Salut & Loring Pasta Bar

These are probably my favorite places to eat or drink in the Twin Cities. I go as often as I can convince my company to join me! Salut is my new self-proclaimed "watering-hole" due to its proximity to my house and its unbelievable happy hour. LPB is the most beautiful place in the world!

Salut
917 Grand Ave
St Paul, MN‎ 55105

Just to clear it up, this place is certainly a " Bar Americain" and NOT a "Bar Francais." There are a few elements of French, which makes it perfect for me! So this happy hour I speak of is remarkable because (one of them) takes place from 10pm - midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Their #1 (cheap house) wine is discounted as well as rails and taps. And the bar food is a tasty rendition of some classic happy hour bites: pizza, burgers, and fries. However the pizzas are these little flatbread wonders, the burgers are bite sized and loaded with all the fixin's, and the Pommes Frites are served with Bernaise. All are $3!!!

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 8
They have high tops and booths and a nice bar top in the bar area. It's classy and comfortable. Haven't sat on the patio yet or in the dining area, but the patio's existence alone bumps this rating up.
Bathrooms: 8
Clean, bright, and big mirrors.
Food/Drink: 9
I like their happy hour food. They also serve oysters a la carte if you've never tried one. I think they're good. I've been acquiring the taste for em for a while though. I also had a small plate of mussels last time, and I LOVE mussels. Tried a little frizee salad once too, and Ian hated it, but I thought it was good. Overall, very diverse, and we've managed not to spend too much, although you could if you weren't careful.
Service: 6
The staff are always nice and helpful. However, I think they close at midnight every night including the weekends, and that is rediculous.
Overall: 8
Tres Bien! Want to go more often.

Loring Pasta Bar
327 14th Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Oh it is so lovely! So so gorgeous!

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 10
Parking can be tricky, but there is a lot really close for $4. Otherwise walk through a bit of campus. Always a few sights to see. The decor is truly unique. Organic, classic, cozy, glitzy.... all of these things and more. There are huge windows and tons of potted plants, candlelit tabletops, highbacked chairs, huge round booths. Its so amazing. Here, I just have to post a picture. I cannot do it justice:

Bathrooms: 10
Also unreal. Dark, mysterious, and strangely private despite half-walls and and open ceiling. Once again, I just have to post a picture.

Food/Drink: 8
The food is very good. Oh, the Sunday Brunch is FANTASTIC. I've had a number of pasta dishes that are very good. They use a lot of Saffron in their menu. We were pleasantly surprised that their sushi was really good! Drinks are good too.
Service: 9
Always sincere, always human (as opposed to bar&grill robots), and almost all uber-hipsters. Oh and on weeknights (and for brunch) they have a 30% student discount. That is huge!! Remember to carry your college student ID forever.
Overall: 10
I can't give it anything lower. Loring Pasta Bar, I love you so much.

B-Dubs

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar

2100 Snelling Ave N # 80

St Paul, MN 55113

Let's first look past the fact that this place is named after itty bitty little birdie body parts, intended to be eaten by the truckload.

And once we're over that, let's look past the 6 dozen gigantic televisions at absolutely any angle, so that no matter where you sit, you're guaranteed a bee-line distraction from your friends.

And once we're over that, let's TRY to order some food.

I struggled... and searched.... and eventually ordered a simple cheeseburger.
And... the final verdict? Is there hope for this good ol' American bar and grill to serve me a good ol' American burger? There was hope. And it fizzled quickly as I dissected the Not-a-Cheeseburger-At-All grey lump that was presented to me. The burger was bad. Skinny, processed, bun-heavy, and had no cheese. I mean, c'mon. I order the most barebones (ick) thing on the entire menu, called a CHEESEburger, and had to fight for my (eventual) half-melted cheese with more than one server.

Would we have had better service with a few beers in our gullets, or would we just have cared that much less that everything about this place sucks? I think it would take quite a few. And I think that's their evil plan. Sell enough cheap beer for not cheap, and no one will notice how horrible everything about this place really is. And based on the popularity of this place, their beer potion brainwash is working. Ick ick ick.

Chianti Grill

Chianti Grill
2050 North Snelling
Roseville, MN 55113

Catching up with Aaron J last night. We went to the new location for the Chianti Grill up in Roseville. In their previous location, Ian and I would stop in occasionally after going to The Source to look at comic books or magic cards. Our regular order was house red wine (can you guess their house? Chianti of course!!), maybe a flatbread pizza (shrimp and pesto - spectacular!), and the most amazing chocolate cake EVER. It was gigantic and paired so well with the wine, that we ordered it every time. And we're both a little spazzy about dessert!

Now the space is lofted, and very open, and really really beautiful. But it has certainly lost some of its previous cozy qualities that brought us back over and over. I ate a salmon salad, which was perfect. Crisp and flavorful greens, a light and sweet dressing, and just the right amount of salmon that it made for a delicilious, fulfilling meal.

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 8
The place is welcoming, well lit, and well decorated. The bar area is tucked back just slightly for a separation from the dinner crowd which keeps you in touch with the rest of the restaurant, yet lets you sit a bit more casually in a high backed booth. All around, very nice and very comfortable.
Bathrooms: 7
Unremarkable. Clean, big, well-decorated. And since the place is brand spankin' new... they better be clean!!
Food/Drink: 7
Good here, good at the last location. Yum Yum Yum. The salad was the only thing I have ever ordered that wasn't off the happy hour or dessert menu though because I think their prices are just a little high. Somehow, I let the Downtown Minneapolis places off the hook for their pricing. If it were even just slightly less expensive, it'd be my watering hole.
Service: 9
They notice when we need them, and leave us alone when we don't!
Overall: 7
Just lovely! The prices keep out the hipsters and us youngins though. I think I'll drive to Upown next time.

Christian Truckstop & St Clair Broiler

Well, it's time to update on a few restaurants, and announce to the current hypothetical audience that I will be trying out a bit of publicity. So sorry, world of nobody, I might invite a few real viewers in.

Nelson Brothers Restaurant & Bakery

aka: The Christian Truckstop
950 State Hughway 24
Clearwater, MN 55320

If you're heading north or west on I-94, this is the pit-stop to make. Its just outside the cities a ways, so wait to use the bathroom just until you're a bit uncomfortable and you'll be right here!! Their fritter bread is sinful and they use it all over the menu. I used to get the Monte Cristo sandwich which is an amazing combination of sandwich and sweet for the most amazing plate fulla guilt you'll ever try. This place uses their fritter bread for the sandwich of turkey, ham and cheese, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Dip it in jam for the final touch. Now that I no longer eat bird, I have branched out, and tried a few other delectables including a few appetizers and breakfast plates. The onion rings are giant slices of sweet white onion in a batter that is heavy and light and sweet all at the same time (however that works). Their Nachos are made with what seems like bbq or chili meat. We call them Minnesota nachos because they taste like... home! Or your high school basketball tournament.

We've gone a few times and I can't quite remember all of my other dishes, but next time I'm trying their home made sausage made with wild rice. There is something a little freaky about pressed meat tubes, but if we're goin for home cookin and Minnesota foods, wild-rice sausage made without poultry sounds good to me!

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 6
Its a rest-stop on the busy interstate, HOWEVER! It is a huge restaurant with skylights and huge windows, rustic log tables and chairs (which are surprisingly comfortable), and rooms behind rooms which make you forget there's a gas station right there.
Bathrooms: 1
Ick. No separate bathrooms from the stop though. Nasty, and usually busy with a tour bus of 11 year olds. Horrible.
Food/Drink: 8
Its all so delicious. Its all SUPER greasy though. Would you expect otherwise though? It is true to itself as a diner! The variety and creativity and home-made-ness of everything acually pushes it above the bar though as diners go.
Service: 5
It's a busy place and full of travellers. The servers are overworked and make no secret of the fact that they don't care at all.
Overall: 6
Worth stopping while travelling! Might want to consider louder music for the rest of the drive though, to avoid the nap your body will REALLY want to take.

P.S. - If you're wondering why we call it the "Christian Truckstop", it is because there are Jesus Fish all over all of their billboards.

Kahn's

It is raining and sleeting and snowing and grey, and North Dakota is flooded. Work is slow and paperwork is looming and the summer isn't quite here yet. But! On a brighter side, we went to Kahn's last night with Mike and Penny and Clay and his wife- whose name eludes me.



Kahn's Mongolian Barbeque
2720 Snelling Ave N
Roseville, MN‎
By checking out websites and other reviews and things, I feel that it is not a part of a restaurant chain. That's pretty cool.

So I'll quickly talk about Mongolian BBQ: There is a buffet table of raw proteins (all sorts! chx, beef, pork, fish, calamari, shrimp, tofu, etc etc etc) noodles (rice, egg, etc) tons of various veggies,
and then sauces and cooking oils which you load up all together for the ultimate personalized stir-fry. A staff member offers assistance for the sauces and you end up with your very own recipe which is stir-fried up in front of you by some very very talented gentlemen with some giant chop-sticks. Its pretty amazing to watch them!

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 5
I've never had a problem with their decor. Its always wind-tunnel freezing cold though.
Bathrooms: 7
Clean, private, darkish. Nice.
Food/Drink: 9
Mongolian Barbeque is always fun. I did well last night and made a rice noodle and bok choy calamari mess that was light and well portioned. I like the little doughy sticky things they serve for dessert too. I requested no duck wing, which freaks me out. Drank tea to combat the wind-tunnel and it was served in a nice little teapot. They have a specialty cocktail called... Mama Kahn... I think, and it is amazing.
Service: 8
Actually all the servers here are always super cool and right there.
Overall: 8
I like Kahn's. Not bad for a crabby night.

Cafe Lurcat & Liquor Lyles

We went out with Chuck for his going away party on Saturday night.

Dinner was at:

Cafe Lurcat
1624 Harmon Place

Minneapolis, MN 55403

Pretty spangly. Gorgeous chandeliers, crisp & clean linens all around, and attentive and gushy service. You'd expect to pay quite a bit for all this primp. And... yes indeed we did. Ian and I are good at splitting things to try more and spend less, and we went for the appetizer sampler (good shrimp!) and got a single, tiny morsel of each item featured. Several colleagues ordered the prix fixe dinner, which looked hearty enough. I understand fully that gourmet means smaller portions and I accept that and savor each bite that much more. But this was a bit too much, and we felt ripped off. I had wine with dinner, and it was marvelous. I had a Bordeaux Blanc, and I'm in love. New summer wine!

Experience Ratings:

Ambiance/Space: 9

Parking - difficult. Valet was $7 and might have been worth it.

Decor - top notch. Classy, tasteful, beautiful.

Space - also beautiful - right on Loring Park and windows that do the location justice. The sparkling lights of the park really made for a dazzling metro experience.

Bathrooms: 7

They were clean and beautiful, of course. I can't really remember anything significant though, so they get a generic/good rating.

Food/Drink: 5

Delicious, but tiny. Too tiny. itty bitty. The wine was good too, but once again, tiny.

Service: 6

Attentive, not terribly snotty. We were a big group and were kind of hodge-podge on our ordering. I know it's tricky to split bills at a big table, but someone always forgets tax or something (10% in downtown mpls??) and someone covers for their friends. That's always annoying.

Overall: 6

I'll never go back for dinner. Drinks maybe, and I'll order a specialty cocktail or martini.

Liquor Lyle's

2021 Hennepin Ave

Minneapolis, MN 55405

What a hoot! Was very busy, and we just missed their drink specials (2for1s). But they poured a stiff singular drink the rest of the night and we had a good time. It was even a bit nostalgic, and reminded me of several places that I hung around throughout college!

Experience Ratings:
Ambiance/Space: 7
Parking - uptown residential. Walked a bit. No problem there.

Decor - Um... I recall a lot of red. I like red!
Space - no windows? I have some problem with that on some deeper level.

Bathrooms: 5
Bar bathroom. I should cut this criteria when it is unremarkable.
Food/Drink: 7
I drank Gin Gimlets and Gin & Tonics. Yum Yum!

Service: 9

Big, fun, round, social bar with no-nonsense, quick, accurate service.

Overall: 8
I'll certainly be back. I hear their food is good too.

JetSet

This is the first in a series of reviews I plan to document over the summer. I am managing to explore a good slice of these fair cities and I have some info to share on what I am discovering:


Twin Cities Bar/Cafe/Venue Review - 3/24/2009


115 First Street North • Minneapolis • MN • 55401 612•339•3933

Two words sum this place up well: indirect lighting. Which is very important! Ask anyone there!

The place has great ambiance, which actually includes their acoustics, so I'm quite glad that live music was involved.

Dearling Physique (LIVE) :: Dominique Davis & Matt Vannelli
Soul:Control (DJ SET) :: Zak Khutoretsky aka theDEVIOUSone & Daniel Paul Cortez aka Ghetto unite
Loveless Aphrodite (DJ SET) :: Alexia Rodriguez

Dearling Physique was amazing! They mixed, and played, and jammed, and sang, and DANCED! In a hood and tights. Frier Tuck meets David Bowie maybe.
http://www.dearlingphysique.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dearlingphysique

The drinks were outrageously priced, and in my first go'round at guzzling diet coke instead of red wine, I was unpleasantly surprised to pay $2 a pop for my pop. They weren't horribly snotty about it, but I didn't feel any love from the bar itself as the DD.

But here's my big kicker in all of my forthcoming reviews: The bathroom. This I feel rounds out the amount of consideration any space gives its patrons. So JetSet gets an A- for their bathrooms. Very clean, cleanly decorated, well lit. The sinks and mirror are outside the "toilet room" so men and women primp together in front of a humongous mirror which was in a farther back corner/nook of the bar. Nice, private. There was only one toilet in each room however, and while I never waited to go, you always ran the risk of bursting into the room and then realizing that it is a single person room. A touch of privacy issues.

Crowd was clubby - clubby girls and gay bois molesting each other to low key mmm maybe some deep house? not quite downtempo. It was off the cover of a design magazine, complete with skinny pants and shiny shoes. I felt granola and I was wearing heels.

So, my Experience-o-Meter on a scale of 1-10
1: Pissy: me feeling crummy, sick, ripped-off, put-off, grossed out, etc etc
5: Neutral: me feeling indifferent, adequately fed (though maybe crap food), or just generally unremarkable
10: Spectacular: me feeling thoroughly impressed - amazing food, superlative drinks, accessible specials, accommodating space for patrons and performers, etc etc...

Ambiance/Space (doesn't include bathroom): 9
I found parking easily, the decor was simple and well done, the candle lights fit the mood and music perfectly, we had a place to sit, or mill or pull up to the bar. Very well done.
Bathrooms: 8
The single person stall in a little room was a little awkward a couple times, but I loved the mirror.
Food/Drink: 3
I'm pissed that I paid so much for my soda. Shannon's mojito was pretty delicious though.
Performance: 8
Loved the live band. Its been too long since I've seen djs too, I think I need to be in my dancing shoes to really appreciate some good wax though.
JetSet gets an overall: 6
I'd go back, but not unless there was a direct invite for a specific event, as was the case last night.