120943 Mon Aug 12 13:08:18 -0700 2002 10 8 Midwest 0 658833 Is there a Minneapolis restaurant that is very good? People speak about Lucia's, but I have found this to: a) be a NY wannabe, b) have erratic service: when ordering coffee, coffe has been brought without sugar, which, when brought was brought so late the coffee was cold. Brasserie Zinc is a mediocre attempt to offer French food. Zelo's has potential but doesn't quite cut it. Roger Mon Aug 12 13:08:18 -0700 2002 0 Roger Purr 1 658834 A week ago I might have mentioned Aquavit but can't after the awful service I received there last week. I know others have complained about this recently, but it was so unlike every other time I've been there that I have to share. We were seated promptly but then completely ignored for 15 minutes -- no one took our drink order, food order or even ran by to mention they'd be with us shortly. The restaurant was very quiet at the time and we watched other parties come in, be seated and order beverages and food before we were even approached. We finally had to flag someone down and ask to be helped despite making eye contact with multiple servers. The server that eventually arrived did not know the menu and treated us as if we were five; he wasn't condescending but rather over-explained things ("This is butter and many people enjoy it on their bread," "Those red things are lingonberries," etc.). In Aquavit's defense, my parents were there a few nights later and had a great experience and usually the staff goes out of its way to help us -- rearranging furniture in the bar area when we had a large group, humoring us while we sang Swedish drinking songs during flights of aquavit, etc. That doesn't excuse the poor service of last week, though. Mon Aug 12 14:27:33 -0700 2002 658833 0 Amy 1 658862 Here are a few in the Twin Cities I would consider very good: (In no particular order) Auriga Aquavit Bobino Chan's Seafood Punch Woodfire Pizza Jasmine Deli Quang Vincent Oddfellow's Risorante Luci La Belle Vie Restaurant Alma Lucia's (I disagree, it does want to be NYC) Turtle Bread Company Fuji Ya Udupi Athens Cafe Lucille's Kitchen Zumbro Cafe Wed Aug 14 12:20:59 -0700 2002 658833 0 Josh Resnik 2 658864 Josh, Thanks for the suggestions. Any suggestions for good coffee? Wed Aug 14 17:04:14 -0700 2002 658862 0 Roger Purr 3 658876 Get the peaberry at Anodyne, 43rd (?) and Nicolett So. Thu Aug 15 17:37:36 -0700 2002 658864 0 Kate 3 659567 anybody know about a restaurant named fema or phema and if so does it have a web site. Tue Oct 22 04:10:46 -0700 2002 658864 0 jason 4 659608 Fhima restaurant in St. Paul - Lawson building. David Fhima is the owner. Fri Oct 25 11:36:59 -0700 2002 659567 0 Ruth 4 659609 Fhima restaurant in St. Paul - Lawson building. David Fhima is the owner. Fri Oct 25 11:37:22 -0700 2002 659567 0 Ruth 3 659568 anybody know about a restaurant named fema or phema and if so does it have a web site. What i am looking for is recipe for the thai peanut sauce with green beans. i am a chef from sioux falls s.d. i was recently in minneapolis and had this appetizer it was fantastic. i want more!!! anyway if any one has info please mail. thanks jason rasmussen--theos great food Tue Oct 22 04:21:53 -0700 2002 658864 0 jason 1 658874 When you mention NY, I take pause. You will not find a Bernardin, Bouley, Daniel, etc here. I moved from NY to Nashville three years ago and did not expect much in the way of good restaurants, and was still disappointed. The Twin Cities (I now live in Minneapolis) have much better restaurants than Nashville, but I have found that outside of large cities, the gems tend to be mostly downscale. (There are little gems and big diamonds in NY). One of my favorites here is Chiapas. Numbered menu begins with #17. Gotta love it. Thu Aug 15 13:08:43 -0700 2002 658833 0 Chuck Kirkpatrick 1 658878 I've lived in both NYC & Minneapolis St. Paul. I think the best bets in MSP if you want to spend dosh are the "silly" fancy places. Definitely not the "we take ourselves ultra seriously" fancy places. You want the ones that are expensive . . . but midwest silly. Laid back. I'd rather eat at Manny's than Smith & Wolensky in Manhattan any day. Just because it's sillier, cheaper, friendlier, and the steak's better. Save your money for the REAL thing on a visit to NYC. Serious and Chandleresque attempts outside of the real Gotham are the kiss of death (although they likely cannot realize it these days as MSP increasingly forgets it's on a mosquito infested priarie with a continental climate from hell) for the upscale restaurant in the provinces. I recall the glory days of the Hotel Sofitel in Blooington The Cafe Royale. They served the most glorious ELK STEAKS! I rest my case. Silly, proud to be local, & delicieux. Thu Aug 15 19:44:02 -0700 2002 658833 0 Mike