Most Ridic Dot Com

Most Ridic Cooks: Monster Cookies

2014-01-24T08:57:00.001-06:00

It's been four months since I've written a blog post. FOUR MONTHS! I'm sure most of you didn't even notice I was gone, and some are annoyed that I'm back, but here we go again.

If you're wondering why I've been away, I've got two reasons

In late August I started a new job and have been far busier than I expected
I felt I was writing my blog for the wrong reasons.

I was blogging because I had done it for two years, and I felt obligated to continue to do so. Not because I enjoyed writing, sharing my thoughts, or interacting with others-which was what I had initially enjoyed about blogging. So I told myself I would let it sit until I decided to pick it up again for the right reasons, or discontinue blogging al together. Unfortunately for you, I've decide to continue throwing my opinions at you via the Internet.

So what spurred my sudden return to blogging? My love of a good cookie. There are few things in the world (Bombshell, whiskey, sex) that I love more than a good cookie, especially a really good monster cookie. Therefore, I'm reentering the world of blogging by sharing my favorite moster cookie recipe.

It's true to say that I stole this recipe from Paula Dean. It's out on the Internet for everyone to see so it's not like I snuck into her house and raided her personal recipe book (she's had enough trouble lately without me sneaking around). However, whenever I make these cookies I take complete credit for the recipe. I have made a couple small changes, so it's not hers completely, but I still feel the tinniest, most minuscule pang of guilt when I pass these wonders off as mine.

Here are the ingredients you'll need to get your hands on.

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12 -ounce jar creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup raisins, optional2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Most Ridic Tip: I don't care for raisins, so when I make these cookies I sub in a 1/4 cup of butterscotch chips. It makes the cookies a bit thinner because the chips melt into the cookie, but I really like the flavor.

Raisins or no raisins, while you are gathering the ingredients preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Step number one is to mix the butter and both sugars together. You can do this by hand, but I love using our KitchenAid mixer. Once those ingredients are well combined, dump in everything else, and give it a good mix. Your cookies are ready to bake. It honestly takes more time to gather the ingredients than it takes to assemble these tasty treats.

Cover your baking sheets with parchment paper, or if you have them, those fancy silicone silpat sheets. They work great and are worth the small investment. Bombshell and I use them all the time. I like to use a melonballer to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the dough. Place them a good 2 inches apart on the sheet because they will spread quite a bit.

Most Ridic Tip: If you didn't notice, there is no gluten in these cookies, so they make the perfect cookie to bring to large gatherings where there's a chance someone may have that allergy.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. NO MORE! They may not look done, but they will firm up and darken as they rest. Leave them on the sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before you move them to a cooling rack. They need this time to set up and will fall apart if you don't.

You'll end up with around 3 dozen crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle cookies. Eat them as they are or if you're adventurous, use two of these and a little vanilla ice cream to make an awesome sandwich.

Enjoy!

Most Ridic Eats: The Bad Waitress

2013-09-10T11:45:00.001-05:00

A server can make or break a meal. We've all had good meals made great by an attentive, knowledgeable server - and good meals ruined by a negligent server. Having worked in the service industry for several years, it's easy for me to identify when a server is bad or when the management just hasn't supplied the training and support for that server to be successful. Most waitstaff want to provide a great experience because it translates into larger tips. But what happens when you take the server out of the equation all together?

That's what they've done at The Bad Waitress on Eat Street in Minneapolis. At the Bad Waitress you will never have to worry about the server messing up your order, neglecting you for a chat with their co-workers, or waiting too long at the end for the check. You will, however, be asked to get your own water.

The Bad Waitress takes the coffee shop counter and elevates it. You're going to get great food and plenty of coffee, but you're going to have to do some of the work.

When you walk in, you can go right up to the counter and get a cup of joe or you can grab a table. On the table you will find menus, pencils and order pads. When you've made your decision, you fill out your order and bring it to the register, pay, and in a few minutes a pleasant young woman (there were only female servers when I was there) will bring your food to your table. This process really limits what a server needs to do, and puts the responsibility right on the customer. Want the sauce on the side? No problem, but you have to remember to write it on the order.

They make the process really simple by giving everything on the menu a number, so even the dimmest bulb can place an order. And the servers that are working the room are filling waters, refreshing coffees and clearing plates, so you still get the little things that make eating in a restaurant different from eating at Starbucks.

The El Camino

By now you're probably thinking, "Tell me about the food already! No one cares about the servers if the food is garbage." Okay, okay, I'll get to the meat and potatos of the review.

The Bad Waitress is a breakfast joint which gives it a leg up for me because I love breakfast. However, for every great breakfast I have in the Twin Cities I also eat 2 or 3 mediocre ones. I'm happy to report that The Bad Waitress is one of the great ones, or at least it was great the day we were there.

El Capitan Scramble

I went with a group of 5 and we were all very happy. Bombshell's uncle, Jimbo, recommended The Bad Waitress and we were happy he did. It doesn't matter what kind of breakfast you like, they have you covered. If you like a sweet breakfast, they have all the pancakes, waffles and crepes you could want. If you're like me and prefer a savory breakfast - they have you covered as well.

I had the El Camino (eggs, corn tortillas, chorizo, black beans, rice, cheese, sour cream, and salsa), and it was just about perfect. The chorizo and salsa had the right amount of spice to compliment the eggs, not over power them.

Triple Berry Crepes

My mother-in-law really enjoyed her omelet, and my father-in-law made quick work of the El Capitan Scramble (eggs, turkey, spinach, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar, side of salsa).

I thought Jimbo was going to go into sugar shock after finishing the triple berry crepes, but I think Bombshell had the best meal of the morning. She had the Delmonico Eggs Benedict (english muffin, choice of meat, poached eggs, lemon rosemary hollandaise sauce, and a side of asparagus). I've never tasted a hollandaise nearly that good, and the eggs were poached to perfection.

The Delmonico Eggs Benedict

So there you have it! The food at The Bad Waitress is worth the effort. You may have to place your own order, but after a couple bites you'll forget all about the extra effort you put in.

Most Ridic Seal of Approval!

Photos are mine YO!

Most Ridic Mingles: Wisconsin Dells

2013-09-05T08:04:00.002-05:00

I don't travel as much as I'd like to. I would love nothing more than a job that allowed me to travel the world with Bombshell. One day when she is a famous author, and I'm a notorious toolbox, we will have that opportunity but right now it's just not in the cards.

So we travel and vacation when, and where, we can. Which takes us to this post about Wisconsin Dells. For the past few years, we've met Bombshell's family in the Dells area for Labor Day weekend and - believe it or not - I like it.

I know, I know, Wisconsin Dells embodies everything I hate. Crowds, commercialism, lowbrow entertainment, and an extremely high percentage of stupid people. All of these things exist, but if you do the Dells right, these factors can be mitigated. For example, never go to the Walmart in the Dells. A horrible example of a terrible company! I would rather bleed out than go there for a band-aid.

One reason I really enjoy the Dells is the variety of attractions in the area. Take a Wisconsin Duck tour, play golf, shop the outlet mall, hit a water park, take in a magic show, or gamble at the casino the options are endless. Heck, you can even get a lap dance if your heart desires. I plead the 5th on that last option. It doesn't matter what the dynamic of your group is, puritan family or bachelor party, you will find something to do in the Dells.

This last weekend, members of the family went shopping at the outlet mall and played mini golf, but for the most part we were happy staying at the resort on Lake Delton. Tons of stuff to do in town if you want to do it, but at the end of the day we were still on a lake. Folks like me were able to relax by the pool or on the beach, while those who needed a bit more stimulation could venture to any number of attractions located within a few miles.

That is the beauty of the Dells. You can do everything, or nothing, and as long as you're staying on a lake, you may never know what a hideous tourist trap the Dells can be. It's just kind of fun to wake up in a place where you could play slots, take a zip-line, go fishing, buy 20 pounds of cheese, or get an "old-timey" photo taken - but don't have to do anything if you don't want to.

Another reason I enjoy Dells trips more and more is because I've lowered my expectations. I know that I'm going to pay too much for a six-pack of beer, be annoyed by the majority of people I come in contact with, and be lucky to get a decent meal. All things that would drive me crazy in the Twin Cities, but I embrace in the Dells.

For me Wisconsin Dells is all about doing what you want to do and taking advantage of all it has to offer (if you feel like it). Most Ridic Seal of Approval!

Images from dells.com and expedia.com

Most Ridic Cooks: Iron Skillet Pizza

2013-09-03T17:15:00.005-05:00

Here it is people! The first installment of Most Ridic Cooks. Cooking has been a hobby of mine for years, ever since I started working in restaurants at the age of 17. I really enjoy it, so I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes with you from time to time.

The first recipe is Cast Iron Skillet Pizza. We're talking about pizza made at home that tastes like it was delivered from your favorite pizza joint. There are a couple ways to do this, and lots of recipes online, but what you have here is the easiest, most convenient and tastiest version I could put together.

This is what you're going for.

First, you need to assemble your ingredients. You'll need fresh dough, pizza sauce, oil, cheese, a cast iron skillet, and any toppings your heart desires. This is where you can determine exactly how difficult and time consuming you want to make the process.

First off you can make you own pizza dough - it's very simple, but does take time to rise. I usually choose to buy pre-made fresh dough. Many pizza joints will sell you dough balls, and some grocery stores carry fresh dough as well (I picked some up at Trader Joe's).

You can also make your own sauce. An easy enough process, but I've found that the jarred sauces can be pretty good. At my house, we prefer Trader Joe's pizza sauce.

If you buy these ingredients, the entire assembly and cooking process will take about 30 minutes - less time than it takes to order a pizza. Quick, cheap and easy.

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. You want it roaring hot, so don't throw the pizza in early. While the oven is warming up, brush your skillet with a thin coating of olive oil. Then press your dough into an even layer across the bottom of the pan. You can crimp the edges to make it look pretty but I prefer to have sauce and toppings as close to the edge as possible. I don't bother with crimping.

Sauce to cheese ratio is a personal preference, so feel free to experiment. I use about 1 cup of sauce and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Spread the sauce across the dough - however much you like - then sprinkle a fourth of the cheese you plan to use.

Most Ridic Hint: adding a little cheese before your topping will help the toppings adhere to the crust so they don't slide off.

Pizza with toppings, just before it gets the final cheese layer

Add your toppings and cover the pizza with the remaining cheese. I like to add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper and Italian seasonings before it goes into the oven.

The point of cooking the pizza is to create a crisp crust, but that may not happen if you just throw it in the oven. What I do is crank up a burner to high and give it a couple minutes to get really hot. Then I place the pizza-filled skillet on the burner for 3 minutes. This will get the crust cooking without melting the top.

After 3 minutes on the burner, transfer the skillet to the oven to finish baking. Start checking the pizza after 10 minutes in the oven, looking to see how the cheese is melting. Total oven time will be between 10 and 15 minutes.

Once the top is bubbling the way you like it, remove the skillet from the oven and take the pizza out of the skillet. If you let it sit in the pan, it will continue to cook and you'll burn your crust. I slide a spatula under the cooked pie and slide it onto a cutting board to cool for a few minutes.

Before slicing my pizza, I like to add some freshly grated Parmesan and sliced basil. This adds some nice fresh flavors.

This recipe has turned out beautifully for me and Bombshell several times and has become a weekend staple for us.

You can't tell me that don't look good!

There you have it readers - the first Most Ridic Cooks post; hope you didn't hate it. Give it a whirl and please let me know what you think or Tweet me if you have any secret tricks for how I could improve my recipe!

Photos are mine yo!

Most Ridic Thinks: I'm done with downtown Minneapolis

2013-08-28T08:20:00.002-05:00

It's well documented that I prefer St. Paul over Minneapolis. Give me the opportunity to go out in my neighborhood, rather than Minneapolis, and I'll take it. For years I've felt that St. Paul has a bad reputation because there is just so much more to do in Minneapolis. St. Paul is small, but that doesn't mean it's inferior. There is great art, theatre, and restaurants in Minneapolis, and this is true of St. Paul- there just may not be as much of it.

This leads me to my biggest complaint about Minneapolis: mediocrity. Primarily in the restaurant scene, and specifically in downtown Minneapolis. Although Minneapolis is home to some of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities, it's also home to many restaurants that serve mediocre food yet charge high-end prices. I'm tired of going to downtown Minneapolis, dropping $150 on dinner for Bombshell and myself, and not being impressed.

Before I go into my rant, let me be clear: my complaint is truly focused on downtown Minneapolis. I really enjoy other parts of Minneapolis and believe the food scene is much better in some of those areas than in downtown.

The last three times I've been out for dinner in downtown Minneapolis I've had a good meal, and enjoyed myself up until the point that I get the check and realize I've greatly overpaid. It's not that the foods is bad, but that it's over-priced. Every restaurant in downtown seems to feel entitled to set high prices just because of their location. This makes very little sense to me because, for the most part, the location sucks.

Downtown Minneapolis is the last place I would want to go out for dinner. Here's why.

Dirty - there is a cigarette butt under every step, and the faint smell of urine every other block.
Loud - I understand that cities are loud, but when I'm taking Bombshell out on a "date" I don't need to hear two idiots yelling curses at each other.
Knuckleheads - there are so many stupid people in downtown it's almost impossible to avoid them.
Parking - there is a bunch of parking in Minneapolis, but you have to pay for it. This happens in St.Paul too, but did you ever notice that it's almost always an "event night" in Minneapolis? Bye bye $10 to $20.
Higher Taxes - downtown Minneapolis restaurants have the highest taxes in the nation. Seriously! 10.775 percent, higher than Chicago, New York, and LA. Don't believe me? Read it at MPR.

I think these five points prove that there are better locations in the Cities. Get me a reservation at Butcher and the Boar or 112 Eatery and you'll hear no complaints from me. On the other hand, if you charge me the same price and provide a lesser product, then don't expect me back.

My latest example was last weekend at Union. It was my friend Freckles' birthday, and a group of 8 of us met there for dinner. After stepping in gum and listening to a woman yell at her boyfriend on the way in, we had a pretty nice time at dinner. We made a mistake by telling our server we did not have show tickets, because our service went from great to spotty at best. The food was good, but no one was blown away (although Freckles really did like his rib eye), and all in all it was a nice time.

The definition of a mediocre cheese plate

Then the check came and disappointment coursed through my veins. Bombshell and I each had 2 drinks, and split three appetizers and a salad for $103 bucks. Add in $12 in tax, $20 gratuity, and $10 for parking and our evening topped out at $145!

When I did the math I realized we could have had a better meal for about 80% of the cost at a number of places around the city. The Happy Gnome, Meritage, Victory 44, Tilia, are all better options. Hell, 112 Eatery would have been a better value!

I'm not trying to single out Union here, they are just the latest experience. There are several places in downtown that are not exceptional, but charge like they are. Looking at you Crave and Seven!

When it comes to dinner, I'm done with downtown Minneapolis. More importantly I'm going to be much more selective when it comes to dropping that kind of cash on dinner.

Most Ridic Eats: The Buttered Tin

2013-08-26T10:31:00.002-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love breakfast! It is consistently my favorite meal of the day. If I'm not cooking bacon and eggs at home, odds are good I'm dragging my wife out for breakfast on the weekends.

I was pretty excited when a new breakfast spot opened up in my neighborhood. The Buttered Tin opened this spring on the corner of 7th and Wacouta and has been extremely busy, at least on the weekends, ever since. This café/bakery is open daily from 7AM to 3PM and serves great breakfast and lunch items. They seem to specialize in "upscale comfort food" with interesting twists on classics like eggs Benedict, biscuits and gravy, and a Reuben.

Biscuits and Gravy

I've experienced The Buttered Tin several times over the past few weeks, and I really enjoy the Heuvos Rancheros Benedict (poached eggs and ranchero sauce on cornbread with avocado, roasted corn and black bean salsa). Really tasty! But my favorite breakfast item is the Damn Good Breakfast Sandwich (fried eggs, white cheddar, Fischer Farms bacon, tomato, onion, and mayo on toasted peasant bread). So rich and buttery I usually require a nap shortly after consuming one.

A Damn Good Breakfast Sandwich, open-faced and ready to eat

When it comes to lunch, Bombshell and I both agree that the Easter Brunch Sandwich is the way to go. Scalloped potatoes and Fischer Farms ham, parmesan, and dijon mustard on ciabatta. It really is all the best things about Easter in a portable format.

Most Ridic Hint: To avoid waiting for a table, get there early on the weekends! I've been able to grab a table easily when I arrive before 8:30AM.

Easter Brunch Sandwich served with Bugles!

The food at The Buttered Tin is worth the trip, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't pick up some baked goods. One of the owners, Alicia, appeared on Cupcake Wars - so you know the girl can bake. Everyday there are several flavors of cupcakes like Banana Cream, Orange Dream, Peanut Butter Blossom, German Chocolate, and Carrot Cake.

On top of all the cupcakes, The Buttered Tin offers just about everything else you'd like from a bakery. Cookies, bars, breads, biscuits, cakes and pies. Two of my favorites are the homemade Twinkies, and The Buttered Tin Ho-Ho. The treats I loved to see in my lunch as a kid, but kicked up a notch. The Ho-Hos are so wicked chocolaty and gooey you don't want to stop eating them.

The Buttered Tin has become my new favorite breakfast spot. I also really enjoy grabbing a coffee and a slice of banana walnut bread before I hit the Farmers' Market (a great way to try them if you not an early riser).

Most Ridic Seal of Approval!

Heuvos Rancheros Benedict

Photos by me Yo!

Most Ridic Thinks: Time to make a few changes

2013-08-19T19:02:00.002-05:00

Holy hiatus Batman!

I knew it had been a few weeks since my last post, but a couple of months? Dang Homey!

I intentionally took some time off to recharge and assess what I've been doing with my blog. Wasn't sure if I wanted to continue, and if I did I knew I was going to have to change something if was going to keep going.

Whether you like it or not, I've decided to continue blogging. I have also decided to make a few changes. Over the last year or so, my blog has become a series of restaurant reviews. I enjoy this aspect, but have grown tired of the same old stuff. So moving forward I've decided to focus this blog more on my favorite subject: ME!

I've changed the name to Most Ridic Dot Com to reflect that this site will be about more than restaurants. My blog will cover anything and everything I do. Eating, shopping, cooking, reading, even my opinions. I realize that these changes may prompt some of you to run for the hills. I hope you stick around, but so be it. I'll enjoy blogging once again, and if I'm not writing to make myself happy then what am I doing?

I hope you enjoy the new name, format, and content, and I promise I'll post a bit more frequently.

Please leave me a comment or send me an e-mail if you have any feedback on the new look!

Image from onehorseshy.com.

Most Ridic Eats: Black Dog Cafe and Wine Bar

2013-05-21T12:34:00.005-05:00

I really like coffee and spend a good amount of time in coffee shops. When I'm writing blog posts, I like nothing better than a place with caffeine and free WiFi.

In downtown Saint Paul, all the chain coffee shops are represented but my favorite is still a little place in the Skyway called Lowertown Daily Perk. The owner, Heidi, is great and if you follow me on Twitter you've seen me rave about her cold press over and over. There is one problem- because it's in the Skyway, Lowertown Daily Perk is not open evenings or weekends. I'm stuck finding another place to get my caffeine fix at those times.

So on weekends and evenings, if I'm in a coffee shop working I'm probably at the Black Dog Cafe & Wine Bar. Located on the corner of Prince and Broadway, the Black Dog is right next to the Farmer's Market. They offer breakfast and lunch items, pizzas, beer and wine, pastries, and of course coffee. The food is good, but the atmosphere is better.

The Black Dog is a great community gathering place. Every time I settle into a table at Black Dog, there are local artists gathered discussing their work, or actually creating art. And almost every night of the week there is live music or other creative activities for customers to enjoy. Last time I was in, there were about a dozen people playing cribbage together and a Bluegrass band was jamming away.

The Black Dog is a great place to find out what's happing in the Lowertown neighborhood because it's always full of locals. I really enjoy the sense of community you feel when you're at the Black Dog.

I do have one complaint about the Black Dog, and it's a big one. The coffee is inconsistent and overall not very good. An Americano or a Cold Press are the only two drinks I get at coffee shops, and at The Black Dog the same drink is never prepared the same way, twice.

One day I will have a great Americano, and the next day the espresso will be so sour or burnt that I can't drink it. I don't know if they change beans or if their machine is quirky, but I should be able to expect a drink consisting of espresso and water to taste the same each day.

Same issues with the Cold Press. One week it's dark, rich and delicious; and the next it's so weak I think they just put a pot of light roast in the fridge.

The inconsistency in the coffee makes me a bit leery every time I order one, but that doesn't stop me from going to the Black Dog Cafe. The community atmosphere will continue to draw me in, and if they can get to a point of consistently preparing a good Americano, you'll find me their more often.

Photos by me YO!

Most Ridic Eats: Stout's Pub and Grill

2013-05-17T13:19:00.005-05:00

I grew up in Roseville. My parents still live there, so I still spend a good amount of time in that 'burb. Roseville is full of shopping and chain restaurants, but has never had a true bar. Ted's on Larpenter is a fun hole in the wall, but not the kind of place you would meet a date for drinks. As a 20-thing, if I wanted to grab a drink in Roseville I found myself at Joe Senser's, BW3, Old Chicago, or the now- closed Friday's. These are all fine places, but I always longed for a fun neighborhood bar with some character.

I was excited when I found out that the old Chianti Grill location was being renovated and becoming Stout's Pub. The idea of an Irish pub in Roseville was exciting. I was really looking forward to meeting friends for a pint and some good Irish whiskeys.

I'm still looking forward to that, because there is nothing Irish about Stout's.

That's not entirely true - they do have Guinness on tap, and a couple Irish whiskeys. Maybe they never intended to be an Irish Pub, in which case I do not understand their concept. The outside of the building is designed to look like an Irish pub, and it's named after a beer with British and Irish roots. From the outside you think "Irish Pub." Then you walk in and think of the now- defunct Majors Sports Cafe chain.

I could not have been more disappointed when I walked in and found myself at another chain-type restaurant. Based on the exterior there was some false advertising going on here.

I was forced to change my expectations. This is not an Irish Pub. It's not a pub at all. It a suburban restaurant that just happens to have a bar in it. Just like the afore mentioned Joe Senser's.

Despite my disappointment, Bombshell, Mug'O'Wine, and I had come for lunch and we were going to stay and try it. The menu was what you would expect: sandwiches, burgers, salads, apps and a few entrees. They also serve pizzas made in a wood fire oven, which seemed to be the signature item at Stout's.

Mug'O'Wine enjoyed her pizza, Bombshell liked her Italian sausage sandwich, and my Greek salad was tasty. The food was good and so was the service. We weren't blown away by anything, but weren't disappointed in anything either. We got exactly what we would expect from a suburban bar and grill. Right on par with the other options in Roseville.

There is nothing wrong with Stout's if you're looking for a non-descript restaurant to take the family for a good meal. However, if you're looking for an Irish Pub you will find yourself disappointed and thirsty.

Photos from twincitiesrestaurantblog.com and my phone Yo!

Most Ridic Eats: Dari-ette Drive In

2013-05-15T10:49:00.001-05:00

Bombshell and I eat out quite a bit, and we frequent a lot of the same places. At times I find myself thinking "What did i say about this place in my review?" It's rare that we go somewhere and I don't write a post about it, but with nearly 150 posts it's hard to remember what I've said about every restaurant we check out.

Occasionally, I realize that I haven't said anything at all because I forgot to review it! It doesn't happen often, but sometimes I assume I've blogged about a place when I really haven't. This is the case with the Dari-ette Drive In. Bombshell and I have been going to the Dari-ette since we moved into Lowertown, but for some reason I've never reviewed it. Until today! Here is my review of the Dari-ette Drive In.

The Dari-ette is located on Minnehaha and has been a staple on St. Paul's Eastside for decades. It's an old school drive- in with car hops and everything, but it also has a walk-up window and dining area- plus a few tables outside if you want to enjoy the weather. The Dari-ette is open seasonally, from about April to October or so. You can keep tabs on them by liking their Facebook page. Sometimes, they post daily deals there, too.

Being a drive- in, it offers all the classic drive- in food you would expect. Burgers, fries, onion rings, corn dogs, everything your father ate when he pulled up in his Chevy back in the 50's. To wash down these eats I would suggest adding a malt, float, or a flavored Coke. Their Vanilla Coke is awesome! Sometimes I convince Bombshell we should go to the Dari-ette just so I can have one.

Once you've gorged yourself on the great drive- in food, there are plenty of desserts available. Like any good drive- in the Dari-ette offers soft-serve ice cream cones, sundaes, and the classic banana split.

The food, drinks, and dessert make the Dari-ette a great drive -in, but there are two things that set the Dari-ette apart from the competition.

Burger-ette

The first is their fried chicken. The Dari-ette's "famous crisp chicken" is really tasty. You can get it as a dinner to eat in your car, or order buckets and buckets to take home to the family. I saw a guy leave with at least 10 pounds of chicken last summer! Quick way to feed the family, and support a local business instead of a chain.

Mozzarella Sticks

The second is the Italian food on their menu. The Dari-ette is known for their tasty red sauce. Like any Italian restaurant, the food is only going to be as good as the sauce, and the Dari-ette is pretty good. I would not go so far as saying that it's the best out there, but it's solid. You can get this sauce on spaghetti, rigatoni, with meatballs, and on their Italian sandwiches. Bombshell's favorite sandwich at the Dari-ette is the Italiano (Italian sausage patty, melted mozzarella, lots of sauce, between two slices of Italian bread). It's wicked tasty! They also sell the sauce by the pint, liter, and gallon so you can take it home and make your own creation.

The Italiano

The Dari-ette is a cool classic drive in with a few twists that make it great! You can't go wrong with the Burger-ette and a milk shake, but if that's not tripping you trigger you can get some yummy chicken or zesty Italian instead.

See you there this summer! Most Ridic Seal of Approval!

Photos by me YO!

Most Ridic Shops: Craftstravaganza! Indie Craft Sale

2013-05-13T08:48:00.003-05:00

Do you remember going to craft fairs as a kid? I do. I'm not really sure why my family went because we rarely bought anything, but every so often my parents would load us all up and head to a second- level mall, like Har Mar, to spend the afternoon browsing booth after booth of hand-made goods.

I hated it! No matter how hard I looked, I never found anything I really wanted. Everything on sale was stuff I would find in my great-aunt's house. Lace doilies, needle-point pictures of puppies, porcelain frogs that held your toothbrush, and crocheted blankets. Boring, old-lady stuff.

Well, dear friends, craft shows have changed. I attended Craftstravaganza on Saturday at the State Fair grounds - expecting to have childhood flashbacks and maybe (maybe) find a booth that interested me. The opposite ended up being true. Bombshell, Mug'O'Wine, and I found most of the booths to have at least one item we found interesting.

Craftstravaganza is a Scuttlebug LLC production. Scuuttlebug specializes in developing unique art fairs in the Twin Cities. They put on two big craft fairs each year. One in the spring (Craftstravaganza), and another this fall in Minneapolis called Craft'za.

This event had over 90 artisans, and at times it seemed more like an art show than a craft show. Maybe I have some preconceived notions of what crafts are, but I was pleasantly surprised at the selection and variety.

We were excited to see some of our favorite local businesses represented. Bombshell headed straight to Bodylish for some bath bombs, and I picked up a few clever greeting greeting cards from Bruno Press (sup Beeeeeyotch, I still need an "Except Michelle Bachmann" t-shirt).

Then we strolled around, and seemed to find a sweet new product around every corner. We all really liked Light Reading booth. This mother and daughter team create lamp shades using uncommon materials such as maps, bags, and picture slides connected together. Really liked the lamp made from a vintage camera tripod with a slide shade, but it wasn't quite in the budget.

The shades at the Light Reading Booth

Mug'O'Wine was intrigued by the photo blocks from Angela Homic Photography. Angela adheres her photos to blocks of wood giving them a nice three-dimensional feel. Mug'O'Wine bought a great one of the Minneapolis skyline.

My new favorite was Burlesque of North America. This design and print shop had some beautiful prints on display, but the Dr. Dre merchandise really got my attention. My college years were Dre's heyday, so this stuff was near and dear to my heart. I bought the Dr. Dre Magnetic Refrigerator Poetry, and regret not buying the 40oz. coozy.

Can you spot the coozy?

Caution: Just a bit of cursing in this photo

I also really liked the opportunity to page through tons of prints by Adam Turman. Unless you live in a cave, you have probably see his work around the Twin Cities. I really like his work, but he is very Minneapolis focused so I don't see this St. Paul boy buying his work unless he expands his subject matter to my town.

Adam Turman's booth

All in all, the Craftstravaganza was a great way to spend a Saturday morning, discovering products and artisans in the Twin Cities. I don't make it to Minneapolis often, but I will be heading over there for the Craft'za this November.

Photos by me and Mug'O'Wine sucker! Logo from http://www.craftstravaganza.com/2013/

Most Ridic Shops: Cocobear Boutique and Pet Care

2013-05-10T11:29:00.004-05:00

I have never been a pet owner. The only pet I ever had was a fat goldfish named Chubbs that lived all of 6 hours. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy pets, although I do hate cats, but allergies have prevented me from ever owning a rodent or dog. One day I hope to own a dog, I see myself siting on a rocking chair, smoking a cigar, with a lazy Bulldog by my side. However, right now its not in the cards.

Despite living downtown, there are a lot of pet owners around the neighborhood. Those folks were pleased last year when a pet shop opened up on the corner of 7th and Fort Road. Unfortunately, the store was mismanaged, and rumors abounded that the owner was a prick, so a few months later the store closed.

Well, pet owners can be excited again, because Cocobear Boutique and Pet Care has opened in the same location. Cocobear started back in 2011, offering pet care options for Saint Paul pet owners, but this is the first time they have had a store front.

Cocobear offers the great pet services they have since they opened. This includes professional grooming, dog walking, and pet sitting in your home.

With the addition of the store front they were able to add to the inventory and offer a larger variety of products. This includes pet supplies like leashes, beds, and toys. As well as, food that focuses on natural an organic options you will feel good about feeding to your pet.

They have some great jerky-looking dogs treats that I may have tried if I hadn't read the label!

On top of all this, they had a nice selection of pet themed gifts for that special pet owner in your life. Couple weeks back, I bought a doggy magnet for a friend that described her dog to a T!

Since I'm not a pet owner, I probably won't be a regular at Cocobear Boutique and Pet Care. However, I do encourage pet owners to stop in and check it out. It's a fun space, and I can attest that the owner, Madeline, is much nicer than the last guy!

Most Ridic Seal of Approval!

Photos by me yo!

Most Ridic Thinks: Friendship Fat Camp

2013-05-07T06:32:00.002-05:00

I make jokes about being a "fat kid" all the time. I am a "fat kid" at heart. I love food, I love booze, and I'm not much on exercise. However, I've realized there is a difference between being a "fat kid" at heart, and actually being fat. Unfortunately, that has become more of an issue due to my lack of will power and the winter that would not end.

I was not the only one to notice that it was getting harder and harder to count my toes, so some of my best friends and I decided to band together and try and lose some weight. Thus, Friendship Fat Camp was born.

A skinny version of me

The idea is we support each other by doing healthy things together. We go for walks, rather than drink beer and watch the game. That kind of thing. We all weighed in last Sunday and will be monitoring our progress together.

To jump start our weight loss we all agreed to give up alcohol for three weeks. I've taken a break from booze before and seen good results in my waistline.

But there's a problem, and here is where I would like some help from you all. The vast majority of time I spend with my friends revolves around eating and drinking, so what in the hell are we going to do this summer?

Me at St. Patty's Day, not so skinny

I need suggestions for cheap, active things to do and try this summer. I know my friends, and if we don't have some fun things planned we will fall into old routines, and I don't want that to happen.

So Twin Cities what should we do? I'm up for trying just about anything, and I know my friends are too. Please leave a comment, send me a Tweet, or e-mail me with any good ideas or advice you might have.

Here's to a summer of trying new things, making healthier choices, and hopefully losing some weight!

Photos are mine yo!

Most Ridic Eats: Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill

2013-05-03T06:32:00.001-05:00

If you couldn't tell, I've been chomping at the bit to try new food trucks this spring. The combination of the long winter and my love of food has made me excited for warm temperatures and new foods.

This should explain why you're about to read the third food truck review in about a week. Last Friday was beautiful, one of the first 70 degree days of the year, and I was excited to see 6 food trucks lining Mears Park. Food trucks in Mears Park is nothing new, but having my choice from 6 trucks doesn't happen very often.

There were a couple trucks I'd tried before, like Sassy Spoon and Tiki Tim's, but I wanted to try something new, so I walked up to Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill.

In my experience, most food trucks fall into one of two categories. Category one are trucks that focus on fresh, healthy food - often incorporating local, sustainable ingredients. Category two are the trucks that may be fresh, may be local, but throw healthy out the window. Motley Crews is definitely in category number two!

Their motto is "Food that ROCKS!" and looking at their menu that is exactly what they try to do. Motley Crews strives to create tasty, satisfying food. They use top ingredients to make quality food; they add their own spin but are not concerned about recreating the wheel.

On Friday there were several different sandwiches on the menu, most of which were versions of a Philly. There was the "Hot Chik" (slow-cooked chicken, provolone, mozzarella, and homemade buffalo sauce), and the "Hawaiian Crews" (thin-sliced honey ham, pineapple, provolone, mozzarella, and Motley sauce). Both of these sounded good, but I decided to try the "Almost Famous Funky Philly.

The Funky Philly is slow-roasted ribeye, onions, peppers, provolone, mozzarella, Cheez Whiz, and Motley sauce. It was a good sized sandwich, and I felt it was a deal at the $7 price tag. The meat was tender, the onions and peppers were caramelized, and the sauce gave it a nice tang. Solid sandwich, and the cause of my nap that afternoon.

A horrible picture of my tasty Funky Philly

As I worked my way through my Philly, I kept thinking that Motley Crews is the perfect food truck for a hangover. I thought how great would it be to have Motley Crews parked in front of my building Saturday morning, so I could eat their tasty, satisfying food and go back to bed.

Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill provides good, stick-to-your-ribs food at a reasonable price, and I will eat there again. Especially on days when I may have had one too many drinks the night before.

P.S. They also have one of the coolest looking trucks out there!

Photos by me YO!

Most Ridic Eats: Moral Omnivore

2013-05-01T10:10:00.000-05:00

I live in Lowertown, but work in the suburbs. This means that I have limited access to one of my favorite aspects of living downtown: food trucks. My schedule rarely allows me to be around Lowertown during the lunch hour, but when I am I usually check the lunch I made in the trash and hit a food truck.

There are so many to choose from that I get to try a new one just about every time I'm around during the week. Fortunately, living near the Farmer's Market, I occasionally see one on the weekend or during events. This was the case when I got to try the Moral Omnivore on a Sunday during the Art Crawl.

The Moral Omnivore is one of the newest food trucks on the street. In fact, last week was their first. They are committed to providing sustainable, gourmet food while they do their best to help others. One day each week they donate 5% of their profits to a Minnesota charity, and each week they donate produce to Minnesota food shelves.

Just like Gastrotruck, who I reviewed last week, the Moral Omnivore is a food truck you can feel good about giving your money to- and the food is pretty good as well.

Bombshell and I decided to split a couple sets of "sliders" the Moral Omnivore (or MO) offered. We ordered the top two items of the menu. The Beet Slider (2 for $6) made of seared beet, smoked Gouda, creamy mustard sauce, basil, and red onion. The Fried Tomato BLT (2 for $7) made of special fried tomatoes, house slaw, bacon, and lemon chipotle greens. Both sets of sliders were served on a nice, rustic bun.

Beet Sliders

The Beet Sliders were really tasty. The creamy mustard sauce was a nice compliment to the sweetness of the beet. My only complaint was the size of the the beet. On their website they show a picture of an inch thick slice of beet in the slider, and ours were a third of an inch at best. A little on the skimpy side especially if the beet is the "meat" in the slider.

The Fried Tomato BLT was not at all skimpy. Thick cut bacon, crispy fried tomatoes, and some tasty slaw made for a great little sandwich.

Fried Tomato BLT

Overall, I though the food from Moral Omnivore was good, and I really like that they give back to the community. I would recommend you try it at least once this spring the next time you're hitting up the food trucks for lunch.

Photos by me, sucker!

Most Ridic Shops: East 7th Liquor

2013-04-30T06:39:00.002-05:00

A few months back I wrote a post on the Best Little Strip Mall in Saint Paul. I highlighted the white building on the corner of 7th and John St that housed Your Turn Antiques, Fantasy Gifts, and Best of Times. I mentioned that all the mall needed was a liquor store and I would be perfect. Well, wait no longer Lowertown this little strip mall now houses East 7th Liquor.

East 7th Liquor, took over the space on the end that was home to Best of Times. Yep, unfortunately, you can not longer buy samurai swords, hookahs, or record albums at this little mall, but you can buy beer, wine, liquor! For me this is a win. I've got no use for a head shop, buy all my music through iTunes, and already own enough swords, but I always seem to be out of booze.

East 7th Liquor officially opened it's doors back in February, and since opening has continued to add to their inventory. They are a full service liquor store with beer, wine, and liquor and based on the inventory I saw, they seem to do a good job of catering to the neighborhood. Your probably not going to find that 2002 Pinot Noir you had on vacation, but you will find a nice selection of cold beer and affordable wine.

When I stopped in the other day, I had a chance to chat with the owner, and he was very accommodating. When a license became available he jumped at the chance to add a liquor store to the area. It's his first venture with a liquor store which makes him very eager to please his customers. The prices are competitive, selections pretty good, and he's willing order in whatever you may be looking for. I really enjoy local businesses that understand you have to cater to your customers. I recommended that he add a couple of my favorite Irish whiskeys and I would not be at all surprised to see then sitting on the shelf the next time I'm in.

Two things you'll find at East 7th that you may not find elsewhere are the build-your-own 6-pack section and the artist painted bricks. I don't drink a lot of beer, I I really like the build-your-own 6-pack concept. Being able to try 3 or 4 new ones, without spending a bunch of money, works perfectly for me.

The bricks is the entryway are white, and rather than leave then that way, the owner has had different local artists in to paint a brick however they would like. There are only about ten or so done at this point, but it's going to look really cool as they fill the wall.

East 7th Liquor is clean, convientent, local, and reasonably priced. All good reasons to stop in and give them a try. I will always have my favorites in the area, but would not hesitate to hit East 7th Liquor when I need to grab a quick bottle or a cold sixer.

Photos by me YO!

Most Ridic Shops: Into the Void Records

2013-04-25T06:42:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about the revitalization of downtown Saint Paul has been the addition of new businesses. This blog has focuses far to much on restaurants recently, which is something I'd like to change. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to stop eating out, and thus, you will still see lots of posts about food. I am, however, going to try and hit some more local businesses in the area that don't necessarily revolve around me being fat.

With this spirit in mind, I strolled over to check out a Into the Void, our new Lowertown record store. Into the Void has been open since November, but I just noticed it a few weeks back. It's located on Temperance and 7th, right next to Capital Guitars.

Into the Void is not your father's dusty record store. Unless you father likes his music HEAVY! Into the Void is a "Metal Record Shop" that caters to the needs of that niche market. I've listened to a little Heavy Metal in my day, and still listen to TOOL and Slipknot when I workout, but Into the Void is on a whole other level.

A sister store to the original Into the Void in Dublin, Ireland their Facebook page describes their inventory as follows...

We carry Minnesota's deepest selection of True Metal. Heavy, Power, Death, Black, Doom, Prog, Grind, and everything in between. This is supplemented by other outer fringe genres such as Ambient, Darkwave, Neo-Folk, etc.

I've never even heard of Neo-Folk, and what in the world is Prog? Needless to say, Bombshell and I were a little out of our element. Despite wearing my leather jacket, I did not have nearly enough tattoos or black apparel to be hanging out at Into the Void.

The employee working the counter, who I believe was the owner, spotted us and was quick to welcome us. I think he could tell that we were a bit out of place. He made sure to let us know that he can order just about anything, from any genre, so if we didn't find what we were looking he'd be happy to order it for us. Very nice guy.

Even if Metal is not your thing, this store is pretty cool. There is something inherently cool, about Heavy Metal artwork and t-shirts even if the music is not for you. I spent a good 20 minutes just looking at artwork and album covers. On top of music, they offer t-shirts, sweet metal patches for your leather jacket, and sell tickets to local Metal shows.

Bombshell also found a great gift for our friends birthday. A vinyl copy of Def Leopard's Pyromania. Copyright 1983, the same year she was born. Not sure if she'll ever listen to the album, but she thought it was wicked cool. I also picked up an Into the Void t-shirt for a mere $8.99! Their logo is pretty sweet, and I always enjoy supporting local business.

I can see myself returning to Into the Void for gifts for my brother, Buck Buck Ding Ding. He's a wee bit heavier than I am when it comes to music. If you're a bit heavier too, you should definitely check out Into the Void!

Photos by me Yo! Logo from https://www.facebook.com/intothevoidrecordsusa

Most Ridic Eats: Gastrotruck

2013-04-23T06:43:00.003-05:00

For the first time in my life, I'm starting to believe in Seasonal Affective Disorder. Before this never-ending winter, I thought it was a bunch of hooey. Man up! You live in Minnesota. Don't tell me a little snow, and lack of sun, gets you depressed.

Then March led into April and the weather got worse. Colder, darker, snowier! Is snowier a word? Anyway, I started to feel it. I was missing the sun, missing my walks/jogs around downtown, and my favorite sign of spring: food trucks!

I know that some trucks operate year-round and can be found at events throughout the year, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about being able to walk around downtown Saint Paul, and have my choice of trucks. I want 5 or 6 trucks on the same block vying for my lunch dollars. Unfortunately, we may still be a week or two away from that, so I'll take what I can get. That's why I jumped at the chance to try Gastrotruck at the HAMMS Event last Saturday.

The event was great (check out my review), and we actually had a day of sunlight that almost hit 50 degrees. Perfect late February day (in April) for a food truck, but whatever.

Gastrotruck is passionate about bringing great handcrafted Midwestern cuisine to the masses. Local partners provide all the meat, produce, and baked goods Gastrotruck uses to make their delicious food. They practice 100% utilization and are a zero-waste business, so you can feel good about giving them your hard earned money.

Their commitment to the environment is great, but I still want tasty food. No one's going to care that you're providing sustainable food if it tastes cardboard! Thankfully, it did not.

On Saturday, Gastrotruck had several options available, including a couple vegetarian options like their Red Lentil and Brown Rice Burger. I really like food trucks that provide several options. If you only have 3 dishes on your menu they better be fantastic or you won't be in business long.

As soon as I saw the Braised Beef Brisket Sandwich on the menu I knew that Bombshell would be ordering it. She loves a good brisket sandwich, so her decision was easy. The brisket was super tender and topped with a horseradish aioli and micro celery. She really enjoyed it! I could tell because she ate every last bite and only offered me one! When she doesn't love something I usually get a few more bites.

Braised Beef Brisket Sandwich

I had a tough decision to make because two of my favorite meats were on the menu: lamb and pork belly. I love lamb, and the lamb burger topped with feta, olive relish sounded awesome. However, I could not handle the idea of passing on the pork belly. The pork belly sandwich was topped with chef made kimchi and a ginger aioli. The kimchi may have been the deciding factor. Love that stuff, especially when it's homemade. My sandwich was great! The pork belly was crispy on the edges but melted in my mouth as I ate it. Fan-fricking-tastic!

Close-up of the Pork Belly Sandwich

Bombshell and I were very happy with our lunch. It was a great way to cap the HAMMS Event for us, and Gastrotruck instantly became one of my top 10 food trucks. We will be partaking in their delicious food again. I just hope the weather cooperates so that it is sooner rather than later!

Most Ridic Tip: Remember to hit the food trucks hard this spring! This weather has to have had an adverse affect on their bottom line so let's show them how much we appreciate their efforts!

Photos by me YO! Logo from http://www.gastrotruck.mobi/

Most Ridic Shops: HAMMS Event

2013-04-22T10:26:00.001-05:00

If you follow me on Twitter (@MostRidic), you've seen several tweets about an event I attended over the weekend. HAMMS (Help A Minnesota Maker Succeed) had its inaugural event last Saturday at the old Hamm's Brewery shipping docks.

This event was a one- day market featuring over 40 local businesses that normally do not have the opportunity to display their products in this fashion. Many of the businesses do not have their own store front, but sell their products on-line or in other proprietor's stores. Tickets were sold for $15 a piece, which may seem a little pricey just to get into a market, but the majority of those funds ($5000) were awarded to one lucky vendor - to help them invest in becoming a successful small business owner.

The HAMMS Event was a great opportunity for local businesses to get some needed exposure, and a great opportunity for us to get some great deals. All the vendors at the event were running specials that day, and both Bombshell and I found some sweet buys.

The event was designed to intrigue both women and men, as well as their dogs. Most of the vendors catered to the women, offering jewelry, beauty products, accessories, and clothing. Some of Bombshell's favorites were Realia by Jen, 3waybeauty, Epitome, Kedrin, and Greenbody Greenplanet.

Look at me in a Bro-Tie from Kedrin!

There were also several vendors for you pooch like Powerbark, and Cocobear (which just happens to be opening a storefront in Lowertown).

However, since I'm a guy I'm going to focus on a few of the vendors that I really enjoyed at the HAMMS Event.

Before we talk vendors, let's talk about the two things that are most important to most men outside of sex: food and booze. Two food trucks attended the event: Messy Giuseppe and Gastrotruck. At any time I could step outside and gorge myself on an Italian Sloppy Joe or a Pork Belly Sandwich. On top of that, Flat Earth Brewery was there with free samples! Free beer from a great local brewery is reason enough for any guy to attend the event.

Now let's talk about a couple vendors that caught my interest the day of the event.

First off was Gary Crawford and his company Got Knot. Gary produces 100% silk ties and custom accessories. On display at the event, Gary had several of his custom cuff links and his ties sets. The sets included a tie, pocket square, and matching cuff links that sell for $49.99 on-line. During the event he was selling them for $35 a piece, or $25 if you bought two or more. The quality was excellent, so it was easy to see that these sets were a great value. I ended up buying two sets, and I regret not buying more. That evening, I a wore a set out on the town and have not had that many compliments on a tie in my entire life. Gary knows what he's doing.

The two tie sets that I bought from Gary at Got Knot

The other vendor I really enjoyed at the HAMMS Event was Mary C. Bruno and her company Bruno Press. Bruno Press is a printing company with a less- than- politically- correct sense of humor. Right up my alley. Mary prints greeting cards, stationary, post cards, posters, and t-shirts. I loved the "to do list" that was simply labelled "before you start drinking" and the "I heart MN except for Michelle Bauchman" cards and t-shirts. I ended up buying a card that simply said "Sorry I was a dick" for my buddy Freckles (who I just happened to be a dick to that morning). Her products are funny and cheeky to say the least.

Overall, the HAMMS Event was a great way to support local business, and I was really impressed with how well it was attended. When the founders, Becky Sturm and Sairey Gernes, decide to put on another event I will be sure to do a preview post to lure you all down to support these businesses with me.

Photos by me, logos from www.hammsevent.com and flatearthbrewing.com and YO!

Most Ridic Eats: Louis Ristorante & Bar

2013-04-18T06:38:00.007-05:00

One of the biggest projects in Saint Paul, outside of the lightrail, has been the expansion and remodel of Cossetta's on West Seventh. They decided to completely renovate their eatery and deli, and add a high end restaurant and rooftop deck. Those who are fans of Cossetta's eagerly awaited to changes, I was uninterested to say the least.

I've always thought Cosetta's was overrated, and continually get ripped for that opinion. The food is fine, like any catering companies food should be, but there is certainly plenty of better Italian American food to be had in Saint Paul.

With that being said, I went into Louis Ristorante & Bar with an open mind. This is a high-end, made-to-order restaurant deserved a fair shake, and I had heard good things.

First impressions were good. The hostesses were very friendly, and attractive (doesn't hurt) and they welcomed my friend, Sassy, and I immediately. They offered a table, but Sassy and I prefer the bar.

I really liked the look of the place. Tons of dark wood, a nice bar, and a patio that's going to be great when (or should I say if) summer gets here!

When I check out a new place, one of my criteria is how they pour a drink. Any schmo can make a martini but that doesn't mean I want to drink it. Manhattans are one of my favorite cocktails, and since they have one on the menu I was obligated to try it. If you can pour a good Manhattan I'll probably be back, if you can't, you've seen the last of me. Our bartender, who seemed a little on edge, made a nice smooth Manhattan. Smooth enough that I had three. Oops.

CC Manhattan on the rocks

Sassy ordered the Italian Screwdriver (traditionally Absolute Citron, orange and grapefruit juice, splash of ginger ale, but I think theirs may have had a twist). We both thought it could have used a little more booze, but that didn't stop her from having another.

Sassy's Italian Screwdriver

Good drinks? Check. Not the best I've had, but on par with similar establishments. So now let's talk about the food.

As you know, I love antipasti so when I saw some on the menu I had a hard time thinking about anything else. Our, slightly skittish, bartender recommended several options including a beet salad, lasagna, and the veal saltimbocca. It didn't matter. I had antipasti on the brain and ordered the Antipasti Misto (prosciutto, soppressata, mortadella, burrata cheese, mixed olives, ripe tomatoes, roasted peppers, and bread). You may think its hard to judge a place on antipasti because it's often just putting products that someone else has produce together on a plate. That may be true, but you can still judge freshness and quality. Thumbs up to Louis in these categories. The cheese was very fresh and the mortadella was very good. Bologna of the Gods!

Forgot to take pictures of the food, so here's on of the pizza counter.

Sassy chose the "Louis" Brink Chicken (lemon-brined chicken cooked under a brick and finished with a natural sauce and lemon, served with sauteed spinach). She really enjoyed her huge piece of "well-seasoned, not spicy but savory" chicken, although the spinach was "nothing special."

All in all, we were both happy with out first experience at Louis Ristorante & Bar. You may not find me waiting for a slice in the Eatery at Cosseta's, but I will be back to the third floor for another go around at Louis.

Side Note: While we were there, we checked out the remodel downstairs and it looks great. The market is large enough to handle all the products they carry, and it look like the eatery will be serving people faster than ever!

Photos by me buddy!

Most Ridic Mingles: Liquor Lyle's

2013-04-16T06:38:00.002-05:00

We all have places that are special to us. Places we made great memories, found new friends, maybe even met the love of our life. Places, that no matter how old we get, that still bring on a rush of memories when you think of them.

That rush of memories happened to me last weekend when I walked through the doors of Liquor Lyle's. When I was a 21 year-old bartender a group of more seasoned bartenders introduced me to Liquor Lyle's, and I proceeded to spend the rest of my twenties on one of their bar stools. I loved the place the second I walked in. It is the quintessential, perfect neighborhood bar. 70's red vinyl booths, perfect oval bar, backroom full of games, and a awesome jukebox!

I quickly became a regular, and when my Bro and I moved to Uptown we could be found at Lyle's 3 to 4 nights a week. There wasn't a friendlier or cheaper bar in Uptown to drink at. The waitstaff was great, they had two-for-ones at least 6 hours a day, and the clientele was super laid-back . The clientele is what really drew us to Lyle's. My friends and I were always looking for a bar where we could have a good time without worrying about something stupid happening, and Lyle's fit that bill. It may have been the huge tattooed bounces, but there was rarely any trouble at Lyle's. We were all there to have a good time, no matter who you were or where you were from. I loved that.

I may not be able to speak about the clientele anymore, but I can say the price and staff at Lyle's are still great. Bombshell and I stopped in for lunch and a quick drink before out hair appointments last week, and I was very happy to see that Lyle's was just how I left it.

The staff may have changed (although I did recognize a bartender that served me a dozed years ago), but the vibe was the same. Super friendly staff and customers looking to relax and put a few back. More importantly, Lyle's still has two-for-ones all throughout the day. Happy Hour at Lyle's pretty much never ends! Something is always on special at Lyle's. 2-4-1s run from 10AM to 6PM and 9PM to 11PM every day. Not sure I'm doing my math right, but I believe that's 10 hours everyday! When 2-4-1s are not running there is always a couple beers and drinks on special.

Our waitress also informed us that on Saturdays customers got a free drink when they order breakfast! Could the booze flow anymore freely?

We had already had breakfast so Bombshell built her own burger with cheddar and bacon. Two big slices of bacon, melty cheese, and a well cooked burger made her happy.

I went with the famous Lyle's Breaded Whole Wings. There was about a two year period where I lived off of those wings and High Life, so I could not pass them up. They were just what I remember. Enormous wings, breaded and fried crisp. I got a half order and had a hard time finishing the 6 wings. I swear they weighed about 2 pounds. Tasty!

By the time it was over we had lunch and 6 drinks, and we just hit the $30 mark. Can't think of too many places were you can get 6 drinks for $30!

I was very happy to see that Liquor Lyle's hadn't changed too much since I was a regular. The staff is still friendly, the food is still good, and it's still wicked cheap. I just wish I could relocate Lyle's to my neighborhood so I could make it their more often.

Pics by me YO! Logo from whiskeydetectives.blogspot.com

Most Ridic Eats: Red Stag Supperclub

2013-04-05T06:42:00.002-05:00

As you know, I love breakfast, and there are few things more fabulously glutinous than brunch. I will take any opportunity to go out for an omelet, some hash, or good old bacon and eggs. So a few weeks back when our friends, Chinos and Kiki, wanted to grab some brunch I jumped at the chance.

Our friends are live in Athens and were staying in Minneapolis, so we decided to meet at the Red Stag Supperclub for brunch. I know, I know, this blog is becoming less and less about Saint Paul, and more and more about me eating. I apologize, but bear with me, this place is worth it.

Red Stag Supperclub is located in Northeast about a block from Surdyk's, and has been open since 2007. During the week the Stag is open from 11am to 2am and serves lunch and dinner, but on the weekend they serve brunch which is the focus of today's post.

When we arrived I found the look of the Stag to be very interesting. It may be a supperclub, but it is not your Grandfather's supperclub. Plenty of dark wood and and classic cocktails, but no stuffy waiters. The wall of classic beer cans behind the bar is not something you'd see at the Country Club either.

I really like the look of the place, but no one cares what the place looks like if the food doesn't compliment it, so let's talk about the brunch.

For me, the make or break point of a brunch is the Bloody Mary. For some reason, combining breakfast and lunch goes hand in hand with a hangover. If I wasn't hungover, I would have made breakfast! Anyway, all great brunches have great Bloody Marys and the Red Stag is no exception. I like my Bloodys spicy so I went with the Hail Mary (house-infused jalapeno vodka and a beef stick). Really nice kick, a great eyeopener!

While we waited for our brunch we sipped our drinks and snacked on the complimentary coffee cake. A really nice touch, and extremely welcome when your stomachs growling.

Kiki and Chinos like things simple. She had a luscious bowl of fruit and an English muffin, and he went with the classic eggs, bacon, and hash browns.

Crab cakes and eggs reminded us of time in Savannah

Bombshell and I are bit more adventurous. She had the special, crab cakes and poached eggs, and I had the corned beef hash. My wife really enjoyed her crab cakes, and my hash was delicious. Potatoes, carrots, onions, perfectly poached eggs, and some really tasty house-made corned beef. Yummy and filling.

House-made corned beef in hash form

From start to finish, we were all impressed with the Red Stag Supperclub. I look forward to heading back to the wrong side of the river to try them for dinner.

Pics by me YO! Logo from liluinteriors.com

Most Ridic Eats: Scusi

2013-04-02T20:39:00.001-05:00

A couple posts back, I profiled The Lowry, a member of the Blue Plate Restaurant Company,-and it just so happens that today's post is about another member of their family: Scusi. For whatever reason, Bombshell and I have been to both of these establishments recently. I do not work for, nor am I being paid to write about, Blue Plate restaurants.

It just seems that way, and I hope that they demand a little better quality if they actually are paying anyone to review their places.

Anyway, Scusi is located in Saint Paul, near the corner of St. Clair and Fairview. A couple months ago, Bombshell and I happened upon the place and decided to stop in for Happy Hour. We had never heard of Scusi and were pleasantly surprised by the experience. No wonder, then, that my wife suggested we try it again last week when we were out running a few weeknight errands.

When we arrived we thought about grabbing a table in the dinning room, but you know we love to sit at the bar so we opted for that instead.

Correction: I love to sit at the bar, and Bombshell lets me have my way. Usually.

As we saddled up to the bar we were greeted by a couple of waters and a very nice bartender. The two times we have been to Scusi, I have been very impressed by the service. Friendly, fast, and knowledgeable. What more could you want?

During Happy Hour, Scusi offers all their pizzas at half price and has specials on some red and white wines. Having a pizza was definitely going to happen, but we needed to pick some wine first. All wines at Scusi are served a little differently than I'm used to.

Rather than having the choice of a bottle or a glass, they have three different size carafes: Quartino, Mezzo, and Bottiglia. A quartino is about 8 ounces-so about a glass and a half. A mezzo seemed to be about twice that size, and the bottiglia was a little bigger than a bottle (if you didn't figure that out by the name).

A quartino after several sips

Bombshell chose a quartino of Chianti, and I went with Pinot Nior. Then it was time to make some decisions on food. While we perused the menu, our bartender brought out some rosemary crackers and a delicious white bean spread. Just the thing to rouse a diner's appetite.

Per usual, my lady decided on the Sausage pizza (fennel sausage, San Marzano sauce, provolone, mozzarella). I really wanted the Duck pizza (duck, apple, Gorgonzola, rosemary, honey, Alfredo) but decided to go with something a little different and ordered the Salumeria assortment of three.

Sausage pizza. Classic, hearty, delicious.

Salumeria is a fancy word for salami shop. Traditionally, Salumeria just sold cured meats, but recently have been know to sell cheese and other types of antipasti as well. You know I love antipasti, and with the assortment I got to pick one salami, one cheese, and one type of olive. Three of my favorite things on one plate! I went with the Sopressata, the Fontina, and Mediteranian Mix of olives.

The pizza was terrific. High quality cheese, light crisp crust, and tasty sausage. My plate was really good too, and I was especially impressed with the size of the portions. I'm often leery of ordering cheese or antipasti at restaurants because you never know how much you're going to get. I got 8 nice slices of meat, two huge hunks of cheese, at least a cup of olives, compote, and warm bread. Pretty good deal for $14!

Salumeria assortment

One of these days, Bombshell and I will have to try a full- on dinner at Scusi. The great experiences we've had at Happy Hour justify that. Or maybe we'll head over for Sunday Brunch? That menu looks amazing!

So the next time you're looking for a little Italian in your life, skip watching My Cousin Vinny, and head over to Scusi!

"Two yoots"

Photos by me yo! Except for My Cousin Vinny.

Most Ridic Eats: Fuji Ya Sushi - St. Paul

2013-03-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

Bombshell and I really enjoy eating out- obviously. We are both very social people, and enjoy being around others. So when we're not around our friends and family we like to be around servers and bartenders. Unfortunately, going out all the time can put a huge strain on the wallet.

When trying to balance the two we are left with a couple options:

Eat out less often. Probably not going to happen, especially when I write a blog that profiles a lot of restaurants.
Find a way to spend less money eating out.

We like the second option, and thus have starting using LivingSocial and Groupon to get some good deals. We happened upon one such deal a couple weeks ago when Fuji Ya offered a tasting menu for two for just $40. It had been a long time since we had been to the St. Paul location, so we bought the Groupon and used it last week.

This Groupon at Fuji Ya was one of the best values I've ever seen on one of those daily deals sites - we will be using them more. Here is what we got!

House wine and a bottle of beer (I got a Sapporo)
Miso or Sumashi Soup
House Salads (the ginger dressing was awesome!)

House salad with the best ginger dressing

One order of Pork Gyoza
4 pieces of Chef's Choice Nigiri (we got salmon and tuna)
A choice of two different Sushi Rolls

Spicy tuna sushi roll

2 Bento Boxes including Grilled Salmon, Shrimp and Veggie Tempura, Yakitori, and Rice
Wasabi Creme Brulee to share

Ton of food for $40. We were both pretty full by the time the Bento Boxes came and ended up taking most of those home. Tempura is surprisingly good when you reheat it in a super hot oven.

We almost keeled over when these huge bento boxes came out

All the food was good, we liked everything we had, but the best thing we had was the ginger dressing. That was the only time we said, "@ow that's awesome!" The best dish at a sushi restaurant should be the sushi, and we've never been overly impressed with the sushi at Fuji Ya.

Nigiri

We have two sushi restaurants within walking distance from our home: Fuyi Ya, and Sakura. When we have a hankering for sushi we usually head to Sakura, even though the atmosphere is bland and the service is awful. We go because the sushi is great! Both Bombshell and I prefer the sushi at Sakura over Fuji Ya, and this experience didn't change that. However, the service and atmosphere were much better at Fuji Ya.

Wasabi crème brulee...neither one of us loved it

In my opinion, if you want great sushi in downtown St. Paul you're kinda screwed. You have to pick your poison. Superior food and horrible service, or great service and a fun atmosphere. When I want a little sushi take out, I'll swing past Sakura. But when Bombshell and I are going out for a sushi date night, we will choose the experience at Fuji Ya.

Photos are mine, logo from mspfilmfest.org.

Most Ridic Eats: The Lowry

2013-03-26T06:22:00.002-05:00

If you read this blog on a regular basis (Thanks Mom!), you know that Bombshell and I venture over to Terrace Hair in Minneapolis to get our hairs did. When we make the trip we usually hit up a place in Uptown for dinner, and thus you are about to read a review on The Lowry.

The Lowry is one of the newer offerings from the Blue Plate Restaurant Company which also operates the Highland Grill, the Groveland Tap, and four other restaurants. I've been to 4 of their other restaurants and I've been happy with my experiences, so my expectations were pretty high.

They call themselves "An Urban Diner", and their motto (I guess you can call it that) is "Burgers, Whiskey, Oysters, Eggs" which are 4 of my favorite things in the world! With that mantra I was pretty confident I was going to like The Lowry.

Deviled Eggs

Bombshell and I have been to The Lowry three times in the last 6 months for breakfast, lunch, and happy hour. Our latest trip was for Happy Hour, which turned into dinner, so I am going to focus on that. However, their breakfast is great. The Meatloaf Hash is delicious, and the Hangtown Fry (bacon, eggs, fried oysters, greens, and chipotle mayo on a bun) is the perfect hangover cure.

Oysters, surprisingly fresh.

The night we went, Bombshell and I, had planned on splitting and app and having a drink or two before our hair appointments. That quickly changed when we saw the Happy Hour menu. Suddenly we we eating a dinner made up of appetizers. For Happy Hour, The Lowry offers a selection of cheap booze and several specials on apps. We had a hard time making up our mind, so we order wings, oysters, deviled eggs, pot stickers, and sliders. Plenty of food for the two of us.

Bombshell had some wine and I tried a couple different bourbon based cocktails. I started with the Fancy Free (Bourbon, Luxarado Maraschino Liqueur, Orange Bitters) and washed that down with the Brown Derby (Bourbon, Honey Syrup, Grapefruit Juice). Both drinks were well-crafted and tasty. Even with some strong ingredients the Bourbon was still the star of the show. The Lowry really knows how to mix a drink, or at least the bartender working that evening did!

I think this is the Fancy Free, after a couple I kind of forgot.

The food was good as well. Nothing mind blowing, but everything was good across the board. This seems to be the case with all the Blue Plate Restaurants. The food is consistently good, no matter what you order. I appreciate that. Rather than have a couple great things on the menu, and lots of mediocre items as, Blue Plate Restaurants do a pretty good job at covering all the bases without trying to do too much.

I'm sure Bombshell and I will be back to The Lowry. Most likely for breakfast. I wake up thinking about the Hangtown Fry, just about every time I'm hangtowned!

Photos are mine suckers!