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).

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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.

Red's Savoy Pizza ~ St Paul, MN (Coon Rapids, Hugo, and Uptown Minneapolis)

Cuisine: Pizza
Restaurant Features: Bar, Flatscreen TVs, On-Site Parking,
Location: St Paul, MN

Address: 421 East 7th Street  St Paul, MN 55101 651-227-1437
Hours: Mon-Sat 11a-11p  Sun 11a-10:30p
Links:  Google Map

 *Red's Savoy Pizza in Coon Rapids, Hugo, St Paul, and Uptown are all Delivery/Take-out Only

Atmosphere: Red's Savoy Inn is the original Savoy location, found just on the edge of downtown St Paul at the corner of 7th St. and Lafayette.  There are two entrances into Savoy's on the west side of the building, one near the parking lot in back and one one the side near the front.   The restaurant is divided into two sides, with the Bar Area being what you see when you first enter.  The bar stretches the length of the room, which has tables and booths as well.

The main dining room is adjacent to the bar area with an open walkway in between.  Also between the two rooms is a giant aquarium with live tropical fish.  It is quite dim inside Savoy, there are no windows and the only lighting comes from the soft yellow glass orbs overhead. 

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 Menu:  Appetizers at Savoy Inn include Buffalo Wings, Deep Fried Cheese Ravioli, Mozzarella Sticks, Jalapeño Poppers, French Fries, Onions Wings, Garlic Cheese Bread.

Sandwich options are the Meatball Dip and Hot dago with Cheese.

Pizzas come in two sizes, 10" or 14", Hand Tossed Thin Crust. Topping options include Sausage, Pepperoni, Hamburger, Mushrooms, Onion, Green Pepper, Green Olive, Black Olive, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Canadian Bacon, Banana Peppers, Jalapeños, Pineapple, Bacon, Shrimp and Anchovies.

Price guide: Appetizers $5-7  10" Cheese Pizza $8.45  Toppings $1-2/ea 14" Cheese $11.40  Toppings $1.50/2 ea (premium toppings more)
What We ordered: My companions and I started with an order of mozzarella sticks.  They were just as mozzi-sticks should be, crispy golden brown on the outside and hot melted mozzarella inside.  It came with a side of sauce.

 

Our group ordered a variety of pizzas.   The pizza has a very thin crust at the base of each creation, then covered with spicy pizza sauce, toppings and mozzarella cheese.  This was a 10" Pepperoni, Mushroom and Shrimp.  I have really come to enjoy shrimp on pizza over the past couple of years and this was the first time I had tried it at Savoy.  The shrimps were very little and there were plenty of them covering the pizza.   The not-too-thick-not-too-thin pepperoni had great flavor while not being too greasy.  We ordered our pizzas "well-done" so the cheese on all the edge pieces was browned and crispy.

 

Another pizza was a 10" Pepperoni, Banana Pepper and Onion.  Great combo of toppings! The banana peppers spiced it up a notch and the onion added a touch of sweetness, perfectly complimented by the zesty pepperoni.  The crust is very thin and crispy, but not at all chewy.  Overall the Savoy pizzas were a success and a few of my companions even declared Savoy pizza to be their favorite or "the best".

 

We also had a 14" Special Pizza with Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushroom, Onion, Green Pepper and Green Olive.  This pizza was loaded with ingredients and cheese.

 

One of my companions also ordered a side of Rigatoni with sauce.  I thought the portion size was just right for a side order.

Service:  It wasn't very busy on the late Wednesday evening of my visit, so we had no problem getting a parking place in the small lot in the back of Savoy's and easily found a table inside the restaurant.  Our server was nice but took her time checking on us even though there were very few other customers.  Food was prepared in a reasonable amount of time.
Overall Impression: Savoy pizza is one of the better thin-crust pizzerias around St Paul, especially if you like a spicier sauce and pizza loaded with toppings and cheese.  The prices are comparable to many other local pizzerias but you get a hefty amount of toppings for the money.

Tiffany's Sports Lounge ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: American, Bar & Grill 
Restaurant Features:  Sports Bar, Free Wi-Fi, Games, Happy Hour, Large/Flat Screen TVs, Live Music, Kids Menu, Patio Dining
Location: St Paul, MN (Highland Park neighborhood)
Address: 2051 Ford Parkway St. Paul, MN 55116 651.690.4747  (corner of Ford Pkwy & Cleveland Ave)

Bar Hours: Mon-Sat 11a-2a  Sun 11a-1a

Kitchen Hours: Mon-Sat 11a-11p  Sun 11a-10p

Links:  Tiffany's Sports Lounge Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Located on the corner of Ford Parkway and Cleveland Ave, Tiffany's Sports Lounge is located in the heart of St Paul's Highland Park neighborhood and is close to many of the local Universities.  Tiffany's first opened in 1971 and has been a cornerstone in the area ever since.  "Lounge" is the perfect name for the big and open space that has a bar, pool tables and games on one side and tables and booths on the other.  It is a fun place with a friendly and energetic vibe.

One thing you will notice as soon as you walk in to Tiffany's is that there are big screen TV's mounted everywhere ~ I think I counted nearly 14 of them! Every seat in the house has a good view of one TV or another.  As you can expect, Tiff's is the happening place to be during just about any sporting event, including all local games. Tiffany's is also the St Paul headquarters for KU Jayhawks games.

Menu: Appetizers at Tiffany's Sports Lounge include Hand-Cut Fries, Quesadillas, Chicken Wings (Asian, Buffalo or Diablo), Chicken Fingers, Mozzarella Sticks, Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Sampler Platter, Chicken Nachos, and Mini Tacos.  Soups include French Onion, Chili, and a Soup du Jour.

Salads offered are Chicken Caesar, Salmon Caesar, Cobb, Buffalo Chicken, and Dinner Salad.

Sandwiches at Tiffany's include French Dip, Grand Avenue (turkey on foccacia), Club, Reuben, Italian Beef, Tiffany Dagwood (ham, turkey, bacon, swiss, cheddar), Ford Parkway (turkey with cranberry chipotle cheese), and Juicy Luigi (Italian sausage stuffed with provolone in marinara).  Specialty sandwiches include Fish & Chips, Salmon Sandwich, Steak Sandwich, BLT, Walleye, Steak Wrap, Buffalo Chicken Wrap, Grilled Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and Southwest Chicken Sandwich.

Tiffany's burgers are all made with fresh Black Angus and include Cheeseburger, Hangover (fried egg bacon and cheddar over beef patty), Tommy Burger (Cajun spiced, jalapeños, bacon, pepperjack and chipotle mayo), Ground Turkey Burger, Black & Bleu, Tiffany Melt (sauteed onions and melted cheese on toast), Highland Park Burger (loaded with everything!), and the Infamous Summit Slam (over 1 lb of meat and toppings served with fries and a 24 oz. Summit beer- eat it all and win a T-shirt!).

Tiffany's also has "Sliders" which are mini-sized burgers and sandwiches (3 to an order).  Sliders include Cheeseburger, Italian Burgers, BBQ Pork, Blue Gill Burgers and Fire Dogs (jalapeño sausage smothered in Diablo sauce topped with onions, peppers and pepperjack cheese).

Save room for dessert! Tiff's has Turtle Cheesecake, a Hot Brownie Sundae, Cheesecake and Root Beer Float.

Kids Menu includes Grilled Cheese, Chicken Fingers, Cheeseburger and Mac & Cheese

Price guide:  Appetizers $5-10  Salads $9-11  Sandwiches/Burgers $9-10

Happy Hour:

• Mon-Fri 3-6pm
• Half-Priced Wings (Buffalo, Diablo, Asian) and Mini Tacos
• Top Shelf 2-for-1s
• $3 Tap Beer (24oz) Miller Lite & Premium Grain Belt

Weekly Specials:
Sunday- Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar (10a-6p) $6  Free Kids meal with Adult Meal
Monday-  Double Cheeseburger w/Fries $6.95, MNF Miller Lite or Premo 20oz $3.75
Tuesday- Cubano Sandwich $8.95   Hot Ham & Cheese w/Soup $7.95
Wednesday- Wimpy Basket $6.95  Wimpy Platter w/Fries $18.50  Midwest Pint pf Beer $2.50
Thursday- Sloppy Joe Sliders w/Fries $8.95   Endless Mug of Miller Lite $8
Friday- Homemade Weekly Pasta $12.95
Saturday- Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich w/ Fries $8.95 Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar (10a-6p) $6

What We Ordered: My companion and I shared a bowl of the Soup du Jour which happened to be Cream of Chicken Wild Rice.  It was a hot and hearty soup, perfect for warming up on a freezing cold day like we have had all too frequently lately.  The soup was very flavorful with the chicken, vegetables, wild rice and and was also seasoned nicely.  It included a hint of some kind of pepper and just a little kick to it that I wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.  The breadstick was pretty good too; warm, soft and slighty buttered with garlic salt.

 

I love sandwiches and while there were many that caught my eye at Tiffany's, I ordered my favorite sandwich of all, the Reuben.  It seems that I am always on a quest for a really good Reuben and this one at Tiffany's ranks up there with the best! The corned beef brisket is cooked for 8 hrs. in Guinness and special spices and was very flavorful and tender.  The meat was sliced thin and piled high on top of the buttery-grilled, swirled rye bread.  The Swiss cheese was melted perfectly and the sauerkraut and thousand island dressing gave it the extra zip to make it a most delicious Reuben.  The hand-cut fries were also excellent, just like what you get at the State Fair except slightly thinner.

 

My companion had the Blue Gill Burgers, which were three "sliders" AKA mini fish sandwiches.  Each of the three sandwiches had a nice-sized sunfish fillet that was slightly battered with bread crumb's and Leinenkugel's, then pan fried to a light golden brown.  The batter gave it a little bit of a crispy texture but it was very light and the fish was tender.  Each sandwich was topped with a tomato slice, romaine lettuce and garlic aioli sauce.  Very delicious! It is a treat to see sunfish on a local restaurant menu such as Tiff's.

 

The desserts also sounded wonderful so I tried the Turtle Cheesecake.  The cheesecake was layered, with a thin layer of chocolate cheesecake at the bottom that slightly marbles into the main layer of cheesecake, which was rich and smooth and creamy.  The top was covered with a thin layer of caramel cheesecake and then topped with candied pecans.  So good! Too rich for me to eat by myself or in one sitting for that matter, but I would definitely eat it again :)

Service: We were able to get a parking space on the street and a table immediately upon our arrival.  I did not notice a host/hostess the night of our visit so I assume it might be seat-yourself.  Our overall service at Tiffany's was very good!  Our server was very friendly and had several recommendations off the menu for us.  Drinks were brought and refilled quickly, as was our food. 

Overall Impression: Great Sports hangout!!  The recent renovation to the kitchen allows Tiffany's to serve really good food at extremely reasonable prices.  It is a very fun place to get a bite to eat and watch a game or play a round of pool, which makes it a popular place for local college kids as well as for families (anyone would enjoy it at Tiff's!).  There are many other sandwiches on the menu that I would like to try, as well as the burgers and wings.  I will be back to Tiffany's Sports Lounge to eat again very soon!

American Burger Bar ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine:  Burgers
Restaurant Features:  Banquet, Bar, Happy Hour, Pull-Tabs
Location: Downtown St Paul, MN
Address: 354 N. Wabasha Street St. Paul, MN  55102  651-222-2123
Hours: Mon-Fri: 11am-2am  Sat-Sun: 4pm-2am

Links:  American Burger Bar Website    Google Map

Atmosphere:  Located on Wabasha just one block north of Kellogg Blvd, American Burger Bar is in the home of the former Matty B's Supper Club.  The decor is still rich and masculine with dark wood work throughout.  There are many booths as well as a few tables and a bar area with additional seating.

Menu: Appetizers at the American Burger Bar include Skinny Truffle Fries, Cheese Curds, Onion Rings, American Favorite Sampler, Fried Calamari, American Burger Sliders, Meatballs ona  Stick, Best Damn Wings, Rib Eye Splitter, Chili Cheese tater Tots, and Nachos.

Salads include Caesar, Shrimp Salad, Cobb Salad, and House Salad.  Soups offered are Chili and Clam Chowder.

Sandwiches include Open Face Pineapple Chicken, The Gallivan (grilled ribeye with mushrooms, onions and bordelaise sauce) and Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich.

Build-your-own burger options start with 1/2 lb of your choice of meat: Black Angus, Kobe Beef, Bison, Turkey, Veggie and Lamb.  Over 20 ingredients available to top your burger with! All Burgers come with Skinny Fries.

Chef Burgers at American Burger Bar include American Classic, Cheese Steak Philly-Style, The Experience (Kobe beef topped with foie gras, black truffles, shaved parmesan cheese, braised short ribs, grilled onions and bordelaise sauce), The Wild Range (bison and lamb with fresh herbs, mushrooms and chardonnay) , Juicy Klucy (kobe beef stuffed with cheddar and topped with monterey jack), Rino 911 (Jalapeno) and South of the Border.

Entrees include 14oz Angus Steak, Diablo Pasta, Minnesota Twins (Twin Angus patties), Mac'N Cheese, and Kobe Ravioli.

Desserts include Apple Turnover, Deep Fried Cheesecake, Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwich, Bread Pudding, Cheese Cake, Ice Cream Shakes and Malts.

Price guide: Appetizers $5-8  Salads $7-13   Burgers $9-19  Entrees $11-29  Desserts $6

Happy Hour:

• M-F 3:30-6:30p & 10:30-Close  

• $2 Beer $3 Rails $7 Martinis
• $3 Appetizers (skinny fries, onion rings, clam chowder chili, wings, meatballs on stick)
• $6 Appetizers (Burger Snacking, Tuna Tartare, Sliders, Cheese Curds)

What We Ordered: My companions and I were very hungry and ordered a couple of appetizers to start with.  First we tried the Fried Calamari which was very good.  The order was a decently sized, with bite-sized pieces of fried calamari as well as a couple of bites of fried cheese and pepperoncini peppers.  Served with marinara and signature seasoned mayo.

 

We also got an order of buffalo wings.  The wings had great flavor but I was really disappointed with how tiny they were.  There were a dozen of the some of the smallest wings I have ever had served to me at a restaurant.  I would not pay full-price for these again at $8 but the Happy Hour has them priced at $3 which seems much more reasonable. 

 

We also ordered the Sweet potato fries which were crispy and very tasty.  Perfectly salted.

There were many burgers on the menu at American Burger Bar but after hearing the server's suggestions, it was the South of the Border Burger that was calling my name.  This burger was ginormous! Made of Angus Beef, the patty was grilled perfectly and then topped with a patty of chorizo, sauteed onions and mushrooms, pepperjack cheese, jalapeno bacon, spicy salsa and guacamole then served on a ciabatta bun.  There was so much going on with this burger that I don't even know where to begin! The beef patty was juicy and moist and packed with flavor.  The chorizo patty added some spiciness and texture that really enhanced the overall burger experience, as did all the other quality toppings.  Guacamole ona  burger with bacon? Divine.  I loved that it was served on a grilled ciabatta bun which was hearty enough to hold all the toppings.  A sun emblem was branded onto the top and added a personal, fun touch to the burger.  Overall this burger was amazing, although much too big for me to eat all at once.  The skinny fries that came with it were good, and very skinny as the name implies.  I would almost call them matchstick fries because the longest pieces were just 1-2" long.  Crispy but still soft on the inside.

 

One of my companions had the Rino 911.  This burger was quite spicy, a half-pound Angus patty topped with roasted jalapenos, pepperjack cheese, and jalapeno bacon served on an onion bun.

 

Another companion had the Juicy Klucy, the American Burger Bar's take on the famous local Juicy Lucy cheese-stuffed burger.  This burger stands above all other stuffed cheeseburgers that we have tried locally (so far) and the ingredient that put it over the rest is the fact that it is made with fresh Kobe beef.  If you have not had Kobe beef before, you must try it immediately!! It has so much more natural flavor than even the best Angus beef.  The Juicy Klucy at American Burger Bar is stuffed with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and topped with melted Monterey Jack and served on a white bun.

 

Another companion ordered the American Classic Burger.  This truly is a classic bacon cheeseburger made with Angus beef then topped with American cheese and bacon, served with lettuce, onion and tomato on the side.

Service: My companions and I paid a visit to American Burger Bar late one Tuesday evening.  The dining room was closed for the evening so we were seated at a booth in the bar area.  Our server was very friendly and had good suggestions for us.  Like most downtown restaurants you must park at a ramp or at a meter (most meters downtown St Paul are free after 4:30pm). 
Overall Impression: Awesome burgers!! A tad expensive but top quality.

Mancini's Char-House & Lounge ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine:  Steak
Restaurant Features: Bar, Banquet Facility, On-Site Parking, Pull-Tabs, Live Music
Location:  St Paul, MN
Address: 531 West 7th Street  St Paul, MN 55102 651-224-7345
Hours: Sun-Thurs 4:30-10p  Fri-Sat 4:30-11p

Links: Mancini's Website   Google Map

Atmosphere: Located on West 7th Street just a mile from downtown St Paul, Mancini's Char House has been one of St Paul's most well-known and popular steak houses since it first opened in 1948.  With capacity to hold 600 guests, Mancini's is a very big restaurant.  There are two main dining rooms that each hold 200 people and a large lounge area that holds an additional 200 guests.

The lounge area is laid back yet lively, with live music from 8:30-12:30 Wed-Sat.

The lighting in Mancini's is dim and inviting, with candles lit on every table.  It is currently festively decorated  with wreaths, pine boughs and white fairy lights.  The main dining room is a big, long space that has several wooden tables as well as a series of tables along the outside of the room that have bench-style booths on one side and wooden chairs on the other .  You can see the open kitchen at one end of the dining room, where the only cooking equipment needed is the charcoal grill. 

Menu: Appetizers include Herring and Crackers, Mushrooms, Antipasti Salad Plate, and Shrimp Cocktail.

As the name implies, all Entrees at Mancini's Char House are char-grilled over an open charcoal pit. Options include 8 oz or 12 oz Sirloin, 13 oz New York Strip, 8 oz or 12 oz Fillet, Beef Kabob, Chicken Breast, Walleye Dinner and Lobster Dinner.  Two steak and lobster combinations available.  All entrees come with a side salad, baked potato and bread.

Desserts offered are Vanilla or Spumoni Ice Cream, Cheese Cake and Lemon Cello Gelato

Price guide: Entrees $19-28  Surf & Turf $45-48  Dessert

What we ordered: We first started with a complimentary plate of pickles, pickled peppers and fresh tomatoes.

We were also served this giant basket of complimentary garlic toast which had at least a dozen thick slices of white and pumpernickel.  Both were lightly buttered and seasoned before grilled on the charcoal pit and they tasted wonderful.  I liked that the inside was still slightly soft while the outside was perfectly toasted.

 

Every entree comes with a small Dinner Salad with romaine, red cabbage, carrots, cherry tomatoes and choice of dressing.

 

My usual choice for steak is ribeye but since Mancini's doesn't have ribeye, our server suggested the New York Strip.  This might just be my new favorite! The perfectly char-grilled steak was really tender (cooked medium) and had a great aged flavor, with just a sprinkle of salt for seasoning.  The baked potato was really big and filling.

 

One of my companions also ordered the New York Strip, with french fries.  This cut of meat seemed to be thicker than the cut I had but was just as tender.  The fries were crinkle-cut and fried to a light golden brown with a soft, hot center.

 

Another companion ordered the 12 oz filet mignon with baked potato.  Another thick, tender cut of char-grilled aged beef. I didn't try any of this steak but it looked really good.

 

And another companion order the steak and lobster dinner.  The sirloin was 8oz, very lean but aged to give it more flavor.   The 6 oz lobster tail was pulled out of its shell and then char-grilled and served with melted butter.  Delicious!

 

Our server recommended the lemon cello for dessert, so we all shared one order.  The dessert was made up of light, creamy lemon-flavored gelato  and some kind of tart lemon sauce. What a refreshing treat!

Service: We had excellent service at Mancini's.  Anticipating that it would be busy on a Saturday night, we called ahead to get a table for four.  The restaurant was really busy and our table was not quite ready when we arrived, so we went to the lounge to have a drink while we waited.  After ten minutes or so our table was ready and we were seated in one of the main dining rooms.  Our server, Sonja, was very knowledgeable about the steaks and cocktails and did a fantastic job of getting us everything we needed.  Our food was prepared reasonably fast for how busy the restaurant was but we never felt rushed.
Overall Impression:   Mancini's is a  St Paul dining landmark for good reason. The char-grilled steaks are some of the best you might find for such reasonable prices.   I like the relaxed but intimate atmosphere at Mancini's and will be back to eat there again soon. 

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.

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.

Boca Chica's Taco House ~ St Paul, MN

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

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

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

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

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

Tostadas include either bean or beef & bean.

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

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

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

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

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

For dessert there are Churros or Bunuelos.

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

 

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

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

El Amanecer Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Authentic Mexican, Breakfast
Restaurant Features: On-Site Parking
Location: St Paul, MN (District del Sol)
Address: 194 Cesar Chavez St. St Paul, MN 55107 (651)291-0758
Hours: M-F 8am-10pm   Sat-Sun 8am-11pm
Links:   Google Map

Atmosphere: El Amanecer is located right in the heart of St Paul's District del Sol, at the intersection of Cesar Chavez St and State St.  The restaurant is divided into two dining rooms, both with tables and booths.  The main dining room has beautiful, brightly colored murals painted all over it's walls.  There is also a large, gorgeous handmade Mexican Mosaic in the dining area when you first walk in.

Menu: Breakfast items include Lomo de Res con Huevos, Cecina con Huevos, Bistec de Puerco adobado con Huevos, Huevos con Carne de Puerco en Salsa Verde or en Chile Guajillo, Huevos Rancheros, Huevos Divorciados, Huevos a la Mexicana, Huevos con Jamon, Traditional Breakfast, Huevos con Carne de Shebrada, Chilaquiles Verde or Rojo Bistec, Rancheros con Cecina, Enchiladas Montadas. Omelettes include the Mexican, Carne Asada, Ham & Cheese, Puerco & Queso Chihuahua.  There are also Pncakes, Pancakes with Fruit, Molletes al Gusto con Chorizo, Jamon or Tocino.

Appetizers include Quesadilla de Queso, Quesadilla al Gusto (shrimp, steak, chicken or ham), Nachos al Gusto, Guacamole, and Fried Calamari.

Soups offered are Caldo de Res con Vegetale, Menudo.

Combination platters at El Amanecer are all served with beans & rice and include the Aztec Combo (taco, enchilada & tostada), Mexican Combo (quesadilla, tamale & enchilada), St Paul Combo (taco & enchilada), Enchilada Combo, Tamales Estilo Suizo, Enchiladas Rancheras de Pollo or Res (chicken or shredded beef), Enchiladas al Gusto de Queso, Res o Pollo.

Burrito, Taco and Torta Plates include Burrito al Gusto (choice of meat in flour tortilla), Chimichanga al Gusto, Torta al Gusto (sandwich with choice of meat and served with fries), Platillo de Tacos al Gusto (can mix & match 3 tacos).  All plates except the Torta come with beans and rice.

Mexican Entrees include Chiles Rellenos de Queso, Carne de Puerco en Chile Verde, Bistec a la Mexicana (strips of beef simmered in tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and ranchero sauce), Fajitas (steak, chicken, or shrimp), Carne Asada, Lolo de Res a la Tampiquena, Milanesa de Res (breaded steak with ranchero sauce), Cecina con Sopes, Arraxhera con Enchilada Rojo de Queso.

Seafood Entrees include Coctel de Camaron, Seafood Cocktail, Oysters on teh Shell, Shrimp Salad, Jumbo Breaded Shrimp, Shrimp with Michoacana Sauce, Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy Shrimp), Red Snapper in Diablo Sauce, and Tilapia in Diablo sauce.

El Amanecer has a variety of Bottled Softdrinks including Jarritos and Mexican Coke.

Price guide: Breakfast $6-8  Combo Plates $9  Entrees $9-13   Seafood $7-17
What I ordered: I had the three-taco plate and I tried three different meat with the tortillas prepared three different ways.  Pictured here in the left is the Res (shredded beef) on fried corn tortilla.  This taco was packed full of mildly flavored shredded beef.  The meat wasn't too exciting but the shell was nice and crispy.  Next taco was chicken in a fried flour tortilla.  It had a ton of tender, shredded white meat chicken that was only lightly seasoned.  The tortilla was small and very thin and was not fried long enough so it wasn't very crispy.  The last taco was asada served on the traditional double corn tortillas.  The tiny bites of steak were very tasty and tender,  my favorite of the three meats I tried.  The corn tortillas were pretty good.  I had the homemade salsa on all three tacos, which gave the tacos a little bit more flavor with the tomato and cilantro in it, but it was still only slightly spicier than most mild salsas.

 

I think I enjoyed the beans and rice more than I did the tacos!  The rice was very flavorful, slightly dry but very soft.  The refried beans were also very good and had a nice consistency- not too thick, not too thin.

Service:  Very nice and friendly, happy to make substitutions on the menu.  My take-out order took about 10-15 minutes.
Overall Impression: Glad I was finally able to try El Amanecer.  The tacos were decent, but I would like to explore more of the menu on my next visit.  Wish they had a bar with margaritas!

El Bravo Mexican Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN

Cuisine: Mexican
Location: St Paul, MN
Address: 538 Rice St. St Paul, MN 55103 (651) 291-0363
Hours: 11am
Links: Google Map

Atmosphere:  El Bravo is located in St Paul on Rice St, less than a block from University Ave  (and just a few blocks of the MN State Capitol Building).  There are two dining areas, separated by the door/counter area when you first walk in.  El Bravo has both tables and booths, but decor is very basic.  Mexican artwork and blankets grace the walls in a  few places, but overall not a very festive-feeling place.

Menu: Appetizers include Chips & Salsa, Nachos, Nachos Refritos, Nachos Bravos, Nachos Jalapenos, Bravo Quesadilla Tostada, Guacamole, Bean Dip and Quesadilla.  Menudo also offered.

Tacos are served either crispy corn or fried flour with choice of Ground Beef or Chicken. Burritos have choice of Chicken or Beef and are smothered in enchilada sauce.  Enchiladas include Beef, Chicken, Cheese, or Grandma-Style. Tostadas include Bean, Beef, Chicken, Bean & Beef.  There are several different combos that include variations of Beef or Cheese Enchiladas, Tacos, Tostadas, Rice and Beans.  

Dinner plates at El Bravo are Chile Verde (Pork in green chili), Chile Colorado (pork in red chili), Mexican Style Steak, Chile Relleno, and Chicken Mole.

There are also a few American items on the menu including Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Taco Burger, Grilled Cheese, Taco Salad and French Fries.

Price guide: Tacos  1/$2 or 3/$5-7  Enchiladas 1/$2.75 3/$6-7 Dinners $9-10
What I ordered:  I had initially wanted to dine-in for my solo lunch, but changed my mind when I saw that they do not have free chips & salsa at El Bravo so I ordered my food to-go instead.  I had one of the enchilada/taco combos, with one ground beef enchilada, one cheese enchilada, and a fried flour taco with ground beef.  I thought I had read on the menu that all combos come with beans & rice, but mine did not have either so I am not sure if was my mistake or theirs.  The fried flour taco was light and crispy and surprisingly full of ground beef which was only very lightly seasoned and didn't have much flavor.  I used as ton of the red salsa they gave me but that wasn't very spicy either.  The enchiladas were nicely sized and stuffed full of beef (in one) and cheese (in the other) and then smothered with enchilada sauce and melted cheese.  The cheese El Bravo used was a mild white Mexican cheese and the enchilada sauce was also very mild and kind of boring.  The ground beef in the other enchilada was the same boring beef I had in the taco.  Tomato and lettuce were served on the side. 

Service: My visit was during the lunch hour at the beginning of the week so it was somewhat busy but not crowded.  I ordered at the counter and my food was ready in less than 10 minutes.  The waitress wasn't overly friendly but made a few recommendations from the menu and allowed me to make a substitution with the enchiladas in my combo meal.

Overall Impression: Decent but boring Mexican food at reasonable prices.  I found nothing exciting about this restaurant- plain and simple.