Minneapolis North Suburbs

[Schneier]

My wife and I write a monthly restaurant review for the "North" section of the Star-Tribune. (We also do "West" and "South," but that's not important now.) The problem is that the northern Twin-Cities suburbs are a culinary wasteland. We've reviewed Singapore Chinese Cuisine. We've reviewed Udupi Cafe. We've reviewed a couple of other random restaurants we've found. And it's incrasingly harder to find anything worth saying something nice about.

Anyone live up there? Any suggestions?

The towns in our geographical area are Ramsey, Anoka, Andover, Ham Lake, Coon Rapids, Columbus Township, Circle Pines, Lexington,Blaine, Spring Lake Park,Fridley, Columbia Heights, New Brighton, Mounds View, Arden Hills, Shoreview, North Oaks, Vadnais Heights, Gem Lake, White Bear Lake and township, Dellwood, Maplewood, North St. Paul, Little Canada, Falcon Heights and Roseville.

Bruce

[zennenn]

How about Tria or My Le Hoa?

[Schneier]

How about Tria or My Le Hoa?

←

How about them? What and where are they?

[sumac]

Tria is in North Oaks. Joan Ida, the pastry chef from Goodfellows, is the head chef there and I've heard she is doing quite well. I haven't been though.

My Le Hoa is on North Rice Street in Little Canada and is best know for Dim Sum.

Does your area include Stillwater?

[snowangel]

I am almost embarrassed to add that I now live in Coon Rapids. No comments, please.

But, My Le Hoa is great. For dim sum or dinner.

But, up in these areas the place I am most curious about is an apparently very popular joint called "The Vineyard." They do a lot with "seafood" and prime rib, and have some cauliflower and bacon salad that they licensed to a couple of other places.

Should you be up for a jaunt to either of these (or Tria), let us know (we're more than ready for a sans kids outing), and we'll join you. I'd vote for My Lee Hoa over the Vineyard, although that one does intrigue me. Perhaps a study in just how bad the taste is up here.

Edited April 7, 2005 by snowangel (log)

[John Braise]

E-Noodle Cafe is worth mentioning. It's south of 36 on Rice street in Roseville. I've mostly stuck to the soups, but everything has been well prepared. For the money, it can't be beat.

[MaryMN]

Have you tried Ingredients Cafe in White Bear Lake? We stumbled upon it a couple months ago and enjoyed the food and cozy atmosphere..

[deltadoc]

My wife and I write a monthly restaurant review for the "North" section of the Star-Tribune.  (We also do "West" and "South," but that's not important now.)  The problem is that the northern Twin-Cities suburbs are a culinary wasteland.  We've reviewed Singapore Chinese Cuisine.  We've reviewed Udupi Cafe.  We've reviewed a couple of other random restaurants we've found.  And it's incrasingly harder to find anything worth saying something nice about.

Anyone live up there?  Any suggestions?

Bruce

←

Hey Bruce,

I live in Shoreview. Used to write a column for a couple of SW Twin City suburban newspapers.

For consistency of food, Kozlak's Royal Oak on Hodgeson Road just north from HW 96 is one of the best restaurants around. Mark Satt is co-owner and EC there. Their salad bar is outstanding, and their house caesar dressing is non-traditional but excitingly good tasting. I've eaten there off and on since they took over the Sandpiper in 1977.

Down on Rice Street and Little Canada in a shopping mall is Little Venetian. It's run by members of the same family that ran the Venetian Inn for many years which is now a bunch of condominiums. Their menu changes daily according to "whatever the chefs want to cook that day"! Wonderful authentic Italian food. And some that I don't know if you would call "Italian", but their stuffed green peppers are hard to beat.

Down on Lexington and CR E, real close to Ingredients Cafe in Arden Hills, is Chanticlear Pizza. They make the most outstanding thin crust pizza I've ever eaten commercially. That's all they make, thin crust.

Up east off of HW 96 in WBL, there's a Mexican Restaurant, but I can't remember the name. I believe Jeremy has written about them. Further east from there, the same owners have a very upscale Mexican Restaurant. Very tasty stuff. I'll see if I can find out the names again.

And that's about it for the Northern Suburbs. Me, I drive all the way over to the Holyland to have their luncheon buffet. Majdi and Wadi go to extremes to make the most tasty buffet I've eaten at. Plan to arrive promptly at 11am when everything is fresh, untouched, and beautiful to behold! Friday-Sunday, the buffet is $1 more than M-Th. They send their own spice blend and their own meat (they have an onsite butcher shop) to Chicago to have their Shawirma cones made. Yeah, I know it isn't North Suburbs, but North Suburb people ought to know about the Holyland!!!

Invite me along one day (PM me!)

doc

Edited April 25, 2005 by deltadoc (log)

[Schneier]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. We appreciate it.

Bruce

[kjente2]

My wife and I write a monthly restaurant

And that's about it for the Northern Suburbs. Me, I drive all the way over to the Holyland to have their luncheon buffet. Majdi and Wadi go to extremes to make the most tasty buffet I've eaten at.

Invite me along one day (PM me!)

doc

←

The Holyland is a Mecca of it's own. I do not miss a chance to visit each time I go home. If you haven't tried the crema, do so. Ordering from the menu wll not disappoint either.

[snowangel]

Yet another suggestion. Canyon Grille in Maple Grove (or is it Coon Rapids). Apparently, they have a great wine list and occasional wine pairing dinners.

[Schneier]

Udupi is now Nalapak. Seems like the same owners; it's certainly the same menu. They claim that they changed their name because of Indian mythology, but in general restaurants change names to avoid bill collectors.

In any case, we went last night. It's stil strictly vegetarian (with cheese). But it wasn't anywhere near as good as it was when we reviewed it two years previously.

Our review should appear in the North section of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune later this month.