The Lyndale Tap House

The Lyndale Tap House had a lot going for it. We sat down looking for a break from the a cold February in Minnesota and found some relatively god eats.  Given that we aren't really into the pit roasted beef that they specialize in, we still found some things to enjoy.

As is her lot in life, Sabrina ordered the grilled cheese sandwich and had absolutely no complaints.  Crisp, gooey, and filling. Though she did pull out a few onions as they were a bit overwhelming, picky picky.

I grabbed a club sandwich and more importantly a glass of Bell's Hopslam.  This year's is not the best I've had but it's still leagues ahead of anything else domestic I've had. Anyways back to the sandwich, it was solid. The bacon was what stood out the most but not in an overbearing way, it just complimented the other items as if it was smoked with this end in mind.

Also, I've heard of some bad experiences with the wait staff here but had no complaints when we went. I do have to say that the decor is a little off for me. The scantily clad women pictured with live beef doesn't really make me want to order a cheese steak sandwich, it makes me wonder why any woman would go back.

A big plus for this place is the fries.  There's a few places around town that have switched to really thin, McDonald's-like fries.  I don't like that. It's as if we're being treated like some weird kids who were raised by wolves and have never seen a french fry before. Don't try to fool us, we know what good fries are, they're thick and long and not overly crispy because you left them in the fryer. Like the ones at the Lyndale Tap House.  Props to them and shame on the cheapskates who are ruining a good meal with soggy fries. [gets off soap box]

Tilia

Sabrina and I had a pretty divided opinion on this place.  She ordered oatmeal with hazel nuts, raisins and apple sauce (sounds awesome to me), and was not impressed as it was a little bland.

I ordered something out of a personal food fantasy:  french toast with pinapple slices, a coconut whipped topping and a maple beurre fondu (basically syrup).  It was possibly one of the top 5 things I've ever tasted.

Where we do agree is on the ambience of the place. Its proximity to Zumbro lends itself to brunch comparisons and in truth it seems more like a place where you'd come for a late dinner than for any form of breakfast. Nobody here just woke up and headed over in their yoga pants and flip flops and while that makes it seem a little less comfy, it won't distract me from recommending their food.  I'll be back for a couple of other things on their brunch menu and will probably convince Sabrina to try something off of their dinner menu as well.

Triple Rock

A lot has been said about the Triple Rock's weekend brunch, most of it really good, and in the past I've had nothing but good luck.  But this time the food fell short of our expectations.  Sabrina says it reminded her of something she'd get at Perkins or IHOP.  Basically nothing special.

Bacon and eggs are hard to screw up and they certainly didn't but there was nothing really distinctive about it.  Same with the biscuits and gravy--good enough but not something we'll come back for.  The big problem was that is seemed like they were using the potatoes to just fill space on the plate, and they lacked any distinction at all.  Whenever I reach for the pepper shaker more than once in a meal its usually a bad sign.

We'll probalby be heading elsewhere next time.

Muddy Waters

Hipsters to the rescue!

One step in this place and you'll immediately feel judged by the clientele but a few minutes later you'll realize they are just there for a good beer and conversation, and maybe a little judgement too but they keep it to themselves.

The staff are awesome and have the goods to back it up. We went with our gold standard pepperoni pizza with some basil and were not disappointed. Not too greasy, and for a pizza that's not cooked in a brick oven it sure had a tasty crust.

We came in early February and were pleasantly surprised to find that they had Bell's Hopslam on tap which is always a plus. They even made sure we were ok when we carelessly broke a glass and spilled beer all over the table, AND gave us a free round to boot.  


We will definitely be coming back next time we're around Lynlake.

Pizzeria Lola

By Sabrina

Matt loves pizza, and so do I, and so it was my duty to introduce him to my new Twin Cities favorite, Pizzeria Lola. Lola is located in the BEST part of the Metro, South Minneapolis, at 56^th and Xerxes.  We stopped in about 8 pm on a Tuesday night, and still found the place buzzing with chatter and happiness, but luckily we got a table right away (this place doesn’t take reservations and there’s always a wait at usual meal times).

First the good: the pizza. It’s fan.tas.tic. Thin crust, sweet and deep sauce, hot cheese and crisy pepperoni—just how I like it.

Each place setting is complete with a unique vintage plate. It might be from the Placid Winter Olympics or painted with a delicate rose pattern. Definitely adds to the adult hipster atmosphere.

Then the bad: Matt was pretty concerned about the rockiness of the table. A waiter even stopped by to try and remedy the situation and I actually think he made it worse. If it wasn’t for the fantastic food, I have a feeling Matt would have insisted we leave. 

King’s Wine Bar

By Sabrina

King’s is pretty adorable in a romantic way. Black and red curtains, dimly lit and little tables make this space cozy while chic. Tucked in at the corner of Grand and 46^th, it’s easy to get to (just a few blocks off Lyndale) but a hidden gem most people don’t even know about.

The food is awesome. Think classic comfort food done slightly fancy and an abundant wine and drinks list.

Matt and I had no issue settling on the baked mac and cheese, and split a full size order.  The dish showed up with bubbling cheese singing “eat me, I am yummy mac & cheese!” And so we devoured the plate.

We will definitely check out this neighborhood fav again.

Village Wok

By Sabrina

It was the mid 80’s and my parents and I were brand new residents to lovely Minnesota. When searching for the familiar warmth and flavors a Chinese restaurant (or Chifa as they are called in Lima, Peru, my mom’s hometown) offers, we were excited to find Village Wok in the Dinkytown neighborhood on the UofM campus. The food is authentic without being scary (no pig’s tongue or fish eyes, at least that I’ve tried), the service is always friendly and quick, and most importantly the chicken fried rice is delicious. It’s the kind you can eat for days after. Cures a baby’s crying and the common hangover.

Lucky for you college kids, the Village is open late (I think it’s like 1 or 2 am) so take your after-bar cravings to the best Chinese place you’ll find in the Twin Cities… maybe even in the entire STATE.

Black Forest Inn

1 East 26th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Written by:  Matt

You’re going to find a lot of Rachel’s on this blog since I’m addicted to them, Black Forest does not disappoint.  It helps that they have a fantastic beer menu (obviously tailored to German styles) but the sandwich itself has plenty to offer.  I’ve definitely had better fries in my day but don’t let that deter you as the ambiance, whether indoors or kickin’ it on their well decorated porch, more than makes up for it.

I’ve been here a number of times and haven’t had a poor dish yet.  The potato pancakes were fabulously crispy and were paired with their traditional applesauce dip which was tasty enough for me to steal a few bites of while she ran to the bathroom. She made me repay her with a bite of my sandwich a few fries.  I win.

The Malt Shop

809 West 50th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55419

Written by:  Matt

I love the Malt Shoppe!  The Malts/Shakes are probably my favorite in the Twin Cities.  I got Caramel, she got chocolate with hot fudge.  It was awesome.  I must admit, I finished mine a tried to help Sabrina finish hers but it was a little too sweet for me.  First world problems.

We played with the idea of getting some food but we’ve both been burned at this place before.  Having enchiladas on the menu of a place that specializes in malts scares me, though the family next to us seemed to have no problem with the burgers, sometimes you should just stick to what you’re good at.

Pizza Nea

Pizza Nea

306 East Hennepin ave.
Minneapolis, MN.  55414

By: Matt

You can generally find a great selection of pretty much anything in Northeast MPLS.  So when we found a groupon for Pizza Nea we were excited to go.  The place itself reminded us of Punch Pizza in Highland with a small eating area, the woodfire stove, classy clientele, and a well stocked wine menu.

What we didn’t find was a pizza that really stood out.  Don’t get us wrong, this pizza won’t ruin your night or cause your date to run out the door or anything like that, but it didn’t really have us making plans to come back.  We grabbed the quatro formaggi and the salsicce pizzas and set about our meal.  The sausage in the salsicce had a bit of a kick which was rather nice but overall both pizzas lacked distinction.  The sauce and cheese were fresh but bland and left us wanting to add red pepper and parmesan cheese just to have something to hone in on.

In the end, it’s not a bad place but we were glad we didn’t pay the full price and to be honest will probably head on over to Nye’s next time we’re in that neighborhood.

Groveland Tap

1834 St. Clair ave.
St Paul, MN. 55105

By:  Sabrina and Matt

St. Paul does drinking on a Sunday night best.  Got toddlers?  Bring 'em to the Tap.  Are you a toddler?  Find someone to help you cross the street then come on in.
Any time you can get something from the kids menu and a beer in the same order you know you're in a good place.

Obviously the place has a great beer selection and the down to earth atmosphere makes you think about staying well past close.

Let's talk food:

Mac and Cheese Balls (ordering from the kids menu gets you three balls and apple sauce!):  Crunchy and deep fried on the outside, creamy and dense on the inside.  Eat it with the marinara or savor the naked bite with your eyes closed. Either way, you'll come out a winner.

The Cheese Curds:  We were planning on getting dinner elsewhere and just stopping in for a snack but these curds aren't for kids.  We did pass up the chipotle ketchup that came with them and ended up ordering some more marinara sauce but when it gets down to it, the cheese curds here don't even really need a dipping sauce.

In conclusion, Groveland Tap is like your uncle's living room, cozy in all the right places (assuming you have an uncle).

Disclaimer:  We do not assume that Groveland Tap sells to minors, in fact we highly doubt it but it's a really family friendly place so bring your babies too!

Zumbro

2803 West 43rd St.
Minneapolis, MN, 55410

By: Sabrina

I can't tell you  happy I am that we stumbled across this cafe.  I've been searching for the best brunch in the Twin Cities my entire life and am so excited to have ended this journey.  Zumbro offers the best in customer service (friendly smiles from the wait staff and quick placement of orders), delightful decor, and the best blend of sweet and savory.

The Pancakes:  The cornmeal was insane, it was so good.  You'll get two huge flapjacks so make sure you have someone to help you. 

The Chicken and Wild Rice Hash:  If you like this in a bowl, you're going to like this even better on a plate.  Everything was so fresh I felt like I was eating the rice out of a canoe.

The Bacon:  Crispy on the ends for me and thick enough that Matt would actually eat it (he's a bacon snob).  And surprisingly enough there's more meat than fat here.

The Orange Juice:  Definitely freshly squeezed.  I would like this to take up 90% of my liquid intake, sweet but in a natural way.


We left this place stuffed and looking forward to our next visit.  Unlike most of my other restaurant visits I really want to try about everything on their menu and hope that I'll get the opportunity to do so.