Eating In: Café Steamers - "Grilled Basil Chicken"

Today I continue the process of clearing out my stockpile of frozen lunches by diving into one of the Mediterranean Inspired dishes from Healthy Choice's line of Café Steamers: Grilled Basil Chicken.

Primary Ingredients: Grilled Chicken, Whole Grain Pasta, Red Peppers, Green Zucchini, Spinach, Basil Tomato Sauce
Calories: 270
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 20 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 34 g

Let's not mince words, this dish was disappointing. So disappointing in fact, that I seriously debated just throwing it away halfway through.

Basil, unless used in excess, can provide a subtle yet delicious flavor to many sauces and foods. Given the relatively high sodium count, one would expect that the dish would be relatively salty. Color me surprised when, upon eating my first bite, the only word that came to mind was "bland". Really, that one word describes the whole dish.

It was not until the pasta and sauce had cooled to an annoyingly lukewarm temperature that I was able to taste anything that came close to how the whole dish should have tasted from the start. Due to the cooling, I could only guess that the sauce had attached to the rest of the food in large enough "globs" (a disgustingly accurate word, sadly) that some semblance of a real basil sauce had formed. The issue here is that a good sauce can portray its flavor without having to be highly concentrated in a single forkful.

The protein, often my favorite part of any dish, only contributed to my disappointment. The "grilled chicken" must have been left on the grill a little too long, because every bite was dry and chewy. Not quite "well-done steak/leather" chewy, but far too close for my taste.

The vegetables, like in almost every other Café Steamers' dish, were par for the course in their quality. Rather than praise however, that is just a neutral comment amidst a sea of letdowns.

Is the Grilled Basil Chicken terrible? No. But it's definitely not good. If nothing else, I would consider it edible. If you have absolutely no other choice and are dying of starvation.

I can't and wouldn't ever recommend anyone try this dish. Some of you may try it anyway, thinking "oh it an't be that bad", and that's your prerogative. As for me, I'll never touch this dish again.

*** Overall Score: 1.5 / 5

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 3/3

Welcome to the much-delayed final chapter of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers: Sweet & Spicy Orange Zest Chicken.

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Sugar Snap Peas, Red Peppers, Scallions
Calories: 300
Fat: 4 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 17 g
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbs: 49 g

The sauce, while not particularly spicy, was deliciously sweet with a hint of tangyness from the orange zest flavor. The chicken was of decent quality, par for the course wih Healthy Choice Steamers. The sugar snap peas, despite being a bit soggy (some more than others), maintained a crunchiness that helped to break the fairly monotonous texture of the meal.

Overall, the meal was satisfying and delicious. If I have any qualms with the "Sweet & Spicy" chicken, it's that the spice level is incredibly weak. To advertise a product with the word "spicy" in the name, only to have a mild heat at best, is very misleading in my opinion.

*** Overall Score: 4 / 5

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 2/3

Welcome to part 2 of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers edition of Eating In. Today's review is a personal favorite: General Tso's Spicy Chicken!

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Carrots, Scallions, Red Pepper, Soybeans (Peas?)
Calories: 300
Fat: 3 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 15 g
Sodium: 500 mg
Carbs: 53 g

"Chicken Tenderloins with Rice and Vegetables in Authentic Spicy Brown Sauce"


Whenever I order Chinese takeout or go to a Chinese restaurant, the first thing I look for on the menu is their General Tso's. If they don't have that specifically, then I search out the closest alternative in the area of spicy chicken. Bearing the General Tso's name, this dish has a lot to live up to for me.

Luckily, unlike the Sweet Sesame Chicken, this meal did not disappoint.

For a boxed meal, I was pleasantly surprised at the heat put forth by the brown sauce. If you aren't a fan of spice, I recommend avoiding this meal. I would have preferred more spice personally, but I'm the kind of guy that goes into an Indian restaurant and orders a dish at "Indian Hot", as they call it. The sauce has excellent flavor that makes up for the fact that the chicken has not been deep fried like its very unhealthy namesake, and complements the other ingredients well.

The chicken was of good quality, as only one piece had that annoying "dry" texture; and the rice accompanied the rest of the dish excellently. Unlike the sesame chicken, where a different kind of rice would have improved the overall taste, the brown sauce was strong enough that it allowed the rice to act as a proper bedding that helped balance the flavor. The vegetables added a nice element of crunch to the dish, though very little in regard to the overall taste. They added some very subtle flavors, but nothing outstanding that really enhanced the sauce itself.

Though it may be somewhat off topic, I question the soybeans listed in the ingredients. Not the quality of them, but whether or not they are actually soybeans. Given the texture and taste of the "beans" individually, I would go so far as to say that these are actually peas. Even after searching online to compare the two, I have yet to find a soybean that looks as much like a pea as these do. But I digress...

The only real complaint I have about the dish is that it may be too salty. The jump in sodium between the Sweet Sesame Chicken (330 mg) and General Tso's (500 mg) is quite drastic, and is evident in every bite. At times it is difficult to distinguish whether I am tasting the heat of the sauce or the saltiness, though in the end I'm sure that the added sodium works to enhance the spiciness overall.

Despite its higher sodium however, it is still much lower than say, a Lean Cuisine sandwich such as the Chicken Club Panini. You get an entire dish of the General Tso's with 500 mg of sodium, while a single serving of the Chicken Club Panini consists of 675 mg of sodium. That is a 7% difference in the % Daily Value!

I had high expectations of the General Tso's Spicy Chicken from Healthy Choice, and it lived up to those with very few exceptions. The meal was delicious and definitely satisfied my spicy side.

Needless to say, the General Tso's Café Steamer will continue to be a staple in my frozen-lunch repotoire for a long time to come.

In Short: "YUM!"

*** Overall Score: 4.5 / 5

Be sure to check back next time for part 3! What promises to be "the best of both worlds", the Sweet & Spicy Orange Zest Chicken!

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 1/3

Welcome to another edition of Eating In with Another Picky Eater! Today's review is the first in a 3-part series of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers selections from Healthy Choice.

Chinese food is admittedly one of my guilty pleasures, as I find the food absolutely delicious despite falling into a level of unhealthiness that could send a person with high blood pressure into fits. The chance to enjoy some of my favorite meals from the buffet, recreated as a healthy dish for lunch, is exciting though worrisome at the same time. While a dish may be healthy (or at least healthier) in comparison to its inspiration, healthy does not necessarily mean yummy. Of course, as the old saying goes: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." So let's get started.

First up is the Sweet Sesame Chicken!

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Snow Pea Pods, Carrots, Mushrooms
Calories: 340
Fat: 5 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 17 g
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbs: 55 g

"Chicken Tenderloins with Rice and Vegetables in Sweet & Spicy Sesame Sauce"

First and foremost, this dish definitely lives up to its "sweet" name. I would best describe it as somewhat of a dull sweetness that relies almost entirely on honey, countered by a spicy heat that is minuscule at best. The sweet (and spicy according to the box but not my taste buds) sauce, while refreshing for the first few bites, quickly becomes boring and somewhat bland.

As opposed to extra spice (which isn't what one looks for in their sesame chicken), I feel that additional salt was needed to improve the dish somewhat. With a sodium count of 330 mg (surprisingly low for a Chinese meal), the sesame chicken excels from a health mindset. But the lack of sodium and boring sauce are hindrances on a dish that had the potential to be a sweet, delicious surprise in contrast to the super-salty sesame chicken found at many Chinese restaurants.

Adding to the "meh" factor of this dish is the white rice. For me, rice is used to mix up with a delicious sauce and allow you to eat it with a fork while also providing texture to each bite. The problem here is that the white rice contributes no flavor whatsoever and leaves the sauce just as "meh" as ever. A serving of brown rice would have added some subtle flavor that would have helped redeem the dish somewhat.

The vegetables were good overall, tasting fresh (as much as frozen vegetables can) and adding some much needed texture. The mushrooms were a personal favorite, as it is rare to have them in a microwaveable meal and not be disgustingly slimy. There is a downside however, the snow pea pods. Not only did they lack any particular taste, but they were very soggy and limp. Not quite to the point of being mushy, but disturbingly close.

Finally, the chicken. The protein. The main attraction of any meat eater's breakfast/lunch/dinner. Well, to continue the pattern..."meh". The tenderloin pieces have some [very] light seasoning aside from the sauce, and are of average quality at best. They were very dry as well, which could mean that I cooked it too long in the microwave. If that is true however, then this particular dish heats up faster than any other Café Steamers dish I've ever had.

Was this a delicious lunch? No.

Was this a bad lunch? No.

The Café Steamers Sweet Sesame Chicken falls into a very gray area for me. It's not bad by any means, a decently sized meal that doesn't offend the senses with any mystery smells or gross textures (though the pea pods did come close). Yet at the same time, I have no desire to eat this meal ever again. If Healthy Choice ever changes the recipe a little, like using whole grain brown rice instead of white or even adding a small amount of sodium/salt to counter the dull sweetness of the sauce, I may consider trying this again.

In Short: "Meh"

*** Overall Score: 2.5 / 5

Check back next week for part 2! General Tso's Spicy Chicken!

For additional information from Healthy Choice: Click Here

Eating In - Lean Cuisine: "Salmon with Basil"

After a lengthy hiatus, welcome back to "Another Picky Eater"! In addition to upcoming restaurant reviews, I will also be reviewing meals you can buy at a store and recipes that my wife and I cook. These will be part of the "Eating In" editions of this blog. Up first... "Salmon with Basil" from Lean Cuisine.

Primary Ingredients: Salmon, Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta, Spinach, Carrots, Yellow Carrots, Basil Cream Sauce
Calories: 210
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 15 g
Sodium: 590 mg
Carbs: 25 g


Over the years (especially as a college student) I have experienced my fair share of microwaveable meals that have – to put it lightly – not been the tastiest thing I’ve ever eaten. Thankfully many companies have updated their existing recipes and created new meals that actually taste good, believe it or not. Of particular note is Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine brand, which has expanded its affordable (and generally tasty) line of products in recent years.

I recently tried the Salmon with Basil, a part of their Spa Cuisine line, which seems to have a focus on whole grain pastas, high fiber (5-6 grams per serving), no preservatives, and a good amount of vegetables included. The no preservatives aspect holds true as far as artificial/chemical preservatives for this meal, but I have read reviews online of other Spa Cuisine meals that are questionable in this regard. As far as vegetables go, between the carrots, yellow carrots, and spinach you get 2 servings of vegetables from this meal, which is fairly impressive.

In regards to the meal itself, I have to say it was a bit of a mixed bag. The orzo pasta (which looks like large pieces of rice), spinach, and carrots were all quite good. There was a fair amount of garlic, though I would have preferred more for additional flavor, and the cheeses used weren’t so overpowering that I couldn’t taste the intricacies of the different vegetables and the pasta.

What felt out of place, strangely enough, was the salmon. In comparison to everything else, the salmon was rather bland and dry. You can only expect so much from a microwaveable meal, but several the pieces looked and tasted overcooked, which severely dulled the delicious natural salmon flavor. I feel that an alternative protein like cuts of chicken breast or halibut would have been more appropriate and appealing in regards to overall taste. Then again, I don’t think there are any microwaveable meals out there with halibut...but there should be!

Overall, this is a decent meal that is worth a try. It takes approximately 5 minutes to prepare, with none of those annoying cold/still-frozen spots (in a halfway decent microwave). The serving size is fairly generous in comparison to some “healthy” meals that reduce portion size to make it “healthier for you”. Due to the cheeses and pasta used, this is in no way dairy or gluten-free friendly, but that is to be expected with nearly any non-specialty microwaveable meal. The primary downfall is the overall taste of the meal. While nothing outstanding, I enjoyed all of the pasta and vegetables, but was quite disappointed in the protein’s quality. A little lemon juice and even a [very] small amount of pepper would have been of benefit to the salmon, but as the standalone protein of the meal it fell short of my expectations.

*** OVERALL SCORE: 3.5 / 5

For additional information from Lean Cuisine: Click Here

I'm always looking to improve my blogs, so if you have any input please leave a comment below and let me know what you think; what else you would like to see reviewed; what can be done to improve the blogs as a whole. Thank you!

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: 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/

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!