Category Archives: Restaurant Reviews

An Epic Food Crawl With Marilyn Hagerty

Posted on by
Reply

I never expected that, “Oh my goodness, more drinks?” would be a recurring thought running through my head on Thursday evening. 

The 2013 North Dakota Writers and Bloggers Workshop hosted by the North Dakota Department of Commerce June 6-7th was propelled by a food crawl through downtown Bismarck with Marilyn Hagerty. Our plan was to wander to a few of her favorite restaurants in downtown Bismarck and mingle over tasting menus. No one, not even the event’s organizers, predicted the extent to which the restaurants rolled out their red carpets.

Last spring, when Hagerty’s earnest review of The Olive Garden in Grand Forks went viral, I might have had some snarky things to say. But I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I didn’t like what I saw. I had become the very thing I despised the most in other foodies. Pretentious. The Olive Garden review was my first introduction to Hagerty’s THE EATBEAT column published in the Grand Forks Herald and I’ve looked forward to reading it each week, ever since. 

Wednesday is EATBEAT day and it’s the first thing I enjoy with my coffee in the morning. I’ve read Hagerty’s reviews from years ago in addition to those written during the past year and appreciate how they range from chain restaurants to small town cafes to Le Bernadin. They’re concise and never boring. By the time she appeared as a guest judge on Top Chef Season 10: Seattle, this new North Dakotan felt like a real North Dakotan and cheered on our hometown hero.

On this evening, we began at Pirogue Grille and enjoyed a four-course tasting menu created by proprietors, Chef Stewart and Cheryl Tracy. We got acquainted over baskets of crusty bread with soft butter, rhubarb cocktails, and smoky red wine, followed by beet salad, venison sausage and a walleye cake, and a rosy slice of bison. Many of us were tickled pink to taste our first morel and then there was dessert that thrilled even me, who typically prefers salty over sweet. 

A silky ball of ice cream coated in crunchy nougat floated in a boat of rhubarb soup. It was Willy Wonka whimsical and filled me with glee. I’ve never tasted anything like it and have come to accept I probably never will.

From Pirogue Grille, we wandered to Peacock Alley and I was nervous to find myself sitting near Marilyn. She graciously answered all of our questions, asked some of her own, and shared stories. Peacock Alley’s tasting menu was as extravagant as its décor. Think newly renovated stained glass windows and billowy tent-like ceilings. I wasn’t surprised to learn it’s popular amongst suited legislators. Our eyes and stomachs bulged upon sight of an eight-course tasting menu complete with drink pairings. 

I won’t try to describe each course, but many contained beef that was every bit as good as their National Food Service Beef Backer award implied. It proudly decorated the middle of our table. I knew I was in trouble when I started feeling full after the first course of Asian Nachos made with crispy wonton chips and beef short ribs. 


After the third, I considered waving my napkin as a white flag. By the final course, I giggled at my collection of drinks ranging from a Bloody Mary to an espresso Martini and managed to push down a frosty, sugarcoated doughnut with the chew of a beignet.

Our walk to Fireflour Pizza felt more like a waddle. Those who attended Fargo’s Street Fair last year may remember Fireflour’s pizza oven. Co-owner Kenny Howard showered us with marinated olives and four of their Neapolitan-style pizzas with airy, blistered crusts.

They reminded me of the Twin Cities’ popular Punch Pizza, except, dare say, bigger and better? We all stood up and raised our arms, trying to will more room into our stomachs. The evening ended as Howard passed around tiny cups of housemade gelato flavored like salted caramel and lemon.

What had originally been planned as a three-hour food crawl grew into four, and, over the span of a single evening, we left feeling like friends. Extremely full friends. I will always sitting on Fireflour’s sidewalk patio that cool summer evening listening to the trains passing. It was as lovely like Marilyn’s humility and inspiring like her confidence. In fact, I was humbled by the hospitality and warmth I found in the rest of the cohort, as well as the participating restaurants. I think her best piece of advice that evening was simply to be authentic, something that makes writers and non-writers, alike, stand apart. 

North Dakota’s rich with talented writers and bloggers and ripe with stories to tell. Come find us or try your hand at crafting some of your own.

Photo courtesy of ND Dept. of Commerce

You can read Marilyn’s thoughts on the workshop here.

IF YOU GO:

What: Pirogue Grille
Where: 121 North 4th Street, Bismarck
When: Tues-Sat, 5 p.m.-close
Info: http://www.piroguegrille.com/

What: Peacock Alley
Where: 422 East Main Avenue, Bismarck
When: Mon-Thurs, 11 a.m.-Midnight, Fri, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sat, 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Sun, Closed (Kitchen open until 11 p.m. Mon-Sat)
Info: http://peacock-alley.com/

What: Fireflour Pizza
Where: 111 North 5th Street, Bismarck
When: Tues-Thurs, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Info: http://www.fireflourpizza.com/

Thoughts On RibFest 2013: Blooming Onion Redemption

Posted on by
2

RibFest is totally overpriced. It’s messy, the music features throwback bands, and the food is a gamble. But we all end up going anyway. Sometimes, more than once.

The prior weekend, they started inflating the gazillions of jumping contraptions and on June 5th, RibFest opened in all of its glory. The first band to play was Sugar Ray. Welcome to 1998.

My husband received a couple of free RibFest tickets at work and refused to use them on a Sugar Ray concert. We compromised by sitting on lawn chairs and listening to them from our balcony over beers. For as much grief as I give Mark McGrath, we had a wonderful time. The evening was refreshingly cool and there was no wind, a eerie rarity on this windy prairie. We watched the band leap back and forth across the stage and I only remember laughing at them once. It was one of those tranquil moments you want to save for later and revisit when life feels overwhelming.

We went to RibFest on Friday evening when Blue Oyster Cult was performing. To save a few bucks, we enjoyed a beer at Buffalo Wild Wings before hawking over $6 per beer at the event.

My husband and I shared a boat of jalapeno cheese curds before searching for ribs. These would be the best thing we tasted that evening. I don’t remember the vendor’s name, but it was generic and served curds at a few stations. 

Stringy cheese. Crunchy, greaseless coating, and large slices of jalapenos. What’s not to like?

We settled into the long line at the Cowboys Barbeque and Rib Co. from Weatherford, TX. Several of us have actually eaten barbecue in Texas and our friends chose this stand assuming they’d be good. To give you an idea about pricing, they charged $7 for three ribs. These weren’t Flinstones-sized ribs but regular pork ribs. We ordered a half slab, plus a sides of macaroni and cheese and baked beans, each of which cost an additional $3.

Honestly, everything on this platter was rather unappealing.

The ribs were tough and fatty. Their smoked flavor reminded me of the smell of mothballs. The barbecue sauce was fine if bland.

The mac and cheese and baked beans were scooped in measly portions that couldn’t have amounted to more than a half cup each. The macaroni and cheese was lukewarm with a weird, plasticy aftertaste and I had to really fish through the watery, bland bean liquid to find any beans. Looking back over my 2012 RibFest posts, I notice we unintentionally returned to the same vendor we visited last year with similar results. It came as no surprise this vendor didn’t win any awards.

I didn’t leave until I got my blooming onion. Our second visit to Ribfest 2012 was a disaster. We quickly abandoned my quest because the scary, drunk man who stood behind me at the ATM followed us to the event and tailed us as we wove through the crowd.

The onion petals were crisp and the staff actually took time to drain off most of the oil. The orange lava flow of sauce tasted sweet. I sprinkled the onion with various seasoning salts and passed it on when I began to feel sick.

I headed home as dark storm clouds formed and strong winds transformed the hot day into a bone-chilling evening. Blue Oyster Cult played on as I walked towards the exit, flinching as I stepped in a stinky, yellow puddle.

This is a Porta Potty-only event, ya’ll. It’s loud and crowded and dirty, but chances are you’ll probably return. We all do.

Driving South On I-29: From Fargo to Sisseton, SD

Posted on by
Reply

I drove south because I wanted to.

Not only did I drive south because I wanted to, but because I’ve never driven south from Fargo. I’ve driven west on I-94 to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, east to the Twin Cities, and north on I-29 to Mayville, but never south.

Consistent with Murphy’s Law, my day off started out with some literal and figurative gray clouds. I stopped at the dealership to get my oil changed. The mechanics recommended another $500-600 of recommended maintenance. I picked three of the five which still cost me over $200. Then, I drove south through the rain.

The storms disappeared an hour into the drive, so I pulled off the highway to explore Hankinson, ND, located minutes from the exit off I-29. I noticed a small drive-in restaurant along the main street and parked for a lunch break. At the Dakota Drive-In, one orders from those old fashioned windows with the sliding glass doors where the menu is posted. It offers a selection of ice cream treats, sandwiches, and every type of fried doodad imaginable. Customers can then choose from one of many picnic table nestled under an open-air roof, perfect for watching the sidewalk traffic pass.

I ordered the daily special featuring a California burger with a side of fried, crinkle-cut potato coins for $4.75. While I waited for my order, I used the restroom and returned to find I couldn’t locate my car keys. I rummaged through my purse a few times, just to be sure, and when I saw them sitting in the passenger seat of my locked car, I tried not to panic.

Fortunately, I had my purse and called AAA as inconspicuously as possible. My phone reception was terrible and the AAA representative had trouble finding my location. Eventually, she confirmed that help was on the way and would arrive in an hour. Had there not been a cheeseburger in my hand and the day not been so beautiful, I would have been so much more upset. I perched on the edge of a picnic table bench, ate my lunch, and waited. The smell of fried onions from other people’s orders drove me crazy and I wished I had chosen whatever they were having.

I noticed how the Dakota Drive-In functioned as a popular watering hole for the community. People came and went, from first-timers like myself, truck drivers, to families, alike. Most everyone seemed to recognize and warmly greet at least one other party and no one made me feel weird.

The burger and cottage fries, by the way, were fine.

The contracted AAA employee arrived as a group of children ran around my table, hurling precocious insults at each other. Within minutes, he unlocked my car and I jumped inside. I was in such a hurry to leave that I neglected to take any photos of my meal. I did, however, take a few photos of interesting buildings on the way to the freeway. Then, I kept driving south until the landscape changed and I reached the rolling hills near Sisseton, SD. I poked around until the weather started to scare me and then I went home.

St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Hankinson, ND

Franciscan Retreat Center, Hankinson, ND

Roberts County Courthouse, Sisseton, SD

Things I Tasted, Things I Made: From Lemon Cake To The Worst Beer Ever

Posted on by
Reply

Culinary school wrapped up a few weeks ago and I began working at a family-owned cafe and bakery. We’re allowed to sip caffeinated beverages and nibble sweets as we please and so I find each day an exercise in self-control. After bringing home pie two days in a row, my husband pleaded with me to stop bringing it home so frequently. We compromised on “Pie Saturdays.”

Life has moved faster than normal and I find myself cooking less, ordering in more, and increasing my caffeine intake. Our favorite local pizza joint Pizza Nico probably knows us by name and when I do feel like cooking, I turn to our favorite, reliable comfort foods. The weather’s been more reminiscent of fall than early summer, but this hasn’t prevented Fargoans from throwing grand picnics. We gladly trade our traditional date nights for evenings grilling and drinking cocktails with old and new friends.

Now that I’m more secure with my footing this summer, I’ve got a laundry list of road trips to take on sunny days I have off from work. Plus, there’s an Alley Fair in downtown Fargo this weekend and the North Dakota Blogger and Writer next week which includes an evening out with our own Marilyn Hagerty. I’ll return to Fargo in time to catch a whiff of Ribfest before heading to the Twin Cities. At the end of the month, my husband and I are both taking some time off to head to Southern Minnesota for a big, family wedding.

One day at a time. In the meantime, enjoy a few tastes and recipes from the past few weeks:

Sunday Supper Pizza
No matter how busy our week is, I enjoy preparing a Sunday supper. If Jake has a special request, it’s usually for one of our favorite comfort foods like Beef Stroganoff, pasta tossed with roasted vegetables, or homemade pizza. Most of the time, I spread the dough with olive oil muddled with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs. This time, I made homemade pizza sauce.

Pizza Sauce: Saute a small, diced onion and one clove minced garlic of minced garlic. Pour in a 12 oz. can of organic tomato sauce and simmer for as long as you can. I seasoned the sauce with salt, pepper, dried oregano, basil, and marjoram, a couple splashes of red wine, and enough sugar to even out the acidity. After several hours, it turned a rusty red and its flavor and texture concentrated.

We like this recipe for a thinner, flat bread dough. It reminds me of Broders’ Cucina Italiana flat bread. The Pioneer Woman’s recipe produced a crust that was fluffier and more substantial. I added about a tablespoon of sugar to the warm water and yeast mixture and allowed the dough to rise twice. Just as my culinary teacher said, allow the dough to rise once for flavor and twice for structure.

As far as toppings go, I splurge on high quality mozzarella. I’ve found it half as expensive at large retailers. Most any vegetable will do, however, you may need to roast or blanch some vegetables (like shaved potatoes) before adding them to the pizza. Our favorites include onions, shaved thinly or caramelized beforehand, roasted eggplant, hot pickled cherry peppers, thinly sliced raw radishes, and jalapenos.

Alice Waters’ 1-2-3-4 Lemon Cake
With my bakery stint, we don’t need any more access to sweets but since I had some extra time over Memorial Day weekend, I baked a cake. Earlier, I had enjoyed a dense slice of glazed lemon bundt cake from Nichole’s Fine Pastry and wanted to make my own version to enjoy at home with coffee. After scouring the Internet for lemon cake recipes, I chose Alice Waters’ 1-2-3-4 cake recipe and made a boozy brandy lemon glaze. You can find an adaptation of Waters’ recipe on the blog Sweet Talk Sweets.

The final cake is very simple and the tart lemon glaze sets it apart. It’s not a “Look at me, look at me!” cake, but satisfying, nonetheless. Our litmus test for a recipe’s success is measured by the amount of leftovers that remain in our fridge. If this is any indication, there’s a mostly empty cake pan in our fridge.

I essentially followed the recipe, but used sifted all-purpose flour instead of cake flour. I made the lemon variation and added the zest and juice from two lemons to the batter. This author of this recipe recommends using two tablespoons less of all-purpose flour in lieu of cake flour, but I added extra lemon juice instead. You could poke holes in the cake with toothpick to help it absorb extra glaze, but I was happy with slowly spooning it over the warm cake. For a really decadent treat, spread the glazed cake with a smear of Nutella.

Brandy-Lemon Glaze (Adapted from ChefJune’s recipe on Chowhound):
In a small saucepan, gently heat 1/2 cup of brandy, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, the zest from one lemon, 2/3 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Worst Beer Ever: Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale
My husband enjoys trying different craft beers. He’s especially got a palate for the hoppy and the bitter. One evening, he brought this variety home from Happy Harry’s, for kicks and giggles.

Now, this didn’t sound particularly great to me to begin with and I guessed it would be overly sweet or mapley at the worst, but boy, was I wrong. The smell, alone, was heinous. I like the aroma of snuffed-out candles and campfires, but feel Rogue took this note too far. Who wants to smell a burning forest in their beer?

The flavor was equally harsh and I literally spit out my first and only sip. I’m no Andrew Zimmern and couldn’t push its singed mulch flavor down the hatch. Even my husband couldn’t drink more than a couple sips and he’s basically morally opposed to leaving glasses of beer, unfinished. I’m all for culinary experimentation and whimsy, but it’s beyond me how anyone could have tasted this beer and green-lit it for purchase in good conscience. How do you sleep at night?

Smiling Moose Deli
On Memorial Day, we were in search of a casual lunch outing and settled on Smiling Moose Deli, one of the few places open in downtown Fargo. Plus, my husband insisted we dine somewhere were he could wear his matching track suit. Unfortunately, this ruled out the Beefsteak Club. The Smiling Moose is a fast-casual style chain that originated in Colorado and expanded its franchise to 19 locations. Two, alone, have opened in Fargo since we moved here a year and a half ago.

Smiling Moose is like Panera or a sandwich version of Noodles and Company. You order soup, sandwiches, and salad at the counter and a server delivers it to your table. Breakfast sandwiches are served all day, a fact I wish I had known the previous morning when I settled on a gas station biscuit at noon.

We ordered two sandwiches from the options marked as low-calorie: The Green Thumb, a warm sandwich with sauteed mushrooms, spinach, artichokes, roasted red peppers, black olives, swiss cheese and pesto mayonnaise and The Sidecar, a cold sandwich with turkey, roasted red pepper, lettuce, swiss and pesto mayonnaise. The large sandwiches were more like two large sandwich and came with dill pickle spears. They cost a little over $20 along with a hot tea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How these were low-anything is beyond me, considering the density of the bread and addition of cheese and mayo. All in all, they were decent sandwiches made with fresh ingredients. My hot veggie sandwich was certainly better than The Sidecar which was filled with standard deli meat. I liked that the restaurant’s service was friendly, it serves loose leaf teas, and sidewalk seating. However, our sandwiches were nothing we got too excited about, or go out of our way to eat. Considering the restaurant options we don’t have in Fargo-Moorhead, I’m not sure we need two Smiling Moose’s, but it’s an acceptable option for those who want a casual, sit-down experience that’s a step above fast food and more casual than full table service.

A Tale of Two, North Dakotan Burritos

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve never been that into burritos. This month, I’ve eaten two and unsure sure why I have this sudden urge to order them. Here is a tale of two, North Dakotan burritos.

Juano’s
There’s no Chipotle in Fargo, let alone one in the state of North Dakota. Live in Fargo-Moorhead and want Chipotle? Drive two hours East to St. Cloud. I visited Chipotle’s website to double check. When I entered 55102, it replied that there were no locations within 100 miles. It suggested searching again with another city, state, or zip code, and then it added, “Or move.”

Or move? What the heck, Chipotle? Why would you say that?

We may not have Chipotle, but we have other casual/carry-out Mexican-themed chains like Qdoba, Panchero’s and Moe’s Southwest Grill. If you want to visit a local chain, there’s the newly opened Red Pepper location and Juano’s. Since one Red Pepper visit was enough for me, I headed to my nearest Juano’s location for a take-out lunch. A couple friends with similar tastes mentioned Juano’s offers their favorite Mexican food in the community. There’s a fancier sit-down location on Broadway in downtown Fargo and a few other quick-serve locations.

I don’t know if this is a company-wide special, but North Fargo’s Juano’s offered a $5 burrito wrap between 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This was a deal considering the rest of the menu hovered around $10. I filled my burrito with rice, black beans, ground beef, romaine lettuce, cheese, fresh cilantro, and their spiciest salsa. The ground beef was nicely seasoned. While may have considered it too salty, but I’m fine if foods push this boundary just as long as they don’t leap over it. The black beans had a texture more like refried beans which took away some of the burrito’s textural contrast and the salsa was less spicy than Chipotle’s hottest, but overall, this was a flavorful burrito.

I noticed Juano’s can also drench burritos in chili sauces. Juano’s downtown location offers its menu with prices on their Facebook page, though I can’t find an official website with information on their other quick-serve locations.

Paula’s Cafe (Steakhouse & Lounge)
On my day off, I headed up I-29 towards Mayville, North Dakota. I first visited Mayville in mid-March and made a note to return to Paula’s, a bustling cafe along the main street. There was just something about this cafe that fascinated me. I started following their Facebook page and admired their daily specials featuring good ole’ home cooking as well as photos of smoked meats. Mayville’s about 45-minutes from Fargo and I braved the windy drive on a dreary spring morning.

I parked along the main street and entered what looked like a diner equipped with an old fashioned counter. I asked a server where I should sit for lunch and she directed me to the dining room. I followed a sign instructing me to seat myself. Once inside the dining room, I passed a salad bar and searched for a smaller table for one. When I couldn’t find one, I chose a table in the back. The other customers appeared to be regulars who knew exactly what they were doing and I was confused. It didn’t seem like anyone had noticed I seated myself, so I went to the salad bar and asked a server about the protocol. I wondered if I supposed to eat the salad bar or choose from a menu. Everyone else seemed to be enjoying salads and I didn’t see any menus. I tried to explain that this was my first visit and I had no idea what I was doing.

The server responded by encouraging me to help myself to the salad bar, mentioning I could go back as many times as I liked. I thought it was odd that the salad bar was the only option offered for lunch. But since I was there, I filled a plate with vegetables, a toasted roll, and small cup of potato au gratin soup. When I reached my table in the back, I found some ladies congregating around my seat. At first, I optimistically wondered if they were going to join me, but when I noticed one woman grabbing towards my purse, I got the idea they were trying to move it elsewhere. I wondered where, exactly, they planned to place my purse, phone, and book. Anywhere except there, I suppose. A server noticed what was occurring and walked over to assist the ladies. I asked if I should move, but the server relied, “no” and helped them find a different, empty table.

I sat down to eat my salad and noticed others had beverages. I found a server and asked if I could have a glass of water and she came over right away with a large pitcher and a couple glasses. At this point, I felt rather sheepish about eating by myself. After a few minutes, I noticed others eating hot foods and asked if there was a lunch menu. She brought one over quickly, explaining the daily specials. I chose the beef burrito. Along with the salad bar, it cost under $9.

While I waited for my entree, I nibbled my plate from the salad bar which included the typical offerings. The salad was fresh, though some of the offerings were decadent. Macaroni salad laden with rich dressing and piping hot potato au gratin soup. It tasted like the boxed versions of potato au gratin I used to enjoy at my grandma’s house.

The beef burrito was generously-sized and covered with melted cheese and red sauce. It came with some shredded lettuce, diced tomato, a tube of sour cream, chips, and salsa. Although the salsa seemed canned or bottled, it carried a pleasant kick, along with the red sauce. The best part of the meal was the tender beef inside the wrap. It was a little smokey and fork tender. I don’t doubt that Paula’s knows their meats. In hindsight, I should have just chosen a burger. A local reporter spoke highly of the burger and I feel silly assuming the salad bar and beef burrito would make a healthier choice.

Finally, I don’t want you to get the idea that the service wasn’t friendly. The dining room was quite busy and once I landed on the servers’ radars, they showered me with “huns” and “sweeties.” I think the awkwardness can be more attributed to the fact that no one was used to new people who didn’t know what to do.

Solo dining is always an adventure. Especially for a young woman exploring small town cafes. Sometimes, I feel perfectly at home and other times, I feel awkward. Cafe 116 in Fergus Falls, MN and Harvest Thyme Bistro in Wadena, MN come to mind as being especially comfortable for a solo, female diner. This was one of the more awkward meals where I was especially aware that one thing was not like the other (that one thing being me, the non-regular). I felt the curious stares from the regular diners of the older generations, similar to my experience eating breakfast at Charlie’s Cafe in Freeport, MN. My husband and I have also had adventures dining together on the prairie. We remember feeling especially welcome at the Crowbar in Sabin, MN and quite the opposite at the Castle Rock Supper Club in Hawley, MN.

Being open to adventures means taking in the awkward along with the cozy. For me, the most anxiety-ridden experience is often walking into the cafe of a close-knit community, alone. However, it’s impossible to learn about or connect with others unless someone takes a chance and my favorite way to do this is trying the local food. I truly believe people are good at heart. . . even if they are trying to move me to a different table.

India Palace in Fargo: A Spicy Dish With A Curious Disclaimer

Posted on by
2

Our first visit to India Palace, Fargo’s newest Indian restaurant, brought tears of joy and tears of pain to my eyes. I wished it hadn’t taken us so long to get here.

Since moving to Fargo, we’ve been quite loyal to Passage to India. We dined at Karma, once, and found it bland so we stuck with what we knew. In the Twin Cities, there are at least five India Palaces, several of which are part of a local chain. I was initially concerned Fargo’s India Palace also a part of a chain, but from what I can tell, it’s not related. In January 2013, Eric Daeuber wrote a review of India Palace that was published in the Forum. He spoke well of the food and service, but the following description stuck in my mind:

“When tradition demands something more like the Indian food your Midwestern mother used to make, the popular Chicken Tikka Masala brings a kind of comfort food familiarity, and a little smoke, to the table.”

Despite the fact that Daeuber gave India Palace’s food a four star rating, I couldn’t move past the comical mental image of picturing my own Midwestern mother cooking Chicken Tikka Masala. She never ate Indian food and avoided anything spicy. It would have been dreadful. Recently, a friend and chili-head assured us the food was spicy and well-prepared, so we visited on our next date night.

On this Saturday evening, we were warmly greeted and seated immediately. We ordered a couple Indian beers and our server expertly poured them into fancy beer glasses. For dinner, we chose a few orders of garlic naan ($2.99/order), raita yogurt sauce ($1.99), Paneer Masala ($10.99) and Dhamaka Balti with lamb ($14.99), a style of dish described as being cooked in a special pot with white wine, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions and seasoned with cumin, coriander, cassia bark, and ginger. Most curiously, the following disclaimer accompanied this particular Balti dish:

*Very HOT! Prepare for an explosion in your mouth.  

Woah. An explosion? We had to try this.

The Dhamaka Balti with lamb was wonderfully spicy. Despite the fact that I was weeping tears of pain and sweating profusely, I was really happy. Completely giddy on the rush of endorphins released by the hot peppers.

The Paneer Masala was milder than the Dhamaka Balti, but it was still notably spicy and both dishes were laced with chunks of hot peppers.

Those who aren’t fond of heat can certainly order dishes mild. Spiciness aside, the sauces had compelling flavors from which the heat did not detract. I also appreciated that the Balti dish contained a generous amount of tender lamb. Both entrees came with a plate of fluffy basmati rice fragrant with a subtle, warm spicing.

We sopped the curries up with the garlic naan that was blistered and soft in all of the right places and cooled them down with raita yogurt sauce. Both were respectable versions of themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In conclusion, we were thrilled with our first visit to Fargo’s India Palace. Our meal wasn’t cheap, but it was flavorful and thoughtfully prepared, the curries were appropriately filled with their respective proteins, and the service was warm and hospitable. Most exciting of all, they actually make spicy food spicy. I was getting bored with turning to Buffalo Wild Wings to satisfy my spicy food cravings.

Kudos to India Palace for bringing the heat.

Date Night in Fargo: Cork’ n Cleaver

Posted on by
Reply

For this weekend’s date night we wanted to try something new. We’ve overheard a couple acquaintances mention the Cork’ n Cleaver, a restaurant that’s been open for 40 years. Also, we recently saw its steak featured in Fargo Monthly’s newest issue, 50 Tasty Eats that provides photos of each dish and ideas for future dining experiences.

We visited Cork’ n Cleaver for an early dinner. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the hostess and seated immediately. The relatively large interior is cozy and dimly lit and we admired the warm fireplaces. We had a hard time getting comfortable because the section in which we were seated was lined by a vent that pumped cold and hot air. The mirror-covered wall by our table was smudged and I smelled Windex mist when a staff member wiped down adjacent tables.A server quickly took our drink orders and carded my husband since he ordered a beer. He willingly obliged. Minutes later, someone from the bar stopped by our table and firmly asked Jake to show her his ID, again, before she would bring him the beer. He began to explain he just showed the server his ID, but shrugged it off and pulled it from his wallet again. I wonder if she didn’t believe the server who originally took his drink order.

Everyone receives this crusty sourdough bread with honey butter. It was freshly baked and pleasantly sour. This is the best bread I’ve tasted in Fargo-Moorhead.

Then, we ordered a whole artichoke to share as an appetizer. For entrees, Jake ordered a sirloin steak with a baked potato and opted for the salad bar while I ordered the evening’s catfish special with wild rice pilaf and the salad bar. I had read in this same Fargo Monthly issue that the Chef enjoys cooking Cajun food and is willing to accommodate requests for spicy food, so I ordered the fish extra spicy.

The salad bar was a fun touch though it wasn’t particularly memorable. I bypassed iceburg lettuce that looked to be discolored around the edges and chose romaine and spinach instead. The bar offered pasta salad, potato salad, and typical toppings like pickled beet slices, shredded cheese, hard boiled egg, peas and baby carrots. The croutons did not appear to be homemade and I passed on what appeared to be processed tropical fruit cocktail. I did enjoy the salad dressings which the restaurant says it makes from scratch.

I’ve always wanted to eat a whole, steamed artichoke and was excited to see it on the menu. Since this was our first one, we have nothing to compare it to. We enjoyed peeling back the leaves and nibbling their fleshy ends. The little ramekin contained what tasted like plain mayonnaise which tasted better when we added juice from the lemon wedge. It provided some needed acidity.

Jake’s steak arrived juicy and cooked to a precise medium-rare. It had a nice beefy flavor and wasn’t gristly, though I felt it lacked seasoning. Jake enjoyed the baked red potato that came with sour cream and butter. The insides were especially creamy since it was of a waxy variety, but I missed the crispy, salted skin I love most about traditional, starchy baked potatoes.


My catfish special consisted of two baked or broiled fillets sprinkled with Cajun seasoning. The fish was cooked through but its texture was waterlogged and I longed for some sort of crust or sear. The seasoning level struck me as just right and the tartar sauce tasted homemade, but the lemon wedge was dried out. The accompanying wild rice pilaf was mushy and tasted like something that would come from an Uncle Ben’s box. All things considered, this special seemed overpriced, not only because it was executed poorly, but because I know catfish isn’t very expensive. Then, we packed up my leftovers to go so we could make a movie showing.

All in all, the service wasn’t unfriendly, but it wasn’t exactly warm and a little inattentive, with the exception of the lovely hostess. The highlight of the meal was the complimentary sourdough bread, though we also enjoyed the artichoke and appreciated they cooked the steak to a perfect medium rare. Considering that we spent nearly the equivalent to a dinner at Mezzaluna, I can’t say we’ll make an effort to return. The meal cost $70, not including tip, for two entrees, an $8 artichoke, one draft beer, and a Shirley Temple. If you want water, you may have to ask for it, as it was not automatically served to us this evening.

Two Twin Cities Bites & A Sysco Food Show: Los Paisanos Taqueria & Sun Street Breads

Posted on by
Reply

This past weekend, Jake and I headed to the Twin Cities for the wedding reception we never had. We had said our vows in October at a small ceremony and were finally able to extend the celebration to family and friends.

Neither Jake or I enjoy planning party details such as color schemes and table decorations, so our family turned the reception into a beautiful, food-filled surprise at the Embassy Suites near the airport where Jake’s uncle manages the food services. Bites from the evening included Rustica’s bittersweet chocolate cookies, absinthe cocktails, crab salad served in tiny, edible spoons, and rosy roast beef with my favorite creamy horseradish sauce. I’ll share more as we collect photos from friends. We are continually humbled by the kindness and generosity of our family and friends and extend our gratitude to everyone who planned and participated in the reception.

We stayed with both of our families, who spoiled with home cooked foods. We also managed to grab a few meals out. Here are a few tastes from the past week:

Los Paisanos Taqueria, East St. Paul, MN
Mexican torta sandwiches are difficult to find in Fargo-Moorhead, so I always find one whenever we stay with my husbands folks in East St. Paul. A reader recommended Los Paisanos Taqueria, noting that it’s his favorite place to grab a torta in East St. Paul. This was my second visit since he left the comment.

The restaurant is located down the road from the Rainbow Foods on Arcade. It’s painted in bright colors and looks a little worn. Those who are concerned about sanitation might notice the current ServSafe Food Handler certification prominently displayed near the register. My typical order of a small horchata and beef milenesa torta costs about $10.

The sandwich is the size of my face. The bottom bun is spread with re-fried beans while the top covers layers of avocado, cheese, shredded lettuce, mayonnaise, and pickled jalapenos. My favorite part is the thin beef cutlet and its crisp breading that’s heated on the griddle. Don’t hesitate to ask for a small cup of the spicy red salsa to dip the sandwich in if it’s not included in your take-out bag. There are tables for customers who want to dine-in, but I find the restaurant smells strongly of fruity air freshener. Service has always been friendly.

Sun Street Breads, South Minneapolis, MN
My husband’s found a friend in Sun Street Bread’s breakfast biscuit sandwiches. He remembered enjoying one earlier this winter and wanted to return for our first post-reception meal. You know it’s good when Andrew Zimmern continues to mention Sun Street as one of his favorite bakeries. He even specifically mentioned the egg biscuit sandwich on his list of “personal bests.”

On this visit, Jake ordered the Southern Fried Biscuit ($7.50) to soak up the beverages from the previous evening.

A tender, toasted biscuit, runny fried egg, bacon, fried chicken and gravy laden with chunks of sausage. I feel my arteries constrict just looking at this photo. My goodness, it was really good. Especially that peppery country gravy.

I’m not sure this side of fruit ($3.50) offset all of the Southern fried, but it was generously portioned and of high quality. I ordered from Sun Street’s lunch menu and tried the Steak & Swiss ($9.75), their version of a cheese steak. Ironically, I wasn’t crazy about the bread because its texture reminded me of Olive Garden breadsticks (thought it was certainly acceptable), but liked the other components. Especially the flavorful beef, spicy pickled banana peppers, and swiss cheese sauce.

Each lunch sandwich comes with one’s choice of fries, salad, fruit or soup ($1 upcharge). I was pleasantly surprised by the large size of my accompanying salad and its freshness. A scoop of beans was a welcome gift of randomness. They tasted of smoked paprika.

Sun Street is very busy during weekend brunches, but during the past few times I’ve dined, there I’ve never had trouble finding a table.

Sysco Food Show
As culinary students, we’re invited to attend Fargo-Moorhead’s food service shows for free. Last semester, we visited US Food’s sprawling show held in the Fargo Dome and this week, we attended Sysco’s show at Scheel’s Arena. I have a mixed feelings about Sysco. Obviously, they make purchasing convenient for restaurants, but also seem to be making efforts in purchasing meats from distributors who raise their animals humanely, supporting sustainable seafood practices, and increasing partnerships with local distributors. On the other hand, I wish more restaurants would more intentionally seek food from local suppliers and farms and make their own foods from scratch instead of relying on pre-made convenience products. But what kind of fool turns down free food? Albeit, most of the food is frozen, canned, jarred, of a mix, or pre-baked, but it’s fun, nevertheless.

Most of the food vendors at these shows are gracious to the roaming pack of hungry students and provide engaging interactions. Some are a little less thrilled. On this visit, I tried to restrain myself to a walleye finger, lemonade, iced tea, a few nachos with self-serve cheese sauce, and a dinner mint. One can certainly go overboard sampling from the platters of most any fried food imaginable, cheeses, and desserts.

As the token Korean, I took it upon myself to try a Korean empanada, a new product from one of Sysco’s internationally-themed lines. I found that it tasted surprisingly. . . Korean. Nicely done. My classmates seemed content to end their tours with ice cream cones dispensed by the Blue Bunny cart.

My First Taste Of The Red Pepper: From Grand Forks To Fargo

Posted on by
Reply

Around here, The Red Pepper is kind of a big deal, bordering on legendary. Red Pepper is known for their take on Mexican food including tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, and grinders that are deli sandwiches topped with taco meat. According to their website, they source local beans and bread, purchase meat ground by a local company, and make their sauces daily.

The original Red Pepper opened in Grand Forks, ND over 35 years ago and has since expanded into two additional locations. Red Pepper has been making headlines in Fargo since last summer when they began to scout for locations. Their soft opening on March 16th was highly anticipated and word quickly spread via the newspaper and social media outlets. The author of Grand Forks Gourmet, Grand Forks’ most frequently updated food blog, mentions Red Pepper offers late hours and is popular amongst intoxicated college students. This author’s not crazy about Red Pepper’s food, but acknowledges how it holds a special place in hearts of its devoted fans. Red Pepper’s rumored to serve a notorious Garbage Plate of which the leftover toppings left on the counter are collected and placed on top of a tostada.

My curiosity was piqued and I wanted to experience The Red Pepper for myself.

On the first day of Red Pepper’s soft opening, the line was out the door. I waited for 20 minutes before going home. The inside of the store was chaos where people were squished like sardines. Because there were no line markers, no one really knew which way the line moved and this encouraged a lot of cutting, or what we referred to as “budging” in grade school. People arrived by the vehicle-fulls and let their families into line. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal if the line moved, but it really hadn’t.

Within my 20-minute wait, I only moved ahead about six steps. I was especially puzzled that I hardly saw anyone leave with food, despite the fact that there were only a small amount of tables, one of which remained empty. While the mob wasn’t entirely friendly, it wasn’t entirely hostile. The woman behind me told me how much she liked Red Pepper’s food with so much sincerity that some of my building frustration melted. I returned two more times within the next week and a half during non-meal times, but the line was still out the door. Nearly two weeks later, my husband begged me to try again and pick up cheese tostadas and this time, the line was shorter.

I ordered three cheese tostadas ($1.65 each), a whole Everything Grinder ($8.99), and a four-ounce cup of hot sauce. Then, I waited. Each order took quite a while to complete and I assume this is because the employees are still getting used to the food preparation processes. As far as I could tell, nothing was being cooked freshly, just assembled. I noticed a hot food holder containing items like beans and taco meat, a cold sandwich station, heated drawers that held chips, and four microwaves, double stacked. The doorway to the kitchen lies just out of sight and I caught a glimpse of corn starch boxes perched high atop a shelf.

Employees offer those who dine-in and order sandwiches the option of having them heated. I observed this means microwaving them for exactly 20-seconds. Oddly enough, the tostadas I ordered were not heated. They were topped with cold cheese and wrapped, as is. Since it looked like the microwave was Red Pepper’s only active heating apparatus, I decided to just let Jake decide whether or not he wanted to microwave them at home.

From start to finish, I was out the door in about 20-minutes. There had been approximately six people ahead of me in line when I arrived, and, by the time I left, the line had become longer. The service was very pleasant, though slow.

Let’s discuss the tostadas, first.

These just weren’t very good. A crunchy corn tortilla topped with cold cheddar cheese and scribbled with a mild, red sauce. I am still stunned by the fact that the tostadas aren’t heated. A toddler could assemble these. They are like a terrible, lazy version of nachos and a questionable value at $1.65 each.

I enjoyed the sandwich more.

The Everything Grinder was huge enough to provide a me-sized person multiple meals. It was filled with cheap-tasting and slimy ham, salami and turkey deli meats, luke-warm taco meat, shredded cheese, shredded iceburg lettuce, mild red sauce, and a white sauce that reminded me of ranch. I microwaved it for exactly 20-seconds for the most authentic experience. All in all, it wasn’t bad. I dunked each bite into a copious amount of the hot sauce whose heat level was somewhere between Frank’s and Tabasco. In fact, I consumed about three ounces of the sauce while eating only half the sandwich.

The most questionable part of the sandwich was the taco meat. While I liked its flavor, its temperature was neither hot nor cold upon examining it before microwaving. Having recently passed my ServSafe food handling certification, I wondered at what temperature this substance was held (cold food must be kept at 41℉ or below and hot food at 135℉ or above). For the record, I felt completely fine after eating the food.

I find the Everything Grinder’s tastiness increases with a cold, Mexican beer.

Red Pepper still remains an enigma to me. I suppose it’s like any other type of comfort food. People just like what they like. Some foods feel nostalgic if they are associated with positive experiences or memories, while others connect to one’s perception of home. I did not grow up on The Red Pepper’s food, nor does it correspond with any of my memories. So, my first taste of the grinder was pleasant enough, but didn’t strike me as anything I would go out of my way for, while the cheese tostadas struck me as downright heinous.

That being said, I seek out some of my favorite comfort foods even though they aren’t the best versions of themselves. I love many of these foods for their imperfections, such the Chinese take-out of my childhood. So, while I can’t understand why the restaurant’s line is constantly out the door, I kind of can.

To each, his or her own.

I Tried Cafe 21′s Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwich

Posted on by
3

This past week’s spring break was a good example of how even the best laid schemes can go awry.

One morning, I planned to drive to the Twin Cities to visit a some friends. My last solo trip was interrupted by a blizzard and all of the major freeways surrounding Fargo-Moorhead were closed. This happens, here. They actually close the freeways.

I was desperate to go to the Twin Cities. Spring break’s fluctuating weather left me stir crazy. Plus, I felt guilty for mistaking the date of a get-together I initiated. My friends were kind to rearrange their schedules and I wanted to attempt the drive. With nothing more than a soda and a backpack, I drove east on I-94, even though it had been closed earlier. I figured that as a seasoned Midwesterner with new tires, the roads couldn’t possibly be that bad. After all, the MN Department of Transportation traffic map categorized the roads as challenging and I am usually up for a challenge.

The road becomes icy and I witness a frightening car accident when someone pulls around my car to pass me. They whiz past me and I watch as they begin to spin in circles and tumble into the ditch. For the first time in my life, I call 911. I panic and my hands shake so hard I can barely hold the phone. The dispatcher keeps asking me to better describe my location and I can’t. Finally, someone tells me they found my location from my phone. By the time I turn around at the next exit, the police and tow truck are at the scene and it looks like everyone is OK. I drive home going 45 miles an hour, even though a plow has already sanded the road. Cars and semis pass me, clearly frustrated, and I don’t care because they didn’t see what I just saw.

I spent my last weekend of spring break at home. Sitting on and brooding in my wanderlust.

On a nicer day, I returned to Cafe 21 to try the Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches they only serve at lunch. To my knowledge, these are the only regularly offered banh mi sandwiches in Fargo-Moorhead. I have found cold cut banh mi sandwiches at the Asian market but they look like they are imported from the Twin Cities. I’m not a fan of the mysterious deli meats and feel some of the freshness is lost in transit.

We’ve previously enjoyed a couple dinners at Cafe 21, especially liking their fresh spring rolls and spicy ramen. I found their version of pork bulgogi to be less spicy and sweeter than the fiery versions my favorite Twin Cities Korean restaurants serve, but I’d still order it again. On this weekday, I ordered two banh mi sandwiches ($7 each) to go. One for me and one for Jake, who unsuccessfully tried to order one on our first visit. Cafe 21 only offers a roasted pork variety, but this happens to be my favorite. The server kindly brought me a glass of water as I waited for my order and 15 minutes later, I was on my way home.

Each sandwich was packed with a serving of french fries and small cups of ketchup and soy sauce.

I found a lot to like about this sandwich. The pork had a satisfying savory flavor. There were a lot of sweet and sour pickled vegetables. Strands of fresh cilantro and jalapeno. A glistening of mayonnaise and, best of all, a thick smear of pate. It looked like banh mi’s I have loved and tasted like banh mi’s I have loved.

Unfortunately, I felt the size was a little small and the bread was too hard. The bun was overly toasted and crunchy like a crouton. I sustained minor damage to the roof of my mouth. In the Twin Cities, the typical roasted pork banh mi is a slightly larger in size and typically costs around $3.75-$4. This is Fargo, though, and I realize banh mi sandwiches are rarer and the food costs higher.

The flavors were spot on and the fillings were fresh, but that bread. Overall, a good effort.