Taste of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN - Part 2

Welcome back to my review of the Taste of Minnesota! Last time, we left off with a very salty yet delicious hickory grilled pork chop on a stick. And now...the rest of the story!

At this point in the day we started getting a craving for some fries, and stopped at the first booth we came across with them on the menu. The Northwoods Steak Buffet prepared their fries fresh from whole potatoes they cut and fried right in front of us. They were fairly average taste-wise, and not crunchy at all. Being fresh from the fryer, I expected the ones on the bottom to be soggy, but the entire cup basically felt and tasted like hot and soggy potatoes. These are fries, not soup potatoes. I expect better if they're going to charge me $3.00 worth of tickets.
Northwoods Steak Buffet - Small Fries: 5 / 10

My next stop was the Cheese Comet booth, where they were selling cream cheese-filled pastries that had a deep fried crust. There were two flavor choices: strawberry and cinnamon-sugar. Expecting a taste that might rival the mini donuts from earlier that day, I picked the cinnamon-sugar Cream Cheese Comet. I was disappointed to say the least...not that the comet was bad, but it didn't taste anything like what I expected. The sweetness of the cream cheese was completely masked by the cinnamon-sugar filling, which was filled with sugar beyond the point of enjoyment. The crust's texture was fair, crunchy on the outside and moist (almost cake like) on the inside, but lacked any taste beyond the cinnamon-sugar goop cooked inside. Perhaps the strawberry flavor would have been better, but I opted to not give them any more of my tickets.
Cheese Comet - Cinnamon-Sugar Comet: 4 / 10

Feeling the need to get the cream cheese comet's taste out of my mouth, we got a lemonade from the Gass Station booth. There's not much to say really. It was sugar water with a lemon in the cup. A simple lemonade stir-in mix would have been just as good, if not better. It would have been more worth the money too.
Gass Station - Lemonade: 4 / 10

My next taste came from a booth that had called my name every time we passed it that day: the Cheese Curd Factory. Refusing to be content with the regular cheese curds, I purchased the Cajun deep fried style. That was my first time trying a deep fried curd, and expected somewhat of a mozzarella stick-like texture. I was quite surprised when my first bite was into a very solid piece of curd instead of a melted hunk of cheese inside the fried breading. Though I was admittedly disappointed at first because of my expectations, I really did enjoy the cheese curds. They had a very nice taste that was accented by the infused Cajun spice, and even the saltiness was at a tolerable level. My only critique is that I wish it had been a little spicier. When I hear the word “Cajun” I expect them to bring on the heat!
Cheese Curd Factory – Cajun Deep Fried Curds: 7 / 10

My last stop of the day was Safari Kenya, and was a style of food that I have never actually tried before. I tried two of their items, the Meat Sambosa and Mango Juice. The sambosa was undoubtedly the best thing I had all day, rivaled only by the sweet corn from Hickory Hut. It contained savory meat, onions, chilies, red & green peppers, etc. all cooked within a fried dough that accumulated in a dish of amazing flavor and heat. Their mango juice was also excellent. It tasted very fresh and didn’t seem like there was any sugar added at all, instead relying upon the natural sweet flavor of the mango. I was sad to learn that it was actually from concentrate with a small amount of sugar added, but I wouldn’t have known the difference had I not asked. Although Safari Kenya is not an established restaurant at this time, they apparently do have plans to give it a try if demand is high enough. Based on the taste of their sambosas alone, I believe they would have no problem getting lots of business. In fact, I will be there on opening day when and if they establish a restaurant in the Twin Cities. Come on Safari Kenya, do it! You know you want to!
Safari Kenya – Meat Sambosa: 10 / 10
Safari Kenya – Mango Juice: 9 / 10

Despite my desire to continue sampling foods around the festival, my stomach was filled with [mostly] fried food, my feet were in pain from walking around for hours in sandals, and the heat was becoming exhausting. So I bid it farewell until next year when I will once again sample new foods, retry some of my favorites (I’m looking at you Safari Kenya and Hickory Hut!), and risk dehydration by over-salted meats.

Until next time, this Picky Eater needs to jump on a treadmill for a few hours...

Northwoods Steak Buffet
2085 Northdale Blvd NW
Coon Rapids, MN 55433

Cheese Comet
No Info Available

Gass Station
No Info Available

Cheese Curd Factory
No Info Available

Safari Kenya
No Info Available

Taste of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN - Part 1

Taste of Minnesota, an annual festival in Saint Paul that bring people from all around to see concerts, buy some locally made trinkets, get smacked in the face with a barrage of less than subtle advertising, and of course: get a taste of the food Minnesota has to offer.

To any potential patrons of ToM 2011, be forewarned that entry was $20 per person this year.  On top of that, food is not purchased with money, but tickets you must purchase beforehand.  The 2010 exchange rate was 8 tickets for $5, so be sure to bring plenty of cash if you want to get the full experience.  There are on-site ATMs, but who wants to deal with those charges?

To get back on topic, the food I tried this year ranged form the "Absolutely Delicious!" to the mediocre at best.  Aside from free samples, i tried to be very picky about where my food came from in order to get the most for my mon- er, tickets.  Despite their gigantic booth I avoided Famous Dave's because...well I've eaten at the restaurant enough to know what the food tastes like.  Then other booths like Joe's Crab Shack (very hard to resist) and Crave  were avoided because I would rather eat at their restaurants than eat the same things while walking around in the hot sun.

My first sampling came from the Bubba Gump Shrimp booth.  I grabbed one of their hush puppies, which I've sadly never had in the restaurant, and have to admit I was rather underwhelmed with it.  Despite the mixture of breading, fish, corn, and scallions each bite was regretfully bland.  I feel that much of the blame must be placed on it being very hot and straight from the deep fryer.  I enjoyed the taste that did get through, but too much of it was masked by the still hot oil that scalded my tongue.
Bubba Gump Shrimp - Hush Puppies: 6 / 10

Despite the lower score, I do plan on trying the hush puppies at their Mall of America restaurant location in order to determine whether this was a fluke.

The next sampling I received was the new Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (good old Blue Box) called simply: Homestyle.  I won't lie, it was good.  Darn good.  On the very first bite an image of my mom making Velveeta Shells & Cheese when I was a kid popped into my head.  The smooth creamy texture of the cheese coating perfectly textured noodles made me forget this was even Kraft brand for a moment, as their always tastes so artificial in my opinion.  Even though Jill can't eat it, I plan on getting this to have with dinner one night while she is at classes.
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - Homestyle: 8 / 10

My first "purchased" taste of the day was from the 5-8 Club: a cheeseburger called the Juicy Lucy.  For anyone that doesn't know, the Juicy Lucy is a cheeseburger with the cheese melted inside the beef patty.  This burger was a milestone for me in two ways.  First, I've never eaten a cheeseburger with the cheese on the inside.  Second, I finally bit the bullet and ate a burger with pickles after refusing for 26 years.  Anyone that knows my eating habits is undoubtedly concerned for my well being right now, but don't fret.  The pickles obviously didn't kill me like I thought they would all these years.  Truth be told, the burger was incredibly delicious!  Although the beef was cooked more than I prefer, the melted cheese was an incredible surprise that truly helps the burger live up to its name.  It would have been perfect had the beef itself just been a little less dry.  Oh and the pickles were okay too.
5-8 Club - Juicy Lucy: 9 / 10

My next taste was found and purchased by my wife at the Tea Garden booth.  She got a Kiwi Mango iced tea with the optional "bubbles".  The first thing I noticed (other than the dark bubbles sitting at the bottom of the cup) was the size of the straw.  It is made very wide to let the bubbles slide up with each drink, drastically increasing the amount of tea received at a time.  Being a fan of tea, I found the drink to be quite delicious.  Not to sweet and not bitter, the fruit flavors brewed excellently together.  The bubbles did take me by surprise however.  The taste, while not really adding anything to the drink itself, is pleasant and fruity.  Whether this varies from drink to drink I am unsure.  The strangest part of the bubbles is their texture.  The outside feels like wet (almost slimy) Jello, with the core feeling closer to warm gummy bears.  At first I didn't know what to make of it, but with each drink the image of drinking gummy bears became stronger until I fell in love with it!
Tea Garden - Kiwi Mango Iced Tea w/ Bubbles: 9 / 10

My next taste came from the Tom Thumb Donuts stand, where I got their signature (and most popular) item: Mini Donuts.  They were everything a donut lover could want.  All 16 little donuts were warm, fresh, fluffy, light, and right on the nose in sweetness.  If they kept these under a heat lamp like some places do, they sure fooled me, because they felt and tasted as if they had just been made (without the heavy grease from a deep fryer).  Then the cinnamon-sugar powder was absolutely perfect on these, covering them in a sweet almost-glaze of deliciousness that will make you feel like a kid again.  If you ever see a Tom Thumb Donuts stand, get these.  I know I will!
Tom Thumb Donuts - Mini Donuts: 9 / 10

Our next stop was the Hickory Hut, advertising their grilled Sweet Corn and their Pork Chops on a Stick (or Steeek, as I prefer to say) on big banners.  My wife decided on the corn without any butter, and skipped on the huge shakers of salt and pepper in order to get the delicious natural flavor.  Thank goodness too, because it was one of my favorite foods the entire day!  It was perfectly cooked, no burn or char marks like you would expect from a grill, and it needed no butter whatsoever with its natural sweetness.
Hickory Hut - Grilled Sweet Corn: 10 / 10

The Pork Chop on a Stick/Steek was another delicious treat from the Hickory Hut.  Cooked with the bone still inside to preserve the moisture, the chop was extremely tender - just short of falling off of the bone and/or stick if you will.  The delicious taste of hickory fresh off the grill, while delicious, was extremely salty.  Normally this wouldn't be a big deal but when you're out in the hot sun, the last thing you want is a huge bite of salt.  Truth be told that was its only real downfall, though it was a significant one.
Hickory Hut - Pork Chop on a Stick: 8 / 10

And so ends Part 1 of our visit to the Taste of Minnesota festival.  Part 2 to come very soon (much sooner than it took me to write out this first one, I guarantee).

Taste of Minnesota
http://www.tasteofmn.com/

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Mall of America
396 South Avenue-Level 3 S396
Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 853-6600
http://www.bubbagump.com/

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
http://www.kraftbrands.com/macandcheese/

5-8 Club
5800 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 823-5858
http://www.5-8club.com/

The Tea Garden
http://www.teagardeninc.com/

Tom Thumb Donuts
http://www.tomthumbdonuts.com/

Hickory Hut
647 University Avenue West
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 224-9464

Review: Pei Wei Asian Diner in Woodbury, MN

Pei Wei is a Chinese/Asian inspired bistro chain that can essentially be considered a mini P.F. Chang's.  And appropriately so, since it is in fact a branch of the P.F. Chang's franchise.  I normally prefer to steer clear of chain restaurants, but Pei Wei is nowhere near the scale of over-saturation set by Applebee's, Chili's, etc.  My wife and I discovered the restaurant in Woodbury, MN last year, assuming that it was a high-profile Chinese buffet of sorts.  Although I was somewhat disappointed that it was not a buffet, the food definitely did not disappoint, nor did the restaurant itself overall.

In a similar fashion to my review of the BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery, the categories in this review will be slightly modified to account for the fact that there is no dedicated server beyond someone bringing the food to your table.  The categories are as follows:

1)      Overall Service

2)      Food Quality

3)      Catering to Dietary Needs

Overall Service

The way you order your food at Pei Wei is very similar to your typical buffet experience, if you've ever eaten at a place like Ponderosa, Old Country Buffet, or Golden Corral where you pay for your food before being seated.  There is a large menu as you walk in, and a more compact version posted right in front of the registers.  You order, they hand you an order number card and a cup to fill yourself at the drink fountain, you get your own silverware, and you find your own table to sit at. 

“So where does the actual service come in?” you may be asking.  Despite the lack of overall customer to employee interaction, I have yet to have a negative experience with any of the employees.  It goes without saying that the service doesn't compare to what you would get at an actual P.F. Chang's restaurant.  We have rarely been treated rudely by any of the employees, and they have been quite helpful by first introducing us to the gluten-free menu they offer.  The servers have always asked if we need anything else after delivering our food, and are quick to correct any mistakes made or answer any questions about the food.  Finally, although inconsistent between visits, the servers have sometimes returned to the table to take our dishes away and box any leftovers.  The inconsistency of this is not a big deal since you can just leave with the dishes on the table, but could potentially be annoying to other customers that prefer more of a full-service dining experience.

My one real complaint is that the service appears to be disorganized at times.  One instance in particular was when we had our order number card displayed, yet when the server was ready with our food he walked around the entire dining area before returning to the kitchen.  Moments later he returned and finally found our table.  Not a huge issue, but annoying all the same.

All things considered I believe the service is on par with other restaurants of its kind, and spares the customer potential unsatisfactory service they risk getting from a full-service restaurant.

RATING: 7 / 10

Food Quality

The menu at Pei Wei is relatively small, especially if you compare it to the selections available at P.F. Chang’s.  The selections available are expanded upon when one considers that many of the entrées have as many as 3 meat selections (or vegetables and tofu for vegetarians) including chicken, beef, and shrimp.

Of the selections on the appetizer menu, I have tried their Crab Wontons and the Edamame.  The edamame, while in small quantity compared to other establishments, has always been perfect.  A nice amount of salt, the pods were never soggy or over-cooked, and the pods were never cold – as if they had barely been cooked.  Though one would think preparing soybeans would not be a big deal, it surprises me how often I am served improperly prepared edamame.

The crab wontons are hard for me to come to a firm decision on.  I do like them, however they always seem to be lacking in some form.  The texture and taste of the wontons combined with the spicy zing of the sweet chile dipping sauce is good overall, but it’s missing a certain level of sweetness that I’ve come to expect from crab wontons.  Despite cream cheese being listed as an ingredient, I never actually taste it in a wonton.  This could be a good thing in regards to overall healthier eating and the strong possibility that my preferred taste is derived from cheap buffet wontons stuffed with cream cheese, and if that’s the case then I applaud Pei Wei.  For all I know however, there could be just as much in these as there is in the buffet wontons, and if so then I expect to have that satisfying sweet flavor as I bite into each piece.

As an entrée, I always opt for the Signature Dishes category over the Noodle & Rice Bowls as a matter of personal preference.  Of these dishes I have tried the Honey Seared Chicken, Pei Wei Spicy Chicken, and most recently the Sweet & Sour Chicken.  As an eternal fan of spicy foods, I have to rank the spicy chicken dish as my favorite.  If you enjoy real General Chu/Tso/etc chicken, not the bland buffet kind without spice or taste, I guarantee that you will love this dish.

I have no real preference between the honey seared and the sweet & sour, as they are both delicious choices.  I don’t completely agree with how the honey seared chicken is advertised on the menu however.  Despite not having the signature “spicy dish” icon next to it on the menu, this dish does in fact have some spice to it; most likely on account of the chile oil listed in the ingredients.  Perhaps even too much spice for those of you that prefer to steer clear of food with “heat”.

The sweet & sour chicken dish is, in my opinion, the best dish available at Pei Wei for anyone that wants to avoid the heat.  The sweet and sour sauce is delectably sweet without overtaking the taste of the chicken, and the pineapple pieces are a delicious accent to eat bite.  I recommend cutting the pieces of chicken first, so you don’t look silly like I did trying to stick a fork full of rice, chicken, and pineapple into my mouth at once.

For all of the entrées I would say that there is only one real issue, which can vary in significance depending on your point of view.  The quality of the rice (choice of white or brown) has suffered at times, and considering it makes up half of the plate on signature dishes, this could be a big problem for some people.  My complaint is that there have been a few times when the rice, although cooked, still had a significantly grainy…uncooked texture in the middle at times.  This has only occurred twice that I can remember, and it didn’t hamper my dish so much that I couldn’t finish it.  I always get the brown rice instead of the white, so perhaps this could be an isolated issue.

Despite a few quirks I have enjoyed every meal at Pei Wei.  While none of them would be in my list of favorites, any lover of Chinese food will not be disappointed in what they have to offer.

RATING: 7 / 10

Catering to Dietary Needs

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that this restaurant, unlike general Americanized Asian restaurants, has a gluten-free menu available.  Sadly it is a small menu, consisting of only 6 items: 2 appetizers, 2 salads, and 2 entrées.  As with the regular menu however, this is slightly expanded to 9 items since one of the salads and both entrées have a choice of either chicken or shrimp.  As an added bonus, gluten and dairy-free patrons are able to enjoy a specially made batter on their sweet & sour chicken dish (this could apply to the Pei Wei Spicy as well but I have not yet verified).  After asking one of the managers, I was informed that the gluten-free batter does contain eggs, but no ingredients with gluten or dairy.  Whether this varies between restaurants I do not know, but I recommend verifying with the closest Pei Wei establishment.

Despite these positive notes, the restaurant doesn’t seem to be very willing to go beyond their set limitations on the menus.  If two of the entrées can be gluten-free, why can’t the others?  Perhaps it’s a matter of company-specific sauces, or certain ingredients that can’t be left out…whatever it is, it really is a disappointment in my eyes.

While Pei Wei does take a few steps beyond most restaurants in catering to dietary needs, it seems to be overall inflexible beyond its set limitations of the gluten-free menu.  These are steps in the right direction but I would like to see a lot more.

RATING: 6 / 10

Despite not being one of our favorite places to eat, my wife and I always choose Pei Wei when we want to have some good Chinese food.  It’s fast, it’s good, and they have food she can eat without having to worry about her food allergies.

*** OVERALL RATING: 7 / 10

Pei Wei Asian Diner

8300 Tamarack Village

Woodbury, MN 55125

(651) 286-3990

http://www.peiwei.com

Review: BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery in Eagan, MN

After a lengthy absence I have decided to break the silence with a review that is just a bit different from the previous ones.  For starters, BitterSweet is a bakery and therefore cannot be held to the same accountabilities as a restaurant.  Because of this I will concentrate on three categories:

1) Customer Service
2) Food Quality
3) Catering to Dietary Needs

Customer Service
Since discovering BitterSweet, my wife and I have yet to have a negative experience when it comes to the employees and how they interact with their customers.  On our first visit, upon stepping up to the counter we were greeted by an enthusiastic and very helpful employee that gladly answered any questions we had.  She presented a very welcome empathy as well, having revealed her lactose intolerance while she helped point out what baked goods were also dairy-free (my wife is allergic to both gluten and dairy).  While I have not been back to the bakery in person as of this writing, I did call to get an estimate for getting five dozen cupcakes for our wedding and the person I spoke with was very friendly and professional in answering all of my questions.

Taking my personal interactions with them and my wife's on different occasions into consideration, I have nothing bad to say about any of the customer service here.  Everyone is entitled to have a bad day, but I have yet to experience one at BitterSweet.
RATING: 10 / 10

Food Quality
When most people hear "gluten-free" or "dairy-free" they likely envision dry, grainy food that tastes and smells nothing like what they are supposed to be.  In many cases, this is true.  Mainly on account of the fact that ingredients must be utilized that may be completely foreign to many people.  When the recipe is just right and the baker knows what he/she is doing however, it is a much different story.

Their products include bars, breads, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, pies & pie crust, pizzas (take and bake) & pizza crust, and more!  If you find it hard to believe that all of these are without gluten (and dairy for many), then you won't believe how good they taste!  I was blown away from the very first bite.

As of this writing I have eaten or tried their lemon bar, various cookies (chocolate chip, sugar, etc.), various muffins (blueberry, lemon poppy seed, etc), and a variety of cupcakes with non-dairy frosting (an alternative to their dairy-based frosting).  To put it simply: they were all amazingly delicious.  If you enjoy any of these baked goods from a typical bakery, store, or even from home you will not be disappointed at all.  No grainy texture, very moist, and no taste sacrificed because of alternate ingredients.  I have a huge sweet tooth (just ask my wife) so I make no qualms about letting it be known when I don't approve of how something tastes.  Or to put it more succinctly, "I'll tell you if it sucks."

In all honesty you would be hard pressed to find gluten and dairy-free sweets that taste this good anywhere in the Twin Cities.  Of course in my opinion, these are even better than many of your typical baked goods; sweet and delicious without feeling like you've just swallowed a pound of sugar.
RATING: 10 / 10

Catering to Dietary Needs
Unless you skipped to this part of the review it should be obvious as to where BitterSweet Bakery stands in this category.  That is, unless you have extremely bad short-term memory, in which case I apologize.  First of all they cater exclusively to people that have celiac disease and gluten allergies, plus many of their products are dairy-free for the lactose intolerant!  Then for those with other food allergy concerns there is a listing of the ingredients for each baked good on their website.  As an added bonus, they even have a listing of restaurants around the Twin Cities that cater to people requiring gluten-free meals.

All things considered, they are top notch in considering the dietary needs of their customers!
RATING: 10 / 10

As you can tell from the ratings above, this place is awesome.  If you want something super sweet and full of sugar with no actual taste...well you may want to look elsewhere.  But if you want delicious baked goods that you can eat with your lactose intolerant child, or a friend with celiac disease, or even if you're the person with food allergies you can not go wrong with BitterSweet Bakery.  In fact, just give this place a try even if you don't have or know anyone with food allergies!  I know I wasn't disappointed, and you won't be either!

In Short: EAT HERE!
*** OVERALL RATING: 10 / 10


BitterSweet Gluten Free Bakery
2105 Cliff Road
Eagan, MN 55122
(651) 686-0112
http://bittersweetgf.com/

UPDATED Review: Good Earth in Roseville, MN

Quick update here in regards to Good Earth.  On a recent visit, my fiancée asked the server if one of their latest seasonal entrées contained dairy or gluten.  She said that she did not believe there was any, but living up to the helpfulness we had come to expect, immediately went to the kitchen to verify.  Upon returning she informed us that the dish did not have any dairy or gluten ingredients, and handed us a slip that listed every single ingredient that goes into the dish.  Much like what you would see on a product purchased from the grocery store.

I felt that this event deemed Good Earth worthy of an update despite the already high score I gave it in my original review.  The update falls into the categories of: Service and Catering To Dietary Needs.

Server Helpfulness (Original Rating: 8 / 10)
By not only verifying the possibility of ingredients in the food, but also bringing us the actual list of ingredients, this particular server helped bump my overall opinion of the helpfulness up another point.
UPDATED RATING: 9 / 10

Overall/Average Service (Original Rating: 7 / 10)
As a result of the increased helpfulness rating, the overall service score has been improved as well.  I do hope they continue to work on the overall attentiveness, of course.
UPDATED RATING: 8 / 10

Catering To Dietary Needs (Original Rating: 9 / 10)
Although one day I would love to see a restaurant where almost any dish can be prepared gluten free or dairy free, being able to provide one's customers with a specific list of ingredients on request is far beyond what most restaurants can and will do.  Even in today's increasingly more health-conscious society.
UPDATED RATING: 10 / 10

I think it is no mystery that I love this restaurant, and plan on dining there for as long as I live in Minnesota.  For those of you that have yet to dine here, give it a try.  I can't guarantee you will like everything, but I can almost guarantee that you will not be disappointed. "Almost" because...well some people just can't be pleased.  For those of you that have had the pleasure of dining here and need to know the ingredients for your own dietary purposes, don't be afraid to ask!

*** UPDATED OVERALL RATING: 9 / 10


Good Earth
1901 Highway 36 West
Roseville, MN 55113
http://www.goodearthmn.com

Review: CRAVE at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN

If you've been in the Mall of America, you know that there are many restaurants scattered around every floor, never leaving you at a loss for a place to eat. Simply roaming around the food court on the third floor provides a decent number of them, excluding your typical [fast] food court selections of course. One in particular is the aptly named Crave, located near the food court, which had been recommended by several people before my fiancée and I finally decided to give it a try.

Three words define Crave, as can be seen on any of their advertisements: Fresh, Vibrant, and American. The restaurant definitely lives up to all three, and the successfully executed combination makes for an overall great dining experience.

As before, the overall ratings will fall into five categories:

1) Server Attentiveness

2) Server Helpfulness

3) Overall/Average Service

4) Food Quality

5) Catering to Dietary Needs

Server Attentiveness

This is a category in which the servers performed decently overall, but is sadly not quite up to par in some respects. On our most recent visit, our server was energetic and checked with us on a relatively regular basis. He was around the area quite often, and would always stop to answer questions or address issues without making us wait with the old "I'll be right with you" line.

The server on a previous visit was fairly attentive, but there was a period of time where we felt as if we had been forgotten. There was an extremely long gap between getting my appetizer of Leek & Potato Soup (more on that to follow) and being informed that there is a delay in the preparation of our food, let alone actually getting the food. Personally, I believe that this particular server simply forgot to put in our order at first. I could be wrong, though even if she did I am not above recognizing that mistakes are made from time to time. However, this is still a detriment to the dining experience as a customer.

Finally, the server for our first visit was definitely the weakest of the three. While not a bad server, she didn't make much of an effort to check on us regularly beyond taking our orders and getting the food. Plus after being informed that a gluten-free menu was available, she disappeared for at least five minutes before she brought it to us. Admittedly the restaurant was crowded at the time, but I saw her walking toward us and grab the menu off a table not ten feet away after she disappeared and left us waiting.

Synopsis: Despite the most recent server's attentiveness easily deserving a 9/10, the average is brought down significantly by the others.

RATING: 6 / 10

Server Helpfulness

In regards to helpfulness the servers performed well overall, but were not particularly outstanding. The first server informed us of the gluten-free menu, but otherwise was not very helpful on account of the fact that she seldom stayed around long enough for questions to be asked if we had any. The second server was overall quite average, though she was quite knowledgeable of ingredients for certain meals we had questions about. The third and most recent server was by far the strongest in this area, based on how questions about the food were handled and especially one particular event. My fiancée ordered the Mango & Prawns, which was on the gluten-free menu, but we did not think to ask whether there was any dairy in the meal. In this case, butter. The moment we informed our server the dish was taken to be completely re-prepared and a free soup or salad was offered for her to eat during that time. Whether or not this is standard practice at Crave I don't know, but it definitely impressed us at how everything was handled. This individual's service I would easily rank 10/10.

Synopsis: All of the servers were helpful, though most of them did not exceed that of your average service at any restaurant.

RATING: 8 / 10

Overall/Average Service

Despite excellent service on our most recent visit, the overall service at Crave appears to be on par with your average sit down restaurant.

RATING: 7 / 10

Food Quality

Of the various foods I have tried at Crave, I have not had a single item that I didn't enjoy.

The appetizers I have ordered are: the Artisan Bread Basket and the Leek & Potato Soup. The bread basket includes three different breads and two house made spreads. The breads include a roll sliced into 5 pieces, bread sticks, and slices of loaf bread. The loaf slices are my personal favorite because of their texture in addition to the taste, though the other breads are delicious as well. The two spreads that came with the basket were a honey walnut butter, and a chipotle "butter". I include the quotations because I consider this to be more of a cheese spread than butter. The honey walnut spread was by far the favorite at our table, with its taste complementing the taste and texture of every bread type wonderfully. It may be a little too sweet for some, but I have a sweet tooth so it was perfect for me. The chipotle spread was good, but falls short due to personal taste. The cheese used is a very sharp cheddar, which I am not a fan of. There was a nice touch of heat that finishes off every bite with the spread, but a more subtle cheese flavor would have complemented the heat in a more pleasing manner in my opinion.

The leek & potato soup tasted good, but was overall underwhelming. The texture wasn't very pleasing for me, very grainy with no actual substance. To me a potato soup needs to have chunks of potato, which this is very much lacking. Luckily the taste does make up for the unfavorable texture, so I recommend giving it a try since texture preferences vary for everyone.

I've tried a few different entrées here, including sushi and the Turkey Burger. I have tasted my fiancée's dishes as well, though I don't feel comfortable reviewing them at this time.

I've had sushi on two different occasions, and on both it was prepared excellently. The fish was always fresh, rolls made perfectly tight, and the pieces never fall apart, which is a problem with more restaurants serving sushi than you might think. The first time I had the Unagi and Minnesota rolls; both of which were delicious, though I did learn that Unagi rolls are inferior to Unagi nigiri (on a bed of rice). The second time I got the Sushi Bento Box which includes 12 pieces of tuna, salmon, eel, and cucumber rolls (3 pieces each), vegetable tempura, spring mix salad, and fresh fruits. The sushi was all basic: seaweed wrap, sticky rice, and tuna/salmon/etc. While not outstanding, each piece showcased the individual ingredient wonderfully. The vegetable tempura reminded me of the "Bloomin' Onion" from Outback Steakhouse, but without all the heavy grease, and the addition of other vegetables including carrots. Probably my favorite part of the entire dish. I wasn't a fan of the salad, though I have a preference of romaine lettuce or spinach leaves. These were darker greens with what I am guessing was a sesame dressing (or perhaps a peanut dressing?) and it just wasn't to my liking. The fresh fruits were exactly that: fresh fruits.

The Turkey Burger was my favorite by far. The ground turkey was nice and juicy, definitely not overcooked. It is topped with avocado, chipotle mayo, bacon, and pepperjack cheese. The avocado and bacon contrast each other perfectly, with the crunchy saltiness of the bacon melding with the cool creamy texture of the avocado. Then the chipotle mayo and pepperjack cheese add a wonderful amount of spice to the burger without being overwhelming to the palate. To be completely blunt, this was the best turkey burger I have ever had. No exaggeration in the least. Try it and see for yourself if you don't believe me.

Synopsis: Though I found the potato soup to be a bit lackluster, the food here is absolutely delicious overall.

RATING: 9 / 10

Catering to Dietary Needs

I have to say that Crave does a very good job of handling the dietary needs of its customers, at least from our experience. Their gluten-free menu contains over 22 listed items, plus a note that any of the sandwiches can be served without the bread and/or wrapped in lettuce. By far the largest menu of this type I have seen thus far. In addition to this, the servers would not hesitate to find out whether a particular dish contained dairy or not, and would inform us if said ingredients could be removed. A great example of this is the most recent event regarding the butter on the mango & prawns.

Synopsis: The combination of a very helpful staff and a relatively large specialty menu takes Crave above and beyond the majority of restaurants in its class in this category. I can't vouch for the safety of persons with Celiac Disease due to contamination, I believe they would take the extra care to ensure the safety of their customers.

RATING: 10 / 10

Although some of Crave's servers could use some improvement in regards to their attentiveness, the helpfulness, delicious food, and expansive gluten-free menu take this restaurant into the upper ranks of excellence. Especially when you consider that it falls into the category of American Food, which tends to be saturated with restaurants of much lower quality (e.g., Applebee's, T.G.I. Friday's, Chili's).

*** OVERALL RATING: 9 / 10

CRAVE (Mall of America)

368 South Avenue

Bloomington, MN 55425

(952) 854-5000

http://www.craveamerica.com/

Food Review: Good Earth in Roseville, MN

As a follow-up to my previous review of the restaurant Good Earth, I'd like to go into a little more detail on the food itself. Obviously the more recent meals will be in more detail, but I will do my best to review all of the food in as much detail as I can.

Appetizers

1) Bread Basket w/ Hummus

This free appetizer, available at both lunch and dinner, is a delicious start to the dining experience at Good Earth. Admittedly, there is nothing particularly special about the bread, but the mixture is delicious and keeps you wanting more. In addition to the whole wheat bread slices, which are excellent by themselves or dipped in soup (more on that later), there is also a nice selection of flatbreads including: white, whole wheat (my personal favorite), and cheese. Don't pass this item up unless you have no other choice; for free it is definitely more than worth your time.

2) Corn Tortilla Chips w/ Salsa

Nothing special here, just yellow and blue corn chips with salsa. Available as a substitute to the bread basket upon request, this is yet another way in which Good Earth caters to those with various dietary needs. Since my girlfriend cannot have dairy or gluten, the chips and salsa are a simple yet welcome item in our dining experience.

3) One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato Soup

I'm not even sure where to start on this one. This soup is unlike any other potato soup I've ever had, and I loved it. I'm from Kentucky, and my mother makes the best cream-based potato soup I've ever had. Period. This interpretation of potato soup is in a completely different area in my opinion.

To start, the soup is chicken broth rather than being cream based, which gives you an entirely different taste altogether. Then, rather than one type of potato (most commonly russet potatoes) you get a variety which I believe includes: sweet, russet, and golden potatoes. I may be inaccurate on the types, but that is based on my interpretation of the textures and taste. What really matters is, all of the potatoes are cooked to a perfect tenderness alongside the carrot and onion pieces that just melt in your mouth. A third aspect of this appetizer is one that I love, but not everyone does, and that's the heat you get from this soup. The herbs and spices used create a delicious heat with every bite/sip of this soup, all without overwhelming the palate with spiciness. As a bonus, if you have any of your bread left over from the bread basket, try dipping a piece of one of the slices into the soup and let it soak for just a second. What you will experience is pure bliss.

All I can say is, if you ever go to Good Earth and don't mind a little heat, get this soup at least once. You will not regret it.

Entrées

1) Grilled Chicken Quesadilla

The chicken quesadilla is just what you'd expect...a chicken quesadilla. Flour tortillas filled with grilled chicken and jack & cheddar cheese, with lettuce, diced chilies, sour cream, and guacamole. Nothing flashy here, no bells and whistles, but it does taste good. The tortillas are nice and crisp with the chicken and cheeses sandwiched just right in between. Then there are the toppings, which I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of lettuce with my quesadillas so that's out. Get some chilies, sour cream, and guacamole on a bite of one of those slices though, and you're in for something delicious! I just recently started to even like guacamole, but the kind Good Earth serves with this entrée is top notch. I'm assuming that it is made from scratch in the kitchen, and it shows in the taste.

In regards to dietary needs, I'm not sure if the grilled chicken quesadilla is available with corn tortillas instead of flour, though it wouldn't hurt to ask if you can't have gluten.

2) Lemon Pepper Chicken

As the second course in my "Just Right For You" meal, I don't know that I can describe this better than I did in my previous post. It comes with a side of roasted potatoes and braised spinach, which aren't so much sides as they are literally intertwined with the chicken. The presentation isn't great, but I don't worry too much about these things. The chicken is so tender you don't need a knife to cut it, and the lemon pepper sauce complements everything on the plate very well. As a follow-up to the potato soup appetizer however, it was missing spice. A little kick to make the transition from the opening to the meal itself. In the end, a little ground black pepper was all it needed.

3) The Good Earth Burger

This is one of the best burgers I have ever had. Period. All natural ground bison, caramelized onions, portobello mushrooms, avocado, gruyere cheese, sunflower sprouts, and a red pepper aioli between a whole wheat bun with lettuce. Their burgers come with tomatoes and pickle slices too...not for me thanks. As I said in my previous post, this burger is not your typical super greasy slab of meat. The bison burger is lean, with just the slightest amount of juice soaking into the burgers to accent all the other ingredients. One off-putting topping for some would be the sunflower sprouts, which it was for me at first. While I'm not sure of the nutritional value of the sprouts, they work quite well with the burger texture wise, and add no taste (good or bad) that I can tell. The avocado slice topping the burger is a delicious addition as well. That nice creamy texture working alongside the creamy aioli to enhance the flavor is something you have to have on this burger to get the full taste experience. Of anything on this review, I recommend this the most by far. The only excuse you can have for not trying this is being a vegetarian.

As a side note, get the Terra Chips as a side with this. They blow regular potato chips out of the water hands down.

Desserts

1) Chocolate Cake w/ Kahlua Cream Sauce

I honestly don't feel that I can describe this dish any better than I did before, so to repeat myself...

"The chocolate cake itself had a wonderful chocolate flavor without being too rich or overbearing in its sweetness. It also had a wonderful brownie-like texture, which made me want to pick it up with my fingers and eat it like my inner 8-year-old desired to. On top of the cake was a small dollop of vanilla ice cream, which enhanced the cake with its rich flavor. Then there was the Kahlua sauce which tasted great, though the texture was a bit off-putting at first. It has sort of a grainy texture, almost like the texture when you eat sugar straight from a packet. I've done that more than once in my life. Don't judge. Then I thought about it and considered that the texture is probably due to unprocessed/unrefined sugar in the sauce which is most likely organic. Seriously though, the texture is another minor issue because the overall taste makes up for it tenfold."

2) Fresh Fruit Bowl

Although I did not try this myself, my girlfriend chose it as the alternative to the gluten and dairy rich chocolate cake. It's what you would expect, fresh organic fruit including: strawberries, grapes, kiwi, and pineapple. The fruits may vary from time to time, but we have only ordered it once so it's hard to say. She described it all as "fresh and delicious," a description that can be applied to most everything Good Earth serves. It definitely works for everything we have eaten there.

All in all, the food here is great. I could come up with some complaints but they are all minor at best.

Review: Good Earth in Roseville, MN

Until recently I never would have imagined going to an organic and natural foods restaurant and really enjoying the food, let alone liking it enough to go often. Good Earth changed my mind completely on this matter, with its delicious and excellently prepared food. It is quite popular and always has a good crowd, though the longest I have ever had to wait for a table was around ten minutes (table for two). I have dined at this restaurant four times now and have decided on overall ratings in the following categories:

1) Server Attentiveness

2) Server Helpfulness

3) Overall/Average Service

4) Food Quality

5) Catering to Dietary Needs

Server Attentiveness

If I had only been to Good Earth on my most recent visit, this category would be given a solid 8. Possibly even a 9. Our server was quick, checked on us often, and was extremely polite. The attentiveness was not quite so excellent on previous visits however. I will say this: none of the servers have ever been rude. I don't know if politeness is emphasized in the work ethic there, or if they have been extremely lucky to employ so many pleasant individuals, but that is definitely their highest marking. In regards to how often we were checked on and the speed of service however, the other visits fell short. Twice, we sat at our table between five and ten minutes before the server came for our drink orders. Not a horribly long period of time to wait, though it does leave one feeling forgotten when you don't even have your water yet. There were usually lengthy gaps between the server checking on us as well, leaving us occasionally wondering if we had been forgotten.

In short: While there are obviously some excellent servers there, and they are all very polite, attentiveness to the customers could be improved overall.

RATING: 6 / 10

Server Helpfulness

This is by far where the servers at Good Earth shine. My girlfriend is allergic to both dairy and gluten, which restricts what she can eat at many restaurants (this will be revisited in the final category). Without fail, all of our servers have been more than happy to let us know exactly what is in the food, what can be removed or replaced, and even recommendations of the chefs or the manager related directly to our questions. Some of these servers were experienced enough to give us first hand information, others would gladly go back and ask the chefs directly no matter our questions or concerns. However on one visit she ordered the Good Earth Burger (more info on this later) without cheese or a bun. The burger did come out with no cheese, but it was on a bun, which is not a big deal for her since she can simply take the meat, etc off and put the bread to the side. The problem is, a person with Celiac Disease would need to have their burger completely remade because some cases can be so severe that foods simply coming in contact with gluten can cause major problems.

In short: The servers are extremely helpful, but simple oversights have the potential to cause problems.

RATING: 8 / 10

Overall/Average Service

To summarize: While the servers are very helpful, the overall attentiveness needs some work.

RATING: 7 / 10

Food Quality

I'd like to preface this category by restating that this restaurant serves meals made with organic and natural foods. If you get a burger it's not going to be greasy and sloppy, and the food isn't going to be full of preservatives that manipulate how the food tastes. That being said, the food here is nothing short of delicious. I'll go into far more detail in an upcoming food review, but allow me to explain.

To begin the dining experience, your waiter brings a bread basket to the table that contains various breads (including flatbreads) and hummus to dip them in. While there's nothing particularly special about the bread, it is very well made and a delicious little appetizer to snack on while waiting for the meal. I'm partial to the whole wheat flatbread dipped in hummus myself.

In regards to entrées, I have ordered the Good Earth Burger twice and the Grilled Chicken Quesadilla once on previous visits. The quesadilla is nothing special, but it tastes very good, the tortilla is nice and crispy, and is worth every penny. The burger on the other hand is one of the best I have ever had. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good greasy cheeseburger full of BBQ sauce and other things terrible for my health, but this bison burger has won me over and combines the toppings wonderfully.

For my most recent visit, I decided to give the "Just Right For You" meal a try. You get 3 courses in this meal: appetizer, entrée, and dessert; all in smaller portions but definitely not lacking on quality. For my appetizer I ordered the One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato soup. This different take on potato soup (at least from my experience) was delicious in every way. The potatoes were tender and delicious, as were the carrots and small pieces of onion. The soup itself is wonderful, with just a bit of spice to give it a nice heat. Now I love spicy food so I may be biased when it comes to this, but even if you're not a fan of spicy food, don't be afraid to give this soup a try. The heat I speak of adds to the flavor of the food without being overwhelming, even for those potentially more sensitive to the spice. Also, try dipping a piece of the bread from your basket in the soup. I believe you'll like what you taste.

For my entrée I ordered the Lemon Pepper Chicken, which comes with roasted potatoes and braised spinach. Let me just say that this was one of the most tender chicken entrées that I have ever eaten, and the potatoes and spinach were prepared equally as well. The lemon pepper sauce complimented the foods well, but it was missing something for me. A little kick, a little extra flavor. A few quick twists of the peppercorn grinder fixed everything. I believe the exciting taste of the potato soup left my taste buds wanting more, and the sauce by itself didn't live up to its predecessor. This is a minor complaint though, since it was easily remedied with the addition of a little more pepper. I'm sure the sauce more than meets the expectations of other patrons that don't crave spice and heat the way I do.

For my dessert I ordered the Chocolate Cake with Kahlua Cream Sauce. The chocolate cake itself had a wonderful chocolate flavor without being too rich or overbearing in its sweetness. It also had a wonderful brownie-like texture, which made me want to pick it up with my fingers and eat it like my inner 8-year-old desired to. On top of the cake was a small dollop of vanilla ice cream, which enhanced the cake with its rich flavor. Then there was the Kahlua sauce which tasted great, though the texture was a bit off-putting at first. It has sort of a grainy texture, almost like the texture when you eat sugar straight from a packet. I've done that more than once in my life. Don't judge. Then I thought about it and considered that the texture is probably due to unprocessed/unrefined sugar in the sauce which is most likely organic. Seriously though, the texture is another minor issue because the overall taste makes up for it tenfold.

In short: The food is excellent overall with a few minor quirks that will vary depending on one's personal tastes.

RATING: 9 / 10

Catering To Dietary Needs

Due to my girlfriend's allergies to both dairy and gluten, extra emphasis has been made to find places that cater to special dietary needs such as hers. I find this to be a necessary category that many reviewers/critics overlook, so hopefully my reviews in this area will be helpful.

Every time we have been there, any question we had about the foods in regards to ingredients, possible ingredient replacements, or even the possibility of leaving out certain ingredients was immediately addressed by our servers. With the exception of the bun being left on her hamburger on our most recent visit, there have been no issues with our requests to alter the meals in any way. In my eyes this goes beyond the simple "gluten free menu" that some restaurants opt for, and limits what a person can eat to maybe four or five dishes. While not many of their foods are necessarily food allergy friendly, their willingness to cater to our needs is exceptional. Especially when one takes into consideration that many (perhaps most) restaurants don't even bother to provide special menus.

In short: If you have certain dietary needs related to your lifestyle (ex: Veganism), food allergies, Celiac Disease, etc. then Good Earth is a great place to go. They will work with you and cater to your needs as best as they can.

RATING: 9 / 10

Needless to say Good Earth is a great place to eat. Their service is definitely above average, though the overall attentiveness could use some work. The food by far makes up for this though, and their willingness to cater to dietary needs is exceptional. I'll be dining at Good Earth again and again for a long time to come, and definitely recommend that everyone at least give it a try.

*** OVERALL RATING: 8 / 10

Good Earth

1901 Highway 36 West

Roseville, MN 55113

http://www.goodearthmn.com

An Introduction To This Picky Eater

Greetings and welcome to my new blog, Another Picky Eater.

You may be asking, "Why 'Another' Picky Eater?" Well the answer is simple: I'm not the only picky eater in this world. We all have foods we love...and foods we hate. In recent years my tastes in food have expanded, leading me to try many different foods at various locations. While looking for new places online I can't help but notice a large number of so called "reviews" that are barely a sentence long, saying little more than "this place sucks" or "this place is great!" Then there are the people that literally write a book about why a place was so bad, but their review does nothing but bash and ridicule simply because a family restaurant didn't meet their expectations of a five star gourmet restaurant.

Am I picky about what I eat? Yes. I don't like onions or tomatoes on my burgers, in fact I don't care for most vegetables. What I am, however, is willing to give places a try without unreasonable expectations. I'm not going to bother reviewing the local Taco Bell. What's the point? It's a fast food restaurant that you can find almost anywhere.

What can you expect to see on this blog? First, restaurant reviews of course. These will evolve over time, but it will all boil down to a 1-10 point scale. Second, food reviews. If I've already reviewed a restaurant, or if I eat something new at a well known restaurant then I will focus on the food itself. Finally, food challenges. I've seen lots of these on television, and quite frankly I would love to take a shot at taking these on myself.

So have a seat, grab a drink, and let's get ready for some (hopefully) good food!