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