Nick & Eddie

Nick & Eddie - 1612 Harmon Place, Minneapolis

Nick & Eddie is located overlooking the beautiful Loring Park, where downtown meets uptown. Their menu reflects the location; upscale- elegance meets down to earth fun! They serve lunch Tuesday-Friday, have a great Sunday brunch, and also serve late night on the weekends (a perfect pairing to their live music). They offer a short but nice beer and wine list. Cocktails aren't offered.

After I arrived, quite late, to the restaurant, we all decided to jump right into ordering entrees and skipped our usual round of appetizers.

The Fish & Chips-- crispy, breaded, and herb seasoned Alaskan Cod-- was crisp on the outside, but nice and moist inside, served along side a somewhat dull gribiche sauce, and a bed of lightly salted and perfectly crispy chips.

The Spicy Steak was just as it suggested, spicy (in a good way)! It was served with sweet potatoes, which helped calm the spice, and caramelized onions. The Creme fraiche and green beans helped round out this very, very tasty steak.

The preparation of a scallop can make or break their flavor, and for the Day Boat Scallops at Nick & Eddie, it made them! They were seared to a perfect, mild texture and served over a slightly starchy rissoto. It was topped with basil, for an added zip, and crunchy shoestring potatoes.

After our great dinners, we decided to sample some of their house made donuts. They were a very plain cake-type donut that could easily have been skipped.

The ambiance at Nick & Eddie was great. It is a relatively small space, but is so streamlined and open that it didn't feel crowded nor was it too loud to have a conversation. Overall, the food at Nick & Eddie was quite delicious! The service on the other hand was severely lacking and slow.

Other recommendations from our club that start with a 'N'
Namaste Cafe - A delicious array of Indian cuisine including many curries and vegetarian options.
Nami - Fabulous sushi, tempura, and other Japanese dishes.
Nong Bistro - Traditional Vietnamese dishes prepared using local and organic ingredients, and an exclusive Minnesota beer list.

Next month's destination - Obento-Ya

Bon Appitte!

Modern Cafe

Modern Cafe - 337 13th Ave NE Minneapolis

The Modern Cafe is located on charming 13th Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city (oldest, but still voted 'best neighborhood' by City Pages 2011). Known in the 1940s as Rabatin's Northeast Cafe, it was changed to the "modern" cafe in 1994. Over the years, the Modern Café has evolved from a blue-collar diner to a hip, art-scene cafe with classic American dishes prepared using French techniques. Chef Phillip Becht offers seasonal menus inspired by sustainable, organic, and local ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared with high quality ingredients and attention to detail.

The menu at the Modern consists of a great selection of appetizers and small plates to open your palate. We selected an order of the Brussels Sprouts with pork belly. Brussels sprouts can easily be overcooked and lose their texture but these were cooked perfectly! The saltiness of the pork belly combined with the balsamic dressing make this dish sing of both fresh, light flavor and substance.

To experience the lighter side of the Modern Cafe's menu the Roasted Beet Salad was ordered. Served with arugula and topped with ricotta goat cheese and friend almonds, it was a simple but flavorful dish. That being said, nothing really stood out about this beet salad in comparison to others.

Since they are know for the Meatloaf we couldn't leave without a taste! It didn't disappoint! The meatloaf had both great flavor and texture, herbs were not used sparingly epically the sage. It was topped with mushroom sauce and served over mashed potatoes with a side of those fabulous brussels sprouts.

Another of the touted dishes was the Pot Roast. It was so tender that no knife was needed, but the highlight was the creamy horseradish sauce served on top. It married perfectly with the roast! Also served over mashed potatoes and along side some roasted vegetables.

Vegetarian options are available in the form of the Gnocchi and the Farro Risotto. The gnocchi was a delicious mix of flavors! It combined spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and a lemon cream sauce. Texture is one of the most important things to create a good gnocchi and this dish was as delicate as the spring pansies! The risotto was cooked perfectly and balanced the texture of the brussels sprouts and the cream sauce. Who says that a meal without meat is boring?!?

Larry Shultz raises the chickens used for the Half Chicken w/ Basil. This entree was presented beautifully and the portion size was quite large. It was served alongside delicious sweet potatoes and cipollini onions.

A menu at any cafe wouldn't be complete without a burger. The modern cafe offers a Belly Double Cheeseburger. It was topped with strips of pork belly, cheese, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes. Overall it was a very average burger though the pork belly was great! It was served with a side of disappointingly soggy fries. Maybe they should stick to preparing their more progressive entrees?

The desserts were both classic and modern all in one! The Black & Blue Berry Crisp was an old-fashioned, disco party in my mouth! It was served warm and toped with Izzy's ice cream. Though it might seem a bit on the tart side for most I really appreciated the natural berry flavors without all that added sugar. We also sampled the Peanut Brittle and Salty Caramel Sundae. It lacked the complexity of flavors and textures experienced with the berry crisp. The combination of the caramel and peanut brittle overwhelmed the sweetness of the chocolate.

The interior of the Modern Cafe is a 1940s diner with a contemporary twist. The service was fabulous! Our waitress did a great job of handling our large group and was very complimentary when it came to splitting up our check. The overall experience was good. All old school cafes should take a page from the Modern Cafe's book!

Other recommendations from our club that start with a 'M'

Manny's Tortas - Fast eats specializing in made-to-order Mexican sandwiches called tortas
Masa - Contemporary take on traditional Mexican
Midori's Floating World Cafe - Sushi and Japanese. Known for their great teas.
Mort's Delicatessen - New York style deli. Their Rubens rock!
Moto-i - The first sake brewery outside of Japan. Lots of yummy Japanese noodle and rice dishes.
Murry's - One of the best stake houses in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Next month's destination - Nick & Eddie
Bon Appitte!

Lucia's

Lucia's - 1432 W. 31st St. Minneapolis

Each month we select a restaurant that none of our members have visited before. Lucia's has been a pioneer in the Twin Cities food scene for 26 years, yet none of us had indulged there before. So, for the letter 'L', we went to check out Uptown's favorite bistro. After all those years, they still create weekly menus (Yes, they change weekly, so go back often.) using high quality local foods. As they say, 'The seasonal, nourishing, and cultural properties continue to be our passion'. If a full dinner isn't what you are looking for, cozy up to their wine bar to enjoy a cocktail, beer, or glass of wine. The bar menu consists of soups, salads, pizza, and small plates; some of the best late night eats in town! In a hurry? Try Lucia's To Go. A delicious, truly home cooked meal to fit any busy schedule!

We started with a Simple Green Salad with House Vinaigrette and a bowl of the Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash soup. As the salad's name suggested, it was a simple salad with a delicious vinaigrette. The soup, on the other hand, was anything but simple. The complex and hearty flavors of the sweet potato and squash contrasted nicely with the truffle oil that topped it!

Although Lucia's menu is short, they always offer a fish, vegetarian, and two meat entree choices. The week that we went, the vegetarian option was the Sauteed Gnocchi. Though sometimes thought of as heavy, these delicious little gnocchi were light as pillows and tossed with a spinach pesto tomato sauce and a sauteed ricotta saluta. While the side of broccoli was a bit overwhelmed by the peppercorns, the cheese that topped the gnocchi gave the dish just the right amount of saltiness to enhance all of the flavors. The fish option, breaded walleye, was equally as fabulous!

The Braised Bison was the perfect dish for a winter evening. The savory and extremely tender meat didn't require any cutting, it practically fell apart when you looked at it. On top of that succulent meat was the most amazing mustard, tarragon creme fraiche. The bison was served with glazed root vegetables. Truly heavenly comfort food!

As our evening came to an end we decided to indulge in some of their fabulous deserts. They had house made sorbet, an assortment of delicious looking cakes, tortes, and pies, and the Lemon Pudding Cake topped with Blueberries, Vanilla Cream, and mint. After one bite, it felt like sunshine in your mouth, so light and refreshing!

The interior of Lucia's was warm and cozy, and the service echoed the ambiance. The dining room is quite small and when full, can be slightly on the louder side, but having a conversation was still easily obtained. When the weather is nice outdoor, seating along the sidewalk is another option to enjoy some extremely, fabulous food while catching some fresh air. I'm not quite sure why it took so long to make it to Lucia's, but as the old saying goes 'better late, than never'!

Other recommendations from our club that start with a 'L'
La Belle Vie - If I knew the day I was going to die, this would be where I would go to eat my last meal. Arguably the best restaurant between Chicago and the Rocky Mountains. Order the five or eight course tasting menu, it is AMAZING!!!
La Cucaracha - Since the 60's this cantina has been serving up some amazing Mexican food in St. Paul
Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine - A variety of fabulously, delicious Thai options.
The Local - In Ireland, the pub with the best food and beer is referred to as the local. Agreed!
Loring Pasta Bar - Always a fun experience with some great food.

Next month's destination - Modern Cafe
Bon Appitte!

Koyi Sushi Too

Koyi Sushi Too - 2111 E Franklin Ave. Mpls

Since Sushi is something I crave on a weekly basis, it was surprising to me that it took us all the way to the letter 'K' to make our way to a sushi restaurant! If you are counting at home that's 11 whole restaurants without one that specializes in sushi! Koyi Sushi Too is an offshoot of the now closed Koyi Sushi in downtown Minneapolis. Their menu does consist of non sushi items (if raw fish isn't something you ever crave), including soups, salads, and a variety of (cooked) meat dishes. The beverage selection also varies, from juices and teas, to wine and beer, both local and imported.

As it was another cold winter evening when we arrived at Koyi, we decided to start with something warm to take off the chill. The Jazz Puffs were selected for just that reason. They looked like an ordinary cream cheese puff but were filled with small bits of jalapeno pizazz (adding to the warming factor).

Enough about the cooked food, bring on the sushi! Since sushi is perfect for sharing we ordered a plethora of different rolls to sample. Starting with the Dynamite Roll, a combination of salmon and yellowtail, cucumber, gobo, and radish sprouts.

Then, on to the Spicy Tuna Roll, which consists of tuna, cucumber, carrots, and radish sprouts.This roll is not only pleasing to the eyes but also to the tongue (and tummy). It had a great fresh zing paired with a perfectly spicy punch.

The Crunchy Roll was also ordered. Filled with shrimp tempura, tobiko, crunchy tempura, and massago. This would be a great roll to try if you are eating sushi for the first time and like shrimp. The shrimp is fried to a nice crunch.

Then, along came the Spider roll. An artfully assembled assortment of deep-fried soft shell crab, asparagus, avocado, and masago. A classic, but always yummy!

Most sushi restaurants carry all of the classic rolls (as were all of the above), but usually they will also have a few signature rolls that are unique to them (or only a select few restaurants). The Problem Solver roll was one of the unique ones. It consisted of shrimp tempura, cucumber and avocado inside, rapped with salmon, spicy Japanese mayo and crunchy batter. The outside was lightly torched adding a slight cooked texture and a great spicy and smokey flavor. Half cooked, half raw, and 100% delicious!

The ambiance of this Seward neighborhood restaurant was fun and light hearted; from the sushi bar, to the lit up orange wall, to the booth seats with Japanese style cushions. The service was attentive and the food served quickly. We made it just before happy hour was over, so getting a great price on some of our rolls and drinks was a plus. As we finished our evening at Koyi Sushi Too my sushi cravings were completely satisfied (at least until next week)!

Other recommendations from our club that start with a 'K'

Kieran's Irish Pub- Traditional Irish dishes like fish & chips, corned beef & cabbage, and shepherd's pie. A St. Patty's Day must!
Kikugawa -One of Minneapolis' original sushi joints. Still just as delicious!
King & I Thai - Great pad thai, many curry dishes, and vegetarian friendly.
Kramarczuk's East European Deli - Amazing Holubets (cabbage rolls), soups, pirogis, and goulashes. Is there a better Polish sausage in the entire USA? Doubtful!! They make their sausages daily and they can also be found at a select few Target Field kiosks. Play Ball!

Next months destination - Lucia's Restaurant (1432 W 31st St. Mpls, 55408)

Jasmine 26

Jasmine 26 - 8 E 26th St., Minneapolis

For the letter 'J', we escaped another, cold, Minnesota night to explore the culinary world of Vietnam. Jasmine 26 has a contemporary take on traditional Vietnamese cuisines; ranging from banana blossom salads, to noodle dishes, to ribs. This restaurant is just off Nicolett Ave. (eat street) in the bustling 'foodie district' of south Minneapolis. They have a full bar stocked with exotic cocktails, spikes bubble teas, a short wine list, and a few local (Surly), domestic, and international beers.

Although I typically pride myself on branching out and trying new things, when there are spring rolls on a menu, I can't seem to open my mind and palate to new foods. So, we ordered the spring rolls with shrimp. They were good, but nothing out of the ordinary. However, they were served sushi roll style and had a suburb peanut dipping sauce with just enough of a Sriracha punch to make us forget the cold!

Thinking that our entree portions might be on the small side (which they were not!), we decided on ordering the Empress Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage to share. Unlike a typical fried rice, where everything is mixed together, this dish had many of the ingredients separated on the plate for you to enjoy their individual flavors or mix them all together.

As salads were one of the things Jasmine 26 is known for, we ordered the Grilled Shrimp, Coconut Milk, Noodle Salad. It was very light and a combination of interesting flavors. The large shrimp were grilled and topped with chopped peanuts and served over the thick but airy rice noodles dripping in coconut milk. The actual lettuce, cilantro,and herb salad was served on the side of the noodles and came with a delicious Asian style vinaigrette.

Another one of their specialties is soup, and what could go better with our winter weather?! The Coconut Hot Pot was ordered! The tangy, spicy, refreshingly zingy, coconut milk broth was amazing! Immersed in the broth was a delightful combination of chicken, mushrooms, lemon grass, galangal, and dry chilies. The soup was also served with a side of white rice to add into the broth but I thought it was perfect without it.

The Jasmine Crepe was less like a crepe and more like an egg omelet. The crispy, turmeric rice, coconut crepe was filled with stir-fried pork and shrimp, bean sprouts, mung beans, and onion. It was served with a side of crisp lettuce, pickled carrot and a minty vinaigrette.

The ambiance at Jasmine 26 is far superior to many of it's 'eat street' counterparts. The interior is dark, sleek, but simple and open. It was quiet the evening that we were there, making it easy to have a conversation, but I'm sure it could get quite loud when packed. Amongst the dark wood, there was a carved wooden Buddha that had made the journey from Vietnam to the U.S.

Other recommendations from our club that start with a ‘J’:
Jasmine Deli - the same owners as Jasmine 26; has a more casual deli atmosphere. Great sandwiches!
Jax Cafe- Fine American supper-club type dinning in Northeast Minneapolis
Joe's Garage- Fun roof top dining in the summer with great views of the Minneapolis skyline and Loring Park.

Next month’s destination – Koyi Sushi Too
Bon Appitte!

Il Gatto

Il Gatto - 3001 Hennepin Ave. S. Mpls

If you have been to Uptown lately, you may have noticed that the beloved Figlio is no more and in it's stead is a restaurant that starts with the letter 'i', Il Gatto. When it originally opened, it was quite a dud for such prized real estate. It has since been retooled by Tim McKee (James Beard Award winner, also of Sea Change, La Bella Vie, Solera, and Smalley’s Caribbean BBQ). He redesigned the menu and brought in chef Jim Christiansen (long time sous chef at Sea Change - my favorite seafood restaurant in the state. Keep this seafood background in mind when making your selections). The menu consists of a variety of salads, pastas, pizzas, meat and seafood dishes. Sunday through Thursday, nightly specials are offered at a great discount. They have a full (and quite impressive) bar, an extensive wine list, and a few local brews.

We ordered exclusively seafood dishes throughout the evening, starting with the Frito Misto for an appetizer. This one is definitely to share! It was a heaping serving of lightly breaded and fried calamari, shrimp, scallops, and crispy vegetables. Served with a lemon, caper aioli, and a delicious cracked pepper marinara. Although I am usually not a fan of deep fried foods, it was light and crisp.

The Bobolati pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, and tossed with a very healthy portion of lobster, shrimp, crab, and clams. The slightly spicy chili and tomato sauce added the right amount of zip to the succulent, sweet shellfish.

Our second seafood/pasta entree wasn't quite as spectacular. The Trofie pasta lacked a depth of flavors. It's pistachio pesto was good and the lemony zing added to the shrimp, but overall the dish could have benefited from more of the tomato confit.

In an effort to offset all of the carbs we had just injested, we ordered the Cavolo Toscano. It was a delicious blend of Tuscan kale, garlic, peperroncino, and pancetta, and it did just the trick.

The interior of the old Figlio's also received quite a redesign. Il gatto is much more modern, sleek, and streamlined while maintaining a warm and cozy feel. The remodeled space is utilized much better and consists of dark booths and high tables. My only complaint about the decor was that there were many TVs hung around the dining area. While enjoying the game may be fun when sitting at the bar, being inundated with commercials for the latest energy drink during a meal can distract from the food in which patrons are partaking. Overall, I would not say that Il Gatto was a major improvement over the old Figlio's, nor is it a downgrade. You will have to decide for yourself on this one!

Other recommendations from our club that start with a ‘i'

I Nonni -Rustic Roman food using locally soured ingredients.

It's Greek To Me - Known for their spanakopita, dolmades, and mousaka. Beautiful patio dining.

Izzy's Ice Cream Cafe - Some of the best homemade ice cream in the metro

Next month’s destination – Jasmine 26
Bon Appitte!

Haute Dish - 119 Washington Ave N. Mpls

For the letter 'H' we went to Minneapolis' Haute Dish (pronounced hot dish). It has been declared by Minnesota Monthly as 'one of the most important restaurants of 2010'; and it is highly deserving of that acclamation! Chef Landon Schoenefeld's menu is all-American in a very modern way. He uses many different ingredients and cuisines, and marries them blissfully! They have a full bar with a small wine list, a favorite local beer,Surly, and an array of classic American drinks. The mint julep is fabulous and is served Kentucky Derby style-- in a silver cup. The Minnesota Mule is equally delicious! Served in a copper mug, and garnished with house-dried ginger, this drink uses local Prairie Organic Vodka.

When it comes to appetizers, we are usually so hungry that making a decision doesn't take long. However, we were stuck when deciding between the Steak & Eggs (Steak tartare, Egg in a hole, and Bloody Mary oyster shooter) and the Med Plate. Although the Steak & Eggs was highly recommend, we chose the Med Plate because it looked much easier to split. It was easy to share, but I didn't want to do any such thing! It was scrumptious! A bottom layer of delicious hummus was covered with smokey flavored Pepperocini peppers, preserved tomatoes, oil cured Shitake, Cremini and Oyster mushrooms, garlic Confit, an array of different marinated olives, Olive Tapenade and a Feta cheese Panna Cotta with tomato water gelee! It was a plate fit for the Greek gods!

Upon your first visit to Haute Dish, ordering the Tater Tot Hot Dish is a must! It is nothing like the traditional Minnesotan dish in any way, shape, or form (see the photo). The braised short ribs practically fall apart just by looking at them. Served along side the ribs were French cut green beans, Procini bechamel, and potato croquets. Oh, those tots!! Words escape me trying to describe these little clouds of potatoes sent straight from the heavens and onto my plate; crispy outside, and oohey-gooey goodness inside...*sigh*

You shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, nor should you assume the menu items at Haute Dish are what they seem. The Chicken and Dumplings also defied tradition. The chicken was indeed chicken (though seasoned and cooked far superior to most) but the 'dumplings' were actually gnocchi, and there wasn't any broth. There were also some amazing sausage meatballs, and sweet prunes. Each flavor was so distinct but all blended into a harmonious chorus of Alleluia!

Desserts are prepared by Christian Aldrich. This man is also a culinary genius! The Peach & Basil Sorbet with house-made marshmallow was definitely one of the most unique combinations I have encountered in a dessert in quite a while. The Butternut squash torte with toasted coconut ice cream, sage and cream sauce was like a pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving mixed with a New Year's celebration!

The ambiance is just as delicious as the food. Located in the old Cafe Havana space, Haute Dish boasts Victorian decor with dark and cozy booths and a bustling bar. I have been called both a food snob and a musical snob, and Haute Dish suited me on both fronts. Their play list was filled with great tunes (mostly of the Indie and Alternative variety - my favorites). The wait staff was extremely knowledgeable about everything on the menu and was extremely attentive. The final reason that I would recommend Haute Dish is that they comply with one of our objectives; using local ingredients. They don't mention it on their menu, but while talking with Chef Schoenefeld, he told me that he didn't think such things needed to be mentioned, because it should just be a given that all good chefs are utilizing our local farmers! Since the menu changes seasonally, there is always something new and interesting at Haute Dish. I can't wait to go back for more!

Other recommendations from our club that start with a ‘H’:
Harry Singh's Original Caribbean Restaurant - Roti, curries, and great vegetarian options
Heartland - Inventive dishes using local ingredients. If the Wild Boar is available, get it!
Holy Land- Yummy Gyros, Falafel, etc. They also have a great market with some of the best hummus and feta in the state!

Next month’s destination – il Gato
Bon Appitte!