Dino’s Gyros
I am not a fast food person. The fastest that I do is Panera and Subway on occasion.
Dino’s is the exception to the rule. This place has some really great Gyros. It is sort of half restaurant and half fast food because they bring the food to your table but you can also do take out as well which makes it “fast”.
This is one of my favorite “fast food” places because they are who they are. They do Greek food, only Greek food (well other than the ice cream machine and the beer).
What they do, they do well. My favorites are the gyro (the normal plain one) and the pita chips and spicy feta dip. It is excellent because they make the gyro eatable with the right amount of meat, tomato, onion, and cucumber sauce (tzatziki). It is all about ratios. It rolls up so you can bite into it without it going everywhere. Not to mention the pita is perfectly soft.
The spicy feta is something that cannot be missed as well. It really adds that kick to the meal and the pita chips that come with the dip are freshly made. I had enough to bring some home to have for lunch the next day.
Dino’s is a great place to go to grab a quick meal. It is good food quick.
Because good food can be fast food.
@mplsgossipgirl.
Top Holiday Treats from Wuollet Bakery
I love this time of year and I love sugar. But, I am horribly unprepared for holiday gatherings this year. So, to make it easier on myself I thought I would go pick up some treats from Wuollet Bakery instead of stressing over making something sub-par myself.
Here are my top picks:
Gingerbread houses are a fun project for families or as a secret team building holiday office party game. I love the cute houses that are in the window at the Downtown Wuollet’s. Since I don’t have the patience I would go for the already build one but, they do have several packages that include make your own gingerbread house or already built and ready to be decorated gingerbread houses. You choose.
Custom decorated cakes and cupcakes! Lavona who works at the Downtown Wuollets is an expert decorator, she has been working for Wuollets for 36 years. She can create any idea you may have for your holiday party or elf cupakes for your elf on the shelf to eat.
She also is an artist and made all of the cute Stanta’s and Elf’s in the downtown store. You can find her decorating in the window a few times a week.
The holiday Yule Log is basically a Hostess Ho-Ho but one that will not survive the apocolypse because it is made from all real ingredients. It is festive, delicious, and easy to share. It would be the perfect item for after your Christmas Eve meal to have with a cup of coffee.
I cannot stop raving about the peanut brittle. This is a great price for handmade peanut brittle made by the owners of Wuollet’s.
Last but not least, Opera Squares. They are a bigger version of a petit fours and is adorable. They would be a great fancy dessert at your Christmas Table.
Stop in to your local Wuollet Bakery or visit their website HERE. Most locations have special holiday hours, so if you need something last minute you can stop by.
because share the holiday and your treats with those you love.
@mplsgossipgirl
Client Gifts for the Holiday Season
One of the hardest gifts to choose is a gift to give to your clients or employees. If you are business owner you want to send something that is personal, easy to coordinate, and something that most people enjoy receiving.
I recently stopped in to the Wuollet Bakery in Downtown Minneapolis and they showed me some potential gift ideas. My favorite part is that you can completely customize your package to fit your needs. They work with all types of budgets and have some really great ideas to show your clients and employees that you care.
For those with a large budget, they make towers with many items inside. You can even top it with a cookie with your logo on it. (pictured above)
One of the most popular items to give is the peanut brittle. Laura who works at Wuollet Bakery told me that the owners actually make it themselves. They are hands-on business owners. If you visit Wuollet Bakery’s facebook page it is rumored that there is a video showing how they make it.
I also like the idea of including a cookie assortment. Your client can then bring them to a family gathering to share. Most are bite size cookies and come in all different colors. Also, if you need something to bring into your christmas party at work, this would be a great item.
Another item that you could include gingerbread people, gingerbread snow people, and gingerbread santas. They are super cute!
When you walk into the Wuollet Bakery in downtown they have a whole shelf with holiday items. There are many different items that you could include in your present. If you don’t see what you are looking for always ask. Wuollet’s can work with you to make sure your gift is perfect for your clients and employees.
You can call, stop in, or visit the Wuollet Bakery website HERE to order your holiday gifts!
because if I was your client I would be happy to get anything from Wuollet’s. hint hint.
@mplsgossipgirl
Jake’s in Maplewood
I am always on the lookout for a good Applebees type spot. Why? Well, sometimes you need that sort of place when you have picky eaters, children, or a large group with you.
Now, I must start by saying that I do not like Applebees or Olive Garden because I tend to get sick from eating there. I think it may have to do with the fact that I usually eat unprocessed foods. Not that those places are bad, it just doesn’t sit with me well personally. They do offer some great deals and are a good option for those with young children.
Here is another option:
A great alternative to an Applebee’s type restaurant is Jake’s City Grille. I recently dined at Jake’s in Maplewood and was surprised by how good the food was there. They could also handle a large group and the menu is big enough that picky eaters can find something to eat.
The service was fantastic as well. I was there with a large group of around 10-12 for a birthday. My glass was always filled and Christy our server checked up on us several times during the meal.
We had several appetizers but my favorite was the brushetta. It was sweet from the balsamic, savory from the goat cheese and gorgonzola. It might not be the normal Applebees boneless buffalo wings type appetizer and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but, it was great for me.
The salads there are also very good. They are huge. Many fresh ingredients and ways to make eating out healthy. They also have several less healthy items as well, like wings, hamburgers, and french fries. The fish sandwich that my grandma had was enough food for 3 people. Be prepared for leftovers.
Everyone that I was with seemed to enjoy their meal and Christy even split our check for us. I think I am going to come back sometime and try the happy hour.
because having great service can really make an event even better.
xoxo
@mplsgossipgirl
yumPower FREE Cooking Class
I love free stuff. I love cooking. This was the perfect pairing for me. I found this free cooking class after searching for this recipe that Andrew Zimmern had done on a local news station where he made quail.
Although, I never found the recipe nor did I learn how to make quail I did find a free cooking class hosted by yumPower and Cooks of Crocus hill. Score.
I went to one this past Wednesday and learned some healthy meals for families at the Shoreview Community Center. They taught us how to make hummus, turkey lettuce wraps, and mac and cheese (with cauliflower).
During the class they gave some helpful hints to start to try to eat more fruits and veggies. They suggested making foods ahead, “sneaking” in veggies, and doing one small change first. They also had some hints for picky eaters. They were suggesting the tips for the children but, I think they could be helpful for my family as well. “You just need to try one bite of this and see if you like it.”
So, now you need to get signed up for the next one. It is on aging and what you should eat as you get older. I think it would also be helpful if you are doing the cooking for older people.
This next one is at the St. Louis Park Rec Center on 27th registration from 6-6:30 class from 6:30-8:00PM. The set-up of the class is great and you can see how everything is being done because of the camera work.
Also, you walk away with a swag bag. I also have to say that the cook book that they made has some good recipes in it. All of them have been tried as well, so you know they can be repeated. Many of the so-called healthy recipes I find on Pinterest (mplsgossipgirl) have not really been tested and either taste or look like crap.
Get out there, try something new for free. Click HERE to get signed up.
because food is fun.
xoxo
@mplsgossipgirl
Restaurant Week MN 2012 – Saffron
It is that time again. It is Restaurant week.
My pick for Fall Restaurant Week 2012 was Saffron. I picked Saffron because of the menu. They had starters that sounded fresh, entrees that were adventurous (more so than the steak, chicken, and fish options), and dessert that sounded delectable. I also liked the option of the add on wine pairing and the suppliments. I would suggest the wine pairing because it is worth the cost and the tables around me all ordered it.
I am glad that I chose Saffron because I had never been there before and it was an excellent meal. Saffron serves contemporary mediterranean and middle eastern cuisine. Every dish is full of spices and made with quality ingredients.
The night started out with a bit of a mess. Saffron is not the easiest place to get to. We pulled into the parking lot that was closest to Saffron and it was 10 dollars to park there with no valet. Holy Crap. So, my first bit of advice is to take public transportation there.
That made me a bit cranky, but when I walked into Saffron I was quickly greeted and seated. The atmosphere of Saffron is romantic, dimly lit (as you can tell by my pictures) and plush. This restaurant has a calming nature to it. None of the servers were rushing around and they let you take your time.
The first course was the salad course. I had both selections on the restaurant week menu; the blood orange salad, and the greens salad with figs and blue cheese. Both were very different and good.
The blood orange salad was fresh and bright. I liked the salty feta with the sweet orange and then the bite that comes with the olive. I almost thought it was going to be too summery but suprisingly the olives added a deeper tone. It was a really great start to the meal.
The green salad was also fresh and had spiced almonds on it. Whatever those almonds had on it, I wanted a plate of them. It was dressed perfectly and had blue cheese and figs.
As a supplement I had the additional plate of assorted traditional spreads. Supplements are add ons that can be purchased for 10 extra dollars, I would suggest getting this. My favorites included hummus and the spicy goat cheese. But, do not discount the other spreads such as the baba ganoush which was smokey and deep and the lentil spread with spices.
Then came the entrees of Arni Youvetsi (lamb) and Bouillabaisse. They were full size.
The lamb dish was heavy and savory. It was spiced and was served with orzo and reminded me of a fancy Minnesota hot dish. It was a little salty for me but I believe it was because of the combination of the bread crumbs and the cheese that was over salted.
The Bouillabaisse was excellent and had the taste of the sea. I was impressed by the ingredients that were used in the dish; Harissa shrimp, clams, mussels, and a few types of fish. They also added a toasted piece of bread with a sauce on it which was excellent when dipped in the broth.
The only low point of the meal came during dessert when the pear tart came. Although, this picture makes it look beautiful, it had clearly been made awhile beforehand and sat in a fridge until served. This caused the pastry part of the dessert to be hard and stale. The pear could have used a bit more spice. I liked the ice cream that topped it and the sauce on the plate but it couldn’t make up for the hard pastry.
The other dessert was great. It was a salted caramel trifle. It was rich and creamy. It was cold and had a crunch to it with the cookie on the bottom and the brittle on top. It was the highlight of the meal. Even when I was full, I kept eating this.
My suggestion for next restaurant week is that the chef does a trio of trifles. I would love to see what kinds Saffron would come up with.
The service at Saffron was great. I appreciated the calmness of the staff and the quiet of this restaurant.
If you have not made reservations yet, try Saffron. It was delicious. I would order either salad, the suppliment of spreads, the lamb entree, and the trifle for dessert.
You can read my eariler post about how to participate in restaurant week HERE and see my picks for fall restaurant week 2012 HERE.
because I love good food.
@mplsgossipgirl
disclosure: I have not been paid to provide endorsement for either the restaurant or promoters of restaurant week. These opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for posting them.
Restaurant Week MN – My Picks
Restaurant Week Minnesota is coming up on October 21st-26, 2012. Do you have your reservations yet?
If you don’t know what Restaurant Week is, you can read my earlier post HERE. It details what you need to do if you want to participate.
When deciding where I am going to go for restaurant week I take a look over all the menus and then decide what I think looks best. These are my own opinions and I am not paid for my endorsements or criticisms.
Here are my picks:
Good:
Bradstreet Crafthouse: Very good drinks and a delightful atmosphere. Plus, the lamb sliders are yummy.
Cafe and Bar Lurcat: AMAZING! If you have never been to Lurcat, you need to make this your pick. I reviewed this awhile ago HERE and loved my meal. My helpful hint: Ask your server what items they like on the menu. They have tried them and know what is best.
Capital Grill: This is the place you go if you like meat. They have fantastic steaks and it is the perfect place to have a fancy night out with complementary valet. Make sure you come dressed up.
Corner Table: I haven’t been here before but the menu excites me. This one might be a leap of faith. How can you go wrong with Pots du Creme with gingerbread?
FireLake Grill House: Chosen because they are using local ingredients. I like the idea of the lunch menu with a salad and a sandwich.
Haute Dish: What a great way to try some of their different menu items. People love the mac and cheese with king crab and the tator tot hot dish.
Heidi’s: If you haven’t had a chance to get here yet. You must. This is an excellent restaurant and I can’t believe they are even participating. I have had the lamb shank before and which is perfect. If I were to go here I would try the dungeness bisque.
Highland Grill: One of the only restaurants who figured out how to use the $15 dinner correctly. What a great way to try many of their menu items like the fundito dip.
The Oceanaire: The grilled swordfish, enough said.
Saffron: The whole menu looks delicious. I love how they offer add on’s of wine pairing and also supplements. I don’t know if I would be able to decide between the entrees.
Technique: This is at the chefs school which makes me excited. Not only are these chefs trying some new things, they are most likely being “graded” on their performance. Although this is new I think that the prices are great, 3 courses for 15 dollars. I wish they could have more spots open for reservations. The meatloaf sounds like bunches of fun.
Vincent A: This is one of my favorite places to go during restaurant week. They make really great food and the atmosphere is fancy. Go on a date and order both of the entrees, you will be impressed. I wish they would offer their Pots Du Creme for the dessert though.
Maybe:
Aji Japanese: $10 all you can eat sushi for lunch! This intrigues me. But, I am not sure of the grade of sushi being used or what types this includes. It looks promising.
Campiello: I have never been here but the menu looks promising. I think they would be better off trying a $15 dollar dinner and seeing if they can get some new customers trying their food.
Copper River Fish and Chop House: I might try this place sometime. The menu looks pretty good on their website and they have fresh fish. Hopefully, they can cook it well.
Cosmos at the Graves: I find it interesting that they put directly in the menu that tax and gratuity are not included. The menu looks promising and a few friends said they liked the restaurant week items here. I am just not sure about it yet. The lunch menu looks like a good deal to me.
Dakota: Why did you just put one option? The Dakota would have been one of my top picks if they would have given more options. They have some talented chefs there who are going outside the box. My suggestion is to give a few fun and exciting options and at least one safe option.
Fogo de Chao: I heard this is a great deal and my guy friends love this place. I have never been here since I am not a meat, meat and more meat kind of person. If I did go here I would go during a special like Restaurant Week.
Joe’s Garage: I haven’t been here and that is the only reason why it is not in the Good category. They have a great menu with lots of options and anyone who serves Poutine is cool in my book.
Longfellow Grill: Could be good. Not really sure on this one.
The Lowry: I have heard that people like this place but the menu doesn’t look all that great. Although, it might surprise me.
Masa: I always walk by this place and wonder why it isn’t busy. That makes me hesitant to go there. But the menu looks good and I think lunch here would be great. I love a good torta.
Parma 8200: The melon salad sounds good. I could give this place a try.
RedRossa Italian Grille: Gorgonzola sauce, I need to find out what this is. It sounds yummy.
Rosa Mexicano: I am a fan of flan. Yes, I may be the only one.
Scusi: The scallops sound really great. I haven’t been here before but this might be a good time to try it for the first time.
Sea Change: This restaurant is great and I wish they would have offered a special dinner along with the lunch. If you can make it here for lunch you will not be disappointed. I think this place is intimidating for some people and I would love to see a special that would get this place some new fans.
Stella’s: Wow that lunch special looks great. I like the options and think that it would be a fun place to catch lunch with a friend.
Twisted Fork: Lavender Creme Brulee, sounds great. I think they have a good menu and would consider going here on a relaxed night out.
Urban Eatery: I have heard this place is good. It was right on the edge of making it to my favorite places. The pumpkin dessert looks great!
Wildfire: I have not been here before, but I like how many options they gave on the menu.
I wouldn’t recommend:
Amore Victoria: I have had horrible service here and cannot recommend it even though the food is good. The choices of the Pumpkin, Osso Buco, and Chicken Parmesan sound delicious but coupled with the service I can’t do it. See my review HERE.
Blue Point Restaurant: Not that impressed with the menu. Give us the good items that you serve and I might think about stopping by.
Chez Daniel: The reviews are mixed. I have never been here but the menu seems over priced for being in a hotel and out of the city. They do groupon specials which makes me hesitant that the food cannot stand alone. I might try if the price was more reasonable.
Damico Kitchen: I am bummed about the horrible service that I got here last time. Read my review HERE. But, the food and the menu is good, so if you are willing to bet on the service you could give it a try.
Edina Grill: Why are you doing a $30 dinner. Try the $15 dollar dinner next time.
Forepaughs: A waldorf salad really? For 30 dollars. The other parts of the menu looked okay but, it makes me wonder how good it can be if they would actually serve a waldorf salad. Are we going to a funeral?
Jimmy’s Food and Cocktails: I wish they would have included what the exact choices would be. Could be good.
Kincaid’s: Not wow’ed by either locations menu.
The Lexington: Could be fun to go here. The desert looks good but I am not that excited about the rest of the menu. But, I think it would be fun to take my Grandma here.
The Melting Pot: It screams cheesy romantic valentines day date for high schoolers to me. I just can’t get on board with it. Plus, melted cheese freaks me out a little bit.
Sanctuary: It could be good. I am just not sure about it.
Seven: They have a decent menu with Jumbo Prawns on it. But, I feel like they already have the marketing budget and not sure why they are doing this.
Woolley’s Steakhouse: That Kielbasa Mac and Cheese does not sound appetizing.
Don’t go here:
3 Squares: They do not have anything over $15.00 on their regular menu. Why would you spend $30? My suggestion, please make your menu a $15 dollar dinner.
Chiang Mai Thai: They didn’t put their best item the Pad Thai on the menu. I haven’t been impressed with this place lately and it is not worth the price. I reviewed them recently HERE.
Crave: What a lousy menu. I think you could do better than that Crave.
Huberts: Why would you go here? It is bar food. Which I am sure is delicious but I am not sure why it is on the restaurant week menu. If you are looking for a greasy hang-over spot or a place to get a hang-over. Maybe you should try this place.
Indian Zayka: The menu is not posted, but there are pictures of people using a buffet. Not sure why this is on restaurant week. But, I love Indian food so I wish the menu was posted.
Loring Kitchen: Horrible service and a bad restaurant week menu as well. This place is not my favorite. See my review HERE.
Samba Taste of Brazil: heard this place was good. The menu does not reflect that.
Woodfire Grill: A burger is an entree that you can get for a $30 dinner? That is crazy. That burger must be unreal. Most likely it is just a rip off though. Please prove me wrong.
During restaurant week watch for my posts on the places that I go and my reviews.
Please also leave me comments or tell me about your experience at the different restaurants. I would especially like to hear about any that were rated lower on my scale but that you thought were really good.
because I love food.
@mplsgossipgirl
Bo Diddley’s
I love this place. Bo Diddley’s is a sandwich shop in Saint Joseph, Minnesota. Most likely you have never been to St. Joe unless you went to St. Ben’s or St. John’s or visited a friend. This small town is a wonderful place to go to college in. I should know.
Bo Did’s, as I call it, has fantastic sandwiches that you cannot find anywhere else. Based out of Saint Cloud, MN this very small chain of restaurants is one of a kind. It has families who work there and even remember your favorites when you stop by.
My personal favorite sandwich is their turkey pita sandwich, it comes with thinly sliced turkey, their guacamole, and onions that are sliced just right. I am also a fan of the guac and chips. Really though, I have not had an item on their menu that I haven’t liked. They use good ingredients and the bread is de-lish.
As you can see this place is old school. They host a weekly cribbage group, make their own soup, and still make these delicious cookies with a recipe that has not changed. It has a great atmosphere where you bridge the line between your living room and a restaurant.
So if you are looking for a quick meal when you are in the central Minnesota area, stop by Bo Diddley’s.
because a good sandwich is hard to beat.
@mplsgossipgirl
Rustica
I can’t remember the last time I had something with currants in it. So, naturally when I saw this currant scone on the menu at Rustica I had to get it. If you don’t know, currants are a small berry fruit that is dark purple in color and very tasty.
In the strip mall across from the Whole Foods in Uptown, Rustica is not what it looks like from the outside. Honestly, it looks shabby from the outside but once you get inside you are transported to a whole new world of coffee and bread. This bakery and coffee shop looks like it should be housed in an old brick building with ivy growing on the outside and a local bookseller next door who sells leather-bound books. Although, its outside is blah, it is in a great location and is fairly easy to get to if you live in Uptown, Minneapolis.
Despite it’s less than glamorous outside, Rustica is always busy because it has fantastic food. I have had several bakery items there and each has been delicious. including this scone. Once you have had one it will be hard to go back to any other scones especially the ones from Caribou. They get baked goods at Rustica. This scone was perfectly cooked with the right amount of browning and had this sugar-coating on the outside which makes a huge difference.
The breads are great and most of the time the coffee is exceptionable. This last time I had a very bitter cup, which must have been made incorrectly. But, I could have cared less since I was busy snacking on this scone.
The staff always is able to point out their favorite items that have been freshly made. So, take their advice. They know what is good and can point you to items that you might not normally try.
It looks like they also make sandwiches there and I am looking forward to having a day off where I can sit in Rustica and drink coffee, eat a sandwich, and write about my adventures in the Minne-apple.
because sometimes you need an escape to the old world.
@mplsgossipgirl.
Chiang Mai Thai
Chiang Mai Thai is one of those restaurants that I really want to like. But, unfortunately don’t. It has the potential to be great, in a good location, ambiance created by the theme, and a busy foodie scene, but it doesn’t measure up. The food just is not very good and either is the service. I haven’t given up on it and I will be back at some point. But, right now I don’t think the cost of the food is worth it.
As you can see above they do Pad Thai well. Mine was fairly good and tasted better the next day. What was lacking was everything else. I literally have disliked everything else that I have tried on the menu. I have had salads, several of the fried rice combinations, and the basil fish, all of them not very good. I did get a suggestion to try the Massaman Curry the next time I go there from an employee at the Kitchen Window. I trust her opinion and will be trying this dish.
I had by far the worst Spring Roll that I have eaten in a while. Presentation was great with the wrapping of it but, the taste was not good and the wrapper was really hard to bite into. The dipping sauce was off. I think they were trying to do a spin on the normal by adding some mint extract to it. But, it was overpowering and did not compliment the dish. I couldn’t tell if it was a mistake or if it was intentional.
The service we had was strange. Our server came to our table only 4 times during the meal but he did a lot of standing around. Many of the servers looked like they had nothing to do and were doing the same. It should have been busy because it was a weekend night during peak hours but, there was no one there. I felt bad for our bored server.
If you are looking for Thai food, I would head to Sam Thai in White Bear Lake. It is half the price and twice as good. If you are looking for ambiance you should go to Chiang Mai Thai. It is really beautiful, order the Pad Thai and that is it.
because you may have all the tools just find a new way to use them.
@mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 