Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

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.

Grumpy's Bar & Grill ~ Roseville & Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: American
Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet Room, Pull-Tabs, On-Site Parking, Patio
Locations:  Roseville, Northeast Mpls, Downtown Mpls, MN
Addresses & Maps:
Northeast Mpls- 220 4th St NE Mpls, MN 55413 (612)789-7429

Downtown Mpls- 1111 Washington Ave Sp. Mpls, MN 55415  (612) 340-9738

Roseville- 2801 Snelling Ave No. Roseville, MN 55113 (651)379-1180

Link: Grumpy's Website

Atmosphere: The Roseville location of Grumpy's Bar & Grill is in a very large building that was first  the home of K-Fan Restaurant and then served as Majors Sports Cafe until Grumpy's took over the location early in 2008.  Within the large space there is a large bar area with several bar-height tables placed around the centrally-located bar, an upstairs seating area, and an enclosed space for playing darts.

 

The Dining Room contains both booths and wooden tables, contemporary decor.

 

There is also a large Patio Area that can be accessed through the bar area.

Menu: Appetizers at Grumpy's include Chicken Drummies, Chicken Tenders, Popcorn Chicken, Quesadilla Gordo, Potato Skins, Mozarella Sticks, Tepanyaki Beef Tidbits, Mac n Cheese, Mac N Cheese Bites, Beer Battered Onion Rings, Nachos El Grumpy, Lil' Grumpy Burgers, Mini Corndogs, Tex Mex Queso Rolls, Sausage Pizza Dip, Gazillion Cheese Dip, Walleye Fingers, and Pepper Jack Spinach Dip.

Grumpy offers the following salads: Grumpy's Chop, Ty Cobb, Aztec Chicken, Bleu Bayou, Greek, Caesar, and Chicken Spinach Flatbread.  Soup choices include Chicken Wild Rice, Chili and a Soup du Jour.

Grumpy's has the largest selection of potato choices I have seen including Grumpy Fries, Tater Tots, Wedge-Style, Shoe String, Criss-Cut Fries, Mashed, Baked and Hash Browns.

Sandwiches include Chicken Cordon Bleu, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Cajun Chicken, Hawaiian Chicken, Build Your Own Chicken Sandwich, BBQ Chicken Wrap, Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap, Chicken Salad, Southwestern Turkey, Walleye, Tuna Melt El Paso, Mock Duck BBQ, Grilled Cheese, Ham N Cheese, Hell on Whells, Grilled Reuben, Grumpy's Rachel, Roast Beef or Chicken Philly, Hot Beef, B.L.T., French Dip, Clubhouse, Pork Tenderloin, BBQ Pork, The Cuban, and St Paul Style Coney Dogs. All sanwiches come with choice of potato.

All Burger Choices are a 1/2 lb of lean Black Angus and come with a choice of potato.  Options include Southern Style "The Elvis" (beef patty topped with peanut butter and bacon), American Burger, Pepper Burger, Burgermeister, Chili Burger, Veggie Burger, Cream Cheese Burger, Patty Melt, The Wyoming, Juicy Lucy, and Build your Own Burger.

Pizzas are made with homemade dough and include choices such as the Straught Up Sausage, Attsa Cheeseburger, BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, Northern Italian, Aloha This! and Build Your Own Pizza.

Entrees include Ribs, T-Bone Steak, Top Sirloin, Country Fried Chicken or Pork, Homemade Meatloaf, Pork Chops, Fish & Chips, Penne Diablo, Gnocchi, Manicotti, Chicken Penne Carbonara, Shrimp or Chicken Fettuccine, and Tater Tot Hotdish.

Desserts include S'Mores, Home Baked Apple Pie, Chocolate Cake, Carrot Cake, New York Cheesecake, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-10  Sandwiches/Burgers $7-12 Entrees $10-16

What I ordered: I really couldn't decide what I was in the mood for- I just knew I didn't want to get a  burger or sandwich which is usually what I get at a bar & grill.  The server said the manicotti was good so I tried that.  I would say it was decent, but nothing to write home about. The portion was HUGE, with several large tubes of pasta filled with a ricotta cheese mixture.  It was very mild and I could only detect maybe a slight hint of garlic and oregano in the mixture, otherwise it was just plain old ricotta.  The red sauce was tasty but there just wasn't much of it, so I asked for a large side of it so I could adjust it to my liking.  There was a lot of mozzarella baked on top.  It was supposed to come with bread of some kind, but they forgot to bring it to me.

 

One of my companions had the Country Fried Chicken.  The chicken was good, covered with gravy and served with a side of mashed potatoes, variety vegetables, and toast.

 

Another companion had the Quesadilla which comes stuffed with cheese and tomatoes and onions.  My companion ordered it with black beans and peppers added (which was charged an additional $3).  It was an excellent quesadilla but very expensive at $11.

Another Companion (who happened to be the Guest of Honor) originally ordered the Fish & Chips but it had been fried so long that it was hard as a rock.  Since it was inedible it was sent back to the kitchen.

 

Instead of Fish & Chips my companion had the Tepanyaki Beef Teedbits at the suggestion of the server.  These looked and smelled delicious

 

Two of the people in our group shared the Grumpy's Nachos, which was a HUGE order of tri-colored chips piled with melted cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, black olives, green onions and served with sour cream and salsa on the side.

Service: My party had a reservation (made 3 days in advance) for 15 people at 6pm on a Saturday night.  At 6:10 when the entire party had been assembled, we were told that they could only accommodate us in the dining room for one hour and then we would have to leave so they could set up for another big party who had a reservation at 7:30pm.  Say what?! My companion who had arranged the dinner in honor of a birthday celebration was very upset, as we all were.  Apparently they had overlooked our reservation but could accommodate us all in the bar area with taller tables pushed together.  We were fine with that, as we weren't given much choice.  Our server was nice but not overly friendly and was not very helpful with suggestions on the menu- she told us she only ever eats appetizers. It also took a considerable amount of time to bring little things when asked, although we did have a large party.
Overall Impression: I was not at all impressed with the food at Grumpy's Roseville and the service was pretty bad.  It is very unlikely I'd ever go back

Champps Americana- Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Richfield, St Paul, & Woodbury MN

Cuisine: American,
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar, Sports Bar, On-Site Parking

Locations: Burnsville,  Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, *Maplewood, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, New Brighton, Richfield, St. Paul, Woodbury
Addresses & Maps:
Burnsville- 1200 W. County Rd. 42 Burnsville, MN 55337 952-898-5050
Eden Prairie- 8010 Glen Lane Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952-942-3331
Maple Grove- 13521 80th Circle North Maple Grove, MN 55369 763-494-4515
Maplewood-1734 Adolphus St  651-487-5050
Minneapolis- 100 N. 6th St. Minneapolis, MN 55403 612-335-5050
Minnetonka- 641Plymouth Rd. Minnetonka, MN 55305 952-546-3333
New Brighton- 2397 Palmer Dr. New Brighton, MN 55112 651-639-0339
Richfield- 790 W. 66th Street Richfield, MN 55423 612-861-3333
St Paul- 2401 W. 7th St. St Paul, MN 55116 651-698-5050
Woodbury- 8418 Tamarack Village Woodbury, MN 55125  651-735-5050

Links: Champps in Maplewood Champps Corporate Website

Atmosphere: Known primarily as a Sports Bar/Restaurant, Champps in Maplewood has Neon Signs and Memorabilia adorning the Logos of our Minnesota Sports Teams throughout the building.  The main dining area has a mix of round wooden tables and booths.  The building is very large, with a banquet room on the lower level and two large parking lots on either side of the building .

The bar area has a number of tall tables in addition to seating around the bar.  There is also an enclosed patio area with multiple windows that wraps around one side of the building.

Menu: Although Champps is a national chain, each restaurant is individually franchised and has control over their own menu.  Here is a link to the Champps Corporate Menu.  The menu that I am going to review is that of Champps in Maplewood, the site of my review.

Appetizers include Garlic Cheese Bread, Chicken Fingers, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Santa Fe Eggrolls, Buffalo Wings, Asian Pot Stickers, Merlot-Grilled Sirloin, Quesadillas, Nachos, Potato Skins, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, Cheese Curds, and Waffle Fries.

Champps also has a large selections of salads including Southwestern Chicken Caesar, Caesar, Greek Chicken, Cobb, Buffalo Chicken, Oriental Chicken, Crispy Chicken Tender, Bleu Steak, Chopped, Taco Salad and Pasta Salad.  Soups offered are French Onion Au Gratin, Chicken Noodle and Soup du Jour.

Sandwiches at Champps are served with choice of chips, potato salad, cole slaw or cottage cheese.  Selections include the Mediterranean Tuna Melt, Mile High Turkey, Chicken Cyn, Gyro, Adobe Turkey, Muffaletta Hoagie, Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Pulled Prk, Spinach and Artichoke Chicken, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Champps Clubhouse, Hawaiian Chicken, 3-Cheese Chicken, Reuben/Rachel, Grilled Cheese, Cajun Chicken, French Dip, Walleye, Turkey Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Ranch Chicken Wrap, Club Wrap, Southwestern Chicken Wrap, Philly Cheesesteak Wrap, and the Texas Fajita Wrap.  There are also a large selection of Specialty Burgers.

Specialty Pizzas that are offered are Margherita, Spinach Artichoke and Pepperoni, and Meat Lovers.  You can also build-your-own pizza. 

Pasta Specialties are the Fettuccine Alfredo, Cajun Chicken Fettuccinne, Baked Mostacioli, Roasted Artichoke and Grilled Chicken Penne, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Jambalaya.

Entrees include the BBQ Rib Platter, Lemon Pepper Walleye, Grilled Fajitas, Kung Pao Chicken, Fish & Chips, and Sirloin Steak.

Desserts include Cookie Espresso Sundae, Brownie Sundae, New York Cheesecake with Berries, Hot Fudge Sundae and Chocolate Cake.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-10  Salads $9-12  Sandwiches $7-9  Pastas $11-15 Entrees $12-19
What I ordered: I ordered the Taco Salad, which came in a fresh, crispy tortilla bowl.  The bowl itself was on the small side, and was packed full of lettuce, seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, onions and fresh jalapeños, with sour cream and salsa on the side.  It was so packed full of ingredients that there wasn't enough room for me to mix the salad, but I thought it was really good.

One of my companions ordered the sandwich/soup combo, a Grilled Cheese with potato salad and side Caesar salad that they happily substituted for the soup. The bread was thick and buttery, grilled to a nice golden brown.  The salad was a generous portion for a side salad.

Another companion ordered sandwich/salad combo with Grilled Turkey, Potato Chips, and Garden Salad.  The chips they serve are of the kettle variety; crunchy and salty.

Another companion ordered a BLT with Waffle Fries and Seasoned Sour Cream.  The BLT isn't actually on the menu, but the restaurant was more than willing to accommodate the request since they had the necessary ingredients.

Service:  My party arrived at the beginning of the lunch hour, immediately after the restaurant opened and we were seated promptly at our choice of table.  The staff was friendly and more than willing to accommodate a couple of minor changes to the menu, such as substituting a side salad for soup in the sandwich/soup combo, and making a BLT which was not on the menu at all. 
Overall Impression: Decent food with huge portions for the price.  Service is prompt and friendly, great place to watch any of our local sports games.

King & I Thai- Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: Thai
Restaurant Features: Bar, Valet Parking

Location: Downtown Minneapolis
Address: 1346 LaSalle Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403 (612)332-6928  Fax: (612)338-4293
Hours dining Room: Mon-Thur 4:30pm-10pm,  Fri-Sat 4:30pm-11pm
Lounge: Mon - Sat 4:30 - 2am
Links: King & I Thai Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: The restaurant was nice, but not as glamorous as I was expecting (not sure why I was expecting more?). King & I Thai is located in the lower level of a multi-level building, and has a Garden-Level entrance on the left side in the front of the building.  The inside of the restaurant was divided into a couple of main spaces, the Restaurant and the Lounge (which has a separate entrance).  We sat in the dining room, where there were wooden tables and a few large u-shaped booths. The restaurant was not overly decorated, but there were several statues of the Theravada Buddha, the symbol of Thailand's predominant religion.

Although I did not sit in the Lounge area, I did sneak a peak on my way to the Restrooms.

Menu: Appetizers include Egg Rolls, Chicken Satay, Chicken or Mock Duck Curry Puffs, Cream Cheese Rolls, Steamed Mussels, Fried Calamari, Grilled Shrimp, and Fried Tofu.

Salads include Shrimp and Lemon grass, Spicy Steak, Laab, and Silver Thread Noodles.  Soups include Tom Kha, Tom Yum, Sriracha and Rice Noodle Soup.

Rice and Noodle Dishes offered: House Pad Thai, Bangkok Pad Thai, Pad Seyu, King & I Fried Rice, Pineapple Fried Rice, Sriracha Fried Rice, Indian Curry Fried Rice, Spicy Holy Basil Fried Rice, and Pattaya Fried Rice.

Hot and Spicy dishes served with your choice of chicken, beef or shrimp include: Holy Basil Sauce, Roasted Hot Pepper Sauce, Red Curry, Palatial Coconut Cream Sauce, Garlic and Thai Chili Sauce, and Gaeng Puk with chicken.

Savory and Mild Dishes include Egg Blanket Wrap, Beef with Fresh Ginger, Rich Peanut Sauce with spinach, Thai-Style Sweet and Sour, and Black Pepper Pork.

The Specialty Dishes at King & I are: Chef’s Special Curry (changes daily), Walleye Filet (Thai Chili and Coconut Cream), and Jumbo Prawns.

Price guide: Appetizers $5-10  Soups and Salads $8-15  Rice and Noodles $11-19  Hot & Spicy $16-25  Mild & Savory $17-23  Specialties $20-25
What we ordered: **Please note that the portions at King & I Thai are quite large and are meant to be served "Family-Style".

To start with we tried the Cream Cheese Rolls.  A nice change from the standard wonton shape, these rolls were filled with a mild-garlic flavored cream cheese and were nice and crispy.  I love the Thai spicy sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Steamed Mussels.  These were really good but SPICY hot.  I enjoyed the spice but my companions thought it was almost too hot to eat.  The mussels were cooked perfectly.

Pad Thai with vegetables.  I thought the noodles were very flavorful and not at all sticky.  There was a  ton of broccoli and pea pods mixed in.  Huge portion!

Chef's Special Curry:  Sweet Green Curry with potatoes, carrots, pea pods, onions and chicken.  This was delicious!

Lemon-grass Salad: FRESH really good cold shrimp, cabbage, red onions and tomatoes and a light lemon dressing.

Pattaya Fried Rice with shrimp, scallops, pineapple and cashews.

Service: Reservations were easy to come by in advance. My party and I purposely visited on the night of the Dining Out for Life charity event.  The restaurant was not busy for our 7:30 reservation time, but the restaurant was packed by 9pm.  The service was decent, but because it was so busy, food and drinks took a longer time than expected.  In fact, we had ordered mussels and they forgot to bring them to us until we reminded them, and then the mussels showed up at the same time as the rest of the dinner (about 45 minutes after we initially ordered).  The server was nice and helpful with ordering, but was definitely trying to up-sell us on everything and was somewhat pushy about ordering drinks and desserts.  We were not in a hurry, but it took our server a good 20 minutes to come back to our table to collect our $ and CC after she left us the bill.

Also, there is not a parking lot for King & I Thai, but they do offer Valet Parking for $5.  Other option is on-street parking.

Overall Impression:  I thought the food was very good, but expensive ( dishes are meant to be served family-style).  Nice atmosphere, a good place for sharing a delicious Thai meal with friends.

Masa ~ Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: Gourmet Mexican
Location: Downtown Minneapolis
Address: 1070 Nicollet Avenue (Target Plaza) Minneapolis, MN 55403 612.338.6272
Links: Masa Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: Located on Nicollet Mall at 11th Avenue, Masa is a bright restaurant with large windows overlooking the Mall.  The white table clothes and wine glasses and lack of traditional Mexican artwork might make you wonder if you're truly at a Mexican restaurant! Rest assured you are, and it is different than any other Mexican restaurant in the Cities.

Menu: Lunch menu includes Gucamole, Sauteed Mushroom Quesadilla, Green salad, Jalapeno Relleno stuffed with cheese, Beet & Cactus salad, Pork Torta (sandwich), Steak Torta, Chicken Torta, Tacos (al carbon, pescado, al pastor, tinga, carnitas), Shrimp Tamal, Chicken Enchilkadas, Beef Enchilada, Tortilla Soup, Huevos Rancheros, Grilled Mahi-Mahi, Grilled Chicken Breast.

The dinner menu carries all of the items on the lunch menu, plus the following entrees: Pollo con Mole, Pollo en Racado de Chilomole, Pollo con Naranja, Puerco Veracruzana, Callos de Hacha Marinados, Costillas de Carne de Res en Barbocoa, Bistek co Chipotle Ancho Marinado, and Chicken or Crab Enchiladas.

Price guide: Appetizers $7-$9  Lunch Menu $9-17  Dinner Menu $9-27
What I ordered: To start with, we tried the guacamole appetizer. The guacamole was fresh and the chips were home-made, thick and crunchy. It was good, but a little expensive at $8-9.

I had planned to try the taco platter so that I could try each of the different meats, but the server successfully talked me into ordering the  Puerco Veracruzana (Roasted pork shoulder marinated with lime, garlic and chile ancho, cooked in a banana leaf and served with broiled pineapple in adobo and black bean puree on the side.  I thought the pork was magnificent, so tender and juicy and had really great flavor.  As delicious as it was, I was disappointed that over half of my pork shoulder was fatty, making the proportion much smaller.  I was givena  basket of fresh corn tortillas on the side to make my own tacos.  The amount of beans I was given was also disappointing, but the pineapple made up for it in flavor! I had never had pineapple served spicy or hot like this other than on pizza, but I loved the combination of sweet and juicy with the spice.

My companion ordered the Tamal Costeno con Camaron (Shrimp tamale steamed in a banana leaf, red molito sauce, crema; served with cilantro-lime rice and refried beans.

Service: Our server was very attentive and really pushed the sale.
Overall Impression: Pretty fancy for a Mexican restaurant.  The food was good, definitely different than what you'd fine at other Mexican places.  Food was priced high for what you got.

Fogo de Chão- Minneapolis, MN

Cuisine: Brazilian Steakhouse, Steaks, Chops, Ribs, Etc
Restaurant Features: Bar, All-You Can Eat, Lunch Buffet, Dinner Buffet

Location: Downtown Minneapolis
Address: 645 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403  612-338-1344
Links: Fogo de Chao website  Google Map

Atmosphere: One look at the authentically-dressed Gaochos serving the fabulous meats and you might think you are truly in Brazil! Fogo de Chao has a very large, open dining room with several tables surrounding a fabulous salad bar in the middle.  The lighting is dim and romantic perfect for a low-key dinner or a special occasion with a group of friends. There is also  a  bar/lounge area with additional bar-height tables .   

Menu: The concept of Fogo de Chao is one sure to satisfy any carnivore: both the lunch and dinner menus feature  15 different  cuts of fire-roasted meats (beef, chicken, pork, lamb).  Each person gets a token that is red on one side, green on the other.  When you are ready for the Gaochos to serve you meat, turn your card to green.  As they walk by with the skewers of meat, they will ask you if you want to try this, or that. Turn it to red when you'd like a break.  There are also unlimited trips to an amazing buffet serving fresh vegetables and fancy salads.  A variety of Brazilian side dishes are also served continuously throughout the meal.
Price guide: $45 per person, drinks excluded.
What I tried: The complimentary rolls that Fogo serves are unlike any I have tried anywhere else; they have a light texture, but with the cheese infused into the dough.  Served warm, these treats are heavenly and small enough to eat several!

Fogo has the most amazing salad bar!!! I especially loved the whole marinated artichoke hearts.

I tried just about everything (except lamb).  The evening I visited also happened to be in honor of my birthday.  Fogo was happy to give me a special complimentary dessert (I chose the 5 layer chocolate mousse cake)

Service: Amazing.  Can't ask for better!
Overall Impression: Not only is Fogo de Chao a carnivore's dream, they also have the best salad bar... Be prepared to be stuffed out of your mind.  Service was wonderful.  A very good value for all that you get.  Perfect place to celebrate a special occasion or to dine out-of-town guests.  I can't wait to go back.

Buca di Beppo- Multiple Twin Cities Locations

Cuisine: Italian (family style)
Restaurant Features: Bar

Locations: **St Paul (site of this review), Burnsville, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove and Minneapolis
Addresses:

St Paul 2728 Gannon Road  St. Paul, MN 55116  651.772.4388
Burnsville 14300 Burnhaven Drive  Burnsville, MN 55306 952.892.7272
Eden Prairie 7711 Mitchell Road  Eden Prairie, MN 55344  952.934.9463
Maple Grove 12650 Elm Creek Boulevard Maple Grove, MN 55369 763.494.3466
Minneapolis 1204 Harmon Place Minneapolis, MN 55403 612.288.0138

Links: Buca di Beppo website  Google Map
Atmosphere: Big, loud, happy and crowded, warm and cozy.  There are many sub-sections to the large restaurant, many of which have long tables to fit large parties.

Menu:  Appetizers include Garlic Bread (with or without mozzarella), Bruschetta, Fried Calamari, and Pan Fried Fresh Mozzarella.

**Buca offers three portion sizes for their entrees: Individual (1 person), small (serves 2 or more) and large(serves 4 or more).

Salads include apple gorgonzola, fresh mozzarella caprese, chopped antipasto, Caesar, warm tomato spinach and the Di Beppo 1893 salad.

Baked pasta specialties include manicotti, stuffed shells, baked ravioli, chicken cannelloni, and lasagna.

Pasta dishes include spaghetti marinara or with meatballs, linguine frutti di mare, ravioli al pomodora, gnocchi al telefono, macaroni rosa, tortelloni, penne arribbiata,  penne campofiore, fettuccine alfredo, and  shrimp fra diavolo.

Entrees include chicken saltimbocca, chicken with lemon, chicken marsala, chicken, eggplant, or veal parmigiana, salmon with pesto, veal limone, and porchetta rustica.

Desserts include tiramisu, double dark chocolate cake, cheesecake, chocolate cannelloni, spumoni, chocolate vesuvio, and apple crostata.
Price guide:
What we ordered:  My companions and I ordered several dishes to share, starting with Buca's delicious garlic cheese bread.  Heavy emphasis on the garlic!! They slice the cloves and put on a very generous amount.  The bread is crispy and absolutely amazing!

Mussels served in-the-shell with Marinara sauce. These were the most delicious, tender mussels I have ever had the pleasure of consuming.  On the small side, but with amazing flavor.  A must-try if you like mussels!

We had the chicken Canneloni  ( Pasta tubes are overflowing with 100% chicken sausage, Italian cheeses and fresh sage. Smothered with provolone cheese and Romano cream sauce. Served on a bed of fresh marinara sauce.)

Macaroni Rosa ( pasta with sliced chicken breast, broccoli, peas, mushrooms and Roma tomato bruschetta. Tossed with marinara sauce, a hint of cream and corkscrew pasta.) This was so much better than it looked! The portion size was huge for a small, and loaded with ingredients and sauce.

Chicken Marsala (Sautéed chicken breasts and fresh mushrooms in a sweet Marsala wine reduction).  Very good, but disappointing to only get two chicken breasts in a small order.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad (Tart Granny Smith apples, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries and Gorgonzola cheese are tossed with fresh Romaine lettuce and our Italian vinaigrette).  Wow!

Manicotti ( Tubes of pasta stuffed with a rich blend of ricotta, mozzarella and Romano cheeses and fresh Italian parsley, topped with creamy béchamel sauce on a bed of  homemade marinara sauce.)

Garlic mashed potatoes

Spaghetti and meatballs (Imported Italian spaghetti with Buca's famous half-pound mouth-watering meatball smothered in  homemade marinara sauce.)

Service: Wonderful! We made our reservations several weeks in advance and requested a space that was a little more private.  They put us in the corner or the restaurant at a round table for 8.  So nice that we could all see and talk to each other! It was a very busy night (as it always is at Buca), but server did a great job making recommendations.  One thing that is slightly inconvenient is Buca's inability to split up checks.  No matter how many people are in your party, they will only give you one check per party.  They will, however, run as many credit card transactions as necessary :)
Overall Impression: Excellent Italian food, as long as you like garlic! Vampires beware of Buca and anyone who has eaten there within 12 hours! Great place to meet for large groups.  Reservations are needed.

Keys Cafe & Bakery ~ Minneapolis, Roseville, Spring Lake Park, St Paul, White Bear Lake, and Woodbury, MN

Cuisine: American, Breakfast, Bakery

Locations: White Bear Lake(site of this review), Minneapolis, Roseville, Spring Lake Park, St Paul , and Woodbury

Addresses: Locations with a * serve dinner

*Minneapolis 114 S 9th St  Minneapolis, MN 55402-3308  612-339-6399

*Roseville 1682 Lexington Ave N Roseville, MN 55113-6514 651-487-5397

*Spring Lake Park 8299 University Ave Ne Spring Lake Park, MN 55432-1867

St Paul  500 Robert St N Saint Paul, MN 55101-2246  651-222-4083

St Paul 767 Raymond Ave  Saint Paul, MN 55114-1522   651-646-5756

*White Bear Lake  2208 4th Street White Bear lake, MN 55110 651-426-2885

*Woodbury 1750 Weir Dr  Woodbury, MN 55125-2252 651-731-5397

 Links: Keys Cafe Website 

Atmosphere:  Family dining and a local hot spot, especially at breakfast time!

Menu: Lets start off with breakfast :) Signature breakfasts include a variety of egg/meat combos as well as The "Two Guys" breakfast (named because it is enough food for two!), potatoes with sauteed veggies and cheese, drilled Denver sandwich, egg sandwich, roast beef or Italian hash. Keys is also known for their giant pancakes, french toast and Belgian waffles.  There is also a large selection of omelets, including a "build your own".  Specialty sandwiches include Cajun chicken, BBQ chicken, fish fillet, Monte cristo, grilled Reuben or Rachael, meat loaf, steak, roasted turkey or the club house.  Grilled sandwiches such as the tuna, turkey, bacon & cheese, chicken and BLT are also quite good, as are the homemade soups and salads.  Dinner items include the oven roasted turkey, meat loaf, roast beef, roasted pork, walleye, pork chops and spaghetti.  All dinners are served with mashed potatoes, gravy and bread.

Keys is also famous for their bakery....pies, cakes, scones, muffins, cookies.

Price guide: Breakfast $ 4-9  Sandwiches $ 6-9  Dinners $ 9-11

What I ordered: Combo #2 (two eggs with Italian hash).  Keys famous Italian sausage with mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomatoes and hash browns.  This is my favorite breakfast!  I love the spiciness of the sausage with the texture of the sauteed veggies and hashbrowns.  The thick sliced homemade bread toasted with keys homemade strawberry jam is also delicious

My companion ordered the farmer's omelet (ham, onions and cheese) with a side of hashbrowns.  This was a very large omelet, stuffed full of ingredients.

Service:  Our visit was at a non-peak hour and was kind of slow.  Took awhile for the hostess to see us and then seat us.

Overall Impression: Large selection of breakfast dishes, reasonably priced.  Good place to meet a group for breakfast (as long as you don't mind waiting to be seated, as it is very busy on Sat-Sunday mornings.)

Market Bar-B-Que ~ Minneapolis & Minnetonka, MN

Cuisine: Bar-B-Que, Steak, Chops, Ribs etc,

Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking

Location: Minneapolis, just outside of downtown

Addresses & Maps:

Minneapolis- 1414 Nicollet Avenue Minneapolis 55403  (612) 872-1111

Minnetonka- 15320 Wayzata Blvd Wayzata 55391 (952) 475-1770

Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30am  Sun 12pm- 1am

Links: Market BBQ Site  

Atmosphere: Established in 1946, the Market BBQ has been one of the Twin Cities most popular BBQ venues for decades.  Autographed photos of past celebrities who have visited the restaurant line the walls.  There are several tables and booths throughout the restaurant; the U-shaped booths are especially nice for parties of 6 or so, all of which are covered in red/white checked cloths.

Menu: Appetizers include chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, fried calamari, homemade chili, rib tips and potato skins.  There are also a variety of sandwiches: sliced pork tenderloin, BBQ pork, BBQ chicken salad, buffalo chicken breast, hamburger, BBQ ham, fish 'n cheese, sliced or pulled beef brisket and a salmon burger.  BBQ entrees include spare ribs, baby back ribs, Texas beef ribs (all ribs can be ordered with 4,8 or 12 bones), beef brisket, sliced roast beef, sirloin steak, broiled pork chops and BBQ chicken.

Price guide: Appetizers $4-8 Sandwiches $8-10 Barbeque $13-25

What I ordered: Started with the calamari, thinking it was the same calamari that I ordered and enjoyed thoroughly a few months ago, but it was NOT the same.  This calamari had small, chewy pieces and was not well seasoned.  The cocktail/marinara sauce that came with was very good though.

I ordered the Texas beef brisket platter....excellent choice!  The meat was sliced thin and was very tender and moist.  I loved the giant sauteed onion strips that are just under the sauce.  The coleslaw and the thin, crispy french fries were excellent sides.

One of my companions ordered the Texas Beef Ribs (saucy) and had this to say, "The Texas Ribs were meatier than the standard spare rib and the bulk of the meat was on top of the bone and not on the other three sides. The sauce was thick but not overwhelming, just enough. A full rack, 7 (?), had too many for one person so I would suggest the 4. The coleslaw was good to. It's truly the only other coleslaw besides KFC that I have EVER liked! You either like the stuff or you DON'T!! I loved the Texas Toast and the fries were skinny, salty and DEEEEE LISH."

My other companion ordered the full rack of pork spare ribs. Lean and tender, more than enough meaty goodness for a couple of people!

Even though the three of us were absolutely stuffed when we finished, one of my companions insisted that we order dessert, the "Tower of Chocolate Cake, a la mode".  From the price on this baby ($7.95 + $1.50 for ice cream), I was expecting a LOT, and a LOT doesn't even come close to how much of this fabulous chocolate cake there actually was...it was the biggest piece of chocolate cake I have ever seen, served on a  regular dinner plate, complete with 3 scoops of ice cream!!! The frosting was so creamy, it melted in my mouth.  This cake could probably feed an entire family of 10!

Service: Very good, as usual.  Our server was happy to offer suggestions on which ribs to order and was very thoughtful about which types of leftover containers she brought us when the meal was finished.

Overall Impression: Great service and Best darn BBQ in the Twin Cities!