Pine Island is a quaint town in Southeastern Minnesota. Home to about 3300 people, you wouldn’t expect it to have a hidden treasure of a restaurant, but that is exactly what you will find if you venture off the beaten path to Pine Island’s charming Main Street where two young chefs have managed to not only serve amazing food that rivals big city fare but are doing so at an incredible price point and with a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere that makes you feel more like you are at a friend’s table. This would be a perfect stop before or after Gold Rush on August 19-21 if you are making the trip to see the almost 3,000 antique booths on display in both Oronoco and Rochester that weekend.
All posts tagged Food & Drink
Galaxy Drive-In…An Intergalactic Treat
If you are looking for kitsch, look no further than the Galaxy Drive-In in the one and only St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The SLP has a lot of gems but none quite as hokey as this restaurant that you can’t help but notice on Highway 7. And hokey is truly an affectionate term for us. We love ourselves a theme restaurant, and this drive-in does not disappoint in that department with its self-described intergalactic and retrofuturistic dining experience. Here’s what you are missing if you have yet to dine at this out-of-this galaxy joint.
Mill Valley Kitchen
It’s certainly not every day that a new restaurant opens in our neighborhood so let’s just say we were filled with excitement and anticipation when we learned that a new apartment complex and business development near us (at Excelsior Blvd and France Ave) was going to be the home of the Mill Valley Kitchen. Advertised as Northern California inspired cuisine served in a comfortable and refined setting, we counted down the days along with the countdown posted outside the restaurant. So needless to say, when it finally opened a few weeks ago, we were itching to go.
Summer Recipe-Bean Dip
Like we’ve mentioned before, we are not gourmet chefs. But we do have a few good recipes up our sleeves. And this one is our go-to summer party dish to share. We just call it bean dip…which probably conjures up visions of something quite different for you than it does for us (creepy, thick refried bean vision anyone?). But our “bean dip” is a very fluid recipe that can be adjusted to your own likes, and it is full of color, flavor and healthy ingredients. Throw it in a bowl and grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips, and you have the perfect crowd-pleaser to bring to any gathering.
Technique at Le Cordon Bleu
We are always looking for a great value, and thanks to my younger brother, we found it at Le Cordon Bleu’s Technique restaurant. Located in Mendota Heights, MN, Technique is open to the public and offers lunch and dinner menus prepared by chefs in training every Tuesday through Friday. For just $10, you can enjoy a three course lunch menu, and for $15 you can sample a five course dinner menu. And Le Cordon Bleu offers the same experience at their schools throughout the country if you aren’t in Minnesota.
Need to Try…..Harbor View Cafe
We are exhausted after spending 3 nearly 13 hour days at the Edina Art Fair so we thought we’d share with you a place where we go to relax. The Harbor View Cafe in Pepin, Wisconsin. It’s a little bit of a hike from Minneapolis (80 miles), but it is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. It has been acclaimed by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Citypages, and the New York Times for its incredible food and casual atmosphere. And it’s so incredibly true. It is unpretentious, charming, and completely worth the drive.
Mojito Madness
For us, mojitos are the quintessential summer drink. Neither of us typically imbibe in rum, but something about the fresh mint and lime juice just screams “drink me” on a hot summer day. We dubbed them our drink of 2010, and we routinely served them to guests and enjoyed them ourselves last summer. While they are a little more complicated than cracking open a cold beer, it is worth the effort. This is how we do it.
Worth the Drive….the New Scenic Café
Located on scenic Highway 61 along the shores of Lake Superior, the New Scenic Café is an unexpected delight offering contemporary American cuisine in a relaxed setting. The picturesque restaurant provides a tranquil view of the lake and is located just 10 miles outside of Duluth.
Fancy Schmancyness
So you’re probably more likely to spot us at our local Chipotle (yes, I love it so much there were days in college and law school where I went there twice a day) or schlepping over to our couch with something from the fresh and fabulous section at Byerlys (couch eaters…….guilty as charged), but last week we were invited out for a rare treat at a fancy restaurant. My little brother is in culinary school and works at the St. Paul Grill, and he convinced my parents to host us all for a special tasting menu at the SPG. So we put on our formal attire (because I never pass up an opportunity to wear my glitter shoes) and rolled into St. Paul for a night on the town.
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