Local flair in Minneapolis

Wow, so many things have changed over the last several months: I defended my graduate dissertation, graduate from school and moved to Cleveland for a new job. All of these things kept me busy and made me neglect my blog. But things are finally slowing down, so I'm back!

Today I'll quickly catch you up on some of the most memorable dining experiences I had recently. I'll start with a trip I took last fall to Minneapolis/St. Paul to visit Pumpkin there. It was still the beginning of fall, the leaves on the trees were all shades of yellow and red, the air was crisp, but still warm - PERFECT! Pumpkin had to work during the days when I was there, so I was left to explore on my own. I didn't mind it, though, because I got to rest and do whatever I want. In between going to parks and museums, I grabbed a few meals. I had a lot of fresh local food at a small cafe next to a lake (can't remember its name :( ) and the modern art museum. But the best meal of the trip was at Butcher and the Boar. I don't often eat meat, but when I do it's something special - as at the restaurant of a James Beard Award semifinalist.

In addition to Pumpkin, her roommate also joined us for dinner. We decided to share the sausage sampler because the restaurant is known for its sausages. The platter came with a pork, beef and boar sausage each, which was perfect for the three of us. We also got the beer-battered fries on the side. All the sausages were amazing. They were juicy and flavorful, each with its unique taste. The pork sausage was especially juicy, with what looked like pieces of cheese inside. It was my favorite. The fries were also perfect: crispy on the outside and soft inside.




Finally, the other place worth mentioning is a local ice cream chain called Sebastian Joe's. I have newfound appreciation for ice cream, especially small family brands that still make the ice cream by hand. They use the best ingredients, and usually have some unique flavors. Sebastian Joe's is one of those places. After a lot of deliberation - and tastings ;) - I got a scoop each of the Pavaroti and Spumoni flavors. I mean, where else have you heard names like these?? The Pavaroti was caramel and banana ice cream with swirled caramel, banana pieces and chocolate chips. The Spumoni is almond, lemon and orange ice cream with dried apricots and almonds. Both types were absolutely delicious. And even though the Spumoni had so many flavors mixed in, they were all balanced for an overall great taste. 

Hot Dog Cravings

Over the last few weeks I got this weird craving about hot dogs. And it wasn't just any plain old hot dog, but specifically a chili dog. I just kept picturing a hot dog with chili and cheese dripping from its sides. But me being me, I couldn't get any fast food hot dog. Instead, I met up Cashew at HD1 in Atlanta, with "HD" standing for "Haute Doggery."

HD1 is a hip, modern place from Richard Blais, the owner of Flip Burger. The two restaurants share a similar concept: prepare American classics in a gourmet way and serve them in a modern space that's highlighted by a large bar and a separate community table. The menu at HD1 offers a large selections of hot dogs, from classic to completely unexpected. Several options even came close to dissuading me from the chili dog. Even here I had a few options: Red Haute dog with beef frank and brisket chili or a veggie chili dog. Well, I opted for the classic and got the Red Haute. Cashew got the Little Italy. It was the second time she had ordered it, so that shows you it must be great. As to my chili dog, I absolutely loved it. It all started from the toasted bun that provided the perfect amount of crunch for a soft hot dog bun. The beef was flavorful and juicy without being too greasy. The chili was spicy, but not uncomfortably so. Well, I didn't get the melted cheese on top as in my cravings. But they, the world is not perfect...

The hot dogs were a good size for a light dinner. It seems like a funny thing to say that a hot dog is good for a light dinner. But here I mean it in terms of the amount of food, not so much nutrition. It was filling without getting you completely stuffed. Still, Cashew and I shared an order of the plain waffle fries. Despite what the name suggests, they were lightly coated in cheese and herbs. They were also perfectly crispy and not soggy at all. In terms of fries I've had, they rival the fries at McDonald's, and they're definitely better than the waffle fries at Chick-fil-A :)

Farm-fresh

Well, this post is way overdue... Good thing the food was memorable, so I can afford to write about it late.

More than a week ago Cashew and I decided to try an organic burger place in Decatur called Farm Burger. That's a cool concept. I usually think of burgers as a guilty pleasure, but they don't seem as bad when they're organic :) And yes, they're a little healthier...

Farm Burger is a small place and they don't have too many menu options, but I assume that means that everything they offer is great. Both Cashew and I got the Original burger (#1 on the menu). We also shared the FB fries (with garlic, herbs, and parmesan). The burger was the right size (not huge), had the right amount of moisture and was overall really tasty. Nothing fancy, but tasty. No crazy toppings or sauces. Only meat, caramelized onions and melted cheese. My only complaint is that the meat could have been a little "smokier," for example by adding some cumin to it... By the way, the fries were amazing as well!

Overall, I loved the place. Can't wait to try more things!