Those who live in the Twin Cities know that there’s more here than meets the eye. For visitors who may subscribe to the idea that the culinary scene in the Great White North has nothing to offer but walleye and variations on bacon, think again.

Thanks to the Jewish community in the Twin Cities, a few kosher restaurants are available. There used to be a few more (R.I.P. Fishman’s), but rising leases have pushed them out of the city. Below are three remaining establishments with good reviews and a solid selection of kosher offerings.

About Kosher Restaurants

For those that don’t know, foods must adhere to strict rules in order to be considered kosher. Certain restaurant supplies must be regularly sanitized, meat and dairy cannot mix, meat must be prepared a certain way and there are lots of food items that are off limits. The list goes on, but the point is if you have a kosher diet, it takes a little work to find a restaurant that will cater to it. Here are three in the area that do so with style and finesse way above the rest.

Little Tel-Aviv Cafe and Restaurant

Little Tel-Aviv Cafe and Restaurant is a cozy restaurant and coffee shop that features kosher offerings on a special menu. The special at the Little Tel-Aviv is its Cholov Yisrael entrees. During lunch and dinner, falafels are available on the menu. Desserts at the Little Tel-Aviv include chocolate babka, éclairs, and French Napoleons. Take out offerings include Israeli blintzes, egg roll Hayarkon, burekas, pastelim, homemade pizza, deli salads, pasthtida and Israeli grilled sandwiches. On the main menu, customers can choose from salmon, walleye, eggplant, couscous, snapper and tuna. Drink offerings include tea with mint, Cafe Haffuch and Botx, and nectar.

Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream Cafe

Sebastian Joe’s offers premium ice cream in a variety of flavors. A family-owned business, Sebastian Joe’s has been operating in the Twin Cities since the mid 1980s. The owners of Sebastian Joe’s pride themselves in the fact that they use only the highest quality natural ingredients in all of their ice cream flavors. Sebastian Joe’s operates two locations in Minneapolis that serve kosher ice cream flavors, but some menu offerings don’t meet the requirements. If you visit Sebastian Joe’s, a special menu listing kosher ice cream flavors is available.

Seven Stars Coffee House

If you’re looking for kosher coffee, Seven Stars Coffee House is the place to go. Seven Stars offers gourmet coffees supplied by local artisan roasters, baked goods and candies. The restaurant also offers lunch items such as fish sandwiches and vegetarian dishes. In the winter, warm soups are available. During the summer, Seven Stars adds salads to the menu. Hand-dipped ice cream is available during all seasons. The atmosphere at the Seven Stars Coffee House is warm and inviting for patrons of all ages.

Several other smaller kosher establishments, such as hotdog stands and chocolatiers, are also available in the vicinity. Other restaurants feature a small menu with kosher offerings to supplement their main menu. However, the three restaurants listed here have the most options for visitors looking for kosher food offerings in the Twin Cities.

Guest Post: Kosher Restaurants in the Greater Twin Cities Area is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Happy Hour comes to Edina!! is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Enjoy! ~ 15435 Founders Lane Apple Valley, MN 55124  952-891-6569

• 9am-2pm
• Adults 25.95  Children 3-11 12.95
• Breakfast Breads
  freshly baked mini muffins, croissants and fruit filled pastries
  Yogurt Parfait Bar , Fresh Fruit, Antipasti, Shrimp Cocktail, Salmon Gravlax, Salads,  Scrambled Eggs, Eggs Benedict, Breakfast Meats, Parmesan Leek Potatoes, Seafood Fruits de Mer, Biscuits and Gravy, Chicken Caprese, Trout, Eggs and Omelets, French Toast and Belgian Waffles, Carvery: pit smoked ham, new york strip loin with horseradish and au jus, Assorted Dessert Bars, Chocolate Fountain, Beverages

Manitou Station~ 2171 4th Street White Bear Lake, MN 55110  (651) 426-2300

• 10am-2pm
• Adults $24  * Seniors $20 * Children 10 &Under $10
• Chef Carved Certified Angus Prime Rib Au Jus and Horseradish Sauces, Cheesy Scrambled Eggs, Cinnamon French Toast, Potatoes O’Brien, Sausage Links, Smoked Bacon, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable Medley, Waldorf Salads, Garden Salad, Broccoli Salad, Large Dessert Station

Paradise Landing ~ 264 County Road I, Balsam Lake, WI 54810

• 9-1pm
• Adults $21.95, Children 11 Years and Under $10, Children Under 3 Years Free
• Breakfast Breads and Pastries, Cinnamon rolls, mini muffins and fruit filled pastries, Fresh Seasonal Fruit, Salad Bar, Deviled eggs, Roasted red potato salad, Caesar salad, French Toast, Eggs Benedict, Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Meats, Creamy Parmesan Hashbrowns, Seasonal Mixed Vegetables, Biscuits and Gravy Buttermilk, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Salmon in Champagne dill sauce, Omelet Station, Belgian Waffle Station, New York Strip Loin Carving Station, Desserts including Angel food cake with fresh berries, mini mousse cups, assorted bars, brownies and cookies, and Beverages.

Sea Change ~ 806 South 2nd Street  Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-225-6499

• 11am-3pm
• eggs en cocotte/gruyere/ham…$16.00, buttermilk pancakes/raspberries/mugolio whipped cream…$14.50, housemade granola/yogurt/ames farm honey…$14.00
• Prices are inclusive of a pastry basket, including cinnamon biscuit/rhubarb streusel muffin/croissant/dried cherry pistachio scone
• A la carte menu also available
  

Mother’s Day Brunch 2012 is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Atmosphere: There are several Big Bowl locations in the areas of Minneapolis and Chicago.  The Roseville location is found inside Rosedale Center on the same side of the mall as AMC Theaters, Granite City and Flame. The dining room is big and decorated with a contemporary Asian flair.  There are tables in various shapes and sizes, as well as booths along the outer walls.  There is also a bar area to the left of the entrance.

Menu: Appetizers include Chicken Potstickers, Veggie Potstickers, Chicken Dumplings, Veggie Dumplings, Spicy Sichuan Green Beans, Crispy Garlic Tofu, Grilled Chicken Satay, Chicken and Shrimp Eggroll,  Barbeque Spareribs, Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps, Thai Herb Calamari, Spicy Sichuan Eggplant, and Summer Rolls (Chicken, shrimp or Veggie).

Soups and Salads include Dumpling Noodle Soup, Vietnamese Noodle Soup (Pho), Chinese Hot & Sour Soup, Tom Yum Shrimp Soup, Spicy Sesame Peanut Noodles, House Mixed Salad Greens, Asian Chicken Salad, Mandarin Chicken Salad, and Lucky 8 Vegetables & Tofu.

Chinese Chicken dishes include Kung Pao, Ginger Chicken, Spicy Cashew, Orange, and Sesame Chicken.  Beef Dishes include Kung Pao, Spicy Sichuan Beef, Beef & Broccoli, Mongolian Beef, and Seven Flavor Crispy Beef.  Seafood Dishes include Sweet Ginger Sea Scallops & Shrimp, Shanghai Shrimp & Scallops, Teriyaki Glazed Salmon, and Black Pepper Scallops.

Fried Rice options include Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Shrimp, and Barbeque Pork.  There is also an Unfried Jasmine Rice dish.  Chinese Noodle Dishes include Kung Pao Tofu and Spinach, Kung Pao Chicken and Noodles, Steak & Noodles, and Sichuan Pork Belly with Noodles.

Thai Specialties include Red Hot Pepper Chicken Noodles, Thai Hot Pepper Chicken (or Shrimp) with Basil & Peanuts, Bangkok Shrimp & Scallops and Thai Shrimp Fried Rice.  Pad Thai is Big Bowl’s signature dish, try it with Vegetables/Tofu, Chicken, Shrimp or Salmon.  Big Bowl also has a make-it-yourself Stir-Fry bar option.  You choose your vegetables, meat, sauce, and noodles and they will cook it for you.

There are also a number of Curries including  Spicy Thai Green Vegetable Curry, Yellow Curry Vegetables, Yellow Curry Chicken with Sweet Green Beans, and Claypot Shrimp Panang, and Claypot Panang Curry Chicken.

Big Bowl also offers a Gluten-Free Menu, which includes many of the above items.

Desserts include Coconut Tapioca Pudding, Mango Cheesecake, Honey Apple Crisp, Homemade Double Chocolate Brownie, Lucky Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, and Mochi of the Moment (ice cream and sweet rice).
Price guide: Appetizers $5-7 Entrees $12-18

What we ordered: We started with a round of drinks, I had a Mai Tai, with a traditional mix of light and dark rum, pineapple and lime juices.  Delicious, albeit on the short side.

Later I tried a Margarita, a mix of Sauza white tequila, cointreau, and Yuzu sour.

One of my companions ordered the Ginger Jameson, made with fresh Ginger.

One of us had the Red Sangria

Another companion had the Passion Fruit White Sangria.

For the inconvenience of seating out party of twelve at two different tables, they sent out some complimentary appetizers, including these Steamed Veggie Dumplings ($5.95) served in the house soy-ginger sauce.  The order came with five plump dumplings.

We also tried the Pork Potstickers ($5.95), which also came with five in the order.  These were pan fried to give them a crispy, golden brown crust.  They were served with the soy-ginger sauce, hot mustard and sweet plum sauce for dipping.

For my entree I asked for a recommendation of something spicy and the server suggested the Claypot Chicken Panang Curry ($12.95), so that is what I ended up ordering.  The base of this dish was the delicious, thick peanut-coconut curry, stuffed with pieces of all natural white meat chicken, red bell pepper and snow pea pods.  It had a lot of flavor but only a slight kick to it as far as spice goes.

One of my companions ordered the Pad Thai with Pork ($12.95).  This was a big pile of rice noodles, stir fried with big pieces of barbeque pork, basil, eggs, bean sprouts, peanuts and fresh lemon and herbs.  It looked and smelled great!

One of my companions had the Mongolian Beef ($14.95), a traditional Chinese dish with big tender chunks of beef, shitake and button mushrooms, shredded carrot and green onions in a sauce made with hoisin and soy.

Another companion had the Veggie Stir Fry with tofu, broccoli, green beans, carrots, peppers and onions with Chinese rice noodles.

For dessert we shared a Double Chocolate Lava Brownie

Service: Our visit to Big Bowl was on a busy Saturday night, with a reservation for 12 people made a month in advance.  We had to wait 30 minutes past the reservation time before they could arrange space for us.  When we were seated, they put four of us in a booth and the other eight were seated at two nearby tables that had been put together.  It was very awkward and completely separated our party into two.  For this “inconvenience” they brought us complimentary appetizers.  While we were sitting, the hostess had sat a table fo two at the booth next to ours and three minutes later another employee came rushing over to their table where we overheard her telling that could sitting there that they had to be moved, that that particular table was reserved for someone else and they didn’t seem very apologetic about it. My companions and I were appalled by it. As for the rest of our service, drinks took some time coming from the bar but once we put in our dinner orders, they didn’t seem to take any longer for our party of twelve than it would’ve for a much smaller group.
Overall Impression: This was my second time ever visiting Big Bowl, the first was about five years ago.  Big Bowl is a chain restaurant that prides themselves on using fresh ingredients sourced locally and naturally raised meats.  I liked the fresh ingredients and overall our food was pretty good but the service was less than stellar.  I personally won’t be rushing back anytime soon.

Big Bowl Chinese and Thai ~ Roseville, MN is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Atmosphere: Located in Uptown at the corner of Lake St and Irving Ave, Barbette is much bigger inside than it might appear from the exterior.  The irregular-shaped bar run along one side of the restaurant, with many tables in all direction surrounding it.  There are simple pendant lights suspended from the industrial-style ceiling and eclectic pieces of art adorning the walls.

Menu: Breakfast items include Croissant, Scone, Muffin, Fruit Salad, Yougurt, Omelette, Quiche, Poached Organic Eggs, Buckwheat Crepe with Scrambled Eggs, Herbs, Brie and Strawberries, Eggs with Bacon or Sausage, Waffles and French Toast.

Sandwiches served from 11am-5pm include Croque Monsier, Croque Madame, Fischer Farms Ham and Brie Crepe, Royale with Cheese, Spinach, Roasted Tomato and Chevre Crepe.

Salads include Field Greens, Roasted Beet Salad, Nicoise, Cobb, and Grilled Skirt Steak Salad.

Appetizers served after 5pm include Oysters, Daily Soup, Daily Tartare, Steamed Mussels, Pommes Frites, Seared Scallops, Pea & Carrots, Daily Vegetable, Warm Olives, Linguini with Grilled Asparagus, Charcuterie Platter, Truffled Whipped Brie, Fondue au Fromage, Artisanal Cheese and Fruit Plate.

Barbette’s Entrees include Fischer Farms Grilled Pork Loin, Steak Frites, Langostine and Seared Scallops, Steak Helene, Roasted Kadejan Chicken, Pan Seared Atlantic Cod, English Pea Risotto with Pecorino Romano, Ham Hock & English Pea Risotto, and Halibut.

For dessert, Barbette features Vanilla Creme Brulee, Carrot Cake, Sorbet, Molten Chocolate Cake,
Price guide: Breakfast $2-13  Sandwiches $10-13  Appetizers $5-15 Entrees $18-38

Happy Hour:

• Mon-Fri 3-6pm  *  Sun-Thu 10pm-1am
• $3 PBR
• $4 House wine and bubbly
• $4 Domestic Taps
• $5 Select appetizers

Weekly Specials:

• Mondays- 5 to 10 p.m., Barbette prepares 4 to 5 course dinners, including dessert and/or a cheese course for $32. Menus often include sustainable harvested fish or locally farmed meats, but Barbette is happy to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, and others with dietary constraints.

What we ordered: My companion and I shared the Nicoise Salad to start.  There was a pile of greens with roasted red peppers, purple potato, olives, green beans, anchovies, soft boiled egg and ahi tuna.  The tuna was  seared perfectly and had almost a smoky taste to it.  It was great!

My companion and I decided to try several of the appetizers for dinner rather than order entrees.  Barbette serves steamed mussels two ways: one with white wine, lemon and garlic, and the other with a
chorizo-harissa sauce.  We tried the Chorizo-Harissa sauce, a spicy garlic red pepper sauce.  The order had several small mussels, all cooked tender.  We both thought these were very good.  It was served with three slices of crustini.

The “Tartare of the Day” happened to be Steak Tartare.  This was one item on the List of 100 Food to Eat Before You Die (The Food List Challenge) that neither of us had previously tried but I had heard that Barbette was the best place to have it, so we decided to order this too.  When it arrived, it resembled a pile of raw hamburger topped with a very soft egg and my companion and I both shared a look before we cautiously dug in.  It was really good!! The beef was so tender that it had a texture similar to sashimi.  It was served chilled and tasted of garlic and must’ve been marinated in a white wine.  It was served with crustini and field greens, mustard and slices of dill pickle.

We also tried the Truffled Whipped Brie, served with crustini and field greens.  This was wonderful if you like brie and truffles!  We put a little on the bread and then topped it with some of the steak tartare and the combo was really good!

Service: We had reservations on the Thursday night of Dining Out for Life and Barbette was very busy.  There is a very small lot in the back of the restaurant and it fills up quickly, and I wasn’t lucky enough to get a spot.  Be prepared to walk a couple of blocks, parking is hard to come by.  We entered Barbette through the side entrance and there didn’t appear to be a host stand nearby but it was quite busy already so we started walking toward the front when the host spotted us and brought us to our table.  We were greeted by our server within five minutes, who then took our drink order and told us about the daily specials.  She was knowledgeable about the menu and had good recommendations for us.  The food was brought out in two courses, as we had requested.  After dinner we ended up moving to one of the tables on the patio where we were joined by a couple of friends for drinks.  Our new server easily  transferred to the new server, who was also very attentive.
Overall Impression: Barbette is regarded as one of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities and it is easy to see why.  The service is very good and although the menu is somewhat limited, it is well executed.  If you want to try Steak Tartare, Barbette is a excellent choice.

Barbette ~ Minneapolis, MN is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Here is a list of a few Mexican restaurants I have visited around the Twin Cities…..

• A La Salsa Mexican Grill ~ Minneapolis, MN
• Acapulco Restaurante Mexicano ~ Blaine, Stillwater, Coon Rapids, Woodbury & Maplewood, MN
• Baja Sol Cantina- Inver Grove Heights, MN
• Barrio Tequila Bar ~ St Paul, MN
• Boca Chica Restaurante Mexicano- St. Paul, MN
• Boca Chica’s Taco House ~ St Paul, MN
• El Amanecer Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN
• El Bravo Mexican Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN
• El Burrito Mercado & Restaurante ~ St Paul, MN
• El Loro Mexican Restaurante ~ Burnsville, Eagan & Savage, MN
• El Toro ~ St Paul, MN
• La Cabaña Restaurant ~ St. Paul, MN
• La Casita Mexican Restaurant ~ Roseville, MN
• La Esperanza Restaurant & Cantina ~ South St Paul, MN
• La Loma Mexican Restaurant ~ St Paul, MN
• Masa ~ Minneapolis, MN
• Mazatlan Restaurant & Bar ~ St Paul, MN
• Ol’ Mexico Restaurante & Cantina~ Roseville, MN
• Pineda Tacos ~ Minneapolis, Plymouth, West St Paul, MN
• Rosa Mexicano ~ Minneapolis, MN
• Taqueria Los Ocampo ~ St Paul & Minneapolis, MN
• Taqueria Los Paisanos ~ St Paul, MN
• Washington Square Bar & Grill ~ White Bear Lake, MN

Cinco de Mayo Time! is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Atmosphere: Ursula’s Wine Bar and Cafe is located on 4th Street in a stand-alone building right next door to the White Bear Bar, just a block west of Hwy 61.  The interior is quite small, with the bar in the middle and seating for roughly 20-30 people at the tables that surround it.  There are several sets of paintings displayed on the wall, all of which are for sale by a local artist.

The bar itself is just a few feet away from the front door and has room for about ten people to sit at.  There is also an outdoor seating area on the deck along the west side of the building.

Menu: The menu at Ursula’s changes monthly, the following is what was offered in April 2012.

Starters include Marinated Olives, Goat Cheese Gratin with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Flatbread Pizza of the Day, Tomato Basil Hummus with Warm Flatbread and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Crab Cakes, Crostini with Roasted Eggplant, Manchego and Pomodoraccio Tomatoes, Mussels, Lamb Skewers with Tzatziki, and Chef’s Selection of 3 Artisan Cheeses with Fruit and Cashews.

Soups and Salads offered are the Soup of the Day, Mixed Greens with Bacon, Tomato and Creamy Basil Dressing, and
Grilled Iceberg with Roasted Fennel and Shaved Carrot topped with Citrus Vinaigrette.

Ursula’s also offers the following Entrees: Pasta of the Day, Fish of the Day, Chicken Breast en Papillote with Carrots, Celery, Onion, Grape Tomatoes and Zucchini with Brown Rice and Lemon Dill Butter Sauce, Chili and Lime Glazed Ribs with Roasted Plantain and Spinach with Cilantro Cream, Hoisin Filet Mignon Medallions with Wasabi Mashed topped with Roasted Pistachios and Chestnuts.
Price guide: Appetizers $5-10 Entrees $16-24
What we ordered: We started with the Lamb Skewers.  The order ($9) came with three skewers that were made with ground lamb meat that was grilled to give it some char.  The skewers were served on a bed of lettuce leaves with Tzatziki sauce for dipping.  These were great! The lamb was moist and well seasoned and the Tzatziki was homemade.

We also tried the Crab Cakes, which came with two in the order ($9).  The crab cakes were also quite good, a thick patty made with sweet crab meat and blended with dill and other seasonings.  There was a pureed rep pepper sauce, as well as lettuce, served on the side.

There are only a couple of entrees to choose from and I ordered the Filet Medallions ($24).  These small, tender cuts of beef were cooked with an Asian-inspired hoisin sauce and topped with slices of roasted chestnuts.  The medallions were served with wasabi mashed potatoes that were great and tasted similar to horseradish, as well as steamed broccoli.  I thought the price was a little steep considering the portion size and the fact that it didn’t come with salad or bread.

My companion ordered the Ribs with Chili Lime Glaze ($18), served with plantains and steamed broccoli.   My companion liked this but I really didn’t care for it.  There were about four ribs in the order and to me  they tasted like they had been boiled in water until all the good natural flavors were leached out. The chili-lime glaze was good but it didn’t provide enough flavor alone, the meat had to be dipped in the cilantro cream sauce (very good!) that was drizzled on the plate.

Service: We arrived at Ursula’s on a weekday, shortly after they opened and it was already pretty busy.  We were told by the bartender to seat ourselves but there was just one table for two left.  Once we sat ourselves it took at least five minutes before we were greeted by our server, who was not the greatest.  I asked about a couple of items on the menu and quickly suspected that she might be new because she didn’t seem very knowledgeable about it.  It also took much longer than necessary to check on us and refill our tiny water glasses, mostly because the server was the only one visible in the entire place.  It took quite awhile to prepare our food as well.  We ordered our appetizers and our entrees at the same time but it took nearly 30 minutes for the entrees to come once we were finished with the first course.  We were ready to get our bill long before we were presented with it, and then the bartender ended up running our card himself, as he could see we were waiting longer than necessary for our server.
Overall Impression: The food was good but the service wasn’t so great.  I had very high expectations for Ursula’s based on recommendations and other reviews I had read, but my experience fell short.  I think the big draw at Ursula’s is the wide selection of wines, with service being secondary.  I won’t be rushing back anytime soon when there are other better comparable-priced restaurants in the area with far better service.

Ursula’s Wine Bar and Cafe ~ White Bear Lake, MN is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Atmosphere: John’s Pizza Cafe is located on the wedge-shaped corner of Como Ave and Dale St in St Paul.  There are two entrances; one in front and one from the patio near the very small parking lot.  The back of the restaurant is where the service counter and kitchen is.  The main dining room has a number of booths as well as tables, live plants and a HUGE (70-80″) Flatscreen TV.

There is a second seating area adjacent to the main dining room that has beautiful natural lighting and live plants.  The tables are smaller but can be arranged to accommodate bigger parties.

There is also an enclosed patio facing Dale Street that has a handful of tables available for outdoor seating.

Menu: Breakfast items at John’s Pizza Cafe include two varieties of Breakfast Pizza9also sold by-the-slice),  English Muffin Egg Sandwich, Egg Sandwich, Omelettes, French Toast, Stuffed French Toast, Pancakes, Yogurt and Granola Parfait, Oatmeal, Caramel Nut Roll, and Cinnamon Roll.

Salads are made fresh throughout the day and include Pear-A-Dise, Garden, Antipasto, Caesar, Grilled Steak, Grilled Chicken, and Taco Salad.

John’s offers and number of fresh-baked Hoagies, all served with chips and pickle spear.  Sandwiches include Philly Hamburger, Works, Chick-A-Dilly, Tex-Mex, Envious Turkey, Turkey Florentine, and John’s Club.

Entrees offered include Spaghetti, Sausage Lasagna, Calzones, Mac-N-Cheese, Sloppy Dogs, Sloppy Meatball, Stromboli and Spaghetti.  Specialty Pastas include Chicken Parmigiano, Linguine Alfredo, Pasta Bolognese, Gnocchi, Pasta Primavera, Three Cheese Ravioli, Sausage Pappardelle, and the Mediterranean.

Pizza is, of course, John’s specialty.  Pies come in 10″, 12″, 14″ and 16″.  Varieties include Create-Your-Own, The Works, The King, Denver, The Hawaiian, Hog in the Bog (brat sausage, wild rice, mushrooms and garlic herb sauce), The Bandito, Chinese Fire Dragon (pepperoni, spicy peppers and pineapple), Mexican Extravaganza, BBQ Chicken or BBQ Pulled Pork, Club, Spicy Caribbean Chicken, Chick-A-Dilly, Reuben, Wisconsin Wonder, Veggie 2000, Meatless Wonder, California Dreamer, Farmer’s Fantasy, Popeye’s Pie, and It’s Not Easy Being Green (artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and basil pesto sauce).

Desserts include Cupcakes, Brownies, Cheesecake, and Cookies.
Price guide: Breakfast $2-7  Hoagies $7  Pizza $9-30 Pizza By Slice $2.50-3.50
What we ordered: I tried a slice of the Pepperoni Deep-Dish, which was great! The crust wasn’t as thick as a traditional Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, but it did have a ton of cheese directly on top of the crust with the sauce just drizzled on top. The piece was quite big and very filling for under $3.50.

I also tried the Chick-a-Dilly Pizza.  This pie starts with the hand-tossed crust topped with a creamy dill sauce ans then mozzarella, red bell pepper, onions, and bite-sized pieces of chicken.  This combination of flavors was delicious, I especially liked the creamy dill sauce which was  a nice change from red sauce.

One of my companions had a slice of the Works, which was topped with Italian sausage, pepperoni,  green pepper, onion, mushroom, and black olive.

My companion also had a slice of Sausage

Another companion ordered a slice of the Hawaiian Pizza, topped with a ton of pineapple tidbits and really good Canadian Bacon.  I need to try this one next time.

Service: I have been to John’s Pizza Cafe a few times now and have had very fast and friendly service each time.  From the hours 10:30-2:30pm they have ten varieties of pizzas that they offer by-the-slice and will get your order ready quickly.
Overall Impression: John’s Pizza Cafe has a large selection of pizzas and hoagies and everything is homemade.  The service is fast and friendly.  This is my new favorite local spot to grab a slice of tasty pizza over the lunch hour.

John’s Pizza Cafe ~ St Paul, MN is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

If you plan to go out to eat at all this Thursday, April 26, 2012, please make sure you go to one of the hundreds of Twin Cities Restaurants who are donating part of their evenings proceeds as part of Dining Out for Life, an annual dining fundraising event raising money for AIDS service organizations.

Here is the complete listing of restaurants who are participating this year

Dining Out for Life ~ April 26, 2012 is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

Atmosphere: CG Hook is located across the street from Tally’s Dockside on White Bear Lake, in a stand-alone building.  There are a couple of entrances, the front leads you from the parking lot to the ice cream counter, where there are colorful T-Shirts and a giant wooden sculpture of a pig.

The main dining area has a handful of wooden tables and chairs, as well as a sit-up bar fashioned from an old surfboard that looks out the windows.  There is a beach-like feel to the place and overall I thought it was really cute.

Menu: Appetizers include BBQ Slider, Frito Burrito Pie, Barbeque Rib Smackers, and Southern Style Barbeque Pizza.

Salads include House Salad and Hook’s Salad.  Soups offered include Smoked Chicken and Wild Rice and Soup of the Day.

CG Hooks offers a variety of sandwiches including Smoked Ham, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Club, Reuben Panini, Rachel Panini, Brisket Reuben, Raspberry Ham and Brie Panini, BLT Panini, Hot Dog, Chicago Style Dog, Miss Piggy’s Nightmare (hot dog topped with pulled pork and bacon), Grilled Cheese, and Peanut Butter and Jelly.

Barbeques Meats are where its at! Pulled Pork, Pulled Pork topped with Bacon and Swiss, Beef Brisket, Pork Ribs, and Pit Smoked Chicken.

CG Hooks also offers 16 flavors of Chocolate Shoppe Old Fashioned Ice Cream.
Price guide: Appetizers $3-14  Sandwiches $3-8 Barbeque $8-23  Ice Cream $3-5
What we ordered: CG Hooks has a handful of beers of tap, just the right beverage to cool down the spicy barbeque

For my entree I had the Beef Brisket, a moist, tender and slightly marbled beef that had fantastic flavor.  There are two types of homemade barbeque, I tried the spicier of the two.  It had great kick to it and the flavor of peppers but when I asked which peppers they were, I was told it was a secret.  Bummer that this barbeque sauce is not yet available to buy.  It was served with three sides: Moist cornbread in the shape of a fish, baked beans and Memphis style coleslaw.  The beans were homemade with a couplf of types of beans and a sweet, savory sauce with the distinct flavors of garlic and brown sugar.  Yum! The coleslaw was Memphis style, which is more vinegary and less creamy than traditional coleslaw.

One of my companions had the Full Rack of Ribs, a huge pile of very meaty, moist ribs that were smoked until the meat was practically falling off the bones.  Served with corn bread, beans and coleslaw.

Another companion had the Pulled Pork Sandwich, a big pile of tender moist pork on a fresh bun. Looked great!

Another companion had the Smoked Turkey Sandwich.  The smoked turkey had good flavor but was slightly dry.  It was served on white bread with lettuce and tomato.  This wasn’t bad, just the least exciting of all the things we ordered.

Less than a week after my first visit I went back to CG Hooks and tried the Chicago Dog.  It was everything a perfect Chicago Dog should be: all-beef hot dog with a nice skin on it, topped with tomato, pickle spear, onions, relish and mustard served on a poppy seed bun.

I also tried a small dish of old fashioned ice cream. CG Hooks uses Chocolate Shoppe ice cream and has a selection of 16 flavors at all times.  I couldn’t resist the Fat Elvis, which was banana ice cream with chunks of peanut butter and dark chocolate.  Delish!

Service: The staff at CG Hooks are very friendly.  On both of our visits we were able to get a table and order as soon as we were ready.  The food is prepared reasonably fast and staff is very friendly.  On one of our visits we met the owner who came over to chat with us and see how we liked everything.  That is always a nice gesture in my book :)
Overall Impression: CG Hooks is a hidden gem on White Bear Lake, open year round.  It is the perfect place to order your favorite barbequed meats and old fashioned ice creams.  They also offer boat delivery to Tally’s Dockside.

CG Hook’s Eatery ~ White Bear Lake, MN is a post from: Twin Cities Restaurant Blog