Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Crave ~ Mall of America, Edina, and St Louis Park, MN

Cuisine: American, Sushi, Seafood, Steaks, Pasta
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour
Locations: Mall of America, Edina (Galleria), St Louis Park (Shops at West End)

Addresses & Maps:

Mall of America- 368 South Avenue Bloomington, MN 55425 952.854.5000 (3rd Floor Across from Macy's)

Edina- 520 W. 70th Street Edina, MN 55435  952.697.6000

St Louis Park-1603 West End Blvd. St. Louis Park, MN 55416 952.933.6500

Hours: MOA- Lunch 11a-4p  Dinner M-Sa 4p-10p Sun 4p-8p

Edina- Lunch 11a-4p  Dinner M-Th 4-10p Fri-Sat 4-11p Sun 4-9p

St Louis Park- Lunch 11a-4p  Dinner M-Th 4-10p Fri-Sat 4-11p Sun 4-9p

Links: Crave Website  OpenTable Reservation

Atmosphere: The Mall of America location of Crave is on the 3rd floor of South Ave, across from Macy's.  The restaurant is large and spacious, with a large bar off to the left side near the entrance and a sushi bar centrally placed along the wall in the middle of the main dining room.  Although the majority of seating is at tables throughout the dining room, there are also several high-backed booths that allow for more privacy.  The lighting is dim and romantic, with mood lighting created by the illuminated art behind the sushi bar and the softly glowing candles at each table.

The kitchen is open along the back of the restaurant, with subtle views of the place where the chefs work their magic.  The lighting from the kitchen also gives the nearby tables a soft glow.

Menu: The menu changes seasonally and features natural, organic and locally grown ingredients.  All beef is certified beef.

Appetizers on the new Fall Menu at Crave include Calamari, Chicken Satay, Lemon Garlic Wings, Pita & Spreads, Seared Scallops, Baked Crab & Artichoke Dip, Pesto Shrimp, Mini Burgers, Gingered Beef Eggrolls, Artisan Bread Basket, and Edamame.

Salads offered include Asian Noodle Salad, Atlantic Salmon, Steak Niçoise, Starter Crave Salad, Starter Caesar, Starter Roasted Beet & Walnut.  Soups include Hearty Tomato Pesto, Roasted Chicken & Wild Rice, and Leek & Potato.

Pizzas and Flatbreads at Crave are also quite popular.  Flatbread choices are the Roasted Chicken (with pesto, sun dried tomato and portobella mushrooms), Grape & Apple (with Amablu cheese and honey), Thai Chicken (a peanut sauce with cilantro, Asian cabbage and marinated cucumber), and the Napoleon (with garlic prosciutto). Pizzas include Pepperoni or Sausage, Margarita, Shaved Ribeye and the Chipotle BBQ Chicken.

Sandwiches on the dinner menu include Steak Sandwich, Ahi Tuna Steak and Crave Burger.

Pasta selections at Crave include Seas Scallop & Shrimp Fettuccine, Fettuccine & Roasted Mushrooms, Shrimp Scampi Al Fresco, Roasted Chicken and Penne, Baked Truffle Macaroni, Baked Cheese Penne, Spaghetti Pomodoro, and Ravioli Bolognese. Crave offers the option of a half-order of any of their pastas.

Crave has a nice selection of dinner entrees as well, such as the Grilled Petite Tender, Grilled Ribeye, Crab Crusted Filet Mignon, Tuscan New York Strip, Brined Pork Tenderloin, Chicken Stir-Fry, Crispy Half Chicken, Mango & Prawns, Grilled Ahi Tuna, Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Minnesota Walleye, Miso Glazed Sea Bass

The sushi selection at Crave is also pretty extensive.  Nigiri and Sashimi offerings include Crispy Rice Bars with Spicy Tuna, Scallops Poppers, Amaebi (sweet raw shrimp), Hamachi (yellowtail), Hirame (flounder), Hokki-Gai (surf clam), Maguro (red tuna), Mutsu (escolar), Sake (salmon), Suzuki (striped sea bass), Ebi (cooked shrimp), Unagi (cooked eel), Masago (smelt roe), Tako (octopus), Tobiko (flying fish roe), Wasabi Tobiko, and Seaweed Salad.

Maki Sushi offerings are the Tekka (tuna), Sake (salmon), Negihama (yellowtail and scallions), Unagi (cooked eel), Kappa (cucumber), Spicy Shrimp Cones, Chipotle Ocean Roll, Keilani;s Roll (shrimp tempuraavocado, wrapped with eel), Mexican Roll (yellowfin and escolar with avocado, cilantro,  jalapeños and spicy mayo), Number Nine (crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll), Dragon Wraps, Rainbow, Caterpillar, Spider, Veggie Roll, Tempura Roll, Spicy Tuna, California, Minnesota(cooked smoked walleye), Dynamite, Spicy Salmon, Crunchy Roll and Fire Roll.  There are alsoa  couple of sushi combos like the Sushi Sampler, Sushi Lunch Combo and Sashimi Lunch Combo.

Crave also has a delicious selection of desserts that changes seasonally.  The Fall desserts at Crave include Golden Raisin Bread Pudding, Key Lime Pie, Molten Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, German Chocolate Cake, and Coconut White Cake.  The dessert menu also includes a variety of after-dinner drinks such as the Girl Scout Cookie and Buttery Bailey's, Ports and Dessert Wines, and hot cafe drinks.

Price guide: Appetizers $8-13 Salads $8-15 Pizza/Flatbreads $12-13 Pastas $14-24 Entrees $24-37 Nigiri/Sashimi $6-10/order  Sushi Rolls $7-19/order
Happy Hour Specials:

What we ordered: My companion and I started with a couple of the Crave specialty cocktails, the Cranberry Smash and the Blueberry Lemonade.  The Cranberry Smash was made with vodka, ginger ale, mint leaves and cranberry juice.  The Opulent vodka revved up the drink but it wasn't overly strong. The ginger ale gave it a pleasant sweetness that I wasn't expecting, but the cranberries were tart enough to counter the sweetness.  I loved that the cranberries were frozen into ice cubes and floated at the top.  The Blueberry Lemonade was also very good and slightly sweeter than the Cranberry drink.  Excellent blend of flavors.

 

The Pesto Shrimp appetizer came highly recommended by our server so we started with that.  What a great start to a great night of food! The sauteed tiger shrimps were served on little slices of crostini toast that had been topped with oven-dried tomato, and then the shrimp toast was covered with pistachio pesto.  The shrimp was perfectly cooked so it was tender and complimented the crunch of the toast.  The pesto sauce was creamy and rich, a perfect sauce to go with the shrimp.

 

The Panko-Crusted Scallops also sounded really good so we tried an order of those as well.  These scallops may have been some of the best I have ever eaten! The scallops were large and coated with a layer of panko bread crumbs before being seared to a golden brown in the pan. They were cooked so that the meat was tender enough to melt in your mouth, yet the panko and seared edges gave it a nice crunch.  The scallops were served with a dressy arrangement of picatta buerre blanc and fresh field greens.  The butter and capers added the perfect touch of saltiness to compliment the sweetness of the scallop meat.

 

Sushi Chef Tony Lam brought us a special sampler platter that included a Mexican roll, ceviche, flying fish roe with quail egg wrapped in salmon,  amaebi (sweet raw shrimp), crispy rice bars, prawn heads, and three different fish mixtures atop cucumber slices.

The Mexican roll (pictured top right in photo above) is Crave's most popular roll and became my new favorite after just one bite.  This roll is the perfect marriage of Mexican and Sushi, two of my most favorite foods.  It had both yellow fin tuna and escolar with avocado, cilantro, a slice of fresh jalapeño and spicy mayo wrapped in rice and seaweed.  It is then topped with a soy citrus sauce (ponzu), and chili oil with fresh lime juice squeezed on top. It was so good! I loved the spiciness of the jalapeño, and the lime and cilantro gave it a fresh citrus twist.  The tuna and the escolar inside the Mexican roll were very tender and not at all fishy. Bravo!

The Crispy Rice Bars were also wonderful.  The rice cake was like a thick chewy rice cracker and had a lot more flavor than ordinary sticky rice.  It was topped with a heaping pile of spicy tuna mix, flying fish roe, and sliced jalapeno pepper. The combination of textures went together really well and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

 

The ceviche was one of my favorite items that Sushi Chef Tony Lam made for us to try.  A very thin slice of potato was fried with tempura batter and then topped with sliced raw fish that was marinated with a citrus soy sauce, scallions and fresh chili peppers.  It was packed with flavor and the tenderness of the fish paired with the texture of the tempura potato went perfectly together.

The sushi was so good we ordered even more of Sushi Master Tony's creations.  Clockwise From Lower Left: The Mexican Roll, Fire Roll, Number Nine, Dragon Wrap (top right), Hokki and Hamachi Sashimi, and Scallop Poppers (pictured in photo after the one below)

The Number Nine was filled with pieces of shrimp tempura, spicy mayo, kaiware and yama gobo wrapped with salmon and avocado and topped with a sweet soy based sauce. The Fire Roll was filled with pieces of shrimp tempura, cucumber, kaiware and yama gobo wrapped with a spicy salmon mix and topped with chili oil.  This one was nice and spicy, just the way I like it.  The Dragon Wraps were also good.  Instead of rice, this roll is made with an egg omelet wrapped around  spicy tuna, fresh water eel, avocado, fried green onions, crunchy flakes and miso dressing.  Served in two big rolls.  The Scallop Poppers were also excellent. The scallops were baked in spicy dynamite sauce then wrapped in salmon and topped with crunchy panko flakes. Loved the combination of flavors and textures. 

For my entree I ordered the Crab Crusted Filet MIgnon. This was outstanding! The filet was thick and cooked medium, as I requested.  It had a creamy crab and cheese mixture with just the slightest hint of buttery breadcrumbs baked on top and served on a bed of lobster cream sauce.  This absolutely melted in my mouth. The crab and cheese together created a rich flavor that went slendidly with the tender and juicy beef.  Herb roasted new potatoes and buttery seasoned baby carrots were also served, both were very good.

My companion had the Miso Seabass.  The perfectly-cooked Korean miso sea bass was served atop a bed of steamed white rice and adorned with baby bok choy and a crimson ponzu sauce.  Asian pickled cucumbers sat layered atop the fish.  This dish was delicious as well! The flavorful yet mild sea bass went really well with the sweet, fruity panzu sauce.

 

Despite being extremely full after enjoying all of this delicious food, we also tried a sushi dessert.  What an extraordinary creation this was! The middle of the the roll had homemade vanilla-bean cheesecake and a slice of fresh mango then wrapped with a thin layer of rice and topped with a thin slice of strawberry. The roll was arranged atop a drizzling of chocolate and vanilla sauce.  The cheesecake and rice were such a unique combo of flavors and textures and together it was like a thick, fruity, creamy and sweet rice pudding.  So different and so, so good!

Service: We had exceptional service at our first visit to Crave.  The hostesses were very friendly and our server, Dawn, was very knowledgeable about the menu and had some wonderful suggestions about appetizers, entrees and cocktails too.  We ordered a lot of food and took our time but never felt rushed since food was paced perfectly.  The restaurant wasn't too busy (nor was the Mall in general) on this pre-holiday-shopping-season Tuesday evening and we were able to get great customer service and attention from everyone all the way up to the manager.

Overall Impression: The culinary and sushi creations were outstanding. I tried quite a variety of foods and loved every single thing.  The Mexican Roll should win an award! There is quite a variety on the menu and the Happy Hour specials are a really good deal.  Great place to have a casual yet elegant dinner and worth every penny for the fine ingredients.  The service was exceptional.  I can't wait to go back again soon!

Winner's Circle Lounge at Running Aces Harness Park ~ Columbus, MN

Cuisine: American, Italian, Seafood, Steaks, Chops, Ribs
Restaurant Features: Card Room, Horse Racing, On-Site Parking, Sunday Brunch
Location: Columbus, MN (near Lino Lakes & Forest Lake)
Address: 15201 Zurich Street NE Columbus MN 55025-7908 (651) 925-4600 877-RUN-ACES (I-35 and Hwy 97)

Winner's Circle Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11a-3p

Dinner Mon-Wed 5p-9p Thur 4-9p Fri 4-10p  Sat 5-10p

Sunday Brunch 9:30-1pm  Sunday Dinner 5-9p

Links: Running Aces Harness Park Website    Google Map

 

Atmosphere: Located within Running Aces Harness Park, the Winner's Circle Dining & Lounge is a large, open space with giant floor-to-ceiling windows that allow a good view of the horse track outside.

 

The Buffets are set up in another large room just off to the left of the main room.  This back room also serves as seating space for large groups.

Menu:  The new Fall Lunch Menu includes Walleye Fingers, BBQ Chicken Quesadilla, Onion Rings, Cobb Salad, Thai Chicken Salad, Caesar Salad, Aces House Salad, BBQ Blue Burger, Southwest Burger, Reuben, BBQ Brisket Sandwich, Club, Cajun Walleye, French Dip, Hot Italian Wrap and Chicken Wrap.  All sandwiches and burgers come with fries.

Fall Dinner Menu is served Sun-Wed.  Appetizers include Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Walleye Fingers, Fried Calamari, Beef Tender Tips, BBQ Chicken Quesadilla, and Sampler Platter.

Salad choices include Cobb Salad, Thai Chicken Salad, Caesar Salad, and Aces House Salad (with caramelized pecans, goat cheese and raspberries).

Sandwiches at Winner's Circle are the BBQ Blue Burger, Southwest Burger, Reuben, BBQ Brisket Sandwich, Club, Cajun Walleye, French Dip, Hot Italian Wrap and Chicken Wrap.  All sandwiches and burgers come with fries.

Italian Entrees include Chicken Parmesan, Cajun Chicken Alfredo, Shrimp Pomodoro, Rotelle Vegetable Pasta with olives and artichokes. 

House Specialties are Ber Battered Colossal Shrimp, Herbed Pork Tenderloin, Stuffed Chicken Breast, Almond Crusted Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Grilled Pork Chop, King Crab and Smokehouse Ribs.

Steaks offered are the Filet, New York Strip, Flat Iron Steak and Surf & Turf (Filet & choice of either King Crab or Lobster Tail)

Price guide: Lunch Menu $8-11 Appetizers $8-10  Entrees $15-19  Steaks $18-26
Weekly Specials:

Thursday Night Seafood Buffet $21.95 includes oysters in the half-shell, peel-and-eat shrimp, King Crab Legs, Fried Shrimp, Made-to-order Shrimp Scampi, Prime Rib, Weekly Chef Specials and Dessert Table.

Friday Night Italian Feast Buffet $19.95 includes Italian Antipasto Bar, Gourmet cooked-to-order Pasta Bar, Carved Beef Tenderloin, 7 Specialty Entrees, and Italian Dessert Station.

Saturday Lobster Extravaganza $25.95 includes Lobster Bisque, Twin Lobster Tail, Vegetables, Potato and Dessert.

Sunday Brunch Buffet $16.95 Adults $8.95 Kids includes Champagne, Prime Rib, Made-to-order Omelets and Waffles, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Salad Bar, 7 Breakfast and Lunch Entrees, and Dessert Table.

What I ate:   My visit was during Sunday Brunch.  My first plate included prime rib, Salmon Pasta, Green Beans, Potates O'Brien, Bacon, and Cheesy Scrambled Eggs.  Everything I tried was decent, typical buffet quality, but nothing outstanding.  My cut of prime rib was cooked more than I prefer and therefore not as tender as I like it.  I ate a couple of bites of each item before deciding I needed to try something else.

 

My second plate was a much bigger hit after a visit to the made-to-order Omelet and Waffle Stand.  They had a variety of toppings for the waffles which were hot and golden brown.  I ordered my omelet with everything (tomato, onion, peppers,mushrooms, ham, bacon and cheddar) and it was so good! My favorite way to eat eggs.

 

Yes, I did get another small plate (for the sake of this review of course!).  The salad was basic but good and I also tried the spare ribs in gravy.  The meat was so good! It was very tender and flavorful.  I would have loved to try more of that but I was very full at this point.

 

I got a small dessert plate (also for the sake of this review!) I love cheesecake so I had to try a bite of the Winner's Circle cheesecake.  What a disappointment! The taste and texture both seemed off and I didn't make it past a 2nd bite.  I also tried the blueberry cobbler and the creme-filled chocolate cake.  I was too full to get excited about any of it.

 

Here is the dessert plate of one of my companions

Service: My party of 8 adults and 3 small kids had a reservation and were able to be seated at our table immediately.  They had set up a special table for us in the large banquet space.    Our server was friendly and accommodating with drinks and other small requests.

Overall Impression: The food served on the Sunday Brunch was decent, I recommend the omelets and waffles!  Our service was really good.  I would like to go back for dinner to order off the menu

The Bluefin Grille ~ Tofte, MN

Cuisine:  American, Breakfast, Fish & Seafood, Steaks
Restaurant Features: Bar, Patio Dining, On-Site Parking
Location: Tofte, MN
Address: 7162 West Hwy 61 Tofte, MN 55615 218.663.6200
Hours: Sun-Thur 8am-9pm   Fri-Sat 8am-10pm
Links: Bluefin Bay Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: The Bluefin Grille is part of the beautiful Bluefin Bay Resort, located on the shores of Lake Superior in Tofte, MN.  The Bluefin Grille is casual yet romantic with dim lighting, private booths and several windows looking out to the Lake.

There is a deck in the back that also overlooks the Lake, just feet from the beach.  You can see some spectacular waves on a windy day.

Menu: Breakfast is served  8am-11:30 daily and includes items such as Hot Oatmeal, Starboard (blend of oats, wild rice, cinnamon and dried fruits), Buttermilk Pancakes, Windermere (pancakes with blend of wild rice and oats), Mast (stuffed pancakes), Port (fruited French toast), Eggs with Potatoes O Brien, Eggs Benedict, Biscuits and Gravy, Eggs with diced peppers, onions and melted cheddar cheese, Poached Eggs, Broiled Walleye Fillet, Ham & Swiss Omelet, Veggie Omelet, Bacon and Cheddar Omelet, Turkey Wild Rice Sausage Omelet.

Appetizers at Blue Fin include Onion Rings, Fried Calamari, Chicken Wings, Seafood Martini, Smoked Fish Plate, and Alfredo Florentine Pizza.  Soups include a Soup du Jour and Roasted Duck Wild Rice Chowder.

Salads offered are the Entree Caesar, Chef, Field & Fowl.

Blue Fin Sandwiches are served from noon to close and include the Captain Peck (whitefish cakes with melted cheddar), Grilled Tuna, Roasted Turkey Breast, Cream Cheese and Veggie, Chicken Caesar, BBQ Pulled Pork, Philly Steak, Smokehouse Chicken with Cheddar and BBQ, and BLT.  Burgers include Mark's Summit, Patty's Portabella Cap, and Barb's Breaker.

Dinner Entrees include Tomato Basil Linguini, Chicken or Shrimp Alfredo, Northwoods Scampi, Cheese Ravioli Primavera, King Crab Ravioli Siciliano, Walleye, Salmon a la Oscar, Lake Superior Trout, Jumbo Sea Scallops, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Bone-In New York Strip, London Broil, Filet Mignon, Porterhouse, Black & Bleu Sirloin, Hickory Smoked Bab Back Ribs, Smoke House Pork Tenderloin, Pan-Roasted Duck Breast

Price guide: Breakfast $7-10  Appetizers $7-15  Sandwiches/Burgers $9-13  Pastas $16-22  Entrees $22-35

What We ordered: We started with a Roasted Duck Wild Rice Chowder, which was excellent.  It had a rich, seasoned and creamy base, filled with tender pieces of the rich duck, wild rice, chunks of potato and mushroom.

We also had the calamari, which was a combination of both calamari rings and baby squids.  The portion size wasn't too big but the calamari was cooked cooked perfectly, just crispy on the outside but still tender and not too chewy.  It is often hard to cook calamari just right but the Bluefin Grille did a nice job.  It was served with a side of Thai sweet and sour sauce.

I had the Filet, which came with green beans, choice of potato, and Guinness peppercorn cream sauce on the side.  I was also interested in the bleu cheese sauce, so I ordered a side of that as well (for an additional $3).  The steak was cooked to a perfect medium as I ordered it, and was tender and flavorful.  The peppercorn cream sauce had a nice flavor that complimented it well.  The bleu cheese sauce was also good served hot and melted, but It had a very strong flavor and almost got to be a bit overpowering for my taste.  I chose to go with the potato medallions which were fried to a perfect golden brown. 

My companion ordered the Porterhouse with French fries and a side of sauteed portabella mushrooms (for an additional charge).  The porterhouse was delicious, tender and juicy.  The portabella mushrooms were sauteed and seasoned perfectly, a great addition to the steak.

Service: Our server was very nice and had good suggestions for us.  Food was paced perfectly between appetizers and entrees and drinks were replenished before requested.  The staff seemed very friendly in general.
Overall Impression: Overall I was very pleased with my meal and service at the Bluefin Grille and I would love to eat there again the next time I am in that area.  The Bluefin Resort looks like a great place to stay!

The Strip Club (Meat & Fish) ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Steaks, Fish
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour Specials
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 378 Maria Ave. St Paul, MN 55106 (651)793-6247
Hours: Tu-Fri Lunch 11a-2p  Dinner 4p-10p  Sat-Sun Brunch 9a-2p Dinner 5p-10p
Links:   The Strip Club Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: The Strip Club is located within an old converted two-story brownstone in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood of St Paul, near Metropolitan State University.  The tall open space appears to be freshly remodeled, with a second story dining room above the bar that overlooks the dining room below.  Although the decor of the restaurant is mostly dark, the light coming into the window brightens the entire space on a sunny day but I can imagine it is very dim at night.

Lunch Menu: Small Plates on Lunch Menu include Soup du Jour, Fried Green Tomatoes with balsalmic bacon, Salumi aii Melone (cured meat with melon), Calamari Avgolemono, The Devil's Eggs (chili oil and curry), French Fries (with bacon ketchup) and Beans & Toast.

Salads include Grilled Caesar and MN Market Salad.

Sandwiches include Dog du Jour, Fried Oyster Po' Boy, Braunshweiger, Burger or Loaded Burger, and Smoked Salmon alla Jeanette.

Mid-Day meals include New York Strip with French Fries, Penne alla Comerciante with Spicy Sausage, Shrimp Risotto with Moroccan Olives, Pancetta and Pork Loin, Lake Country Fish & Chips, and Fresh Fish of Day.  Strip Club prides itself on serving beef that is grass fed and hormone-free.

**All Menus subject to change seasonally**

Price guide for Lunch: Lunch Small Plates $4-6 Lunch Sandwiches $9-11 Lunch Entrees $12-30 

Dinner Menu: Small Plates on Dinner Menu include Hot Bird (chicken with cherry-bacon BBQ), French Fries with bacon ketchup, Pig's Eye Poutine (french fries with truffle gravy and cheese), Crispy Fried Veggies, Fried Oysters, Calamari Abgolemono, The Devil'd Eggs, Salumi ai Peperonata, Duck Confit with grilled peach, Beans & Toast, Tenderloin Tartare, and Meat on a Stick.

Dinner sandwiches include Hamburger, Loaded Burger, or Braunschweiger.

Dinner entrees include Grilled New York Strip, Grilled Milet Mignon, Grilled Ribeye, Grilled Sirloin, Roasted Pork Shoulder, Boneless Duck Breast, Ocean Trout, Walleye Pie, Shrimp Risotto, and Fish du Jour.  The Strip Club has a variety of specialty sauces to accompany the entrees for an additional charge.

**All Menus subject to change seasonally**

Price Guide for Dinner: Dinner Small Plates $5-9 Dinner Entrees $18-35
What We ordered: My companions and I started with the French Fries appetizer that came with sides of remoulade and bacon ketchup.  The french fries were hot and seasoned, light brown and crispy.  The mayonnaise-based remoulade was flavorful and seasoned nicely with garlic and other herbs.  The bacon ketchup had a somewhat smoky flavor and a thick texture.

 

I had the Penne alla Comerciante.  It was good, but not quite what I expected.  The menu description states spicy sausage, but does not mention that it is finely ground sausage blended with the sauce, which only had a hint of tomato and seemed more cheesy than anything else.  I like it and thought it was good but the portion size was on the small side.  I was quite hungry for this lunch and was able to eat the entire portion quite easily and could have eaten more.

 

One of my companions had the Ahi Tuna Salad, which may have been a daily special or an item on the summer menu.  Several strips of slightly seared raw tuna were served over a bead of salad greens and topped with crispy fried wonton strips.

 

Another companion had the Hot Dog of the Day, which happened to be a Beef Hot Dog with Giardiniera.  The all-beef hot dog was served on a large roll and covered with spicy pickled veggies and served with french fries on the side.

 

Another companion had the Beet & Bleu Salad.  This dish was a big disappointment.  The salad with the bleu cheese was good (what little of it there was) but the beet mixture was boring.

Service: Our service was quite awful.  My party of four arrived at lunch time in hopes of having a a nice but fast lunch before returning to a conference we were attending nearby.  The Strip Club does not have its own parking lot and road construction on the nearby streets forced us to park a few blocks away in the pay lot at Metropolitan State.  We asked for suggestions but our server was not very friendly and seemed almost annoyed. After taking our appetizer and lunch orders, our appetizer came out about 15 minutes later.  We quickly ate our appetizer and then waited at least 25 minutes for our lunch orders to arrive.  After inquiring why it was taking so long, our server told us that she didn't put the entire order in right away.  She had waited until she brought out our appetizers before putting the lunch order in.  So after waiting forever to get our food and thinking we were going to be late returning to our conference, we were tempted to have our food packaged to-go.  Since we knew we were in a hurry, we asked for the bill as soon as the food arrived and then ate as quickly as we could.  We had hoped we could get out of there as fast as possible, but wouldn't you know that all the computer systems at the Strip Club all decided to shut down? Not only could we not get a bill with our itemized food items, but they could not run credit cards and didn't have time to make change with what cash we had.  It was awful and our server was very rude about it, I am sure out if frustration at the situation. After waiting for 20 minutes so that management could try to figure out their computer issues, we all ended up calculating our own bills and then writing checks for the total so we could leave. I hope our experience was just a fluke because I have heard others say better things about their service at the Strip Club, but our service that day left little to be desired.
Overall Impression:  The food was pretty good, although you don't seem to get a lot of "bang for your buck".  Our service was terrible but I would be still be willing to go back and try it again, possibly for dinner.  I like that all of their beef is grass fed and hormone free.

Oak City ~ Brooklyn Center & Bloomington, MN

Cuisine: American, Bar & Grill, Fish & Seafood, Pasta, Steaks
Restaurant Features: Bar, Flat Screen TVs, Happy Hour, Kids Menu, Live Music, On Site Parking, Sunday Brunch
Locations: Brooklyn Center & Bloomington, MN
Addresses and Maps:
Bloomington- 5001 American Blvd Bloomington, MN 55437 (952) 746-8887
Brooklyn Center- 2590 Freeway Blvd Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 (763) 503-3561
Links:  Oak City Website

Atmosphere: The Brooklyn Center location of Oak City is located next to Country Inn & Suites Hotel, on the frontage road that runs along the north side of 694.  The building is a decent size (formerly TGIFriday's), with the dining room arranged into several distinct eating areas to allow for more privacy.  The section my companion and I sat in had several two-person booths, other sections had bigger booths and also some tables. The decor of Oak City is sophisticated contemporary, with gold accents and fun quotes throughout the restaurant (hanging on walls and also embedded into the backs of the booths).

 

Above the booths in the middle of the restaurant are these cool metal sculptures made to resemble Trees.

 

There is also a large bar area when you first walk into the Brooklyn Center location, with seating at the bar and also several high-topped tables.

Menu: Appetizers at Oak City include Walleye Fingers, Captain Crunch Chicken Strips, Mini Black Angus Burgers, Salmon Dip with Pita, Spinach & Artichoke Dip, Mile High Nachos, Pot Stickers, Chicken Wings & Boneless Wings (6 sauces).

Oak City also serves Flatbread Pizzas including Margherita, Signature Sausage, Spinach & Artichoke Heart, BBQ Chicken and Traditional (sausage or pepperoni).

Appetizer Salads include House, Caesar, Candied Walnut and Spinach and Applewood Bacon.  Entree Salads include Chicken Caesar, Portabella, Peppercorn Tenderloin, Candied Walnut, Spinach & Applewood Bacon, and Cashew Chicken.

Specialty Sandwiches at Oak City include Chicken Ciabatta, Oak City Philly, Walleye, French Dip, Chicken Chipotle, Oak City Club, BBQ Chicken, and Smoked Turkey. 

Burgers include Portabella and Gorgonzola, Oak City Classic (roasted onion and tomato with provolone),Bourbon Teriyaki Bacon Cheeseburger, Hickory Burger (smoked gouda and chipotle bbq sauce), Cheeseburger and Basic Burger.

Entrees include Fajitas, Fish 'n Chips, Chicken Tenderloins, Baby Back Ribs, Herb Roasted Chicken, Choice Top Sirloin, Burgundy Peppercorn Steak, Tenderloin Medallions, Sirloin & Walleye Combo, Ribs & Chicken Combo, Shrimp Scampi, Tempura Shrimp, Canadian Walleye, and Sesame Crusted Salmon.

Pastas include Cajun Chicken Alfredo, Chicken and Pesto, Pasta Fresco, and Tortellini Baronessa.

Oak City's Desserts include Chocolate Lava Cake, Caramel Apple Pie Sundae, Turtle Cheesecake, Upside Down Sundae, White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cake, and Cheesecake.

There is also a lunch menu served M-F 11am-3pm

Kids Menu includes Walleye Fingers, Fettuccine Alfredo, Grilled Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Macaroni & Cheese, and Mini Burgers.

Sunday Brunch:

• $10.95/ Adults   $5.95 Kids 5-12   Free/ Kids 4 and Under
• 10am-2pm
• Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, French Toast, Bacon, Sausage, Cheesy Hashbrowns, Mashed Potatoes, Pecan-Crusted Walleye, Tilapia, Shrimp Alfredo, BBQ ribs, Swedish Meatballs, Steamed Broccoli, Pork Tenderloin, Clam Chowder, Pasta Salad, Lettuce Salad, Cakes, Pies, Cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse

Price guide: Appetizers $ 7-11   Salads $ 4-13    Sandwiches/Burgers $8-11  Entrees $10-25  Desserts $5-7

Happy Hour:

• Daily 3-6:30p & 10p-12a
• $2 Appetizers (Buffalo Wings, Rock Shrimp, Walleye Fingers, Mini Burgers w/ Fries, Fresh Tortilla Chips & Salsa
• $4 Flatbread Pizzas )margherita, BBQ Chicken, Oak City Signature, Spinacc & Artichoke, Traditional)
• $2 Rail drinks & 16 oz Domestic Taps  $3 Vodka Redbull  $4 Long Islands
• $1 off all other drinks

Weekly Specials served 4-9pm:
Monday- Any Burger on Menu $5.95 
Tuesday- Any Pasta on Menu $9.95 and 1/2 price bottles of wine  
Wednesday- All You Can Eat Snow Crab $19.95 (includes bread, soup or salad, veggie and choice of potato 
Thursday- All You Can Eat baby Back Ribs $12.95  
Friday- All you can eat Walleye Fingers $11.95 
Saturday- 12 oz NY Strip $10.95  
Sunday- Roasted Chicken $8.95 and Kids 12 and under eat free off Kid's Menu (one per paid adult)
What I ordered: I was really in the mood for a sandwich and the Chipotle Chicken looked perfect for me (and it was!).  The chicken breast had been marinated in chipotle spices so the juicy tender meat was very flavorful and also had somewhat of a smoky flavor to it.  The breast was grilled and topped with melted Manchengo cheese, which was creamy and also slightly smoky.  Large slices of fresh avocado and a spicy chipotle sauce complete this sandwich which is served on a fresh toasted bun.  The combination of flavors and textures in this sandwich were a big hit, my only complaint is that the bun seemd too small and the ingredients wanted to slide right out.  The shoe string fries were cooked a little too long (from frozen) and were on the hard side, with many small pieces of too-crispy-to-eat potatoes.

 

My companion asked for a suggestion on the Burger Menu and was told to try the Portabella Gorgonzolla Burger.  Fabulous creation of flavors and textures! The large freshly-made burger patty was made with 1/1 lb of fresh ground Angus beef and then grilled to order, with a giant sauteed protabella mushroom cap and a hearty portion of gorgonzola layered on top of the beef .  This burger was so big that it deserves a bigger bun.  Awesome choice!

Service: We were greeted by the hostess within a few minutes of arriving and were shown to our table.  The restaurant wasn't too busy after the dinner rush on a Tuesday, but it was at least five minutes before we were greeted by our server.  Our server was friendly and gave us great suggestions about the menu but wasn't always there when needed (refills, box, bill, etc).  Our food was served reasonably fast and overall the service was decent.
Overall Impression: Great sandwiches and burgers at Oak City! Prices seemed slightly high but comparable to other restaurants of the same caliber.  Would love to try Oak City's Sunday Brunch and the weekly specials look great too

Mad Jack's Sports Cafe ~ Vadnais Heights & Brooklyn Park, MN

Cuisine : American, Steak, Chops, Ribs, Fish & Seafood
Restaurant Features: Sports Bar, Patio, On-Site Parking, Happy Hour

Locations:  Brooklyn Park & Vadnais Heights, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Brooklyn Park- 8078 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 ( 763) 424.9919

Vadnais Heights- 953 County Road E Vadnais Heights, MN 55127 (651) 287.3900

Link: Mad Jack's Website

Atmosphere:  The Vadnais Heights location is just off 35E and Co. Rd E in a large building outside a long strip mall, Festival Foods and Target complex.  The restaurant is divided into two main area, the dining room and the bar area.  There is a nice double-sided fireplace and lounge area between the two dining areas.  The kitchen is also open so you can watch the cooks work their magic.

 

Here is a peak at the mini lounge area between the main dining room and the bar area.  The bar area is very large and has several tall tables in addition to ample seating at the bar.

 

One thing that is easy to notice about Mad Jack's is that there are a LOT of TVs throughout the restaurant.  Each high-backed booth in the dining room also has its own personal TV.

Menu: Appetizers include Sirloin Tips, Coconut Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Jacked Up Nachos, Hash Browns, Filet Tips, ** Spinach Artichoke Dip, **Bruschetta, **Calamari, **Jackadilla, **Szechuan Green Beans, **Wings, **Cornbread, **Chicken Tenders, **Garlic Cheese Bread, **Potato Skins, **Onion Rings, **Cheese Curds, **Chili Cheese Fries, **Sweet Potato Fries, **Homemade Potato Chips, and **Chips and Salsa, and **Flatbread (choice of Margherita, Caprese, Rotisserie Chicken, Sun Dried Pesto, and BBQ Chicken). Appetizers with ** are 1/2 price daily from 3:30-6:30pm and Sun-Thurs 10pm-12am.

Soups include Chicken Wild Rice and Chili.  Salads offered are Jack's House Salad, Chopped, Buffalo Chicken, Taco, Caesar, Strawberry Feta, Greek, and Thai Chicken Peanut.

Sandwiches offered at Mad Jacks include Philly Beef, Old Fashioned Club, Meatball Sub, BBQ Chicken, Pork Loin, Cuban, Artichoke Chicken, Fish, Veggie, Hawaiian Chicken, Reuben/Rachel, Turkey Melt, and Grilled Ham and Cheese.  Wraps include Asian, Chicken Caesar, Club, or Southwestern.  There are also several specialty burgers.

Handmade Pizzas can be made-to-order, or choose from Garbage Pizza, BBQ Chicken, White Delight, or Mad Meat. 

Pastas include Spaghetti & Meatballs, Baked Ziti, Fettuccine Alfredo, Sausage Tortellini, and Tilapia Farfalli.

Entrees offered are Lumberjack Salmon, Chicken Marsala, Shrimp Scampi, Walleye Fillet, Grilled Pork Loin, Fish & Chips, Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Jack Kebabs, Open Faced Chicken, Rack of Lamb, Rotisserie Chicken, Rack of Ribs, and Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry.

Desserts include Creme Brulee, Cheesecake, Apple Crsip A'La Mode, Vanilla Ice Cream, Milkyway Mousse Cake, and Bread Pudding.

There are also a couple of weekly specials: 1/2 price Spaghetti & Meatballs with garlic bread on Wednesdays! ($4.50 for a huge helping!)

Price guide: Appetizers $7-12 Salads $4-10 Burgers & Sandwiches $8-11 Pasta $9-15  Pizza $9+ Entrees $12-22  Desserts $3-8
What we ordered:  Since it was Happy Hour, we started with a couple of half-prized appetizers, Calamari and Hot Wings.  The Calamari was a combination of rings and tiny squids, both cooked perfectly so that the breading was crispy with calamari cooked perfectly tender.  Served on the side was a chunky sweet marinara sauce and also spicy mayo, both very good.

The Hot Wings were huge and seemed to be just a little more spicy than other buffalo wings (I like that!), with a fair amount of sauce.  Bleu cheese and celery on the side for dipping.

 

I had the meatball sub for my entree, which came with homemade potato chips.  The meatball had tender but firm texture, seasoned with pepper, fennel, rosemary, onion.  Very good! The meatballs had a light amount of marinara and then provolone baked over the top, served on a somewhat soft French roll.  It was too huge and messy to eat with my hands, so I cut it into smaller bites and dipped it in a side of marinara.  The potato chips were crispy but I wasn't very interested in them.

One of my companions ordered the Flatbread Caprese Pizza, which consisted of a very thin, flat crust with melted gorgonzola cheese, fresh basil, roma tomato slices, and balsalmic vinegar.  The crust was nice and crispy and the flavor of the ingredients blended together rather well.

 

Another companion ordered a Mushroom Swiss Burger with French Fries.  The burger patty was quite big, and the bun it came on was thick and substantial.  Fresh mushrooms were sauteed and then swiss melted on top.  The giant portion of homemade fries were fresh-cut of varying sizes and fried to a crispy golden brown.

 

I chose to go back to Mad Jack's later the same week as my first visit and ordered The Reuben Sandwich.  The first two bites were awful! The corned beef was very tough and I couldn't even bite through it.  The server offered another sandwich, but the rest of it was actually pretty good.  I think those first couple of bites of corned beef should have been removed by the cook before it was served, but the rest of it was  tender and flavorful.  The sauerkraut was mixed with the 1000 Island dressing and on the mild side.

Service:  The service at Mad Jacks was exceptional.  The servers were very attentive and when our food was ready, it was the cook himself who served it to the table, wanting to know if there was anything else he could do.  The responsibility of serving staff seemed to be somewhat shared, as we seemed well taken care of.
Overall Impression: Thought it was great! The Happy Hour specials are a great deal, the food was quite good, and the service was exceptional.  I'll be back soon

Casper's Cherokee Sirloin Room ~ West St Paul & Eagan, MN

Cuisine: American, Steaks, Fish & Seafood, Sunday Brunch (Eagan only)
Restaurant Features: Banquet Room, Bar

Location: Eagan & West St Paul, MN
Addresses & Maps:

Eagan- 4625 Nichols Road, Eagan, MN 55122  (651)454-6744

West St Paul- 886 Smith Ave. S  West St Paul, MN 55118 (651)457-2729  8
Link: Cherokee Sirloin Room Website

Atmosphere:  The West St Paul location is a pretty large restaurant, with a couple of dining areas and a separate banquet room.  There are several tables to accommodate large parties and also booths set up along the perimeter of the dining room, all of which are covered with white table cloths.  Nothing about the decor stood out at the Cherokee Sirloin Room, just a collection of random paintings and wall sconces throughout the restaurant.

Menu: Appetizers include Onion Rings, Shrimp Cocktail, Blackened Tips, Ribs & Rings, Crab Rangoon, and Artichoke Dip.

Salads include Grilled Chicken Caesar, Cobb, Seafood Louie (shrimp, crab and scallops), Seven-Spice Prime Rib, and Garden Salad.

Sandwiches include Steak, Philly French Dip, Walleye, Charbroiled Chicken, and three 1/2 lb burgers.

Meat Entrees include Steak of the Millenium (sirloin), Porterhouse, New York Strip, Tenderloin Meddalions, Bacon Tenderloin, Filet Mignon, Chopped Sirloin, Prime Rib, Ribeye, Chicken Breast, Chocken Cordon Bleu, Roasted Chicken, and Barbeque Pork Loin Ribs.

Seafood and Vegetarian Entrees include Mushroom Ravioli, Walleye, Crab-Stuffed Salmon, Buffalo Shrimp, Walleye Almondine, Broiled Salmon, Jumbo Shrimp, Seafood Linguine, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Seafood Platter, and Lobster.

There are also a  number of Combo plates that include 8 oz. sirloin and either shrimp, walleye, lobster, crab or ribs.

Desserts offered at Cherokee Sirloin Room are seasonal but current offerings include the Birthday Cake, Chocolate Molten Lava Cake, Turtle Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Chocolate Pecan Torte.

Price guide: Appetizers $9-11 Sandwiches $9-15 Meat Entrees $15-35 Seafood Entrees $ 20-35 Combos $20-42 Desserts $5-6
What I ordered: To start, we were given these warm loaves of crusty French Bread.

 

I ordered the Steak of the Millenium, (which happens to be the complimentary birthday sirloin), a 16 oz strip of sirloin.  It was thick-cut, but still juicy (cooked medium) and lean.  Steak seemed to be cooked with the barest of seasonings so I had to salt it to my own liking, but many people might prefer it that way. There was a hefty portion of fries that were pretty good, but also lightly salted.  The dinner salad that came with my meal was on the small side but the veggies were crisp and fresh and the homemade croutons were crunchy and flavorful.  I loved the ranch dressing.

 

One of my companions ordered the Bacon Beef Tenderloin with baked potato.  The tenderloin was thick and extremely tender, the bacon cooked but only slightly crispy.  Sauteed whole mushrooms were served alongside.

There was a large amount of people in my group and I chose not to take pictures of all of the entrees, but the Porterhouse looked and tasted amazing, and was a big hit for at least two of my companions. 

We got a complimentary slice of birthday cake for the birthday that was in our party.  Very tasty, like any standard white birthday cake.

 

We also ordered the Chocolate Lava Cake to share.  The dark chocolate was quite rich and had a warm, gooey center which was complimented perfectly with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream a la mode.

Service:  The day of our visit was Thursday Night Birthday Night and it was packed to the gills with people celebrating!  We had a dinner reservation but arrived slightly late and had to wait about 5-10 minutes for our table.  Our server was very nice and accommodating and although it was a very busy night, food was prepared in less than 45 minutes.  Drinks took some time from bar also.
Overall Impression: A FREE sirloin steak dinner on the Thursday night of your birthday week? You can hardly go wrong.  Price of entrees was reasonable for the amount of food you get, and the food was pretty good.  Not much in the way of ambiance but service is pretty good.

Old Log Cabin ~ Forest Lake, MN

Cuisine: American, Fish & Seafood, Steaks, Chops,
Restaurant Features: Bar, On-Site Parking

Location: Forest Lake, MN
Address:  9726 Scandia Trail N. Forest Lake, MN 55025 (On Hwy 97 four miles east of Hwy 61) (651)433-5646

Hours: Mon 4-9pm Tues-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 11am-9pm
Links: Old Log Cabin Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: There are two dining areas in the Old Log Cabin, the main dining room with a variety of booths and tables (not pictured) and then the bar area which has a handful of high tables with additional seating at the bar.  Like it's name suggests, the Old Log Cabin has a rustic feel and the building itself is made from several large logs.  Nearly every square inch of the bar area is covered with business cards of every variety!

Menu: Appetizers include Fungus Humongous, Mozzarella Sticks, Buffalo Wings, Onion Rings, Artichoke Dip, Chicken Strips, Potato Skins, Cheese Curds, and Nachos Grande.

Salads include Chicken Chef, Taco, Crispy Chicken, and Chicken Caesar.

There is a large selection of 1/2 lb burgers with names such as Musher, Alaskan, Prospector, Kodiak and Yukon.  Sandwiches include the Trapper (prime rib), Ptarmigan, Cottage Chicken, Log Jammer (Prime rib with onions and peppers), Fish, Hot Prime, Grilled Chicken, Grizzly Chicken (BBq & Bacon), Steak and the French Dip.

Dinner entrees include Ribeye Steak, Cabin Steak (10oz sirloin), Black Angus Sirloin, Chopped Sirloin, Sirloin Tips, Ork Chops, Broasted Chicken, Marinated Chicken Breast, Broiled Walleye or Shrimp, Fried Cod, Seafood Platter, Fish & Chips, and Fried Shrimp.  

Desserts offered are Carrot Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Bread Pudding, and Root Beer Float.

Daily dinner specials begin at 4pm and include:

• MON& Tues- Mexican Food 
• Wed- All you can eat Fish Fry 
• Thurs- Steak Night 
• Fri- BBQ Ribs $11.99
• Sat& Sun- Prime Rib $15.99

Price guide:  Appetizers $ 5-8 Salads $7-9 Burgers & Sandwiches $7-9 Dinner Entrees $10-18  Desserts $3-4
What we ordered:  We started with the Fungus Humongous and like the name suggests, these fried mushrooms were HUGE!  The extra-large fresh mushrooms were halved, lightly battered and then fried to a crispy brown and served with a honey-mustard dipping sauce.  Delish!

 

For my meal I ordered the Ptarmigan Chicken Sandwich (the server affirmed that this was a great choice!).  This was a grilled chicken breast topped with creamy spinach artichoke dip and melted cheese on a toasted bun.  The chicken was tender and juicy and the artichoke dip was flavorful and had a decent amount of artichoke.  The french fries were mediocre, with a slightly crispy textured outside and very little seasonings (reminded me of Burger King fries).

 

One of my companions ordered the Hot Prime Sandwich which consisted of thick slices of prime rib served between slices of fresh white bread, a large scoop of mashed potatoes and then smothered with gravy.  This is obviously the type of sandwich that is meant to be eaten with silverware! I tried a few bites and thought the prime rib was good, but the gravy wasn't my favorite.  My companion enjoyed this meal.

 

Another companion ordered the steak sandwich, which was literally a steak thrown between a couple of slices of toast and then served with a side of au jus.

 

Another companion ordered the Sirloin Tips, which came with a cup of soup, dinner roll, and baked potato.  The sirloin tips were tender and juicy, smothered with sauteed onions and mushrooms.

Service:  Our visit was on a Saturday afternoon between lunch and dinner, so there were only a few other customers dining at the time.  Our server doubled as bartender, but was prompt and friendly for the most part.  My only complaint is that the fried mushroom appetizer was served with the meal instead of coming out first but it wasn't that big of a deal.
Overall Impression:  The Old Log Cabin was more laid back than I had expected and the food was priced very reasonably for the amount that came with each order.  The service was good too!

Bella Italian Grill- Blaine, MN

Cuisine: Italian, Pizzas, Fish & Seafood
Restaurant Features: Bar, Happy Hour, Patio Dining, On-Site Parking

Location: Blaine, MN
Address: 10950 Club West Parkway - Suite 270, Blaine, MN 55449
Links: Bella Website  Google Map

Atmosphere: Everything about Bella is sophisticated and lovely! There is a large courtyard complete with full bar and large fire pit. Highly recommended for happy hour, lunch, or an evening with friends.

Inside Bella's dining room, you can see the details that make this restaurant a step above others.  It is richly and sophisticatedly decorated, with many tables throughout.  My favorite are the couple of giant, semi-private round booths set in the middle of the restaurant.  These booths are perfect for an intimate party of up to six people, as they block out much of the sounds of other guests.

The bar is a giant area situated on one side of the restaurant.  Seats about 30-40 people comfortably.

Menu: Happy Hour Appetizers include Grilled Pork Loin Skewers, Mozzarella in Carrozza, Napoleon Flatbread, Blackened Chicken Flatbread , and Shoestring Fries (all for $3/ea from 3-6pm, 7 days a week)
Regular appetizers include Mozzarella Caprese, Shrimp Cocktail, Sausage and Peppers, Steamed Mussels, Bruschetta, Southwest Rolls, Eggplant Parmigiana, Garlic Cheese Bread, Calamari and Hot Peppers, Breaded Mozzarella, and Spicy Chicken Wings. 
Flatbreads include Spinch & Artichoke, Blackened Chicken, Napoleon, and Spicy Shrimp.  There is also a selection of Bella's Special Pizzas.
Salads include Caesar, Wedge, Bella, Spinach, Della Casa and Midwestern.
Bella makes fresh homemade raviolis daily.  Choices include Butternut Squash in Brown Butter Sauce, Lobster with Lobster Cream Sauce, and Spinach with Ricotta.  The Spinach or Meat Lasagna are also signature dishes at Bella.  Other pasta dishes include Cappellini Primavera, Bella Fettuccine, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Rigatoni with Meat Sauce, Penne Vodka, Linguini and Shrimp, Stuffed Chicken, Linguini and Clams, Field Pasta (with mushrooms in a cream sauce), Spicy Shrimp Penne, or Linguini Basil Pesto.
Veal and Poultry Entrees include Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Champagne, Simple Chicken, or Chicken or Veal Marsala.
Grilled Entrees include Pork Chop, Pork Tenderloin, Top Sirloin, Ribeye, New York Strip and Filet. 
Fresh Fish dishes include Chilean Sea Bass, Grilled Tilapia, Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna, Seared Atlantic Salmon, Canadian Walleye, and Australia Lobster Tail.
Side dishes are served A La Carte and include Purple Potatoes, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Risotto, Sauteed Spinach, Grilled Asparagus, Vegetable Medley, and Glazed Baby Carrots.

Price guide: Appetizers $8-11 (plus Happy Hour Specials for $3), Flatbreads & Pizzas $ 7-13, Salads $7,  Pasta $14-25  Veal & Poultry $18-22, Grilled Meats $17-30, Fresh Fish $ Market Price
What we ordered: We arrived during Happy Hour and decided to hang out on the patio for the wine and appetizer specials.  This is the Mozzarella in Carrozza (crispy breaded fresh mozzarella cheese,
wild mushroom ragout & roasted capers finished with Bella sauce).  Very good, but eat it while its hot or the cheese will harden quickly!

The Grilled Pork Loin Skewers (with a roasted tomato chipotle sauce
and served with a Thai cucumber salad ).  These were pretty good, but without the sauce they would've been pretty boring.  The salad was god, but was saturated with dressing and slightly on the soggy side.

I ordered the Ravioli Platter, which was considered by our server to be a "must try".  There were three of each of Bella's handmade-daily-raviolis.  The first ravioli I tried was the Butternut Squash.  The pasta was made with spinach and filled with a slightly sweet butternut and brown sugar squash, with a buttery pesto sauce.  Very good!  The second ravioli on the platter was the House ravioli.  This was filled with a cream-cheese-like filling and lightly topped with red sauce.  The third ravioli on the platter was the lobster ravioli with creamy lobster sauce.  So delicious! It had big chunks of tender lobster in the sauce and the ravioli itself was filled with a cheesey-lobster mixture that also had a nice twang to it.  The raviolis were on the small side, but the platter itself was more than enough for one person.

Two of my companions ordered the Veal Marsala served with wild mushrooms and topped with asparagus. I did not try this dish, but it looked and smelled wonderful! It was a big hit

One of my companions ordered the Chicken Marsala, served with potatoes, wild mushrooms and carrots in a delicious Marsala Demi Glace.  Wonderful flavor!

Another companion ordered the Chicken Canneloni.  This looked so good that I had to try a bite!  Lots of seasoned cheese, but also a lot of chicken.  The sauce was rich and packed with flavor.  I would definitely order this for myself in the future :)

Service: Our service was very good.  We first enjoyed Happy Hour on the patio.  There was only one server who was also working as bartender, so she was very busy, but kept up with customers very well.  Inside the dining room, we were served by a wonderful young woman named Maria.  She was a big hit with our group! Besides giving excellent recommendations from the menu, she was also very patient and friendly.  I have been to many, many restaurants, and Maria was one of the best servers who has ever waited on me.  We had made a reservation in advance and were please to be seated in one of the large, private round booths.  One thing that I must mention is that although the food was excellent, it took a good 45 minutes to arrive at our table after we ordered.  We did not mind this, as we were enjoying our experience and the good company.
Overall Impression:  Fabulous atmosphere, great food but very expensive.  Excellent service.  A good place to go for a special occasion.

Dave & Buster's ~ Maple Grove, MN

Cuisine: American, Steaks, Fish & Seafood
Restaurant Features: Bar, Games, On-Site Parking

Location: Maple Grove, MN
Address: 11780 Fountains Way Maple Grove, MN 55369   763-493-9815
Links: Dave & Buster's Website        Google Map

Atmosphere: The restaurant itself is a decent size, especially when combined with the bar area, which also serves food.  The bar had several flat-screen TV's mounted above it, showing popular sporting events.

Beyond the restaurant and bar area is a giant arcade with everything from old-school favorites like skeeball to recent hits like Deal or No Deal.  Get physical with games like Dance, Dance Evolution or try one of the Trivia Video Games.  Shown here is a horse racing game.

Menu: Appetizers include Philly Steak Rolls, Cheese Fries. Cheese Sticks, Fried Mushrooms, Spinach Dip, Buffalo Wings, Thai Chicken Dippers, Bar Burgers, Potato Skins, Nachos

Burgers and sandwiches include Grilled Chicken and Cheddar, Roasted Turkey Avocado, Philly or Chicken Cheesesteak, Buffalo Chicken Wrapper, Buffalo Bar Chicks,

California Bar Burgers, Garden Burger and several other burgers.

Entrees include Lacy's Chicken, Black Jack BBQ Chicken or Ribs, Chicken Fingers, a large selection of Ribeyes and Sirloins, Grilled Salmon, Fried Shrimp, Blackened Tilapia, Fried Catfish, Fish & Chips, Cajun Shrimp Alfredo, Parmesan Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marinara, and Blackened Chicken Pasta.

There is also a large selection of salads and soups.

Price guide: Appetizers $6-10  Sandwiches & Burgers $ 8-10  Entrees $ 10-25
What We ordered: We started off with the tempura fried mushrooms.  Lightly breaded and crispy.

 I ordered the Buffalo Bar Chicks. I think maybe part of the purpose of the smaller sandwiches is to make these easier to eat and less messy.  The sauce was standard spicy buffalo sauce, with bleu cheese dressing, fresh lettuce & tomato served on a warm roll.  I thought it was pretty good. 

 One of my companions ordered the Sirloin, served with loaded mashed potatoes and crispy onions.  The steak had really good flavor and the onions and potatoes were a  nice compliment in flavor and texture.

 Another companion ordered the Atlantic Salmon fillet grilled and glazed with a Hawaiian ginger sesame sauce. Served with citrus rice and sautéed green beans.  I did not try, but it looked fabulous!

 Another companion ordered the Mushroom & Swiss Burger.  The burger was quite large, as was the bun it was served on.

Since our visit was in celebration of a birthday, Dave & Buster's gave us this complimentary brownie dessert.

Another companion ordered the Banana's Foster dessert 

Service: The restaurant was very busy and every table was packed with people, so the service was kind of slow.  After dinner we attempted to play a few games, but found it very difficult to get started.  First we had to go somewhere to get a plastic card and then we had to go somewhere else to put money on the plastic card.  It was pretty much impossible to share the card because you had to physically have it with you to swipe it in the card slot.  One of us attempted to play a bowling game, but discovered the $5 only covered 5 frames of bowling.  I thought that was absolutely ridiculous! The arcade was very busy since it was a Friday night and the fun, popular games that I would've liked to play had lines. 
Overall Impression: The restaurant had good food, but the arcade was overpriced.  Cool place if you're into video games (I am not.)