in the parking lot? Any way, now I’ll have to check it out. Sounds like a place my father-in-law would really enjoy (although recently it’s been Jensen’s Cafe).
February 4th, 2010 at 11:54 am
b, your dad may have missed the boat so to speak:) S.O.S. is indeed what it is! we’d be working midnights on the flight line and somewhere around 2-3am we’d troop over to the chow hall and load up! after we got off and back to the barracks it was lights out. guaranteed to boost your cholesterol from zero to 300+ in one ez sitting:)
bb
February 4th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
February 4th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
Much like Lenny lived in savage for 10 plus years, never been there – always wanted to stop in.
It used to be a 80′s aqua blue, kinda matching the old color of El Loro . Must have gotten some of the Savage $$$ for part of the Re-Beautification of downtown savage in earth tones.
Curious – was it Coke or Pepsi?
February 4th, 2010 at 6:28 pm
If traffic is bad tomorrow morning, I may work from home, in which case I might try to get to Windmill Cafe for lunch.
Anyone here ever try the Spur Cafe a bit further west on Hwy 13?
February 4th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
MSPD, fabulously written post.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Yes. It was very good — typical small town cafe ambiance, good comfort food. Unfortunately, they’ve closed. I was told they are hoping to reopen, maybe leased out.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
I used to love that show, was curious when the show ended – 1985! That is crazy, I really thought of it as a ’70′s’ sitcom.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
I also recommend the Windmill’s eggs benedict.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
If they have good Eggs Benedict, I could probably convince my wife to try the place with me, since she loves them. The place is near where our old dojo used to be, so we’ve been past it many times.
February 5th, 2010 at 4:38 am
[...] opening across from Chatterbox Minneapolis, Aaron heads to Pizza Biga and gives it mixed marks, and a heartfelt review of the Windmill Cafe in Savage. var addthis_pub = "heavytable"; var addthis_options = 'favorites, digg, delicious, [...]
February 5th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Great post MSPD… i havent been there in over 20 years and I live in Burnsville .
I do go to the Buffalo Tap regularly and had a gorgonzola/bacon burger and a pint of Summit there last night. The Buffalo Tap has a pretty good Valentines evening special for couples (ok it isnt a romantic spot so they really need a good deal) 1 appetizer for 2, a complimentary glass of champagne per person, 2 drinks (beer or wine any one on the menu and includes the pint or 22 oz versions on beer supposedly) 2 entrees (again anything on the menu) for $35.99 per couple. (2 large Summits will set you back 15.50 so i think you can do the math on this deal, its pretty good) i think they want you to call to reserve it… mention Michelle as she is a great server.
Handshake deals, i work in grain, regularly do deals from a few thousand up to several hundred thousand dollars per transaction on a phone call or email. Contracts sent by email. I always used to laugh when it took 40 pages and notarized signatures to take out a $3000 home equity loan.
I read books and say fie on Kindles or any other electronic readers… tangibility remains a very good thing.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Looking for a place your Dad would eat at? : America Isn’t Dead – It’s Just Hiding in Savage, MN – http://bit.ly/beZS0r
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 6th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Windmill has been one of our favorite breakfast places for years. It never disappoints.
February 8th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Via @SouthMetroNews and Bill Roehl – America Isn’t Dead – It’s Just Hiding in Savage, MN http://bit.ly/beZS0r
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
February 19th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Aww, man, thanks for the kind words about The Windmill. My parents own that place and they were thrilled by this post.
February 19th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
Jodi – It would be interesting to hear back if they have noticed a lot of new customers lately.
February 20th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Hey Jodi — I’m so glad to hear it. Their place is really a south metro treasure and I’m thankful Bill gave me a forum to talk about it.
May 2nd, 2010 at 8:22 pm
Thank you for the funny and interesting review. I drove by the Windmill today and noticed a LOT of cars in the parking lot so thought I’d check it out online. Based on your review, I will be going there soon!
May 12th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Hi, I used to wash dishes and make the shakes there. My Mom owned the place in the early 80′s. This article brought back good memories. Thanks!