Masu

Masu
330 East Hennepin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55414
http://masusushiandrobata.com/

Do I even need to give you all words for this place? Maybe I will, but not now. Just soak it in.

Dear...2000...12?

Dear 2012,

This year will not be dedicated to making the same false promises of 2011...What in the hell???! It's 2012? Where did 2011 go? "See you in 2012!" God, it's like I was predicting the future. Or maybe I just knew what an amazingly procrastinating person I am. Embarassment and self-loathing for my own writing aside, this blog will continue. I see I have another follower, woot!

I have nothing else to give but apologies at this point. Maybe, just maybe, this year will be different...

Probably not.

Here's to 2013.

-BW

Dear 2011...

Dear 2011,

This year will not be dedicated to neglecting Food a la Blog or posting simply one entry about Cowboy Slims. Ugh, no wonder I'm just a poopoo hobby food writer. I swear I ate at better places than Cowboy Slims last year. Did I mention the one bartender who was working that afternoon was prego? Classy.

I have said this many times before, but this time I mean it...really...really. No more pretending that I don't have time to write. I love writing and thus to not write is to not love myself. Guess I'm loving myself right now...ew.

This is my written dedication to me, and my 3 fans that I will be back on the computer typing away about nonsense of the Midwest food world if for nothing more than to entertain myself. This year has already been full of restaurant surprises here in MN and at my favorite 'vacation desitination' IA. You get to hear about them all.

And I'm late for work. See you in 2012!

-BW

Cowboy Slims

Yuck, did I really just go here to eat? Yes, I did. Looking for some quick bar food in Uptown and this is where we landed. I probably didn't even tell anyone I ate here because I was so embarrassed, but here I am.

Hello, my name is __________ and I ate at Cowboy Slims...

During a Thursday afternoon, the place was just packed floor to ceiling. We waited and waited and finally got a seat at this amazing dining establishment. Jokes. We were the only ones in the joint, our waitress was rude, the food was okay, should have gone to William's down the street. I guess if you were forced out against your will by a frat boy and all they would let you eat is stuff off the Cowboy Slims menu, then by all means, DO IT!

I had the buffalo chicken wrap (yup, out of my comfort zone, thinking outside the box) and my friend had some sort of salad. I tried to look up the menu information on their website, but apparently that too was designed by an infant. Bland, boring, blah, blah, blah, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The waitress and her new employee shadow were so busy with their non-existent other tables that they only managed to check on us once. I enjoyed the conversation and the company...no let us never speak of this again...

So there you have it folks, I wouldn't pick death over eating at Cowboys Slims, but I'd be pretty friggin close.

Here's what fellow food enthuists from Yelp had to say...

"One guy drank the last of our beer and tried to sell us drugs. When I was walking to the bathroom, two dudes slapped my ass at the same time and started chanting "U-S-A U-S-A."
--Brian L., St. Paul

"I've never seen more tools in one place in my life...and I've been to Vegas!!"
--Lauren R., Minneapolis

"If this isn't the embarrassing poop stain of Minneapolis, I don't know what is."
--Ryan J., Minneapolis

Well said friends, well said.

-BananaWoo

Hello Foodblog...

Sincere apologies to my millions of readers...

*crickets*

But good news, I am back and ready to write and be really mean to people who work really hard to serve me food (kidding about the last part). I've been eating a lot lately, so be ready for a flood of entries, with little to no visual aides (sad face). Also, you can follow me on Twitter.com at BananaWoo where you might find a few random food picture postings.

-BananaWoo

Burger Jones

3200 West Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55416-4512
(612) 746-0800

Open daily from 11:00am to 1:00am
HH from 3:00pm to 6:00pm and again from 9:00pm to close

Burger Jones, one of the newest of the Parasole dining establishment offspring (also overseers of Manny's Steakhouse, Chino Latino, Salut Bar Americain, Muffuletta, Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse, Good Earth, The Living Room, Prohibition, Burger Jones, Il Gatto, and Uptown Cafeteria).

Is it worth the wait? No. That's why the lines have died down since opening. Sorry Mr. Jones, I don't mean to be harsh, but with your limited menu, sub-par freedom fries, and mediocre Uptown trendy diner design, you leave much to be desired. I have been back 3 times since opening. I will not poo-poo where poo-poo is not due. However, nothing has struck me hard. Nothing wakes me in the night saying "you need some Burger Jones!". It's not horrible, it's just not amazing.

Arthurs Tavern

Arthurs Tavern
644 Georges Road
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
(732) 828-1117
http://www.arthurstavern.com/

Who wants 24 ounces of meat.

Madison Square Park - Manhattan, New York
http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/

Wow, you are literally a shack. Yet the smell alone made me fall in love instantly. An old college friend of mine suggested we make a visit to the Shake Shack during my trip to NYC. At the time I had no idea what this place was, but now I'm preaching the word like it's my job. Five Guys, you have been replaced.

Shake Shack is a New York newbie, but already a staple made apparent by the constant hundred plus person line. Shake Shack opened its windows just a mere 5 years ago in 2004, but it looks like it is here to stay. Located in serene Madison Square Park, the lines may be long, but standing in a park on a beautiful day ain't so bad especially when everything smells like meat and cheese...mmm, beef flavored foliage. I forgot what I was saying.

Looked like we made it at a decent time - I think it was 1ish on a Saturday during Rosh Hashanah and German Day Off. I suggest if you can visit during a major holiday to do so. The line got noticeably longer as we slowly moved forward. The shack has only 2 service windows and even after you order there's a wait. About halfway through the line we got a menu.

I may have almost died when I saw they had cheese fries, which are my secret lovers. I totally expected squeezey cheese or canned nacho cheese from a pump, but oh no. This was the good stuff. I'll talk more about that later.

As you may or may not be able to see from the menu above prices seem decent. However, once you add up some fries, a burger and a beer you're looking at a $14 meal. But I was on vacation, still unemployed, but on vacation with an excuse to splurge. Also I was in New York, a city which reliable sources (tv shows such as Sex and The City) have told me is uber expensive and you can apparently only live there if you're a whore, a wasp or some hybrid combination of the two. But I digress. Believe it or not, the wait and the price were no match for the awesomeness of the food.

We finally made it. About forty minutes in line and another fifteen waiting for our order to come up we got our food. They give you that little buzzy thing to tell you when it's ready. I made the mistake of holding it up to my ear, thinking that I probably got the broken one and of course it goes off. I throw it while yelling eep and a profanity at the same time, looking like a complete ass. Sorry children, earmuffs. What can I say, I am not New York chic, I am Minnesota bumbley.

Ahhhh, see above. Soak in the glory...Imagine the smells...Feel the grease and the smush of the bun between your fingers...See the glean of the cheese...send BananaWoo money...Oh, sorry, thought I might have had you hypnotized. But seriously, look at that and tell me it's disgusting. You can't! You just can't do it! And if you can do it, well guess what pal, we cannot be friends.

What you see pictured above is a Shack Burger (single), cheese fries and the bottom half of a cup containing ShackMeister Ale. And yes, it's actually called that. And yes, I had to sound like an ass and ask for it by name. The good news is I've done far worse for 16 ounces of beer.

Burger=Beefy goodness. Super fresh beef and fixins, cooked just right with just the right amount of seasoning. The "Shack Sauce" as they call it was also delicious. I expected spoiled mayo, but instead it was light and creamy and a little spicy. And did I mention the cheese fries? It was like God sent me a potato guardian angel and some dude in a park caught it, chopped it up, dunked it into a fryer and smothered it in cheese. Thank you for your sacrifice potato angel. Like I said, it wasn't nacho pump cheese and it wasn't oily dried shredded cheese either. Can't say exactly what it was, but it was amazing. Crinkle fries weren't half bad either, even though I'd probably just drink the cheese straight if given the option. Also, Meister Ale, superb. It might have tasted really good because I was standing in line for an hour for it, but I think under regular circumstances I would still enjoy.

All in all I am now prepared to move to New York for this place. Just kidding...ahem. But in all seriousness, if you find yourself in Manhattan and have a little extra time on your hands I strongly recommend Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. My only advice is don't come starving and make sure you place a hearty order. If you're going to wait in line for an hour might as well gorge when you get the chance. Maybe get a whole bunch and then walk down the line and sell it to the people waiting for an inflated price. Jokes.

-BigAppleWoo (?)

Journal ala Blog?

Mr. B suggested that I start a journal about my travels. I agreed that would be a good idea. Especially now that I am unemployed and without money, Food ala Blog might be without new restaurant reviews for awhile. No funds = no eats for this blogster. I take that back...do you want to hear 20 or so posts on how to fancy up a Cup O' Noodle? Thought not.

I know, I know, you're probably wondering how I'm going to travel without funds. Well...that's a good question. Crap. I guess I'd rather be traveling and starving than full and dormant? Anyways, I just recently returned from a trip to NYC and Jersey. Two major foodie cities in the U.S. of A. I hit up some hot spots and obsessions (Americana Diner, Arthur's, Les Halles) so still food related, but there was so much more that made me fall in love with New York. Once I become rich or find an old rich guy I will be moving there. Reviews and pics to come soon.

-BananaWoo

Goodbye State Fair!

Labor day, last day of the State Fair and although it's not offically fall yet it feels that way. I guess it's convenient that the cold comes right after the fair ends. Now I can cover up my salty, greasy bloat with a couple cute sweaters. Fried cheese, hot dogs, ice cream and corn on the cob are all things of the past...at least until next year.

Sustainable Food

As the growing season comes slowly to a close (at least here in Minnesota) I reflect back on my first attempts at gardening. I think that sustainable food is a really important issue that we should all address. I don't think we all need to become vegetarians and I am fully aware of how expensive organic produce is, but consider the future and the past and think about where skills like gardening have brought us and can bring us. It is not such a crazy idea anymore that urban gardening and sustainable food is the wave of the future and maybe the only way we will be able to survive someday.

We live in a culture where quick and easy is the norm. A lot of people don't want to get their hands dirty or wait 3 weeks for a tomato to grow when you can get them at the grocery store. I'm guilty of this just as much as the next person. It is hard to start a garden, especially in the city. Things don't just magically start growing, at least for more people, and most first time gardeners will have their fair share of disappointment. Just a few weeks ago i killed a bunch of morning glory plants, sigh. The good news is somethings did work out and the things that I didn't I learned from my mistakes.

My goal this winter is to keep a considerable amount of plants growing indoors and to start my second garden early next season.

Welcome Fall

Fall means a change of season in the world of food, especially here in the frozen tundra of Minneapolis. I am looking forward to some awesome heart warming seasonal menu items at my favorite restaurants around town. I would highly suggest Broders' Pasta Bar for an excellent fall meal. The digs are cozy and they always have great seasonal menu items.

Personally, I'll be cooking a lot more, staying in and enjoying the indoors. Hope to get some new recipes posted real soon.

Places to catch that last ray of sun

If you're like me you're thinking, "hey, summer is almost over, better get outside while I can!"

Yes, the best and worst part of Minnesota dining is patio seating. Best because it is beautful and despite popular belief we do get a few warm days here and there. Bad because, #1 it ends, #2 when it actually does gets warm patio seating is hard to get without a reservation. So, with summer coming to a close and the MN State Fair here to distract a few people, get outside and eat! Here are a couple of suggestions where patios are plentiful.

1. Cafe Maude located on 5411 Penn Avenue South in Minneapolis. Chic, hip, French.

2. Grand Cafe located on 3804 Grand Avenue South in my old Kingfield hood. Neighborhood gem, a bit pricey, but quiet and maybe even a little romantic?

3. Sea Salt Eatery on the Minnehaha Parkway (4825 Minnehaha Ave). Seafood and scenery. I love this place!

4. Town Talk Diner is funky and fresh on Lake Street (2707 1/2 E. Lake Street) in Minneapolis. Fun and energetic, they put a unique spin on diner food. A little spendy, but I would say worth it.

5. Ba-gu Sushi on 4741 Chicago Avenue located across the street from another favorite, Turtle Bread! Ba-gu placed in my top 3 sushi places when considering price, quality, ambiance, and HH specials. Cute patio out back.

6. Kings Wine Bar is new to the neighborhood. Give it a try. Sidewalk and patio dining. A little loud, but not too bad. If you don't fancy wine bars, try Cafe Ena across the street. Both are located at in 45th & Grand the Kingfield neighborhood of South Minneapolis.

7. Brit's Pub located on Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis. Rooftop lawn bowling, outdoor bar and large patio. Fun and different.

There is lots more, just keep your eyes open. This first weekend of September should be a glorious 80 degrees, so get out there and soak up the sun while you still can. See you on the patio.

-BananaWoo.

OPEN: Kings Wine Bar

I should explain, if you'll take a look at the comment below. Yes, I was cheering for these guys, but no, this was not the most spectacular meal I have ever eaten. In fact, there were a few things that I may have failed to mention because I want neighborhood digs to thrive. In the end though the meal was sub-par. To keep my integrity as a "food writer" I will add a few notes. Our service was pretty poor and it took them a good amount of time to figure things out. There was lipstick on our water glasses and it took forever to get a replacement glass. Since our visit I have had more than one rude encounter with the manager/owner and that has basically killed any desire for me to return. Sorry Kings, I will not be positively advertising for you any longer.

Kings Wine Bar
4555 Grand Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55409
http://www.kingsmpls.com/
Menu

I remember when this corner was a convenient store and a video and tan. Obviously not as swanky as what it has become today, but still very homey. In recent years this corner on Grand Ave has become very quiet. Old buildings remained, but nothing moved in. Finally, Café Ena brought some life by totally revamping the convenient store into a fabulous restaurant. The recently opened Kings will hopefully follow suit.

Locally owned and run Kings is an interesting mix of deli sandwiches, wine bar, French cuisine, and a sort of Minnesota tapas. A small patio out back and sidewalk dining makes Kings very inviting and a great addition to the neighborhood. It feels like a community. This is how a neighborhood should feel. The inside is dark and modern and although the food is reasonably priced this could be an intimate location for a date.

There is a different menu for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner as well as dessert and a wonderful (and giant) wine list. We indulged in a number of ‘small bites’ including Fried Stickey Hill goat cheese fritters, lox on rye toast, and house made tater tots with bacon and gruyere cheese sauce. The goat cheese fritters were definitely the stars! For dinner we all did small things. Soups, salad, sandwiches, etc. The small bite appetizers were the highlight though. Pair those wonderful little guys with a bottle of Chilean wine and a couple beer and you have yourself an evening my friend.

Sure, there were a couple suggestions I might make, but what I hope and want is for Kings to come into its own. They have all the time in the world to work out the kinks. I have no doubt in my mind that Kings can become a successful business and a neighborhood staple and I’ll be back to make sure that happens.

Tot with bacon and gruyere sauce	Why Hello Tot, I'm Lox
Lox on rye w/dill cream	Goat cheese fritter
Trio of Small Bites	Tomato basil sandwich
Spinach/goat cheese/spicy almond salad

I'm hungry.

-BananaWoo

Some photos from: Sushi Tango

I just recently got over my phobia of being seen as a big weirdo freak while taking pictures of my food. Lots to share, here's a taste.

L to R, Top to Bottom: Uni Nigiri, Uni/Tekka/Spicy Tuna, Hamachi, Dynamite & Happy Nigiri, Happy Nigiri & Caterpillar Roll. This was my first time trying Uni and I am now officially in LOVE with it!!!! Also, since their move across the hall Tango has revamped their menu. They now offer hibachi as well as some great HH items such as Happy Nigiri. Yay!

Food ala Blog is Getting a Makeover!

Hi anyone and all:

I've neglected my own blog for far too long so I'm doing a major revamp! Look for fun new information in my MN Food News Section as well as some great recipes and of course restaurant reviews.

Enjoy!

Forever in Love with Broders!

Broders' Pasta Bar
5000 Penn Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55419-1035
http://www.broders.com/

This place is always delicious and special. Usually busy, but worth the wait. Here are some photos from my most recent visit.

Olive Assortment	Fettuccine con Meridionale Manzo
Tagliarini di Locanda del Lupo

See my full review on Menuism

Top BBQ

Oklahoma Joe's BBQ
3002 W 47th Avenue
(47th & Missions Road)
Kansas City, KS 66103
http://www.oklahomajoesbbq.com/

The outside might not be much to look at. It's attached to a Shamrock gas station and is sort of in the middle of nowhere and after driving 6 hours in the car through construction BBQ is probably the last thing you think you need. I felt a little car sick as we pulled in to Oklahoma Joe's. However, I was determined to try it. Bourdain had it on his list of the 13 places to eat before you die. That was good enough reason for me, even though I thought I'd be barfing it up in the parking lot minutes later. Sorry for that over share, but don't worry it's leading up to the good part.

Inside is half gas station convience store, half BBQ heaven. It smelled awesome even though I was dizzy and tired. The menu was written in chalk on the wall, but there were a surprising amount of options. Did I mention this is not a place for vegetarians? Wait, I take that back. If you are a vegetarian who really enjoys cole slaw then come along. The rest of you can pour red paint on me later...but at least I'll be full. At the window with the tin roof is where you place your order. Pay attention and know what you want...I did not. Silly Yankee.

We managed to get our food and a couple Coronas. Mr. B had a "Hog Heaven" sandwich which featured smoked pork and pork sausage. More like hell for a hog, but heaven for hog eaters. Smokey and delicious. Throw some texas toast in there too. If it's BBQ without butter, it's not BBQ.

Last, but certainly not least, I give you...THE CAROLINA PULLED PORK! This is what I was waiting for. My stomach instantly healed itself once I took a bite of this thing. Pulled pork topped with spicy Carolina slaw served on a warm buttered bun. If you go to Kansas City you must, must, must stop here. You'll never forgive yourself if you don't.

-BananaWoo

Back From Arkansas and KC!

So what did I learn about food on my travels to KC and Arkansas? Well, I found that Oklahoma Joe's lives up to its reputation and might very well be the best BBQ in the US. Secondly, Indian food in Arkansas is not out of the realm of possibilities, but it might not be what one would expect. You can find "Chicago" style pizza joints nestled among rocky hillsides and what they say about Southern hospitality is true. They do more than fry and BBQ, but maybe sticking to the classics isn't a bad idea.

Not sure if I had any true revelations while I was there, but somewhere in between feeling like I was to be murdered at a roadside berry stand and sensing an indescribable serenity sitting in the woods, I thought maybe I could live in a place like Arkansas. Cities aren't the end all be all, but they're what I know. I think maybe I should finish exploring Minnesota before I venture South again.

-BananaWoo

Nudo

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