Travail - Robbinsdale, MN

Omg. I don't know how else to sum this place up. What a fantastic spot, and in Robbinsdale no less. Since they don't take reservations, two girlfriends and I headed down pretty early so we wouldn't have to wait and good thing we did. We sat down right away at the bar, but maybe 10 minutes after we were nose deep in a glass of wine the list at the door was at least five or six parties long. The service at this place is awesome. Just a bunch of hipster dudes who obviously love food running their own joint which is clearly their dream come true. The chalkboard menus were lengthy in desireable treats, and I think we sampled a good deal of them. We shared a bunch of plates, including the Figlets (bacon wrapped figs - just try to go wrong with that), Bleu Cheese Tots (seriously), Scallops (not my favorite, but only because I wasn't expecting the mushies in the bowl), and Pork Belly with this amazing carrot puree with honey dijon mustard. Now that was pretty amazing. The plating here is phenomenal - you just don't even want to eat anything because it's all so playful and thought out. One of the girls ordered a bowl of the soup de jour, black bean with a cream based sauce and a butter-poached onion ring. YUUUUUM. So creamy and delicious, this soup was so comfy and flavorful that it was really hard not to steal the bowl from my girlfriend. She also ordered Fish and Chips, which were to die for. The fish was so delicate and perfectly prepared, with a light batter that was perfectly done, slices of potatoes and a fried egg on top. There was also a delicious little pile of pickled onions off to the side to act as a cole slaw accompaniment. Tasty. We felt the need for more, and ordered the Italian Sausage Pate Melt. Holy SHIT is all I can say. I was a little hesitant about this one, but the server suggested it so we went with it. It came with some home cut fries which were fried in some delicious meatty fat. But that sandwich, oh man. The perfect pretzel roll with a briny mix of olives or gardiniera or some kind of pickled heaven topped the sausage. This thing was amazing, I have to tell you. Probably the best sandwich I've had in a while, and certainly one I'll crave. Oh but then the desserts. Oh the desserts! We ordered the tasting menu, which was this circus of the most perfect little bites and pieces of sweet and tart goodness. The first was a spoonful of Peanut Butter Sugar Cookie. Need I say more? It was cookie dough, people. Another was a plate of peanut and cherry concoctions, served in multiple ways, oh and of course there was chocolate. Another plate came out in a bowl and the pastry dude poured liquid nitrogen in the Pineapple Fruit Bowl. It looked like a tiny tropical garden, with pineapple and other tropical fruits served a few different ways. The last was the Apple oh god what did they call it, something like Apple Madness or something cute that described it perfectly. Raw apples, apple tart with caramel, apple sorbet, apple and celery foam, baked apple with caramel. Go here. Go to Robbinsdale and just eat here, for the love of God. It will be worth the wait. Every bite was scrumptuous.

Nectar Wine Bar & Bistro - Osseo, MN

Last night I entertained some clients out in Osseo near the office, and we took a group of 10 to Nectar Wine Bar & Bistro. It's a small, local spot that was a bit flustered when we called for a same day reservation for a party of 10 - the place only seats 50. The place was super cute and pretty quaint, located on the main drag in "downtown" Osseo. The decor was a little outdated. Dark curtains and upholstered chairs allows for a darker environment, but the service was friendly and they did a great job with a larger table for such a small place. They have a great selection of wines by the glass, and at decent prices. The specialty cocktail menu looked pretty interesting as well - nothing that jumped out at my taste, but those in our party that tried one enjoyed it. I shared the Hawaiian Poke "Tostada" with one of my coworkers, and we both really enjoyed it. The chunks of tuna were generous and fresh, with a small cabbage salad on a crisp homemade tostada and a little drizzle of a yummy Asian inspired sauce. The serving comes with two decent sized tostadas, and I thought it was perfect to share with my friend. For an entree, I ordered the Hoison-glazed quail with butternut squash risotto. I have to admit, this seemed a bit too autumn-ish for mid-April, but it sounded good so I gave it a try. The quail was okay - the sauce was good, but it wasn't anything I'd order again. The risotta was flavored well but wasn't cooked to perfection. Had a few tough little pieces here and there. The presentation of the meals left something to be desired of a place with a relatively epicurean menu. My neighbor ordered the cioppino which looked pretty tasty, and she really enjoyed it. The spare ribs also looked great (I can't believe I was able to resist ordering that one) but the portions were pretty hefty. We ordered a couple dishes of ice cream to share, and they were okay. Definitely not something I'd write home about or recommend having. All in all though, the atmosphere was very pleasant and comfortable, and it was a nice little find out in the burbs. Off the main dining room there is a tiny little bar that I'm a lot more interested in coming back to visit. Super cute, tiny little spot and with a nice wine menu I would definitely stop by again for cocktails after work.

Urban Eatery - Lake Calhoun

I met up with a few girls at Urban Eatery for happy hour last Thursday. Located in the Calhoun Beach Club, this place has a great vibe and is a perfect spot for an evening drink and nibble. The crowd is definitely an affluent one, not surprising considering the location inside the CBC. There's parking in the building (enter on the East side of the building) and it's only $1 to validate with your server. Huge plus considering the busy locale, and in the summer I have a hard time imagining any available street parking. I had (two) Margarita Locos, a mango jalapeno margarita. This new spicy/infused tequila margarita trend is definitely a no brainer for me, and this cocktail was awesome. Totally refreshing, and the mango jalapeno combo is a great spring or summer drink. The menu was restrained, but had some tasty sounding options. I ordered the steamed pork buns (treats I quickly came to love after traveling to Asia earlier this year). They were pretty good, nothing crazy exciting, but I would absolutely hit this place up again for appetizers and drinks.

Fusion - Uptown Minneapolis

Oh it's been a while. I've definitely explored a few new spots but haven't written in much too long! Two weeks ago I ventured to Fusion in Uptown with a few friends. Not entirely impressive from the outside (the place could do with some more upscale signage, especially considering the $$ we spent), when you enter Fusion it's a pleasant, Asian inspired hot spot. It was cold enough for a few of us to take advantage of the coat check at the door, which is always a nice value-add in the Midwest. I ordered a specialty cocktail with ginger and champagne (youzers...$$$!), which I enjoyed but certainly wasn't about to order another one at those prices. Definitely not worth the price. Our service was great - the server was always there at the right time, but didn't hover too often like some can. The place was bustling, and the lighting was pretty dim so the scene was set for romantic, trendy date night for Uptowners. We ordered a few sushi rolls - spicy tuna (the old stand by) and the Copacetic roll, which has the little crunchies you just love. I thought both were fantastic - I'd definitely go back to try more sushi. The side of edamame was a bit oversalted for my taste. Then we ordered the spinach artichoke dip which is upscaled with truffle oil. Deeelicious! The bread was like this toasted ciabatta type bread that was crunchy and buttery on the outside and soft inside. The menu definitely had a random mix - hence the "Fusion" title. Luckily one of my friends had a Groupon that cut our bill down, but even after the $50 off it was still a pretty steep bill, especially considering we didn't order more than two beverages each and only had a few plates to share. I'd love to go back, but might want to wait for the next Groupon deal.

Chino Latino - Uptown

Friday night date night with the roommate took us to Uptown to get our hair did and do a little shopping, and top the night off with dinner and drinks. We shook the Urban Spoon ap and landed on Chino Latino, which is a popular spot on Hennepin and Lake. Outside there is a sparkly, twinkly awning that hints at a party. Inside pumps some hot house music, and the crowd at 8:30 p.m. on a Friday night was dense and beautiful. Girls were dressed in their weekend semi-skank attire, lots of couples lined the hallway to get a table at what was clearly one of THE spots to check in at in Uptown. The bar glowed orange, and the vibe in the place was chic and cool. We felt a little underdressed in our jeans and flats, but the lighting in the dining area was dark enough where no one could tell we were less than perfect.

We had a great table facing the street, perfect for people watching - or so we thought. Instead we realized that our view was mainly our fellow Chino Latino patrons who stepped outside for a smoke.

The concept of this place was cool - food from places along the equator. There was a mix of Jamaican, Mexican, Indonesian, Korean (a little too far north I think, but I'll let it slide), Thai and some other cuisines in between. I had a margarita, which from their lengthy tequila selection you'd think would be amazing, but it was just OK. I've had better (shout out to Cempazuchi in Milwaukee!!!!). We ordered a sushi roll and queso fondido to start, although I have to say that mixing sushi with a cheese dish freaked me out a little. The sushi was incredibly disappointing. We ordered the Snoop Dogg roll, which was all fancy and expensive, but did not taste good. I should have learned by now that sushi anywhere other than a sushi restaurant is just never up to par. The queso was pretty tasty, how can you go wrong?, but the portion was a little hefty for something considered a "small plate to share." By that time, I was already on my way to being full. We ordered next the Dynamite Scallops which were listed in bold on the menu, suggesting "order me I'm a favorite!" Maybe we took it the wrong way, because it was not very good. A weird combo of ingredients left the plate a little mushy and the flavors confusing, and the rice puff cracker thingies were just a weird accompaniment.

We were both really disappointed, and while we both had a sweet tooth for dessert we agreed that we definitely didn't want to take a chance on this place satisfying the itch. For such a cool, pulsing scene the food at Chino Latino left something to be desired. I'd for sure head back for a cocktail (they did have some specialty drinks that sounded pretty enticing) but will certainly skip the food.

If you plan on taking a chance on this place, make a reservation and wear something black, skimpy and shiny. You'll fit right in.

Wildfire - Eden Prairie, MN

My boyfriend's brother and his girlfriend live down in Shakopee, and we decided to meet in the middle for dinner a few nights ago. We landed on Wildfire at the Eden Prairie mall. A little bit of an odd choice for St. Patrick's Day, and for a younger group of people in general, but Mary had been there before and said the food was really good. I got there a little early and sat in the bar while I was waiting. I liked the cocktail lounge, it's dark mood lighting and the comfy leather chairs. The bartender was an older guy, as were the majority of the clientele for that matter. This is definitely a spot for business drinks or a date night for 40-somethings.

Our table wasn't in the main dining room, but in a little side room close to the hostess stand. We were seated next to a table of about 10 senior citizens. I guess in general I felt way too young to be at this steak and chops restaurant. Their wine by the glass choices were pretty good, actually. I had a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc which I'm not sure I've ever seen as a choice by the glass.

We shared a goat cheese appetizer which was pretty tasty, and the bread they brought was really soft and yummy. When the waitress took our order, I asked for her recommendation on either the small or large size chopped salad and without hesitation she said the small. Mary ordered the filet trio and Scott the roasted chicken. When the food arrived, holy mother you should have seen this "small" salad! It was massive. Very good, the dressing was a citrus vinagrette, but I felt like I ate two heads of lettuce without making any kind of apparent dent in the portion.

So we're done with dinner and all of a sudden the waitress came over with a little chocolate cake with a candle in it. "Did someone say it was their birthday?!" she said. We all looked at each other and started to laugh. "Uh, no?" So we got to share a free flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. I'm not a cake fan, but this thing was actually really good. A nice, and rich, way to end the meal.

All in all, if you need to find a nice place to take your parents (or grandparents for that matter) Wildfire would be a good choice. The food wasn't a disappointment, but the atmosphere wasn't ideal for a young group of wippersnappers, but at least we left with good food in our bellies.

Victory 44 - North Minneapolis

BACON. How I love thee. And so do the guys who run Victory 44. Yum, yum, yum. My friend Courtney and I headed out this afternoon for lunch and she recommended this spot, and I'm so glad she did. I love cute little gastropubs like this. Everything on the chalkboard menu looked amazing. We started off with the Devils on Horseback, delicious little morsels of bacon-wrapped dates topped with a bacon foam and accompanied with some apple cider gelee. Heavenly. The bacon was perfectly cooked and smoky, and the rich little bites were a great start to our afternoon feast. We went with a few of our server's recommendations for the main courses: the burger and the cheese agnolotti. We split both meals between us, and I have to say that it was hard to give up the other half of that burger. To me, what makes a good burger is the bun. And anything toasted with butter is a great start. Topped with melted white cheddar (yum #1), bacon (yum #2) and house-made pickles (yum #3) every single bite of this sandwich was unbelievably perfect. The side of bacon-fried French fries didn't hurt matters, either. The agnolotti was a great second choice. Baconless, the little pasta were filled with a cheesy center and smothered in a buttery kim chi sauce. Sounds a little odd, right? But oh, so tasty. Loved the crisp vinegary flavors of the cabbage with the richness of the sauce.

We could have done without the dessert, but couldn't say no. I was underwhelmed by the panna cotta - seemed too firm to me and too big of a portion for my liking. The apple sorbet was tasty and very tart, but next time I'd probably try something different or skip dessert entirely. They did bring us some homemade cookies though, and those weren't anything to frown about.

All in all, I loved this place and their celebration of the pig. It might be hard to find a burger as tasty as this one, and I know that it will be a craving on those mornings when salty, greasy burgers are mandatory (aka, hangovers). Can't wait to take my boyfriend here when he gets to town. This has definitely become an instant favorite in my book.