470972 Wed Dec 19 09:30:51 -0800 2007 14 8 Midwest 0 3222015 Recent Minneapolis implant looking for some ideas as to where to find some good chow. First of all, distance is not an issue but I do live in St.Louis Park. In short I'm looking for some really good food that won't burst my wallet yet still satisfy me. I absolutely love to find those small hole in the wall places that you'll drive great distances to just to wait for one of the 6 tables they have. On the other hand I'm open to some of what the downtown area has to offer. I love Italian food, Mexican food and most european dishes (English, Irish, etc). Open to more but those are my favorites by far. Things I'm particularly searching for: * The best place to get pasta, any kind. * The best place to get an enchiladas. * The best place to get an organic meal. * The best place to get a steak. * The best place to get fish and chips. * The best place to get a home cooked meal my mother would make. * The best place to get a quick yet satisfying lunch. * The best place to get a really good pizza. I appreciate any advice anyone in MSP may have. Wed Dec 19 09:30:51 -0800 2007 151098 chadgrandy 1 3222242 My picks. Be warned I do not leave Mpls unless it is for something extraordinary and my picks skew NE Mpls since that's where we live. * The best place to get pasta: Broders. Hand's down. Get the #19. South Mpls. 50th & Penn. * The best place to get an enchiladas: Not a fan. Gorditas el Gordo & Pinedas have great mexican/C.A. street food. Mercado central has great places. All of these are on Lake St east of SLP/Uptown. There are many good C.A. spots all over and I am sure some of them have enchilladas. * The best place to get an organic meal. We love INutrients by our place (NE Mpls on E Hennepin). Great happy hour on organic wines as well. Spoonriver & Brenda have local, not sure about organic (Mill District & Warehouse District). I think many people have gotten over organic in favor of local (which is often also organic). People love Ecopolitan (Wedge/Uptown), I think it is bland. * The best place to get a steak. In order. Manny's. Morton's (yes the chain). Murray's. (All downtown) for $$$. Erte for $$ (NE Mpls). There is a new place from the guys @ Town Talk coming to St Paul soon called The Stip Club (clever) that might not suck. * The best place to get fish and chips. Brit's (downtown). The Local and Kieren's (downtown) are ok, but overbreaded. Keegan's (NE Mpls) is terrible. Overbreaded, overcooked, fish jerky. * The best place to get a home cooked meal my mother would make. Not sure where your mom is from or what her food tastes like, but we like the Modern Cafe (NE Mpls), 112 Eatery (warehouse district), Lurcat (Loring Park) and several others for American food. Additionally, Big Daddy's BBQ (St Paul) and Brasa (NE Mpls) are more in line with what I grew up with, but I grew up in the south. * The best place to get a quick yet satisfying lunch. Depends on where you are. Uncle Frankie's is awesome (Plymouth & NE Mpls). Embarrassingly, I eat powerbars for lunch during the week, so I have no opinion. * The best place to get a really good pizza. You're about to see a can of worms opened with this one. We like Punch & Nea equally (Neopolitan). There is a Punch very near SLP across from Calhoun Village. Crescent Moon (NE Mpls) makes our favorite pizza in Mpls however. It's Afghani and it is great. Many people enjoy what I guess can be called Minnesotan pizza, which in every incarnation I have had has been reminicent of wet cardboard with Ragu and McCormic pizza seasoning on it, cut into unmanagable squares so your hands get messy. I don't get the appeal, but again, I'm not from around here originally either. Noticably absent from your request list are any kind of Asian foods. We are lucky to have some very good Vietnamese, Malaysian, Szechuan, Cambodian, Thai, Laosian, Cantonese, Afghan, and Nepalese restaurants as well as good Sushi/Japanese and Indian spots. Additionally, some very good African food/restaurants (Ethiopian, Guyanese, Moraccan, Somali, etc) Hole in the wall places we like: Mairin's Table, Koyi, Sabor Latino, Pinedas, Nala Pak, Obento Ya, Caspian Bistro, The Modern, Spring St Tavern and a few others. Wed Dec 19 10:34:50 -0800 2007 3222015 59069 Foureyes137 1 3222350 Welcome! My places are pretty much scattered around MSP although some links I provide will be closer to home (yours, not mine). * The best place to get pasta, any kind. 112 Eatery, "stringozzi w/lamb sugo" ($8/16) or "tagliatelle w/foie gras meatballs" ($12/24). www.112eatery.com Honorable mentions: Broder's ( www.broders.com ), Osteria I Nonni ( www.buongiornoitalia.biz ) * The best place to get an enchiladas. I'm not an expert there but El Buritto Mercado in St. Paul would be my first stop. * The best place to get an organic meal. Birchwood Cafe (casual, three meals a day. www.birchwoodcafe.com ) or Restaurant Alma (dinner, more upscale. www.restaurantalma.com ) * The best place to get a steak Several recent threads. Here's one that starts out kind of lame (because of the question) but has good info: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/468312 * The best place to get fish and chips. Again, several recent threads. This is not an MSP specialty. Here's an in-depth discussion: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/434030 *The best place to get a home cooked meal my mother would make. I'm not sure how good a cook your mother is. I absolutely love Emily's F&M Cafe in North Minneapolis. Your standard blue collar place...meatloaf sandwiches, hot open-faced turkey sandwiches, etc. Emily may as well be everyone's mother in the place -- that's how she treats patrons. A true blue family run place. 2124 44th Ave N (at Penn Ave). Also Our Kitchen in South Minneapolis (W 36th and Lyndale). Good Day Cafe in Golden Valley is a good bet and close to your place as well. Oh...for breakfast, Al's Breakfast is a must. * The best place to get a quick yet satisfying lunch. How to narrow this down? In St. Louis Park area, definitely start with this thread for ideas: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/468955 Then read this: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/448982 (I started this thread when I started working in GV which is right next door to SLP). * The best place to get a really good pizza. (I'm glad you said "really good" and not "great"!) PROCEED WITH CAUTION. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. For some reason, we on this board love to fight about pizza. You'll probably witness that in this thread in a few posts. Just a guess. I love pizza in nearly every form. So here's my list (remembering that IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR PREFERRED STYLE OF PIZZA). Deep dish, a la Chicago: None that are good. Italian Pie Shoppe has sometimes come through in a pinch. I generally ignore this genre in MSP though. Neapolitan VPN: Punch, original St. Paul location only (they have several locations with pared down menus designed for more rapid take-out business. The other locations have debateable consistency) Now....there will be many that will say Punch is too burnt/soggy/small/not special/whatever. Keep in mind that VPN pizzas have very, very specific ingredient standards and cooking methods. The pizzas at Punch, in my experience and in comparison to other VPN places around the U.S. are excellent representations of this genre. This thread provides some interesting reading: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/336559 Neapolitan non-VPN: Pizza Nea. Also Buon Giorno Market in Lilydale (same outfit as I Nonni) although there is a slight drop off in ingredient quality. N.Y. Style: Joey Nova's in Plymouth does a good job. Also available by the slice, though it sometimes suffers during reheating late in the day. Thin, cracker crust, cut into squares: Brianno's in Eagan. The Brianno's Special is absolutely addicting. Excellent sandwiches as well. Mega-greasy, college grade, cheap ingredient stuff: Carbone's (various locations). 3" thick, cut-into-squares, kitchen sink: The "Top of the Line" at Old World Pizza in Inver Grove Heights/SSP. Wed Dec 19 11:01:35 -0800 2007 3222015 11110 MSPD 2 3226541 Another great cracker crust square cut is Toast in the Warehouse District. Thu Dec 20 14:56:08 -0800 2007 3222350 13136 Loren3 3 3227676 See, I don't know that I would call that pizza, but flatbread or whatever the trend is this week. Obviously those at Toast are almost identical to the flatbreads at Auriga (and delicious). Additionally, if you like flatbreads, Red Stag has some passable to good renditions. Beat Redstone's flatbreads anyway. Fri Dec 21 05:04:11 -0800 2007 3226541 59069 Foureyes137 2 3226551 Also, one of the most "fun" pizza places in town is Psycho Suzi's. Tiki bar ambience, great outdoor patio, heavily tattood/pierced waitstaff, funky apps (deviled eggs, tater tots), two kinds of pizza crust, 5 kinds sauce, dozens of toppings. Thu Dec 20 14:58:27 -0800 2007 3222350 13136 Loren3 1 3222501 Welcome! You've got some good tips so far. Here are a few more. * Mexican food I'm not an enchilada fan - I go for tacos with exciting fillings - but you'll do fine at most hole-in-the-wall places. Explore Lake Street from the lakes to the river - there are dozens of places to try. (I really like La Hacienda.) Be sure to get to Midtown Global Market - try the seafood at La Sirena Gorda, the tacos al pastor at Los Ocampo, and the tamales at La Loma. Then go to El Mercado Central for a torta or some pupusas. * The best place to get an organic meal. For mostly organic, try Birchwood, Ecopolitan, French Meadow Bakery, and the Seward Cafe (vegetarian). Also, "local" usually means "organic if possible" - check out this article on the top restauranteurs who specialize in local food: http://www.mspmag.com/dining/bestrestaurants2007/66658.asp And here's a helpful thread on good restaurants. MSP "Best of" Lists http://www.chowhound.com/topics/442727 Most of all, have fun exploring and please report back on what you find and like! Anne Wed Dec 19 11:40:00 -0800 2007 3222015 12541 AnneInMpls 2 3222537 Adding more Places links for the restaurants listed above. Anne Wed Dec 19 11:49:31 -0800 2007 3222501 12541 AnneInMpls 3 3222579 More places links. (Can you tell I'm avoiding my work?) Anne Wed Dec 19 11:56:20 -0800 2007 3222537 12541 AnneInMpls 4 3222676 Your gumption is greater than my laziness. Thanks for the links! Wed Dec 19 12:23:33 -0800 2007 3222579 59069 Foureyes137 1 3223809 "The best place to get pasta: Broders. Hand's down. Get the #19. South Mpls. 50th & Penn" Or the 11 - its heaven!! Welcome to MSP. Wed Dec 19 18:53:48 -0800 2007 3222015 18536 St Paul Susie 1 3224781 * The best place to get pasta, any kind. Broder's Pasta Bar * The best place to get an enchiladas. Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas at Tejas * The best place to get a steak. Morton's * The best place to get fish and chips. St. Clair Broiler * The best place to get a home cooked meal my mother would make. Your home, with your mother's recipe box and a trip to the store * The best place to get a quick yet satisfying lunch. Yum! at the Hwy 7/Minnetonka/Lake St. triangle in St. Louis Park -- get the tarragon chicken salad sandwich * The best place to get a really good pizza. Punch/Pizza Nea Thu Dec 20 07:09:41 -0800 2007 3222015 123056 mplsmike 1 3225027 This won't answer your list, but I do want to let you know if you like small hole-in-the wall places please don't be afraid to head down Lake street (Excelsion / Hwy 7 / 5 (minnetonka blvd) turn into this, and take a left after Kmart (go north). Get yourself behind Kmart to what we call "Eat Street". Awnings & small signs adorn blocks & blocks of little authentic restaurants of *almost* every cuisine (I don't think there's Italian), specializing in the best "xxx" for under $10! Places like Azia and those closer to downtown are a bit more pricey (still under $20) at the expense of non-cafeteria atmosphere, but even that, as is most everything on the road, is a 1-of-a-kind experience (no chain restaurants, really.. maybe local chains). You'll also find little ethnic groceries that often offer freshly made food from their deli or little food stands inside. If it's too intimidating, go back towards SLP and get yourself onto Lyndale. Again, many little one-of restaurants, in cafe-style.. but more American-style fare (sandwiches, breakfast all day, deli food etc). The Midtown Global Market is kinda similar, but all inside. To get there, don't turn at Kmart.. go for another 3/4 mile or so. You'll see yellow awnings on your left, and a parking ramp immediately following the big building (again on the left) =) It's a really cool part of town to explore.. even though you may see bars on some windows, it's still just Minneapolis.. ;) Thu Dec 20 08:15:21 -0800 2007 3222015 120962 reannd 2 3225273 And don't forget all the awesome Mexican places between the Kmart and the Midtown Global Market (and beyond.) La Taquaria La Hacienda and Pineda Tacos are favorites, as well as Manny's Tortas. Lots of Mexican/Latin American Markets too. Thu Dec 20 09:14:15 -0800 2007 3225027 56203 churchka 1 3228153 Check out the Szechuan menu at Tea House in Plymouth (or Maplewood). If you're ever down in Apple Valley, do not miss Satay 2 Go. Chicken Satay out of this world. The curry chicken pastries are amazing as well. Fri Dec 21 08:22:11 -0800 2007 3222015 27956 JimGrinsfelder