Restaurant Week 2010

Ladies and Gentleman Restaurant Week is back! For one week only February 28th to March 5th in the Twin Cities you can experience some of the finest culinary meals with exceptional deals. Other cities have restaurant weeks as well search on Google to find out when and where the nearest one is to you.


For this week only participation restaurants will offer specially priced gourmet prix-fixe meals. Some locations will even offer special wine pairings.


Lunches will include two courses at $10-$20


Dinners will include three courses at $15-$30


*Tax, wine, and tip are not included in the preset price.


There is something for everyone at with the variety of restaurants that are featured. Don't miss out. See some of my favorite menu picks below.


To find participating restaurants go to  Mpls St. Paul Magazine and make your reservation now at Open Table.


Crave      For a $20 Lunch


Galleria
Edina, Minnesota 55435
Phone: 952-697-6000

Starter: CRAVE Salad -- Fresh Spring Greens, toasted pine nuts, local Donnay Farms goat cheese, and house balsamic vinaigrette

Entree: Mango & Prawns -- Bell peppers, red onion, ginger, fresh mango, and white rice pilaf

Barrio        For a $15 fun casual dinner


235 E. 6th St.
St. Paul, Minnesota
Phone: 651-222-3250

Starter: Fresh made guacamole, chips and our signature salsas

Entrée:
(Small plates)
Potato sope with goat cheese, salsa and herb salad
Build your own tacos
Chicken Pibil
Carnitas in Red Chile Sauce

Served with frijoles charros, roasted chiles and traditional garnishes

La Belle Vie     For a very classy evening $30 Dinner

510 Groveland Ave.
Mpls., Minnesota 55403
Phone: 612-874-6440

Nantucket bay scallops with foie gras, beets and black truffle

Sea trout with cuttlefish carbonara and braised butter lettuce

Grilled beef ribeye with fallen camembert soufle, dried cherries and port

Wildfire       For those who like plenty of choices this is by far a steal for a $30 Dinner

3020 Eden Prairie Ctr.
Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55344
Phone: 952-914-9100

Starter:
Soup of the Day
-or-
French Onion Soup
-or-
House Salad Bowl*
mixed greens, artichokes, carrots, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, croutons;
creamy ranch,  french, house vinaigrette or blue cheese dressing
-or-
Caesar Salad*
crisp romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and garlic croutons

Entrée:
Cedar Planked Salmon*
-or-
Fresh Fish of the Day
-or-
Roasted Herb Chicken
-or-
Roasted Prime Rib of Beef 10oz.*
-or-
Petite Filet Mignon*

Above dinners served with a choice of redskin mashed potatoes*, wild rice, au gratin potatoes*, creamed spinach, roasted vegetables*, french fries, or broccoli with herb butter*

Dessert:
Seasonal Pie of the Month
-or-
Flourless Chocolate Cake*
vanilla ice cream
-or-
Homemade Key Lime Pie
graham cracker crust, fresh whipped cream

Cheers! May you always eat well!

Skinning a Potato Without a Peeler

For all of you who love making scalloped potatoes and potato salad from scratch but don't necessarily find joy in peeling all the boiled potatoes this tip is for you.

This technique can also be used to peal things like peaches for pies and fresh tomatoes. Just score the bottom with a X and take out the little "button" on top where the fruit would have attached to the tree of vine rather then scoring around the middle like for the potato. Quickly blanch for a minute to loosen the skin and refresh in cold water just like in the video the skin will peal off with ease.

Enjoy and happy cooking!

Click here: YouTube - Dawn W ells Potato Peeling Video   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4W0qIPJmoo

Italian Men love Italian food

My wonderful very much Italian father enjoys treating me to dinner every now and then. Being that I recently moved I was eager to check out some of the restaurants that are now in my neighborhood. I have heard great recommendations about Al Vento, a charming romantic Trattoria. I figured I could never go wrong with Italian food and my father. He feels as long as there is good gravy (red sauce) meatballs and Spaghetti Bolognese he is a happy man.

The restaurant was cozy with friendly and attentive service. They have great specials during the week including 1/2 price bottles of wine everyday 4:30-6:30 p.m. and all night Sunday and Monday. The best deal is Tuesday night where they offer a selection of 3 courses for just $20 dollars. 

We enjoyed a bottle of the Monrosso Chianti it was light and went very well with the food. For Starters we sampled the Sicilian Stuffed Mushrooms with pine nuts and mother sauce and the Sun Dried Tomato White Bean Bruschetta. Both were very well presented with simple and traditional flavors. The Duo Roasted Beet salad with frisee was a refreshing palette cleanser before the Spaghetti with mother sauce and house made meatballs, Risotto with wilted greens and aged pecorino and Braised Short Ribs.

The Spaghetti was a traditional fresh pasta noodle made in house with a delicious red sauce. The meatballs were father approved after the first bite. They were tender and full of flavor not one bit dry. The risotto in my opinion was just all right. I make pretty good stuff myself so it is hard to compare. It was cooked well but to my taste the garlic was too much and over powered the other more delicate flavors of herbs, greens and cheese. The Short Ribs were falling off the bone served with blue cheese garlic mash potatoes and perfectly cooked brussle sprouts. I know you may be thinking brussle sprouts??? But yes, if you like them you will love theses and if you hate them these are the ones to try again. 

For dessert we chose the Hazelnut Semi Fredo based on recommendation from our waiter. The semi frozen custard with chocolate sauce, pureed strawberries, dusted with confectioners sugar was a nice compliment to the rich Italian flavors and a good way to end the night. 

In my opinion it was good but not great. I would go back for the short ribs and any of their fresh pasta dishes. The service was good except for the fact that I felt a bit rushed. As soon as we were done with our plates they were whisked away and the next course brought out. If I was in a rush or on a bad date I would appreciate this quality but when wanting a traditional Italian meal and relaxing conversation this did not cut it. For me Italian food should be simple and elegant while still comforting and casual. It should be savored slowly with great conversation and wine.

Price: Appetizers and Salads $5-$10,

Pizza and Pasta $10-$15, Entree $17-25, Dessert $5-8 

Their menu changes often

Al Vento

5001 34th Ave S

Minneapolis, MN 55417

612-724-3009

Reservations Recommended

A Year Ago Today

Do you ever ask yourself that question? What was I doing a year ago today? It always makes me think about how quickly time zips past us leaving us with a few precious memories. Maybe we have thoughts of, "What am I doing with my life?" or "Why did that little thing seem so hard at the moment?”  

A year ago today I was getting on a plane heading to New Zealand. I left the ice-covered state of Minnesota and woke up with the time change two days later in the lush green summer paradise of Auckland. I did not have much of a plan. I knew that I was going to do some volunteer work, attend a cooking class and meet some amazing people along the way. The rest of the two and a half months was for me to explore and search out some exquisite foods.

As I sit today in Minneapolis with the freezing rain coming down outside I enjoy reminiscing about all the wonderful things and people I had the opportunity to experience. I long for the warmth of the sun, but mostly I would love to have lunch of mouthwatering summer fruits and fresh caught ocean fish while sitting along the blue green waters chatting with one of my many new friends. The New Zealand people have a generosity and curiosity that I have yet to find in other parts of the world.

It is fun to think of the past, it reminds me of what is important, how much I have learned and what I get to continue to include in my life as I move forward. Who knows what the New Year will bring. I am sure it will fly by at the same speed as the last. I know that I will create some amazing experiences; it will be a wonderful year. Maybe this time next year I will be writing from the warm New Zealand coast.