0 for 2/ Ike's and The Duplex

Well, here it goes. I am going to try not to spend much time on either of these restaurants because I spent too much time there this week and would like to forget most of it.

artichokes good.

Ike's- I hate places that have a great looking sign that just screams "AMAZING FOOD," and then you walk in and the beautiful woodwork, front and center flat top griddle and catchy classic design yell "EAT ANYTHING HERE, IT'S GREAT," and then you do, and...eh. Come on man?! I mean look at this place, it's great. You got the 60 year old dude with the 20 something babe, the waiters dressed in white blazers and black ties, old photographs of someones grandpa about to get lucky with someone grandma and then you get the food and the nostalgia is gone. This should be the kind of place that has food so great that it's not even a question of where you're going to go, and that's not the case. Now the food is OK, the burger was OK, the fries were OK and the coleslaw was OK. I bet they have high quality ingredients, but the way it's done is...OK. The best part about the meal was the appetizer, which was a pretty decent baked artichoke dish. Big chunks of artichoke, nice crusty bread and not greasy at all. Overall though it just didn't do it for me. It was like stepping in a decked out 1950's Mercedes and the interior smells like piss, thats not cool man. I know what people will say, "but their brunch is killer," "their food is awesome." To that I would say, "brunch is a rip off anyway." and "no it's not." I get Ike's serves a certain demographic that I may not particularly fit in to that demographic but, for my money I think I will just head to Matt's for burgers and fries. I will, however, be back at Ike's in the future, I'll be that 60 year old guy with that 20 something babe eating OK food.
 Oh yeah, and there is a time to use extra sharp aged cheddar and there is a time not to. I'm from Wisconsin. I would know. They don't.

Duplex- I'm not quite sure how this place got "Best Spot for a First Date" by City Pages? I can only come up with 2 possible reasons.

1.) With many first dates being awkward, the location on busy Hennepin Ave. in uptown provides said awkward date with ideal people watching making personal conversation less important. Plus you can count the number of people with dreadlocks. "Look there goes number 16." By the way, give me a break with the whole dreadlock thing.

2.) Given that the service at Duplex is so bad it unites the "first daters" in a common cause or struggle. This makes for a good second agreement. Their first one was bad because they decided to go to Duplex. Congratulations new couple you're 1 of 2.

As for the food. We had the Vegetable Tart for an appetizer. It was a puff pastry topped with spinach, roasted bell peppers, caramelized onions, goat cheese and laid over a tomato coulis. The flavors were all there and it tasted pretty good, but looked as if a someone just threw it together with no care and no  thought as to how the ingredients were placed. Next we had the Spinach Salad with strawberries, bacon and a goat cheese croquette toped with a cinnamon vinaigrette. That was very good, but i mean it's a salad. They could have thrown all of it in a blender and I would have drank the damn thing. For our entrée we had the Risotto with Shrimp that was tossed in pesto, diced tomato, broccoli and shallots. Again the flavor was fine, but risotto should taste like someone put time and care in to it. I have had it done well in restaurants. It was creamy and comforting. This one had neither of those qualities.

My  big gripe about the place was that the service sucked. I normally don't worry about service. Everybody can have a bad day. I do, and I can imagine that I'm not the best I can be, but everyone there had a little attitude and sour look on their faces. I also got the excuse that they were just really busy from all the Groupon business. I looked around, there was no line, tables were empty and the place generally seemed pretty quite. By the way, one of the main goals for a restaurant, I think is TO-BE-BUSY. And the Groupon thing?! People don't come by these out of thin air. They pay for them. It was a business move by the owner of that business to increase traffic and get people to see what they got. It is not a reason to give bad service. I will not be back.

Pho` King Awesome!

Whatever you got...cured.

I knew what I wanted. I had it planned on Saturday night. I would wake up, get myself together and head to Quang to get a piping hot bowl of Pho`. You see Pho` is not a dish that you simply go get on a whim. It is a hunger destination that must be set in place. You have to get your ducks in a row and get ready to have one of the best "one bowl" meals you will ever have. Comforting and biting, Pho` will hug you and slap you in the face at the same time.

take a helicopter

Quang is my destination of choice to obtain this Vietnamese staple. Located on the diverse and sometimes notorious Nicollet Mall "Eat Street," Quang has carved themselves into the Minneapolis culinary landscape. Every bit the bustling food scene you would hope to see in Saigon, Quang's atmosphere closely reflects their M.V.D. (Most valuable Dish.) Packed to the brim and with a line 20 deep everyone is waiting to hear those 5 wonderful words, "we can seat you now." I looked in one mans eyes and he looked directly back at me as to say "I'll kill you if I have to," I stared back, "Not if I kill you first." Just at that moment we were seated. Saving me a bid of 40-60 years and to mention, no Pho`.

Upon being seated you get the sense of how calculated and important this whole production is. With no seat to spare, the dining room of Quang hums with the slurps of noodles and joyous banter of those lucky enough to be seated. We turn our attention to the menu and decide on a couple bowls. 508. Mi Hoanh Thanh (Pork and Shrimp wonton dumpling egg noodle soup w/ roast Pork) and 510. Pho` Ga` (Rice noodle soup w/ Chicken breast.) All soups are accompanied by a garnish  plate of basil, bean sprouts, jalapeños and lemon wedges. The pork and shrimp Pho` has a lite golden broth and is filled with large chunks of marinated roast pork and golf ball sized dumplings. I add a splash of fish sauce, siracha and hoisin to my broth along with all of the garnishes. The result is a symphony of flavors that echo the eating and diversity of the diners. The chicken soup was equally as impressive. A lite yellow hued broth with tender white slices of chicken breast and barely hardened quail eggs that burst with a gentle press of your tongue to the top of your mouth is amazing. They have officially found a way to get all the flavor of a chicken in the broth. Deceptively complex and nourishing this chicken soup in unlike any you will ever have.

Maybe the greatest thing about Pho` is that it has all kinds of flavors, ingredients and textures that most of us are all accustomed to, but the way it is all put together and presented is almost divine. I too love finding what the next great chef or restaurant is about to offer up, but there is still nothing like generations of people making a dish that has sustained families and cultures through time. Do not miss your chance to experience history in one big bowl of Pho`.

Quang Restaurant
2719 Nicollet Ave. S.
Mpls, MN 55408
http://www.quangrestaurant.com/

New Restaurant/ Masu Sushi and Robata

Super Happy Time!

If you are a big fan of Obento-Ya in S.E Minneapolis and of Robata, then I think you will love this. And if you're not a fan, you'll become one. The hot corner of 4th an Hennepin that is home to some other Minneapolis favorites like Bulldog N.E. and Whiteys has a new neighbor in the form of Masu Sushi and Robata. Piloted by Midwest super chef and James Beard award winner Tim McKee creator of La Belle Vie, Sea Change and just about every other awesome restaurant you can think of. Masu has all the right ingredients to become the next big thing. The classy and modern interior was designed by Shea Inc. who created the looks of Brasa and Meritage Oyster Bar, bringing a more refined and some might say an "uptown" look to the mostly conservative neighborhood.

Flame Broiled

For those of you unaware of Robata. It is a Japanese technique of grilling skewered goodies over hot coals. The fare includes anything from land animals to sea creatures and for the carnivorously challenged, vegetables. The plates usually consist of two of three skewers and are relatively inexpensive giving the diner the ability to sample many of the combinations that Masu will have to offer, and with sushi to boot (I will not be explaining what sushi is.) Slated to open its doors April 18th, I expect Masu will be giving northeast the culinary body slam it was in need of.


A review and more photos to come upon opening.

Masu Sushi and Robata
328 E. Hennepin Ave.
Mpls, MN 55414

Food of the Day

love'em every time

Yep, fruit snacks. You know how all those great chefs out there want to give their diners the type of food that reminds them of their childhood? Well, give'em these. Imagine before leaving a restaurant that just gave you one of you best meals of your life a waiter drops a couple of packages on you. At first there may be a little bewilderment, but then just a sly grin and a, "thanks man."  Nothing will make you feel like a kid again and help you forget all of your stresses than peeling open a package of these. Oh?! Whats that you say? You're too good for fruit snacks? Shut up! You're not. Go out buy a box and the next time you're sitting at your desk about to dropkick one of your co-workers or your computer just take a deep breath, pause, lean back and chew down a pack of fruit snacks. Now, how was that?

Mojo de Ajo/ Liquid Gold

Liquid Gold

     So I have been thoroughly obsessed with Rick Bayless over the past few months, and have become a big fan of his Chicago restaurants (as I have written about before) and his Saturday public t.v. show Mexico: One Plate at a Time. Through a mixture of Mexican cultural food anthropology and and easy cooking lessons. Mr. Bayless gives even the most demure of home cooks the ability to make authentic regional Mexican cuisine in the privacy of your own home. I especially love this. Like many I have searched far and wide for that great Minneapolis taqueria or an authentic Mexican restaurant, and we have a few like Los Ocampo on the casual side and Masa a more fine dining example. I once plowed through 10 tacos one evening in San Deigo from three different establishments. I mean what's better after canning 97 beers than a fresh corn tortilla filled with unctuous carnitas, onion, cilantro and queso fresco. You would to if we had a place like this. Anyways, recently on his program he highlighted the olive oil and garlic sauce Mojo de Ajo or as Bayless coins, "liquid gold."

MAKE THIS NOW!

A easy oven made sauce that can take main dishes like fish or burgers to the next level. Smothering atop of crusty bread, or combining with mushrooms to make a simple but decadent mushroom masterpiece.

Recipe from rickbayless.com

• 4 heads of garlic peeled
• 2 cups good quality olive oil
• tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, place the garlic in the dish, sprinkle with salt and cover with the 2 cups of olive oil. Place the dish in the oven and let it bake for 40-50 min. or until the garlic begins to brown. Remove the dish and add 1/2 cup of the lime juice and red pepper flake and place back in the oven to roast an additional 20 min. Remove dish from the oven and mash the garlic with a potato masher. Scoop the the garlic into a French canning jar and pour the oil over the top. This will keep for a month in the refrigerator.

oooooo.

ahhhhhh.

Upon making this sauce I went right to work using it. Guided from Mr. Bayless's show and web site I made mixiotes (beggars purse made of soaked parchment paper) of mushrooms with pancetta and a garlicky shrimp and chipotle linguine. I strayed from the recipe a bit for the mushrooms, using a mixture of crimini, oyster and shitake mushrooms. I also used the pancetta instead of bacon because I wanted to omit the smokiness of the bacon the original recipe called for. No matter what I did though could screw this dish up. The mix of mushrooms, cured pork and the mojo de ajo married together perfectly. Opening the little pouch was like Christmas all over again and I just got the first Nintendo. I love you Mario and I hate you Bowser you no good lizard/snapping turtle hybrid.

The garlicky shrimp, chipotle and  linguine does not scream Mexican, but pasta and mojo de ajo are a perfect pairing. The sweet shrimp and tangy roasted garlic sauce can be used in a variety of applications from skewers to tacos, but this dish will make you look like a cooking champion worthy of you friends and families praises and getting you out of doing dishes at least.

So go to his site, buy his books, crack open a Mexian beer or Jarritos and make the food of Mexico in your home, especially the Mojo de Ajo. This simple yet complex sauce alone will take your home cooking from Taco Bell to the heart of Mexico.

What Happened?!

What a wiener!

All I can say is that "I'm sorry." Thanks to all of you that have followed, and continued to follow my blog. I hope that you stay with me for my ride to all the best and the worst of food talk, restaurants and gastronomic paraphernalia.
That being said, I would love to tell you a fine anecdote of all the places I have been and all of the things I have seen during my absence, but I can't. I will however, give you the rundown of some places and meals that I have had, and give you the "suck,"or "not " rating.


I went at Hazels, the new breakfast/comfort food joint on Johnson Street N.E.that took over POP!, the out of business comfort food joint on Johnson Street N.E. (suck, with hope)


I ate at the fairly new Amici. You want to go home again? Go there. (not suck)


I ate at Big Bowl. Helping college dudes bang the hot chick in the dorm since 2002. (ditto)


I had a 1/2# bacon cheeseburger at Murray's Steakhouse. Listen, if you find yourself eating unhealthy fast food cheeseburgers to get your fix, this is your cure. You get one burger that satisfies all of your burger monsters cravings in one sitting. Get treated like an old minne-polish aristocrat, and get greasy garlic toast as an appetizer. You can not get a good cheeseburger at a fast food joint. They don't make them. Good burgers are made with good beef, fast food shacks DO NOT HAVE GOOD BEEF. If you would ever buy a plane ticket to go get a burger, go to Joe's Cable Car in San Francisco. If you ever want a major league burger in MPLS, go to Murray's. (really not suck)


I stopped and ate at the Thorpedo. This requires nor has an adequate link, but if you have ever been in a car on the way or coming from Wisconsin, then you know.


Thanks again for reading.

Bring on the Meat!

Home sweet meat.

     Ladies and gentleman I have found a time machine. Yes, I know that I should consult the scientific community first, but this is way to important to the carnivorous faction of my readers. So where did I find this time machine? The U of M campus? The Minneapolis Government center? Or in some secret location in the city? No, although these are all fine places to house a time machine I found this one on the corner of 36th Ave. and Johnson St. N.E. There stands Ready Meats meat market.

Back to the future

     The market and its people are a blast from the past. With a mixture of neighborhood charm, genuine kindness and knowledgeable service, Ready Meats makes you feel like part of the team. This is what your Grandfather or Father must of meant when they'd say, "They sure don't make'em like they used to", and they just don't. I was not treated to great service after a year of being a customer there. It was the first day, and they knew me on a first name basis by the end of the week. These guys just get it. They understand that what they do helps you feed your family and in a neighborhood where family and camaraderie is still king, that kind of service goes a long way.
      Dressed in white shirts, aprons and Ready Meats hats with their names on them, this is the perfect attire for dispensing high quality meats and condiments. The market itself does not compare in size to your mega grocery store, but their selection and quality is the spade. Sectioned in to 4 parts with one side of coolers holding ground meats, steaks and chops, whole birds and stir fry bits. The other cooler is an ode to sausages, jerky, "ready made" sides, lunch meat and cheeses. The glass stand freezers and refrigerator on the opposite side of the counter are filled pizza kits, frozen meat dishes, homemade spaghetti sauce and Dave's chili. The last wall has a ground freezer with all their meat items packed and frozen. The shelves above are stocked with canned and jarred condiments, boxed foods and also a cooler with milk, cream, eggs and pickles. They even stock fish available upon request. With no filler or wasted space for undeserving foods, this is "one stop shop" for a quiet dinner at home or a monster cookout with your friends.

Homemade sauces

     They even take requests. I love their habanero brats, but wanted them a little spicier. They offered to make custom batch of them just for me and when I couldn't take the full quantity order Dave, one of the owners and "meatsman" offered to take half. Try that at Cub or Rainbow. My ladyfriend wanted them to carry baked chips and sure enough in a week they had a full line ( I wanted them to stock a Porsche 911 turbo...still waiting). They'll order you a whole pig if that's your fancy and they even give my dog a marrow bone while he's tied up outside.
     Cutting corners or sacrificing quality for money purposes in not an option here. They'd soon rather close the doors before changing their model for what this family business stands for. This would mean changing themselves and that is simply not going to happen. If your in the boat that this country has lost its values and is going downhill then I recommend that you restore your faith and go see your friends down at Ready Meats.


Ready Meats
3550 Johnson St. N.E.
(612) 789-2484

Thanksgiving 2010

     Well with Thanksgiving come and gone there are is no doubt that most had our share of failures while trying to impress the eager eaters that awaited. I am not immune from such failure, but I do choose to forget about those and instead bask in the sunlight of my most successful dishes. For the most part we did all the status quo dishes; mashed potatoes, peas, homemade bread, squash with marshmallow topping and pumpkin pie. What I did do that was a little different this year was the turkey. To tell you the truth I really don't even like turkey that much. I prefer the taste and would rather have chicken, or a country ham, but I always go with the old turkey. I think it has something to do with the "awe" factor that it brings. Everyone has to know, "the turkey is coming out!", "what the turkey is done?!", "let me see, hold on!" And I get it. I think it's pretty cool to.

Yes, that is salt pork.

The final result

      I found the recipe while watching the group of fine Saturday morning cooking shows on TPT like America's Test Kitchen, Everyday Food and Cook's Country. On America's Test Kitchen they had a recipe that called for barding the turkey. Barding was a method traditionally used way back in the day of wood fired ovens where controlling the temperature was not as easy as turning a knob. The fat covered and protected the breast meat while imparting some of its flavors. Now with modern oven technology methods like this are not needed and with the overnight brining, pre-turkey day salting and flavor injecting, home chefs have found new ways of adding moist flavor. To all that I say "STOP!" Save that brine for some pickles, spread that salt on your sidewalk and load that injector with some lube and bring it to the bedroom. Barding will save you time and cooler space. Cooler space that should be filled with beer. Sweet cold beer. Now if you did not see that particular episode, America's Test Kitchen's web site will only let you view if you become a member and agree to do some stuff. Vague I know, but it's true.  However, I did find their recipe on Leite's Culinaria. A very fine food recipe, writing and culture site.
      There is no extra seasoning this bird, only the salt pork. I did add some garlic, tarragon, sage and thyme to the cavity of the bird to perfume the meat and the kitchen, but it did less than I thought it would. I would recommend that you make the gravy from scratch using the turkey neck and giblets. There is no substitute for the flavor that the neck and giblets lend to the gravy. Although I still have favorites other than turkey this recipe for roasting made for such a flavorful and moist meat while being super easy to accomplish.

Who Wants Back Pain?

     I sure don't, but I was lucky enough to receive some of my very own Saturday night at the new IZAKAYA Japanese hot pot lounge. First off I'm going to say that I do and always will have a problem with the word "lounge" used to describe a restaurant or a place of foodery. I have some preconceived notion that it somehow comes with sex at the end or middle or during. Maybe I just don't know what I'm doing and this term "lounge" is completely appropriate. I did not however receive my back pain from any sort of sexual romping at IZAKAYA, but rather their seating. The whole building is a shrine to uncomfortable seats. The seats at Wasabi, the connecting Japanese sushi restaurant are so plush that you sink down a good 5 inches when you sit in them. You are then treated to the relaxing feeling of chair frame butt acupuncture while you try to sip from your glass. I know that as Americans we are starting to pack on the pounds, but this whole exercise while eating thing I refuse to get on board with.

    

I like pickles

    Now the food. I found this place in one of Minneapolis's fine weekly magazines and with the perfect combination of cold weather, hunger and curiosity I knew I had to go. IZAKAYA is located in the Wasabi/bank complex on Washington Ave. S. They have a side door, but we had to go through Wasabi to reach it. We sat at a nice little granite table that had 2 recessed burners for the hot pot. We started with appetizers of Tsukemono (pickled vegetables), Onigiri (rice balls), and a Kobe beef country roll. The Tsukemono was very good. A pickled mixture of eggplant, cucumber, carrot and Japanese radish that had a unique pickled flavor unlike what I was used to or expecting. Very crisp and very refreshing. Next we ordered the Onigiri. Three sushi rice balls flavored individually with pickled plum, Japanese seasoning and smoked salmon. Not a lot of flavor or ingredients, but somewhat satisfying. I would not get it again, but it was nice to have the flavor contrast from the bold pickles. For the other appetizer we went with the suggestion of the server/bartender and ordered the Kobe beef country roll. This was a thin, warm slice of Kobe beef rolled around a mixture of mashed potato and crab meat. This was sliced like a sushi roll and place in a bowl of a curry gravy and chunky sweet potatoes. On the creativity scale this was right up there, but on the execution there was room for improvement. The Kobe beef was dry and over salted. The crab was lost in the mix of potato and the gravy was bland. There was a bit of a pot roast feel, but not needed with this menu. It took the meal from fresh and fun to school hot lunch. 

I'm actually angry I ate this.

     Finally we got to the hot pot (shabu shabu). The server lugged over two large bowls of kelp broth and placed them on the recessed burners. They quickly came to a boil and he then brought out the large dish of which had 3 meat selections of Kobe beef, shrimp and pork, along with vegetables bok choy, straw mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, cabbage, tofu and carrot. The platter also had udon noodles, rice noodles and cilantro. The display was impressive and artfully done. We were instructed to toss in the vegetables and herbs first to give more flavor to the broth and then follow with the meats. They give you tongs to load all the ingredients in but, they work poorly to retrieve the items out. I fine with fishing for food, but in this case the flavorless broth was boiling so intensely that by the time you get the food it rendered the carrots mushy, dissolved the tofu and remurdered the meats . There is also the issue of broth placement. The bowl in the middle of the table is a little high and you have to stand and lean over it to get your swimming food. I am not a large man by any means, but I have never not been able to see my food. I think maybe a lower round table with a shorter, larger diameter bowl would do the trick. They did give us a nice selection of dipping sauces consisting of pozu, sesame paste and a spicy radish relish, but by the time I got the watered down vegetables and noodles to my dish I was a defeated man. I longed for the sushi restaurant on the other side. If I could have only snuck away and had a spicy salmon roll. I deliberately stayed up late Saturday night so I could eat again.

     I had such hopes for this "lounge" of hot pots. There were a couple of bright spots though other than the pickles. They did have a cucumber infused water that was quite refreshing. They also had a tasty ginger beer/ Sapporo beer mix that hit the spot. The other thing that I have to say I enjoyed was that the experience, although annoying, really opened up the channels of communication and made for a fun gathering. IZAKAYA did a great job in making us engage in a our meal more than most places I've been to and I guess thats part of what it's about.

Food of the Day

Thomas Keller's roasted chicken

     Thanks to a good friend of mine I ate as well as anyone in Minneapolis tonight. She turned me on to Thomas Keller's simple recipe for roasted chicken. My plan was to go to Whole foods and get a super special organic chicken, but they were out until the day after Thanksgiving, and the roads sucked. So I wandered over to the local Byerlys and found a special 2 for 1 deal on a couple of 3 pounders. This recipe is as easy as it gets and will make you look like a champ in front of friends an family. I know it's easier to grab a rotisserie from the deli, but having one fresh, juicy and crispy from the oven will beat one that has sat around for an hour every time.

with vodka

     I however, did not roast vegetables along with the chicken due to wanting to control the amount of fat in said vegetables. I sauteed green and yellow zucchini, carrot, onion and garlic in a pan using "light" olive oil cooking spray, water and some vodka. Vodka? Yes vodka. Thats all we had and it was in my line-of-sight. I also added thyme along with water, garlic and salt to the pan drippings to make a pan sauce. Again, I would have used wine if I had some that wasn't in a box in the fridge for 3 months, but that was not the case. I also will not be giving Thomas Keller the recipe for my vodka vegetables or pan sauce even if he offers me a free meal at The French Laundry.

without vodka

Chicago part 2

I was a green pig with envy

Continuing my trip in Chicago I set out to find The Purple Pig. Apart from being a recommendation from a friend this restaurant was also voted as one of Americas 10 best new restaurants by Bon Appetit magazine (along with our very own Bar la Grassa, but that's another day). Making it's home along the magnificent mile The Purple Pig is in the middle Chicago's busy business and shopping hub. Being so, before I walked in I figured there would be a mix of Chicago's elite suits men and food snobs sipping fine wine and eating their delicate cured meats and cheeses. I was wrong. The place was filled with groups of seemingly regular people just looking to spend some time with their friends and eat some really good food. I wonder how many places I have maybe decided to take of my "to go" list due to what preconceived notion I had about their clientele.

meat butter

     Anyway, I found one empty space at the end of the bar and gave the place a good look. It had the feel of fancy cabin party room with wood pillars, a marble topped bar, and shelves stocked with wine, but then it showed its laid-back appeal by having a large chalkboard with the daily cheese, wine and meat specials along with a casually dressed waitstaff. The menu was a big one sided sheet listed with antipasti, cheese plates, cured meats and smears. I was sad I was alone because I would have tried it all, but instead I decided to pick a carnivorous item and a cheese. Although I was tempted to get a cured meat or a pate`, I could not resist the roasted bone marrow. This is something that I have never had before and figured if I was going to get it any where in should be here. This time I was right on. The two large marrow filled bones were served with crusty artisan bread and a salad of thinly sliced onion, cilantro and capers. The marrow is like a meat butter, fatty and creamy. I spread it on the crusty bread, closed my eyes and took a bite. Almost perfect, but it needed something to cut that fat and the richness. How about that cilantro salad? My next bite with the salad was as good as it gets. The perfect combination of a fresh and savory made my heart grow with joy, a cure to the windy and cold Chicago afternoon.

     For the cheese I went with the truffle tremor, a goats milk cheese speckled with pieces of truffle served with a grape compote and thinly sliced toasted bread. Again the cheese alone was great great on the bread, but paired with the compote the velvety, earthy cheese truly stood out.
     On the scale of 1 to awesome The Purple Pig was awesome. There was never a point when I felt out of place in the environment or unimportant to the people that worked there. I was a little sad though that after eating here knowing that Minneapolis has not quite yet evolved to this sort of dining. I know that there are places here that serve these sort of dishes, but not as a main focal point. Most Minneapolis restaurants will use dishes like these as additions to the menu, not as a basis. Chicago simply has the quantity of people to keep a place like The Purple Pig in business. I guess I could also be wrong though, see I didn't pair my meal with a fine wine, but rather a dry Gin martini.

Chicago

Day 1

     Well I'm back people, and having seen the promise land I can assure you that Chicago is the real deal. Have you ever been somewhere and just got sad when you had to leave and go back to real life, well I felt that right when I arrived on Michigan Avenue. The first day I knew I was in a place that has made a commitment to the people of the city by giving them the best in food, entertainment and lifestyle. While the shopping is fine and the sights were inspiring. I decided not to fill up on legumes, but rather head to a restaurant that is serving some of the finest Mexican comfort food in the country. XOCO, the amazing 40 seat Mexican kitchen from the mind of Rick Bayless has brought the flavor and style of Mexico city street foods to downtown Chicago. Situated off the main drag XOCO is for the most part is unassuming, until you see the people like ants trickle in and out of the side door. Once in you have no choice but to let your mouth smile and nose smell the cilantro, carnitas, roasted tomato perfumed air. There was a line of people against the wall and through the restaurant getting ready for the flavor hug their mouth was about to receive. The menu is a mix of wood burning oven and grilled tortas, soups, meal-in-a-bowl-caldos and traditional Mexican treats like churros and ground chocolate drinks. I would say I decided on a menu item, but it was way more painful than that. I struggled and wrestled the monster inside my stomach until I was able to choose a dish that I thought would most represent the flavors of Mexico. That dish, was the grilled carnitas torta. Tender chunks of slow roasted pork, sauteed onion and cilantro on a crusty roll all placed in a bowl of a sweet, spicy, briny, pepper and tomato sauce.
Simple yet complex. The pork was done in a way that only someone who has studied the carnitas technique could know and the sauce was something right out of a century old pot that had been tended by generations of Mecican cooks. I was so happy, and pissed because I knew that this was the best meal I was going to have in Chicago and I've only been there and hour and a half.
     The thing about XOCO that is so great is not just its simple flavorful food or easy going atmosphere, it's the history. The food and the concept here is based off of the history of a people who used simple cheap ingredients to make mind blowing food. Food that has held families together during hard times and fueled their celebrations. Food that is so important that you can get a sense of that history in every bite.

to be continued...

Chicago, here I come!

if you look real close...

     Well I'm off to the windy city for some great times, great food and cold beer. While I'm there I hope to gather some fine content for this here blog and give each of you a taste of what Chicago has to offer. However, I sure hope I don't run in to these guys or even these guys. If I do and before they kill me or take me to some awesome dual era party I'll make sure they get me some of this, or this, but for sure this. The blog will have new posts on Monday the 8th. Bye.

Reader Poll Results

     The first of my reader poll results are in for the question, "what is your favorite cuisine?" First place went to American posh with 4 votes. There was a 3 way tie for second place between Thai, Italian and Mexican with 3 votes, and down at the bottom each with one vote were Chinese and Indian cuisines respectively. I did not cast a vote in this poll, but if I would have, the vote would have been for Thai. Over the next month or so I will do my best to go to at least one of each of the preceding cuisine style restaurants, and give a thorough account of what I ate and thought of each.
     I do have favorites in the city of each of these food styles that I will lean more to for  my restaurant reviews. If anyone out there has a major disagreement or suggestions as to a place I should or need to try simply post a comment and I will do my best to try that particular restaurant/dish as well.


Chinese: Jun Bo/Grand Szechuan
Thai: King an I Thai/Sen Yai Sen Lek
Italian: Al Vento/Broders Pasta Bar
American Posh: 112 eatery/Haute Dish/ Red Stag
Mexican: Salsa al la Salsa/ El Taco Riendo
Indian: Tandoor Restaurant


     There you go. These are the one I am partial to. I will eat and enjoy in service of you my loyal readers. I know all of these are not necessarily the best Minneapolis/ St. Paul have to offer, but they each have their own unique things to offer, and I like them. Thats what food is about. I hoping to get some more input from you and hope you might learn something from me.

Soups on!

It was like going home.

     As we welcome in winter and those drafty, cold days and nights I can feel the desire inside me creep up. The need for something. What's that something? It's soup man! A hot, steamy, bowl of soup. Soup makes me feel good. It gives me that crappy little kid look on my face when I eat it. I probably even look like a kid when I eat it. My snot to drip on face ratio peaks when I'm belly up to a bowl of soup, and I like it.
     Now, that being said where is it that I go to get these soups? I have a few places. Jax Cafe (French onion), Quang (BBQ pork pho), but the one I like most is Eddington's. Eddington's has numerous locations around the metro, but I go to the one at Har Mar mall. I have a certain fascination with these older run down malls, they have shops that I've never heard of, and folksy  boarder town people. I always wonder what these places were like way back in 1992. Was the Har Mar mall the place to see and be seen? One thing I do know though, is that all these little outdated malls always have some sort of interesting and tasty food spot. Always.

Welcome to my mouth.

Like a savory crispy creme.

     I know Eddington's isn't the fanciest or the most chef driven probably not chef driven at all, but they do deliver on some things that I do appreciate. First, ease of ordering. This place is laid out like a cafeteria. Plastic trays, metal slide rails, plexiglass germ shield and a fountain drink spot at the end. The dialogue is minimum. "Hi, can I have a bowl Wisconsin cheese?" That's it. Second, they deliver a delicious and consistent product every time. They have 12 soups a day. 5 or 6 of these soups are always there and 10-12 others rotate in depending on the day of the week. I like Tuesday and Thursday. I get Bombay Chicken curry served over a bit of rice and garnished with sour cream and green onion. It was great the first time I got it and it's great now. Third, Eddington's bread sticks. Forgot about those didn't you. Why, because bread sticks suck. Most people think they only come from pizza places and most of their bread sticks do indeed suck. Not these ones. These buddy's are lightly crisped, butter glazed, parmesan coated bread darts. I dip'em in my soup, then I dip'em in my mouth. Amazing.
     Listen, I'm not trying to say that Eddington's makes the best soup in the city. I'm not, but we all need places like this. Places that have produced a formula that works every time. A place where you are the same as everyone else, simply eating and enjoying food.

Food of the Day

Yup. Cheap beer. This is one of my favorites and always will be. Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer is an American classic that has stood the test of time. Have one for yourself tonight at any one of Minneapolis's fine drinking establishments or in the confines of your own home.

Feed your Maine line

Dreams come out of this truck

In the much maligned, formerly nonexistent Minneapolis street food scene there is a new king. It's Smack Shack, and they live on the corner of N. 4th St. and 1st Ave.  With the influx of  a rejuvenated posh food revolution opening doors in all the hippest spots around the city, Smack Shack has benefited from the community  initiative to bring the food, and its best chefs to the streets. While the norm for standard food truck fare is hot dogs and sausages, Smack Shack offers up a taste of classic American regional staples, and there is little doubt that the star of the show is the Lobster roll. A full quarter pound of the sweet ocean meat is mixed with a light but flavorful cucumber, tarragon, lemon aoli and tucked in a in a piece sliced milk bread toast (like brioche only lighter). It's seriously crazy, with chunks of lobster as big as your thumb this is unlike any sandwich you have had before.

"Unreal"

     Chef and Owner Steve Oravecz along with "rock star" cashier Katie K are taking care of the walking hungry, and giving downtowners their fix. Defying their notion of GAFC (Generally Accepted Food Capabilities), and simply serving up some of the best damn food in the city. Steve sites his commitment to using only the best ingredients in the making of his food. The Lobster he gets from Minneapolis's own Coastal Seafood a name synonymous with only the freshest seafood and meats. The produce is fresh and local and the daily baked bread comes from Michelle Gayer of The Salty Tart. Making this the perfect storm of great ingredients that Steve artfully assembles and tucks carefully into a simple food box along with some kettle chips and a pickle, innocent bystanders to a Lobster roll demolition.

     The Smack Shack is not a "one trick" pony though, it also offers up shrimp po' boys stacked with lite, crisp and spicy shrimp, an andouille sausage po' boy, and perfectly seasoned fries. Giving this food truck in the heart of Minneapolis a soul of the coast of Maine and the Louisiana bayou. For food aficionados and laymen alike Steve Oravecz and the Smack Smack give it to you correct, and have set the new standard for Minneapolis street food.




Smack Shack
Parking lot 4th St. N. and 1st Ave.
Mon-Fri 11:30-4

Get your bread straight

During a recent trip to the grocery store I noticed something that made me a little uneasy. The bread aisle. Has anyone seen this thing? I just stood there and wondered how any normal person could make a good sound decision about a food that we've all been eating since 2 years old. Do you want white or wheat, split top, multi-grain, whole grain, flax seed infused, oatmeal honey. Do you want a bun? 6 pack or 8?
     How old are we? I'm old, and would like to eat bread like an adult. I actually had to turn down a sandwich the other day because of the same old lame bread. With good bread I can just eat the bread, or as worst it makes a crap cold cut taste amazing. You can't take crap bread and pair it with a mortadella or a fine pastrami. It doesn't work. Restaurants don't serve charcuterie plates with loaf of heritage farms wheat, they serve it with a sliced bakery grade baguette. I get the whole nostalgia of having a good old fashioned peanut butter and jelly on some wonder bread, or a miracle whip drenched bologna sandwich, but this is outrageous!

Pretty sure that's where Narnia is

It's time we all tried to start eating high quality bread, bought at a place that actually makes bread. Trust me people they are out there. They're called bakery's, and they are owned by people who only make bread and bread paraphernalia like donuts and danishes oh my. Want to know something else? They want your business. Yep. They want you to come and find out what they have, maybe get to know you and your family or friends. They want to build a relationship because they are vested in the community, as are you. They want you to come try the food they have been working on so hard. Go to a bakery at 3 a.m., not because they are open, but because you will see a little light on in the back through the store front. Someone is back there right at that moment making some of the tastiest bread around just for you and your neighbors. Meanwhile at the grocery, there is someone stocking bread they pulled from a crate that was on a pallet that was unloaded from a truck sometime during that day or week. See the difference.

2853 Johnson St. N.E. Minneapolis, MN 55418

     I have a place, Sarah Jane's and I love it. I Go there twice a week, get my bread, get a confection and even a cup of coffee. They make some of the best bread, donuts, danishes, cookies and other treats in the city and love doing it. It's a great place to go on a Saturday morning to see your neighbors walk in with a tired face and walk out with a cheeky smile. The kind you only see on a person that is about to ingest a gang of sugar.

     Bread is also inexpensive. For the most part it's just flour, water, yeast, and salt. That's it. As far as I know there is no special flour the Japanese have that they feed beer and massage to keep it as relaxed as possible, or flour is not left in a special room to dry age for weeks to bring out a more natural flour flavor. No, it's grown, harvested, dried, milled, bagged and shipped. Do you ever see a guy or gal in a really expensive car and say to yourself "man I bet that guy is a baker," or " wow that bread is really pulling in some bread." No. So please, give it a shot and find yourselves a bakery in your neighborhood or city. They will appreciate your business as much as you appreciate their bread if not more.