Restaurants...

It’s been a while since I’ve seen the word Oriental. Seems out of touch.

Well it's Hanover

My parents still say it, exclusively in reference to food. It does sound weird at this point.

My grandpa was in the navy during WWII and used other words that I don’t hear too often these days.

Oh, please. I guess you won't be shopping at Oriental Trading Company or buying an oriental rug then either.

My mom's dad was a POW camp guard in the Philippines, and yeah same.

I see the word Oriental a lot in menu items and in other products (rugs, furniture).

Not to mention the dozens and dozens of Oriental markets scattered across the twin cities.

I used to fly sometimes on Northwest Oriental.

(steering back to topic, check out the River Inn sometime)

Anyone have a good bbq place in St Louis?

Jewish food, yes. BBQ, no. Sorry. But try Morts Deli!

They have one in Missouri?

We went to the Capitalist Pig when there. It’s in an old police station right near AB and I thought it was pretty good for the style they do there

Just looked them up. They closed in 2018.

Darn...I think it was 2017 when we went there for Spring Break.

If still around try Pappy's or Bogart's.

Is it different than the Mort’s in Golden Valley?

Thanks, those look like a winner.

My wife & I went to Baldamar for dinner tonight. It’s a freestanding restaurant in the Rosedale parking lot. It was one of the best restaurant meals I’ve had in a long time. I would definitely go back.

https://www.baldamar.com/

One of my absolute favorites. It's fantastic.

Pappy's did not disappoint!

Los Dillos hit up Bebe Zito in Uptown for the weekly burger pop-up, that everyone's been losing their minds about for the past little bit here.

It was as advertised. The ice cream is phenomenal, and the burger might be the best one I've ever had. Highest of recommendations.

The burger group I'm in has had multiple thumbs up for that place.

Late post, but yesterday hit up Grizzly's in Plymouth for lunch, had their Nashville Hot Chicken Mac'n'cheese. Perfect amount of heat, and it's one of those bowls where you THINK you're almost done, but nope, not even close. Definitely recommend.

You guys are making me hungry! We don’t go out to eat much locally, even in non-covid times but I may have to try some of these places. ?

I approve of that Mac and Cheese as well. I may have to get it next time we get takeout from there.

Tomorrow is going to be a monster day for restaurant sales. Based on my difficulty in finding a Mother’s Day reservation.

Got back to Kings in Miesville for the first time in ages. Their burger is still at or near the top echelon of burgers you’ll find the Twin Cities area

Please tell me you didn’t just start looking today?

We had plans to go to MIL’s house but she’s not feeling well so had to make last minute reservations for my mom.

I am smoking 3 pork butts tomorrow. My wife’s request. I think I picked a winner!

Bobby & Steve’s Auto World in downtown Mpls. and Kwik Trips through out the metro are excellent places to get hot or cold deli food.

Bobby & Steve’s:

Baked chicken :good2:

Grilled cheese :good2:

Rib tips :good2: :good2:

Chicken salad sandwich :good2:

Peanut & Jelly sandwich :good2:

*Bobby & Steve’s in downtown Mpls had really upped their game in the last 2 years. It was ok for the previous 20 years, though in the last 2 it’s been very nice. One of the very few places I miss about living downtown.

Kwik Trip:

Beef Stroganoff :good2: :good2:

Chicken and bacon Mac and cheese :good2: :good2:

Spaghetti & meatballs :good2:

Another surprise I’ve found in the last month. With getting married and closing on the house. I’ve been some mornings to pick up a lunch. And since a Kwik Trip is down the street from the our house and my work. It’s been nice to stop in and have several good options for lunch.

Are you trying to steal Ryan Suter’s side gig?

For a $5 whole pizza, baked and good to go, Kwik Trip isn't bad at all.

Who the :censored: buys a PB&J sandwich? That is the ultimate lazy lunch.

I am reserving judgement until I hear the type of jelly and if the PB is crunchy or creamy.

Grape and creamy. I’ve asked for strawberry, but it’s always grape. I don’t keep much bread and especially jelly on hand. I’ll eat peanut butter just out of the jar, especially for breakfast. So I have no problem buy a PB&J sandwich when I don’t have 2 of the 3 items daily in my house.

I forgot to enter this last night, due to various reasons, but hit up Smokey's in East Bethel (technically Wyoming?). 1/3 rack of ribs, fresh...good God, they are as excellent as I remember them. Dry rub, they do serve sauce on the side, but meh on that.

I was having a convo with a fellow patron, they had asked to borrow my menu when I was done (we were sitting on the rail), I mentioned I only hit this place once, maybe twice a year. They asked where I was coming from. And it was a jaw-drop reaction. Apparently, word got to the bartender:

"Did you like everything? I heard you're from out of town....?"

Me: "Um..........yeah, I suppose. Minnetonka."

"HOLY SH*. Really?"

Me: Yeah, the food's worth it. It's only about 45 minutes, no biggie.

They honestly were astounded that people drive that long for good food.

So what would they say when us from the Apple Valley stop by? We went once last summer, and had we been smart also would have had dinner there yesterday.

Probably a good thing however as we saved room to pig out on D Spot wings today. ?

Smokies is in the Coon Lake Beach section of East Bethel. Coon Lake seperates from the main portion so we either go thru Ham Lake (south route) or Columbus (north route) to get there. EB has 3 different zip codes so the Wyoming zip is for "The Beach".

They have a unique vibe & neighborhood identity at The Beach. I love their food & the ownership has always been very generous to the motorcycle non-profit I was an officer of.

Best BBQ around & JT (1/3 owner), an old biker type, visits tables to check on things.

Every time I've been there, that is the case. Really nice guy.

YE and I were near Bigfork this weekend at my uncle's cabin* and Kocian's, the grocery store in town, smokes its own back and is as good as I've ever had. Well worth a stop if you're in the north woods...

It's truly a cabin, log, built in 1913 (wonder if [mention]Bladepuller[/mention] built it??? ) and been in my aunt's family since it was built. They bought it in the mid 70s and it was primarily used as a hunting shack until recently. He has put a lot into it the past several years to fix it up plus added garage and another structure with a bathroom, kitchen, bar, etc. as he didn't want to mess with the integrity of the original cabin. It's a fantastic place.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-tsuchiyama-oriental-insult-20160601-snap-story.html

We got takeout gyros from Ariana's in St Louis Park tonight after hearing about it from the Eat Minnesota food group on FB. It's one of those strip mall joints i've passed countless times and never though much about it.

It's probably the best gyro I've had in town and the mix of the Habanero Chutney and Spicy Tzatziki will have me breathing fire most of the rest of the night. It's extremely hot and spicy and gets close to the line of too much heat to enjoy despite all that flavor.

We'll definitely be going back there in the future.

Yeah it's a hidden place but always killer when we get it.

What FB group are you referring to ? I'd be interested.

Best taco place in Apple Valley, Rosemount, Lakeville and Burnsville area?

My wife and I would go to R Taco every other Sunday evening after church in downtown Mpls. Now that we live in Rosemount, downtown Mpls. is not an option. We like El Azteca in Apple Valley for sit down tacos or Mexican food. Though looking for a place similar to R Taco.

It’s called Eat Minnesota.

Senser’s closed today??

I saw on Twitter that the one in Bloomington was torn down and the Toyota dealership down the street is building a new location on that site.

My wife and I are still looking for our taco hole... but our restaurant is hands down Ole Piper in Lakeville/Rosemount (Just like my house. In Rosemount, but pay Lakeville taxes). Plus, even though she doesn't drink and I pretty much have stopped. It's still within walking distance!!!

Pretty sure I know the 'hood you're in, had a couple of close friends who grew up right there. If memory serves one of the roads heading east from/near the Piper leads to (or near) park with a nice outdoor rink. Or, at least it did many moons ago.

Yep... They are building basketball and pickleball courts now in that park.