I have had a list of places that I need to get around to going to for a while. I usually try to keep this limited to the South Metro but occasionally I get the chance to move outside the home area and explore what other areas have to offer.
A couple of weeks back I followed through on a link provided by Lifehacker to a deal from restaurant.com which offered a deal where you could get $25 gift certificates to restaurants for $2. Kim literally scraped together loose change around the house, put it in the bank, and purchased a couple of these gift certificates for us to use. Because we waited until the last day possible and some of the fine print sucks, the options were limited. We ended up choosing two places that we have never been before (Everest on Grand and DeGidios). While you have to spend at least $35 to use the $25 card, we figured it was a pretty damn good deal. If you’re interested, the Lifehacker commenters mentioned that they offer deals like this frequently so keep your eyes peeled.
Next on the list is Applewood Rustic Grille which I hope to visit before Thanksgiving. I’m really hoping that the “soft opening” will end by then so that I can offer a useful review for others. I wanted to try something new with ARG and offer the owner a chance to give us a preview of what was to come before they opened but my numerous phone calls and e-mails went unanswered. Perhaps I just had the wrong contact information.
After reading Sank’s mention of Evergreen Chinese and also seeing it mentioned today on Reetsyburger’s Refuge via post entitled Dumplings for Lovers, I knew I’d have to get out there and try it. It looks like I will be there sooner rather than later!
Then there’s the list of local places that I have really wanted to get around to but just never seem to find the right time (what I really mean here is I can’t get Kim to agree to go with me) such as Jo Jo’s Rise and Wine in Burnsville, Taste of Thaiyai in Apple Valley, or the chain Salad Creations in Minneapolis whose owner asked me to come in and review them after reading my other downtown Minneapolis skyway reviews.
I’m always looking for new restaurant suggestions and people are constantly e-mailing me with them. If you know of a new place, old favorite, or just something you’d like to see reviewed feel free to post it below or send me an e-mail. I usually rank “the list” by location (South Metro gets priority), how long it’s been open (the newer the better), and whether or not the food interests *us*. While I am happy to eat anywhere, I do usually like to bring Kim along to get a more balanced opinion of the place and she just isn’t as adventurous as I am.
Got any suggestions, questions, or comments? Let’s here ‘em!
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November 14th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I had lunch yesterday at Victors 1959 Cafe (Cuban Food) in Minneapolis at 38th & Grand. This was the place recently featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network). This is also one of the places with cheap gift certs on restaurant.com.
Victor’s is little Cuban joint and easily qualifies for “dive” status. The Cuban Steak Sandwich with Yuca Frites was very tasty and at $8 it was not expensive. I’m excited to go back and try some more adventurous dishes. They also have a great looking breakfast menu…Mango Pancakes!
November 14th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I have wanted to try Victors for a long time. I saw the Food network spot on it and it looked great.
November 14th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I’d like to live vicariously through the Roehls at the following (all of which I think you would enjoy):
South Metro
The Buckboard in Lakeville
Buon Giorno Market in Lilydale
Taqueria La Hacienda in Burnsville
Chateau Lamothe in Burnsville
Sai Gon in Eagan
Hoban in Eagan (bonus for a review of the new attached karaoke place)
Further Afield but Still South of the River
Mariscos El Korita in Shakopee
Perron’s Sul Lago in Prior Lake
Minneapolis
Be’Wiched and Black Sheep Pizza on Washington Ave in the Warehouse District
November 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
The Buckboard, Hoban, and TLH are on the list already (I didn’t include everything just for to be tricky heh).
I have thought of some of the others, like the pizza places in Minneapolis, but they are way down on the list, Perron’s is there but would be saved for a special occasion, etc.
Thanks for the list though MSPD, you’re the one that has introduced me to many of the places I plan to go to and quite a few of the ones we already have :)
November 14th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Jo Jo’s Rise and Wine is our every Saturday morning stop. You MUST go on Saturday between 9-11 AM to run into your favorite Burnsville Mayor re-elect. We run into her here 9 out of 10 Saturdays around the 10:00 AM hour. Food is OK, atmosphere and the owners are great.
November 14th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Chateau Lamothe is fantastic.
November 15th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Anyone eaten at Shooters, the pool joint in Burnsville? I guess it’s had a full-service “cafe” for a while now. Never been (to eat, that is).
I think there’s a curry house in the same mall (Town and Country, where the new Applewood complex is). Anyone been to the curry house, which I think might have once been a Thai place? Correct me if I’m wrong.
I kind of liked the defunct hot dog joint (who can screw up a double-dog and fries?), although its pizza, pasta and chicken lunch buffet wasn’t so hot. Old news.
November 15th, 2008 at 7:46 am
Sheesh, I ate there years ago (2002, long before I started doing this) and I thought the food was nasty. It was typical bar food without a bar. You need to be drunk to eat food that was that gross. Things may have changed however.
I ate at Papa T’s a few years back, soon after it opened, on a recommendation from “sui generis” and I found it to be fucking terrible. I couldn’t imagine a place surviving that served crappy hot dogs and really expensive and tiny wings. They survived a lot longer than I ever expected so I now give Johnny’s in Apple Valley (whenever it opens — Kim doesn’t think it even will) a bit of a chance which shrinks with every passing day.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Same experience as Bill with Shooters.
Thai Curry House has gotten some fairly good reactions, including from the broader MSP press (Pioneer Press I think). I haven’t been over there myself. The place that was in there before was Vietnamese and wasn’t good.
On a side note, apparently the new movie theater in Burnsville will be having a restaurant/restaurants in it. I’m expecting something along the lines of the Space Aliens chain, but who knows. Maybe that one can get on your list Bill.
Another thought that just popped into my head. There’s that Chinese restaurant, House of Wu, in a little house-like building on 13, tucked in next to 35W (NW corner of the cloverleaf). A couple years back I read something, maybe in CityPages…it was a reliable source anyway, that they had the best Peking Duck in MSP. It was one of those “REALLY??!?! That place???” reactions when I read it. My thought was that if they do Peking Duck, they must have some culinary credibility.
Has anyone been in there?
November 16th, 2008 at 2:34 am
I believe the place you mention is operated by a woman who also has a place on Lexington near University in St. Paul. For whatever that’s worth.
And what about that buffet place near Burnsville Bowl? Anyone?
Hey, what about pizza? Mostly chains down here, but I think there’s an independent place in a strip mall on Cedar, a mile or two south of the movie theater in Apple Valley. Wonder how that is, or if it’s still there.
Say, there’s a budget steakhouse in Eagan on Yankee Doodle, just east of the freeway, called Steakbones. Gyros, too. Run by an older guy — Greek, maybe? — who isn’t too friendly. But there’s a nice little salad bar with your meal, and the prices are righteous. It’s in the same mall with El Loro and Italian Pie Shoppe, and there’s some little sandwich and salad joint next door.
November 16th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Sheesh, it sounds like the pizza place you’re referring to is Ole Piper Inn.
November 16th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Steakbones sucks. The burger place next door, Hovie’s, is also vastly overrated.
I haven’t been to the Chinese place behind Burnsville Bowl. I never see anyone in there — I have never understood how it maintains its existence.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
With Carbone’s a half mile away, I don’t understand why anyone would go to Ole Piper.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Dave, for the chicken, the hot hoagies, and the sour cream burger. Carbone’s has decent food but nothing like those three items. Now, why anyone would go INSIDE of OP over Carbone’s, I couldn’t tell you. That place is a fucking shithole inside.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:37 am
I’ve only had pizza at OP. It was about a year ago when Carbone’s was too packed to get inside. Yes, OP is a complete shithole, and their pizza was not good and overpriced.
On another note, we had a nice family meal at Rascal’s over the weekend. Nothing to get too excited about, but it’s certainly better than any of the chain restaurants like Fridays, Applebee’s, Chili’s….etc.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Yeah, I’ve always enjoyed Rascal’s for dinner and/or drinking. Once on my birthday we went in there and they were giving you money to put in the arcade machines just so you’d stay and drink — I wonder if they still do?
I’ve always wanted to get over there for their breakfast (filet mignon and eggs!) but never have.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Has anyone been to the Red Fox in Lakeville? Is it still open? Everyone says this is the best place south of the river for dinner on Friday nights.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I’ve been by it a couple of times and noticed cars in the parking lot but have never had the time to venture in. Their website, while it exists, is severely lacking :(
December 10th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Bill,
Hope you get around to checking out Taste of Thaiyai in Apple Valley; it has typical strip-mall-Asian-food-place ambience (dingy carpet and cheap plastic decorations), but the food is incredibly good Thai food. Their food could take the Pepsi challenge against True Thai — my other favorite Thai place in the metro — any day of the week. All my old standbys, especially Pad Thai and the Pineapple or Holy Basil fried rice, are as good there as I’ve had anywhere in this country. Since I live in Northfield (land of four identical Greek pizzerias, two nice Indian restaurants, 57 sandwich shops, and no decent East/Southeast Asian food at all), Taste of Thaiyai is fast becoming my Thai fix of choice. Also, the people working there are really nice and very service-oriented, including the cook(?)/owner(?)/guy-in-apron-who-walks-the-dining-floor-soliciting-feedback-after-everyone’s-been-served.
As a postscript, there was previously a very sub par Thai restaurant in this same location (next door to Rascal’s) that I think had a slightly different name and definitely had a completely different staff and menu. It was apparently a branch location of a larger Thai restaurant in the city, and had a ridiculous six-page menu with hundreds of items, only 8-10 of which were ever actually available on any given evening. This is _not_ the same place it was a year or so ago.
December 10th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
MacTroy, it is on the list but we have some other places to go first (Everest on Grand is probably next as we went there last weekend for a quick bite and plan on a full review soon). I’ll probably get around to it over Christmas when I’m tired of cooking :)
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:24 pm
lai wah sucks, sorry folks!! crappy food, crappy service. will not go back. try the house of wing by dunn brothers, culvers, two guys from nowhere!
bb
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
“Two Guys from nowhere”…how long has that place been closed? Welcome to 2009, bb stacker!
January 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am
thx, i believe awesomebill said two guys bailed almost a year ago.
bb