Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Glaciers Cafe ~ Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Delicatessan, Ice Cream
Restaurant Features: Bar (beer & wine only), Catering, Counter Service (in addition to table service), Free Wi-Fi, Patio Dining
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3019 Minnehaha Ave So. Minneapolis, MN 55406 (Mosaic Building) 612-746-1504
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-9pm Fri-Sat  8am-10pm  Sun 8am-7pm
Links: Glaciers Cafe Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Glaciers Cafe is conveniently located on Minnehaha Ave at East Lake St in the beautiful Mosaic Building, just a couple of blocks from the Light-Rail Line.  The inside of the cafe is somewhat small but modern and trendy with a variety of seating arrangements including wooden tables, an over-sized booth, and bar-height seating that looks outward along the wall of windows.  There is also small counter where guests can order or pick up coffee, food or frozen custard to-go.  The lighting at night is just right, not too dim and not too bright.

One thing that I think is really cool about Glaciers Cafe is that it is an eco-friendly restaurant.  All fruits and vegetables are organic, they serve fair trade organic coffee, meats are vegetarian fed and antibiotic free, and all to-go items are served in biodegradable disposables.  Save the Glaciers!

Menu: Breakfast is served all day and includes Fresh Fruit, Granola, Breakfast Burrito (eggs, meat, peppers, cheddar, salsa, and sour cream served with cumin dusted potatoes), Three Egg Omelet, Muffins and Scones.

Appetizers at Glaciers Cafe include Mini Burger Sliders, Buffalo or Sesame Teriyaki Wings, Bruschetta, Mozzarella Sticks, House Salsa & Chips, and French Fries.  There is also Homemade Chili and a Soup du Jour served every day.

Salads are served with breadsticks and include Greek, Buffalo Chicken, Albacore Tuna, or Classic Caesar.  Side green salad also available.  Add chicken to any salad for $1.75.

Glaciers Cafe also makes Flat Bread Pizzas.  Build your own starting with either the House Marinara or Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and then top with ingredients such as the standard pepperoni, sausage, or go with chicken, bacon, pepper mix, roasted veggies or kalamata olives.  The "Glacier Goodie" Flatbread is the house specialty with BBQ Chicken, Caramelized Red Onions, Cheese Blend, Chiffonade Basil, and Applewood Smoked Bacon.

There are a handful of really delicious sandwiches and burgers at Glaciers Cafe, all made with lean, hormone-free meats.  Sandwiches are served with pickle, and choice of kettle chips, roasted veggies or upgrade to french fries (trans fat free!) for just $.75 more.  Options include Marinated Char Broiled Chicken on Ciabatta served either: California Style (cheddar avocado, lettuce, tomato, roasted garlic mayo), Buffalo Style (buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and bleu cheese dressing), or the Glacier House Chicken (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).  Burgers are char grilled and served on a multigrain bun, either Buffalo style or the Glaciers House Burger (melted cheddar, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramelized red onions and roasted garlic mayo).

Other sandwich options include All Beef Vienna Hot Dog (plain, Chicago-style, or chili-cheese), Turkey/BLT/Swiss, Roasted Vegetarian Wrap, Toasty Cheese (grilled cheese with cheddar, swiss and tomato), or the Mexi-Cali Burrito (jalapeno cheddar tortilla stuffed with beans, rice, cheeses, lettuce, tomato and avocado.  Chicken additional.  Served with choice of cumin dusted potatoes, roasted veggies or chips and salsa). 

New to the menu are Oven Roasted Turkey and Coleslaw.

Glaciers Cafe also has Weekly Specials: Soup, Salad and Entree that changes each week

One of the best reasons to visit Glaciers Cafe is for the Frozen Custard.  You will always find chocolate, vanilla, and a Flavor of the Week or you can create a custom flavor by adding "mix ins".  Frozen custard can be served in a cake cone or cup, or buy a quart or pint to-go.  Other options include Malts, Shakes, Floats, Smoothies and Sundaes. 
Mix in and topping options include Gummy Worms, Heath Bar, Marshmallow, M&Ms, Oreos, Reeses, Snickers, Sprinkles, Butterfinger, Chocolate Chips, Whoppers, Butterscotch, Caramel, Chocolate Sauce, Hot Fudge, Hard-Shell, Marshmallow Sauce, Peanut Butter, Blueberries, Bananas, Pineapple, Strawberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Almonds, Chopped Peanuts, Coconut, Pecans and Spanish Peanuts.

Glaciers Cafe is also a great stop for coffee and espresso.  Drinks include Dark & Light Roast Coffee, Latte, Cappuchino, Chai Tea, Iced Latte, Mocha or Caramel, and Coffee Coolers.

Price guide: Appetizers $2-6 Flatbread $9  Sandwiches/Burgers $6-8  Salads $7-8   Frozen Custard $2.75-4.75   Coffee Drinks $1.50-$3.50

What We Ordered: My companion and I started with an order of Buffalo Wings.  The order came with eight very large chicken wings and a generous coating of Buffalo sauce.  The sauce was thin and mildly spicy with just a hint of sweetness.  The portion size is just right for two people if you plan to have a meal as well.

For my dinner I ordered the Glaciers House Chicken sandwich served on a ciabatta roll. Great choice! The main star of this huge layered sandwich was a large breast of chicken marinated in a blend of fresh herbs and spices, then char broiled. The meat was wonderful- very tender and flavorful.  I enjoyed it even more knowing it was hormone and antibiotic free! The chicken sat atop lettuce and tomato and was then topped with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The sweet, soft caramelized onions provided a sweetness that perfectly complimented the smokey flavor of the applewood bacon and the zesty herbs of the chicken.  The roasted garlic mayo was delicious as well and added to the party of flavors.  I upgraded to the trans-fat free fries for $.75 more (what a deal!).  The golden fries were hot and crispy. 

My companion ordered the Glaciers House Burger, the ground beef version of the chicken sandwich I had with melted cheddar, thick applewood smoked bacon, and caramelized red onions.  The burger was served on a multi-grain bun.  The patty was 1/3- 1/2 lb of lean, vegetarian-fed beef, that was still slightly juicy but not at all greasy.  The toppings on the burger were enjoyed every bit as much as on the chicken, as were the fries.

Frozen Custard is a specialty of Glaciers Cafe, so I made sure to save room for a Turtle Sundae.  This sundae was bigger than I expected, served parfait-style in a large glass.  The sweet, creamy vanilla custard was layered with caramel, hot fudge and pecans then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  So heavenly!  Have I mentioned that ice cream/frozen custard is probably my favorite dessert?!

My companion ordered the Banana Supreme Sundae, a parfait of frozen vanilla custard, chocolate sauce, slices of banana, and Spanish peanuts, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.  The custard is so creamy and smooth! Yummy.

Service: I had no problem whatsoever in finding a place to park during my dinner-time visit, but please note the only nearby parking is metered so bring your quarters!  A sign greeted us at the door to " Please Seat Yourself" and since the restaurant had only a few other diners at that time of the night, my companion and I chose the large, over-sized booth.  Our server was very nice and admitted right away that she was a new employee, but she did great! Our drinks were filled in a timely manner and we were given plenty of time to look over the menu before ordering.  

Overall Impression: Glaciers Cafe is a great place to stop at any time of the day, whether you want a  coffee, an appetizer, salad, sandwich or the delicious frozen custard.  The prices are extremely affordable for the portion sizes you get and the food is prepared with only quality ingredients.  Quick and friendly service.

Davanni's Pizza ~ Arden Hills, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Rogers, Roseville, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury

Cuisine: Pizza, Delicatessen (hoagies)

Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter-Service, Delivery, Kids Menu, On-Site Parking (at many locations)

Locations: Arden Hills, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Burnsville, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Rogers, Roseville, Savage, St Paul, Woodbury
Addresses: (Click here for Maps of Davanni's Locations)

Arden Hills: 3673 Lexington Ave N Arden Hills, MN 55126 651-481-7100

Bloomington: 8605 Lyndale Ave S  Bloomington, MN 55420  952-888-6232

Brooklyn Center:  5937 Summit Dr  Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 763-566-8220

Burnsville: 14639 CR 11  Burnsville, MN 55337  952-431-1500

Coon Rapids: 3430 129th Ave NW Coon Rapids, MN 55448 763-712-1000

Eagan:  1960 Cliff Lake Rd Eagan, MN 55123  651-688-6111

Eden Prairie: 8061 Flying Cloud Dr Eden Prairie, MN 55344   952-941-4444

Edina: 5124 Gus Young Ln Edina, MN 55436 952-920-9090

Golden Valley:  663 Winnetka Ave N  Golden Valley, Mn 55427 763-398-0303

Minneapolis: 1242 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55403  612-338-0000

Minnetonka: 15200 Highway 7 Minnetonka, MN 55345 952-938-4243

Plymouth:  3015 Harbor Ln N  Plymouth, MN 55447 763-550-0003

Richfield: 2312 W 66th St Richfield, MN 55423    612-866-3324

Rogers:  14165 James Road Rogers, Mn 55374 763-428-2990

Roseville, 1905 W Perimeter Dr Roseville, MN 55113 651-636-3411

Savage: 14125 Highway 13 Savage, MN 55378 952-440-1200

St Paul:  310 White Bear AveSt. Paul, MN 55106 651-738-6992

St Paul:  41 Cleveland Ave S St. Paul, MN 55105 651-690-4848

Uptown Mpls: 1414 W Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55408 612-822-3111

Woodbury: 1905 Donegal Dr Woodbury, MN 55125 651-739-1010

Links: Davanni's Website 

Atmosphere: The East St Paul Davanni's location is just off I-94 and White Bear Ave.  Like all other Davanni's location, customers order at a counter and then wait for their name to be called when order is ready.

There are several different seating areas, each with booths that can accommodate up to four people.  There are also a  couple of tables in the very back section of the dining room.  There are many windows throughout the restaurant, leaving it very well lit during the day.

Menu:  Appetizers include Potato Chips, Breadsticks and Garlic Cheese Bread.

Salads at Davanni's are the Garden Salad, Side Garden, Chicken Cobb, Italian Chef, Oriental Chicken, Southwestern Chicken, Spinach Chicken, Chicken Caesar, and Side Caesar.

Hoagie sandwiches are served on either white, whole grain, or ciabatta roll with lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo.   Options include Southwestern Chicken, Chicken Bacon Honey Mustard, Chicken Breast, Turkey/Bacon/Cheddar, Turkey, BLT w/ Cheddar, Club, Roast Beef, Pastrami, Ham, Salami, Tuna Melt, Veggie, and Three Cheese. Hot subs made with meat, marinara and cheese only include Chicken Parmigiano, Meatball, Sausage, and Pizza.

Davanni's Pizza can be ordered with a choice of three different crusts (thin, traditional and deep dish) and two sauces (red and white).  Sizes pizzas come in are Solo, Medium and Laqrge.  Toppings choices are Pepperoni, Italian Sausage, Sliced Chicken Breast, Canadian Bacon, Hamburger, Red Onion, Green Pepper, Garlic, Mushrooms, Hot Peppers, Green Olive, Black Olive, Pineapple, Bacon, Gorgonzola Cheese, Anchovies, Roma Tomatoes, Cheddar Cheese, and Jalapeños.

Davanni's also has Penne Pasta (with chicken, meatballs or sausage), Lasagna and Stuffed Calzones.

Kids menu items include Hlaf Pasta, Solo Cheese Pizza, or Half Ham Hoagy.

Desserts include Brownies, Rice Crispy Treats, and Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Price guide: Hoagies $3.25-7  Salads $4-7   Pizzas $5-20  Calzones $5.50+

What We ordered: My companions and I ordered a variety of pizzas, including this large Chicago-style deep dish pizza with pepperoni and sausage.  Davanni's deep dish is a treat for those who like real Chicago-style pizza and has been my one of family's favorites for many years.  The buttery brown crust is at least 1" deep yet it is light.  The lightness of the crust is deceiving because the pizza is actually very filling.   The cheese and meats were baked directly on top of the crust with pizza sauce spread out on the very top to prevent the crust from getting soggy.  The large pizza had 10-12 wedges.

 

Our party also ordered a Large Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza.  The crust on the thin crust pizza was also pretty good, crispy but slightly chewy.  It was loaded with melted mozzarella and a fair amount of pepperoni (although I personally like more).

c and olive oil)

This is a solo deep dish pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and "pink" sauce.  Pink sauce simply means that it has both white sauce (garlic and olive oil) and red sauce.  If you like garlic, you would love either the white or the pink sauce.  This pizza was also very good, the mushrooms were fresh and there was a lot of pepperoni.  The light and buttery deep dish crust practically melts in your mouth.

 

One of my companions ordered a half pizza hoagy on whole grain with a special request for the sauce to be served on side.  This is a good sandwich but it doesn't have much substance, just a thin layer of pepperoni and a thin layer of melted cheese on one half of the bread.  You better order the whole sandwich if you're hungry!

 

Another companion ordered a pepperoni and veggie calzone to-go.  Safe to say that this thing was loaded with melted cheese, meat and veggies.

Service: You can call ahead for pick up or delicery, otherwise Davanni's offers standard counter-service.  There are typically 2-3 cashiers taking orders during the lunch and dinner rush but you can still expect to wait a few minutes before placing your order. It was fairly busy during my visit and it took about 30-40 minutes for our pizzas, which seems a reasonable amount of time for the deep dish pizzas to bake.
Overall Impression: Davanni's has excellent deep dish pizza and is conveniently located in several places around the Twin Cities.  Service is reasonably fast and menu prices aren't going to break the bank.

Pizza Luce ~ Minneapolis, St Paul & Duluth, MN

Cuisine: Pizza, American
Restaurant Features: Bar, Counter Service and Table Service
Locations:  Downtown Minneapolis, Uptown Minneapolis, Seward & University, St Paul & Duluth, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Downtown Minneapolis- 119 North 4th Street Mpls, MN 55401 (612) 333-7359

Uptown Minneapolis- 3200 Lyndale Ave So. Mpls, MN 55408 (612) 827-5978

Minneapolis- 2200 E. Franklin Avenue Mpls, MN 55404 (612) 332-2535

St Paul- 1183 Selby Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104 (651) 288-0186

Duluth- 11 East Superior Street Duluth, MN 55802 (218) 727-7400

Hours: M-Th 11a-2:30a  Fri 11a-3:30a Sat 10a-3:30a  Sun 10a-2:30a
Links: Pizza Luce Website

Atmosphere:  The downtown Mpls Pizza Luce location has two sides to the restaurant, on the right is the quick-serve line where guests can order pizza-by-the-slice.  On the left is the dining room where guests sit down and order off the menu.  The restaurant is decorated with a collection of hand-made art, including canvas paintings and glass pendant lamps.  There is also a large full-service bar on the left side.

Menu: Appetizers at Pizza Luce include Artichoke Dip, Luce Chicken Wings, Veggie Nuggets, Focaccia Katerina, Garlic Cheese Toast, and Focaccia.

Salads offered are the Caesar, Greek, Garden, Spinach, Tuna Caliente, and the Lucky Luciano.

Hoagie sandwiches include Chicken Parmiagana, Mock Chicken Parmigiana, Meatball Parmigiana, Italian Sausage Parmiagana, and Mock Sausage Parmiagana.  Other hoagies sandwiches include Pesto Turkey, Muffeleta, Mock Muffeleta, Italian Combo, Chicken Dijon, Mock Chicken Dijon, Ultimate Veggie, Beef Italiano, and Tuna Melt.

Pizzas come in 10", 12" or 16".  You can build your own or order any of the Specialty Pizzas which include The Classic, The Luce, Baked Potato Pizza, Maximus, Shrimp al Pesto, The Bear, Spanish Chicken, Ruby Rae and Pizza Lupe.

Pasta dishes include Spaghetti, Mostaccioli, Lasagna Abruzzi, and Roasted Vegetable Lasagna.

Pizza Luce also has a nice selection of desserts including Tiramisu, Carrot Cake, Cheese Cake, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar, Rice Krispie Bar, Big Ole Brownie, and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

Price guide:  Salads $3-8   Hoagies $7 Pizzas $12-22   Pastas  $6-9  Desserts $2-5

What We ordered: My companions and I started with the Garlic Cheese Toast and Artichoke Dip for  appetizers.  The cheese bread was really flavorful and baked to a golden brown, just the way I like it.  The sauce was very garlicy, which I thought was great.

 

We also tried the Artichoke Dip, which came in a large ramekin with three loaves of warm focaccia on the side.  The dip was primarily cream-cheese based with roasted garlic and some parmesan.  The cream cheese flavor was quite strong.  I could taste the artichoke but only mildly, as they were very finely chopped into the dip.  The bread was thick and really flavorful on its own.

 

For our main entree we shared a medium sausage and shrimp pizza.  Delicious! The crust was New York-style but slightly light and fluffy instead of chewy.  The sauce was zesty and garlicy and paired wonderfully with the Italian sausage and shrimp.   The pizza also had a ton of cheese on top and was overall very filling.

Service:  Our server was really good and gave us some good suggestions about drinks and appetizers, and was very patient as we took our time looking over the menu.
Overall Impression: Sitting down and ordering off the menu is where it is at when it comes to Pizza Luce!  Great late-night spot or place to catch happy hour too.  Pizza Luce also has a brunch menu on the wekends.

Pineda Tacos ~ Minneapolis, Plymouth, West St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, On-Site Parking (West St Paul location)
Locations: Minneapolis, Plymouth, West St Paul ( MN)
Addresses & Maps:

Minneapolis- 2150 E Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 729-5320

Minneapolis- 311 E Lake St Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 825-7466

Plymouth- 60 Nathan Ln N Plymouth, MN 55441 (763) 545-1977

West St Paul- 1304 Robert Street So.  West St Paul, MN 55118 (651) 455-6833

Hours: 7 days 10am-10pm

Atmosphere: The West St Paul location is located right on Robert Street and is very easy to spot from the road, with its unique slanted roof.  The counter is just to the right of the main doors when you walk in, and there is a large menu board overhead. There are a bunch of booths set up around the space, with glass privacy separators around each.  The bright stained-glass windows give the West St Paul location a somewhat festive-feel.

Menu:  Mexican sandwiches include choice of Ham, Cheese, Breaded Steak, or any of the combination sandwiches including the Chilanga, Mexicana, Hawaiiana, Cubana and Three Meat.  All come with your choice of fixings: mayonnaise, avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeno, cream and beans.  

All tacos, burritos, tortas, and chimichangas come with choice of meats: Chopped Steak, Barbacoa, Mexican-Style Steak, Steak with Onions, Lengua, Tripas, Chicken in Tomato Sauce, Chicken in Green Sauce with Potatoes, Chicken in Chipotle Sauce, Roasted Pork, Mexican Sausage in Chipotle Sauce, Pastor, and Spicy Pork.

Taco options include soft Corn or Flour Tortillas, Hard Shell, Tostada, Nachos and Quesadilla.

Burrito options include Bean/Rice/Cheese, Regular (one meat), Burrito Gordo (two meats and avocado), Veggy (cheese and avocado) and the Birrote (two tortillas, two meats).  Any burrito can be made into a chimichanga, served enchilada-style.

Meat Plates come with rice and beans and include Meat Plate, Beef Fajita, Chicken Fajita. Alambre,  Quesadilla (choice of meat), Carne Asada, Green Sauce Enchilada, Red Sauce Enchilada, Chimichanga, Stuffed Poblano Pepper, Garlic Shrimp, Devil's Shrimp, Breaded Shrimp, Shrimp Fajitas, and Flautas (chicken or potato).

Price guide:  Sandwiches $6-8  Tacos $2-5  Burritos $4-9  Meat Plates $9-10
What I ordered: I had previously tried a burrito at Pineda one other time and really enjoyed it.  This time I wanted to try the burrito chimichanga-style.  I ordered it with spicy pork, Mexican rice, pinto beans, cilantro, and hot salsa.  The outside was slightly crisp and flaky from being fried, and topped with a light amount of enchilada sauce and melted Mexican cheese.  Lettuce, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole were served on the side.  I enjoyed the chimichanga quite a bit.  Despite the fact that both the chimi and the burrito I had tried before were filled with nearly the same ingredients, it was a completely different experience to be able to add the cold condiments to the hot ingredients instead of having them all mixed in.

One of my companions ordered four tacos: one chicken in tomato sauce, one spicy pork, and two steak.  Each taco was served on two white corn tortillas and topped with the customary cilantro and chopped onion, with wedges of lime on the side.  They were all very good, especially the spicy pork.  The chicken was tender white-meat marinated in a light tomato broth, mild but flavorful.

 

Another companion also ordered four tacos: two chicken and two spicy pork.

Service:  Pineda has counter service that seems to go pretty fast, as they make the tacos and burritos directly as you order them.  Free soda refills
Overall Impression: Pineda offers a wide range of delicious meats for tacos and burritos, with generous portions for the money.  They have some of the best burritos I have had.  The spicy pork is my favorite. 

Boca Chica's Taco House ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN (District del Sol)
Address: 407 South Wabasha Street St Paul, MN 55107 (651)222-8226
Hours: M-Th 10a-9p   Fri 10a-9:30p  Sat 11a-9:30p  Sun 11a-8p
Links: Taco House Website    Google Map

Atmosphere: Located just across the street from the original Boca Chica, the Taco House is a fast-food version of the bigger sit-down restaurant.  The Taco House offers counter-service.  In the front there are a limited number of booths, but there is also a larger dining area with additional booths in the back,  accommodating a total of 75 people.

Menu: Appetizer/Side Orders at Boca Chica include Beans, Rice, Tamales, Sope, Guacamole, Chips, Chips & Cheese, Chips & Guacamole, Papitas and Fiesta Nachos.

Salads include Veggie Taco, Beef Taco, Chicken Taco, Chicken Fajita or Beef Fajita

Taco choices include Ground Beef, Shredded Chicken, Chicken Fajita or Bistek Fajita.  Choose from soft or crispy corn tortilla or fried flour tortilla (ground beef only).

Tostadas include either bean or beef & bean.

Flautas come with two-to-an-order, either shredded chicken or barbacoa.

Enchiladas are sold individually and your choice of either ground beef or cheese.

Quesadillas offered at Taco House include Red Chile or Green Chile.

Burrito options include Bean, Beef & Cheese, Beef & Cheese, Bean & Cheese, Chicken Mole, Red Chile Pork, Taco Burrito, Veggie Taco Burrito, Egg & Chorizo, El Burro (chicken or steak), Papas Burrito (Beef or Bean), and Chicken Taco Burrito.  Any burrito can be served enchilada-style for $1.50 additional.

There are several combination plates available that offer 1-2 entree items with beans or rice and drink.

For dessert there are Churros or Bunuelos.

Price guide: Tacos $1.19-3.50  Enchiladas/Flautas $2  Burritos $2-5 Combos $5-7.50

What I ordered: I started with a Ground Beef Fried Flour Taco.  This was so good!  The ground beef was seasoned and had a lot of flavor, not to mention there was quite a bit of it stuffed into the flaky, golden brown fried tortilla.  The taco was topped with lettuce and plenty of cheddar cheese and I added the fresh homemade salsa.  This was a big taco for $2 compared to many of the other taco places I have been to recently and much tastier.

 

 I also ordered a Cheese Enchilada.  The rolled tortilla had a nice amount of cheese inside and was topped with a generous helping of the enchilada sauce and more cheddar cheese.  The enchilada sauce was slightly thick and cheesy, very mild but delicious.  I found the extra sauce to be a great dip for chips!

We all ordered at least one of the Chicken Fried Flour Tacos, which a special that Taco House offers ONLY DURING THE MONTH OF MAY in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  These tacos are wonderful, a real treat during the Month of May for only $2 each.  The chicken is shredded and stewed in Mexican spices so it is very flavorful, unlike other plain, boring shredded chicken I have encountered at some other local Mexican places.  These tacos are so good and so popular, it seems a shame that Taco House doesn't offer them on the menu full-time.

My companion ordered the Bistek Taco with a side of rice.  This taco was served on an authentic corn tortilla (although flour is also an option), with large slices of grilled steak and onions, topped with fresh guacamole, cilantro and Mexican crumbly cheese.  Fabulous! In fact, this is my favorite taco in the Twin Cities (so far!) It is very filling and flavorful.  The rice was also good.

 

 

Another companion ordered the Chicken Flautas, which are corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken and then are rolled and deep fried.  The flautas were served on a bed of shredded lettuce and then topped with sour cream and Mexican crumbly cheese.

Service:  We ordered at the counter and were given a order number.  It took 5-10 minutes for our order to be ready. 
Overall Impression: Excellent tacos and overall good Mexican food.... FAST!

Paisanos Pizza & Hot Hoagies ~ St Paul, Woodbury, MN

Cuisine: Delicatessan, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Counter Service, On-Site Parking
Locations: St Paul, Woodbury, MN
Addresses & Maps:
St Paul- 619 Selby Ave St Paul, MN 55102 (651) 224-3350‎
Woodbury- 803 Bielenberg Dr, Woodbury, MN‎ - (651) 702-5544‎

Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm  Fri-Sat  11am-11pm
Links:  Paisanos Website

Atmosphere: The St Paul location of Paisanos Pizza & Hot Hoagies is located at the intersection of Selby & Dale, in the same building as The Louisiana Cafe.  Menu boards are hung on the walls when you first walk in, so you can decide what you want while waiting in line. You place your order at one end of the counter and then pick it up at the other end when it is ready.  Paisanos Pizza has tables spread out in front of several big windows that look out to Selby Ave, as well as a long bar-height table with stools that all face the windows.  Decor is contemporary.

Menu: Salads at Paisanos include House, Classic Caesar, Mediterranean and Italian Chef's Salad.

Individual Slices of Cheese, Pepperoni, or Sausage are sold during the lunch hours or you can choose from 8" 12" or 16" pizzas with your choice of any combination of the following ingredients: Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Bacon, Hamburger, Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Artichoke Hearts, Fresh Spniach, pepperoni, Red Onion, Green Peppers, Jalapenos, Crushed Garlic, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Basil, Cheddar Cheese, Feta Cheese, Mushrooms, Black or Green Olives, Kalamata Olives, Sun-dried Tomato, Roma Tomato, Pineapple, and Banana Peppers.

Specialty pizza options include Classic, Tuscan (white sauce, Canadian bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil), Caribbean (canadian bacon, red onion, fresh parmesan and pineapple), Vegetarian, Margherita, Mediterranean (sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, kalamata olives, fresh spinach), Bacon Cheeseburger, and Taco Pizza (seasoned beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, black olives, tortilla chips and special sauce).

Stromboli, Lasagna and Chicken Wings are also offered on Paisanos menu.

Price guide: Salads $6-7 Pizza Slice $3-4  Whole Pizzas $6-20  Hoagies $7-8
What I ordered: I ordered a single slice of Cheese Bread, which was pre-made for the lunch rush.  The bread was really good, slightly crispy around the edges but still soft in the middle.  It had plenty of garlic butter and melted mozzarella with oregano sprinkled on top.  It came with a side of marinara for dipping, which was thick and had the distinct flavor of garlic and other Italian spices.

I also had a big piece of Pepperoni Pizza (sold by the slice).  Very good! The crust was thin but not too crispy, and also not too chewy.  The sauce was mild but had a decent amount of garlic and detectable oregano too.  The pizza was covered with plenty of mozzarella cheese and ultra-thin pepperonis    

Service: There were several customers in line to order food at Paisanos when I first arrived, so it  took about five minutes before I was able to order.  I was short on time and liked that they had pizza slices ready, so that is what I went with.  A hot pizza was just pulled out of the oven just in time for me to get a fresh slice and I was able to walk out the door in less than ten minutes after arriving.  The guys serving the pizza were really nice and patient with the customers.
Overall Impression: Pretty good pizza sold by the slice at reasonable prices.  The hoagie sandwiches also looked good! Reasonably fast, depending on what you order.

Chris & Rob's Chicago Taste Authority ~ Fridley, Minneapolis & St Paul, MN

Cuisine: American, Chicago-Style, Hot Dogs, Pizza
Restaurant Features: Catering, Counter-Service
Locations: Fridley, St Paul, and Minneapolis, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Fridley- 7429 East River Rd Fridley, MN 55432 (763) 571-0288
Minneapolis- 3101 E 42nd St  (612) 729-5507
St Paul- 603 W. 7th St. (651)228-9347
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-9pm     Sun 12pm-7pm

Links: Chris & Rob's Website

Atmosphere: The St Paul location of Chris & Rob's can be found in this cute old dining car on West 7th Street.  The entrance to the restaurant is tucked around the side of the building, leading you to the ordering counter, with the kitchen just behind that.  The dining area is one long, narrow space with wooden floors and wood paneling on the walls.  There are several four-person wooden tables running the length of the space along the left side, and two-person tables along the right, with a walkway between them.  The many windows facing W. 7th offer plenty of light but there are also several pretty stained-glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Menu: Appetizers include French Fries, Tater Tots, Cheese Curds, Chili Cheese Fries, Bowl of Chili, Onion Rings, Jalapeno Poppers, Mozzarella Sticks, Breaded Mushrooms, Ravioli Dippers, Garlic Toast, Supreme Tamale, Pizza Puff, Cheese Bread, Gravy Bread, Chicken Tenders, Spicy Wings, Shrimp, Rib Tips, and Fish.

All Hot Dogs and Sausage Sandwiches at Chris & Rob's are made with meat that comes directly from Chicago.  Hot dogs are all Vienna Brand and  include the Chicago Dog (with everything!), Cheese Dog, Chili Dog, Chili Cheese Dog, Polish Sausage, and Maxwell Street Polish.  Sausage sandwiches include the Italian Sausage, Meatball and Brat.

Specialty sandwiches include the Hot Italian Beef, Cheesy Beef, BBQ Beef, Beef and Sausage Combo, Gyro Classic and Prime Rib sandwich.

Chris & Rob's also has 12" 14" and 16" Pizzas, made on either Traditional Thin Crust or the Famous Sicilian which has a thicker rolled crust.  Pick your own ingredients or try one of the Specialty Pizzas such as the Monster of the Midway or Jordan's Garden.

Chris & Rob's also makes Party Platters! Italian Beef, Hot Dogs, and Pasta can all be ordered as a Platters.  Call to arrange specifics. 

Chris & Rob's also has an extensive catering menu.

Price guide: Appetizers $1-6 Hot Dogs $3-4   Sandwiches $6-9  Pizza $10-20

What I ordered: I was in the mood for a chili cheese dog, so a search around St Paul brought  brought me to Chris & Rob's.  I had never been there before but heard they had Vienna hot dogs and wanted to see what the big deal was about.  I assume the hot dog was cooked by either boiling or steaming it.  The casing on it was thin and the hot dog itself was good but not as flavorful as I had expected.  It was the same size as any other ordinary hot dog and I could probably have eaten two if I hadn't gotten fries instead.  Served on a fresh poppy seed bun, the hot dog was topped with chili, cheese sauce and onions.  The chili had ground meat and a lot of beans, but was kind of bland and did not seem to be homemade (I could be wrong!) The thick-cut fries were also pretty basic, cut slightly thick so they are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and just slightly salted.

Service: Incredibly fast! I ordered at the counter and my order was ready literally two minutes later.
Overall Impression: Great selection of Chicago-Style Foods.  The hot dog was decent but I would like to go back for a Beef sandwich next time.  Prices seem to be relatively inexpensive, no guilt at spending money at Chris & Rob's. Very fast service.

Q Fanatic BBQ ~ Champlin, MN

Cuisine: BBQ
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Catering, Counter-Service, On-Site Parking, Take-Out
Location: Champlin, MN
Address: 180 Miller Rd. Champlin, MN 55316 (763) 323-6550
Hours:  Mon-Thurs  11am-8pm    Fri 11am-9pm    Sat 12-9pm    Sun 12-8pm
Links: Q Fanatic Website     Google Map

Atmosphere: Q Fanatic is located at the end of a strip mall that sits along a frontage road to Hwy 169.  The dining area of the restaurant is "L" shaped, with booths lined up along the wall all the way into the back half of the restaurant.  There are also several tables in the front that can be easily arranged to accommodate larger groups, with an additional banquet room in back.  Decorated on the walls are paintings and cute little shelves, each with a collectible Pig or Cow.

Menu: Side Dishes include Coleslaw, Asian Coleslaw, Creamy Potato Salad, BBQ Baked Beans, Corn Fritters, Onion Straws, Curly Fries, Mashed New Potatoes, Parmesan Potatoes Gratinee, Spicy Potato Wedges, Side Salad, Grilled Seasonal Veggies, Mac and Cheese, Garlic Roll, Foccacia Bread.

Q Fanatic also offers a couple of salads like the Caesar, the Siena Salad (with raspberry vinaigrette, pecans and gorgonzola) or the Ranch Salad.  Grilled Chicken can be added to any salad.

Sandwiches are served on either French Roll or Foccacia and include Sliced Brisket, Pulled Pork, Pulled Slow-Roasted Chicken, Grilled Veggie, Grilled Chicken Breast, Chicken Club, BLT, and Burger.  Served with Chips or substitute for regular-sized Side Dish for $1 or large side for $2.

Specialty BBQ Dinners include St Louis Style Ribs (1 lb or 2 lbs either wet or dry), Slow Roasted Beef Brisket, Applewood Smoked Pulled Pork, Slow Roasted Boneless Chicken, Rib Tips or Grilled Chicken Breast.  All dinners come with one regular side dish and choice or garlic roll or foccacia bread.  Additional side is just $1 for regular or $2 for large.

Kids meals include Mac & Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Lil Q Sandwich, Kids Chicken, Kids Burger

Q also offers Take-Out packages to feed anywhere from 4 to 14 people.

Price guide: Kids $5  Sides $2-4  Salads $7-10 Sandwiches $6-8   Dinners $8-21
What We ordered: I was starving so everything sounded good, but my standard for eating BBQ anywhere I go is the Beef Brisket, so I ordered the 1 lb Beef Brisket Dinner. This was the most tender and moist Beef Brisket I have ever had! It had amazing flavor (smoked with Apple Wood) and practically melted in my mouth.  The slices of beef were just the right thickness and so tender I didn't even need to use a knife.  Two sides of Q Fanatic's special sauces came with it- a tangy mustard and the Espresso BBQ.  Initially I wasn't sure that the mustard sauce would be good with the beef but then I tried it- the Chef at Q Fanatic's knew this was a winning combo! The consistency of the mustard sauce was slightly runny with just a touch of mustard and a touch of sweet and tangy flavors, complimenting the flavors of the beef perfectly.  The Espresso BBQ was also excellent.  My dinner came with one side and choice of bread so I went with the Curly Fries and Garlic Roll.  The basket of curly fries was HUGE!  The fries were fresh-cut, thin and extremely long and curly.  I also got four garlic rolls with my dinner, delicious  buttery golden brown on the outside and soft and warm on the inside.

 

 

My companion ordered 2 lbs of St Louis Style Ribs, which came with bread (garlic rolls), one side (basket of fries like the one pictures above), and an additional side of Corn Fritters was purchased for $1 more.  The Ribs were unbelievably fall-off-the-bone-tender! One bite of the ribs and I was practically begging the Owners to open an additional restaurant in my neighborhood so I can eat them every other day.  Seriously. One bite of these ribs and you will not want to eat ribs anywhere else, ever again! The corn fritters were also very good, kind of like an un-sweetened donut with kernels of corn inside.

Service: It was a busy Friday night and there were just a few tables available when we arrived.  We ordered at the counter, with help from a friendly woman.  Drinks are self-serve and food is brought out to the table. It was a very busy night but our food was served in 25 minutes or less- every bite worth waiting for.  Staff did a great job of checking on us throughout the evening, very professional.
Overall Impression: BEST BBQ I have had, the Beef Brisket and Ribs are amazing!!  Very reasonable prices for the huge portions you get. Cannot wait to bring group of friends out with me for my next visit.  Worth a drive to Champlin :)

La Loma Mexican Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican
Restaurant Features: Bar (Beer), Counter Service
Location: St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:

St Paul- 927 Payne Ave St Paul, MN 55130 (651) 776-6300

Sister Restaurants:

La Loma Coffee Shop- 1515 E. Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 728-5437

La Loma Tamales, Minneapolis- Midtown Global Market ( Lake St & 10th Ave).  Serves Breakfast, Tamales and Fruit Smoothies

Hours:  Daily 8am-8pm
Links: La Loma Website

Atmosphere: The St Paul location of La Loma restaurant is located within the Plaza Latina on Payne Ave.  The restaurant's space is big and open, with great natural lighting from all the windows.  There is a large counter for customers to place food order, and several small round tables throughout the restaurant, seating around 30-40.

 

Attached to the restaurant in the back is a store that sells a variety of Mexican Imports (mostly clothes).

Menu: Breakfast Items include Huevos Ranchers, Huevos ala Mexicana, Huevos con Chorizo, Huevos con Jamon (ham), and Huevos con Salchicha (breakfast sausage).

Tamales are what La Loma is known for.  Chicken, Pork, Vegetarian, Sweet Corn or Oazaqueño.

Tacos are served on double corn tortillas with cilantro and onions and choice of meats: Pollo (chicken), Asada (steak), Chicharon (pork rinds), Pastor (marinated pork), Lengua (tongue), Chorizo (Mexican sausage), Cecinas (smoked meat), Carnitas (pork), Tripe (stomach).

Tortas (sandwiches) options include Pollo, Milanesa (breaded steak), Cecina, Hawaiian, Chorizo and the Cubano.

Chilaquiles choices include Carne, Carne Y Huevos.  Enchiladas with choice of meat.

Entree Plates- Bistec con Queso, Burrito con Carne (choice of meat), Quesdailla, Tostada con Carne, Plato de Guisado (stew).

La Loma also has Menudo and Pozole de Puerco.

Price guide: Breakfast $3-4  Tamales & Tacos $2  Tortas $5-8  Entrees $6-9

What I ordered:  For my lunch I ordered a Chicken Taco, Carnitas Taco, and Steak Enchilada.  The Chicken Taco had tender, bite-sized pieces of white meat chicken.  The meat was tender but didn't have much flavor.  Served on double-layered mini corn tortillas and topped with cilantro and onions.  The salsa verde that was served on the side was on the mild side, so it only added a little more flavor.  Normally with an authentic taco you would not need to add these things, but I think the chicken tacos would be much tastier with cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole or a spicier chile.  The carnitas taco was much more flavorful than the chicken, but the shredded pork was somewhat dry and slightly fatty.  The Steak enchilada had lean strips of steak rolled in a corn tortilla and then covered in a tongue-tingling spicy green sauce, with shredded Mexican cheese on top.  It was good and would be even better with melted cheese inside.

Service:  The woman working the counter was very nice.  It took 5-10 minutes for my order to be ready, which I asked for To-Go.  It was slightly busy with a handful of customers filing in around noon.
Overall Impression:  Prices are very reasonable, service is good.  I thought the food was decent but would like to try breakfast or dinner before truly recommending.

Swede Hollow Cafe ~ St. Paul, MN

Cuisine: Deli, Coffee, Bakery
Restaurant Features: Counter-Service, Patio
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 725 E 7th Street  St Paul, MN 55106 (651) 776-8810

Get Directions

Hours: M-F 6:30am-3pm      Sat 8am-2pm
Links: Swede Hollow Website          Google Map

Atmosphere: Swede Hollow Cafe is nestled into a small brick building on East 7th St, just blocks away from the St Paul campus of Metropolitan State University.  The dining area holds roughly eight wooden tables placed closely together  with a walkway that runs through the middle of the cafe from the door to the service counter.  There is overhead track-lighting but also great natural lighting from the many windows that overlook the outdoor garden/patio area.  I have been to Swede Hollow before during the summer season and the patio is very nice from what I remember.  (I'll take a photo of the gardens later this spring)

Menu: Breakfast includes a Daily Quiche, Baked French Toast, Hashbrowns with Bacon, Sausage and Ham, Breakfast Croissant.  On Saturday the Breakfast menu is extended to offer Potato Cheddar Pie, three kinds of Quiches, and two kinds of Strata. All of the above come with Fresh Fruit, Crisps, Cobbler or Bread Pudding, and a Corn Muffin.

There are just a handful of sandwiches made at Swede Hollow such as the Toasted Three Cheese, Roast Beef and Provolone, Smoked Ham and Swiss, Turkey and Swiss, Turkey & Cheddar, and Mediterranean Veggie.  Any sandwich can be turned into a Box Meal with Chips, Pickle Spear, and Biscotti or Shortbread for $9.  Half & Half Combo also available (soup or 1/2 salad & 1/2 sandwich).

Salads are the Creamy Gorgonzola and Walnut, Spring Greens, and Italian.  There are also two Soups du Jour, one meat and the other vegetarian.

Pastries include  Caramel and Cinnamon Rolls, Scones, Bread Pudding, Apple Cobbler, Fruit Crisps, Tarts, Turnovers, Cookies, and Bars.

Price guide: Coffee $3-4 Breakfast Salads $6 Sandwiches $7-8
What I ordered: It was on a whim that I stopped at Swede Hollow for a sandwich over my lunch break, as I was in the mood for a sandwich of some kind.  I was somewhat disappointed to discover that they had just five sandwich choices and only one of which was served hot. I had really wanted Corned Beef but since they didn't have it, I decided on the Turkey and Swiss and asked that it be served hot.  It was a large sandwich, cut in half.  The French bread that this sandwich is made with was quite dense and hard on the outside from being grilled.  Sliced turkey, tomato, and several large leaves of romaine with a twangy honey mustard were stuffed between the bread.  I liked the taste of this sandwich but between the hardness of the bread and the height of this sandwich, it was too much for my poor jaw to take.  

Service: Although it was a rainy Monday, it got quite busy at Swede Hollow around noon.  I was able to beat most of the rush but it still took 10-15 minutes for my sandwich.  The line had grown considerably by the time my sandwich was ready and most of the tables were occupied.  The gal working the counter was nice, but not overly suggestive about the menu.  There seemed to be 1-2 servers/cooks who brought orders out to the tables.
Overall Impression: Swede Hollow is a cute little coffee shop/cafe, but prices seemed kind of expensive.  The menu is limited but still draws a decent crowd.  Nice garden patio to use during warmer weather.