Red Enchilada – Santa Fe, NM

If you’re looking for the place in Santa Fe, NM, where locals go for lunch, this is it. Waaaay good green chile sauce! This place is totally a local hangout. It’s fairly small and diner-ish but it’s friendly and beyond everything else delicious.

Did you know there is a difference between New Mexican and Mexican food? I’m told that New Mexican cuisine is a blend of Mexican, Southwestern, and Spanish. Can’t beat that!

At Red Enchilada, I had the combo plate with a beef taco, cheese enchilada, pork tamale, and beans and rice. All topped with an incredibly good and a bit lip-smackin spicy green chile sauce. Everything was just tasty as all heck.

Top it off with a nice refreshing guava juice and you’re all set for lunch!

Oh, and I can’t fail to mention to fresh, delicate donut-like sopapillas. Pour a little honey on and you’re on your way to sweet heaven.

Red Enchilada
1310 Osage Avenue
Santa Fe, NM
505-820-6552

Restaurant Review: Sea Salt, Minneapolis MN

I have heard soooo many things about Sea Salt at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis, MN. This is a perfect place for many things: enjoying nature in a city, listening to live music, book club, playing bocce ball….all while eating a fantastic meal!

Sea Salt gets their fish from local seafood store Coastal Seafood (the best place in Minneapolis to purchase seafood and fish). Sea Salt’s menu features an array of tacos, ‘po boys, appetizers, fresh oysters, etc. And everything is fantastic.

I had the calamari tacos with cole slaw. These tacos were on corn tortillas with fresh, homemade salsa. The calamari was fried perfectly, too. I wish the sauce had been really garlicky, but otherwise I would order these again in a heartbeat. The coleslaw was also quite good.

The last time I was there, I tried the tilapia tacos – also YUMMY. But this time I had it with a side of grilled corn on the cob…my favorite. I threw some lime juice, salt and tabasco sauce on it and it was quite good.

The oysters are extremely fresh and delicious, and you can also order beer and wine there.

Honky Tonks and Biscuits

Who would’ve thought that Nashville, TN, is full of fantastic food discoveries? Well…I guess not me. But I’m here visiting a friend, and man oh man, we’ve been eating real good.

My sister and I are here visiting a friend, but she didn’t know I was coming. My sister cleverly booked my flight to arrive the same time as hers came in from Syracuse. When Jen came to pick us up Friday morning, we were sure we’d spilled the beans at least 4 times. Somehow, she had no idea and hadn’t picked up on our slips. The look on her face when she saw me was priceless! Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? It looked a little like that followed with a lingering of “I can’t believe you’re here!”

Thankfully, Jen understands the love of food. Our first mission? Drive out to the Loveless Cafe.

This cafe used to be a motel that also served food to travelers. The motel is now a series of little shops, but the cafe is still there and still rocking their delicious trademark biscuits.

Ahhh…..Southern hospitality. We sat down at our table and wahlah! biscuits with homemade jams arrived at our table with our server’s friendly smile.

These biscuits are tender, flaky, warm and a little bit crispy on the tops and bottoms. They’re clearly made with lots and lots of butter – but how else would they get so delicious? Fat is flavor! But the best part of these biscuits is the taste – they have a hint of that cakey buttermilk pancake flavor. Unbelievably good.

The second best part of these biscuits is the homemade jams that come with them. (Note: this picture is our second plate of biscuits – hence the partially eaten jams.) Strawberry, Blackberry, and Peach jams – it’s a toss up for my favorite but if someone put a gun to my head and made me choose, it would be the peach. Little chunks of fresh peach swim in syrupy jamminess. But the blackberry is really good too – it’s easy to forget the seeds in this jam because it’s packed full of ripe berriness.

And then the food – I ordered the BBQ Pulled Pork and Eggs. I looooove BBQ pulled pork, but this was out of this world good. Pork and eggs? What an easy way to redo steak and eggs!

The pulled pork was so tender and moist. It had a slight smoky flavor and the sweetness of the BBQ sauce made it taste like a little slice of heaven. I almost forgot where I was when I first took a bite. And mixing it was the eggs? Also delicious. The right way to have breakfast.

Review: Sushi Groove, San Francisco

This place was a last minute switch-up and I am soooo glad we changed plans. Sushi Groove, located on Union St at Hyde in Russian Hill, was excellent – some of the best sushi I’ve had.

We also had an excellent server- Robin. Ask for him if you go. I think he was a little surprised how much food we ordered, but he did want to sit down with us and eat…we must have good taste.

We ordered a hella sushi. It might’ve had something to do with our lack of eating for a cool 6 or 7 hours. Jamba Juice doesn’t cut it, but it does get you through.

We started with Yaegaki Junmai “Black Bottle” sake – it was dry, smooth, light, delicate and a little floral. It was excellent. I will definitely be looking for this again. Also tried an unfiltered sake which was also good. As Robin put it, “it’s like sake from a cow.” Ew…

As for sushi, we had quite the array, as you can see:

The hamachi was outstanding. I feel better about the quality of hamachi on this trip versus the one last year. Sushi Groove also had an excellent selection of specials, including Hawaiian butterfish – Walu. It was soooo good. This is why I feel like sushi is like a drug – whenever I have it, I have to have more. It is addicting to eat something as good as that walu. It was melt in your mouth delicious.

Also, the ivory salmon was outstanding. We had it nigiri style and I sure felt the burn on that one- the surprise of extra wasabi was quite unexpected but welcome. We also had the aji sashimi (that would be the fish in the picture). It was pretty good with the mashed ginger they served with it.

We tried a few rolls and they were pretty good too- dynamite (which they put dollops of Sri Racha on – LOVED it), eric’s maki (scallops with tobiko and avocado I think), gari saba (ginger and mackerel), and kamikaze (yellowtail, avocado and tobiko). Yummo.

Overall, it was a lot of fun and we enjoyed all of the sushi.

Sushi Groove
1916 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA
415-440-1905

They are also on open table for reservations.

Review: Spoon River, Minneapolis MN

I finally made it to Brenda Langston’s new restaurant Spoon River. (I’m a big fan of Cafe Brenda- in my opinion they have some of the best fish preparations in Minneapolis.) Has it been open a year already? WHAT is my problem? Seriously.

Well, now that I’ve been, I will be going back regularly. It was most excellent!

My friend and I had the charcuterie plate with an extremely delicious duck and chicken liver pate….mmmmm. It definitely rivals Barbette’s pate. The salami was a little fatty for my taste, but the cheeses were quite good. I’m not very familiar with cheeses on a charcuterie plate, but hey- I won’t say no.

We ordered one of the nightly specials and one entree off the menu, and they were both great. I don’t eat meat very often- I typically do when I know where the meat comes from or eat at a restaurant where I know the owner takes particular care in selecting high quality, local, organic meat. And for some reason I must’ve been feeling really low on iron because the sound of the Steak special made my mouth start watering.

For good reason, too. The steak was incredible. It was cooked perfectly medium rare with a delicious sauce and incredible pureed potatoes.

The fish entree was also quite good- walleye with a cucumber jalapeno tartar sauce. I’m all about the sauces and both of these dishes were up to par for my taste.

Aside from the great food, we had a really nice bottle of wine with dinner- Hess Syrah. I’m familiar with some other Hess wines and for the price I think they’re quite good. I’d never had the syrah before, but it will be a regular purchase from the liquor store from now on.

One more thing about the cocktails- the basil vodka lemonade drink was incredible. It is the perfect summer beverage…I just wish we had been able to enjoy it on the patio.

The space of the restaurant is a little awkward, but I love the red walls and the tables and chairs. I also appreciate the service there. The staff is quite a crew!

Check it out if you haven’t. It’s an excellent Minneapolis restaurant.

Spoon River
750 S. 2nd St.
@ Chicago Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
tel. 612 436 2236

Minneapolis Favorite: Barbette

Barbette is definitely in my Top 5 for favorite restaurants in Minneapolis, MN. Everything about it is enjoyable: the service, the atmosphere, the food, the drinks (specifically the martinis), the wine selection, the price.

I finally made it in for brunch on Sunday. The coffee was exceptionally strong and tasty- very chocolately (similar to the Birchwood Blend made by Peace Coffee…another favorite). I tried the Eggs Florentine…WHOA. I didn’t think I liked tomatoes. I have to retract that statement if I’ve ever made it. The oven dried, marinated tomatoes made the dish. They had a rustic, earthy, full flavor that went really well with the light lemony hollandaise and perfectly poached eggs.

Other favorites:
• they make the best vodka dirty martini
• delicious carrot cake
• their menu changes frequently
• their wines are affordable and typically very good
• their fish selections are always incredible
• fries are always crispy and served with an incredible saffron aioli
• they purchase as much as they can from local companies (yay!) and typically the foods are organic when possible

I could go on and on…

Owner Kim Bartman is rumored to be opening a new restaurant in NorthEast pretty soon, called the Red Stag. Should be excellent based on the success of both Barbette and Bryant Lake Bowl.

Barbette
1600 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-827-5710

Hummus Feta Salmon

I’m back with more recipes. I’m finally feeling like cooking again and I was dead set on having salmon for dinner last night. (Even though the tilapia looked mighty good.)

I’m starting to explore a way of cooking that is somewhat new to me. Although I feel like I’ve done this in the past, I’m now doing it more intentionally- working with one ingredient and building a meal out of it. That’s how this recipe came to be.

I was in the grocery store last night at the fish counter picking out some salmon when I looked over at a small refridgerated section and realized we definitely needed some hummus. I asked D to go over and pick out some Holy Land hummus (my favorite) and pita bread.

Then I thought, “Hmm…what if we cooked the salmon with hummus on top of it?!” And we did. And it was excellent. This recipe is for 2 people, but to increase it, just buy 6 oz of salmon per person and then increase the spread to accommodate the amount of fish.

Hummus Feta Salmon

12 oz fresh salmon fillets
2 oz Holy Land garlicky hummus (or some other variety of garlicky hummus, or plain hummus with 1 minced garlic clove)
2 oz crumbled Greek feta cheese
2 t chopped fresh herbs (use whatever you have on hand- mint, tarragon, basil, thyme, any of those will work well)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400. Prepare a baking sheet and place the salmon on the sheet. I like to put aluminum foil on my baking sheet when I buy fish with skin on it. This way when I take it out of the oven the skin stays on the aluminum foil and I get fish with no skin. (However, if you like salmon skin, which is VERY tasty, then don’t do this.)

Combine the hummus, feta, herbs, salt and pepper.  Spread over the salmon. Bake the salmon for about 15 minutes for medium and about 20 minutes for cooked through.

Server with steamed broccoli for a complete and healthy meal.

Review: Sushi Tango, Minneapolis MN

I once visited a place in Seattle called I <heart> Sushi (where “<heart>” = the symbol of a heart). I secretly call Sushi Tango my own personal version of I <heart> Sushi ’cause it is so good!

Sushi is like a drug. Once you taste it, you gotta have more and more and more and more. But unlike drugs, you can’t OD on sushi. Thank God for that – at least one drug that is great in excess.

Sushi Tango is my personal favorite for sushi in Minneapolis. (However, I am consistently scolded for not having been to Origami-not-in-a-mall or Midori’s.)

I have to argue that they have the best Hamachi I’ve ever had. I tried and tried and tried to unconvince myself of that when I was in California last June, but the hamachi out there didn’t come close to Sushi Tango.

The wait staff is great (ask for Amy, Hope or Moon), and the sushi chef’s are a comical crew. I love watching them on a busy weekend night.

I’d definitely recommend the Yummy Roll – it’s not on the menu, but it’s a must. It’s a spicy, tuna, avocado, chili sauce rolled inside out then rolled in tempura flakes. It’s a sensational textural experience. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, cruncy and smooth all at once. True to its name, it’s totally yummy!

The Tai (red snapper) that Tango puts together is to die for. Ask for it right when you sit down because it’s very popular and is often out. They serve it will a little grated cayenne and a sliver of lemon. Very, very good.

Also recommended options: Mutsu (super white tuna), Aji (spanish mackerel – incredibly good), Caterpillar roll, some of the best miso soup, awesome home made egg rolls that are piping hot.

Also, their oysters are phenomenal. They serve regular or spicy with ponzu sauce.

Go ahead and get yourself there. It’s worth it.

Sushi Tango
Calhoun Square, second level
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612.822.7787

Review: Town Talk Diner, Minneapolis MN

GO THERE NOW! EARLY!

That’s the best thing I can tell you about the Town Talk Diner located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Town Talk Diner
2707 1/2 East Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.722.1312

We spontaneously went there after a long day of galavanting around town ending up at the Midtown YWCA.

It was 6pm and we were starving. First of all, who eats at 6pm? Apparently if you want to eat at Town Talk Diner, you better be there before 6pm. Sure it was Saturday night, but we got the last table when we walked in.

A few general comments about the place: exceptional waitstaff, clean bathrooms, great decor, and of course, awesome food.

It’s rare to find a restaurant that provides the level of service that Town Talk Diner does. They understand the importance of working together as a team to get the job done right. Adam was our server – knowledgeable, pleasant and overall delightful to have as a server.

Although the entrance is tight, we made our way into the dining room side (this is an addition to the original space). The host and the entire waitstaff attended to us throughout our entire meal. This is the level of service you might expect from a 5 Star restaurant.

When we sat down, there was the most delicious aroma coming from the table behind us. We asked Adam what it was. His response was like heaven rolled into a cheese platter: “Garlic parsley fries.” Seriously. Does it get any better than that?

We had a hard time trying to decide what to eat even though we knew the garlic parsely fries were a must. The menu is fun and everything sounds good – or was that because I had just finished working out and hadn’t eaten all day? Hmmm…I think not.

We both started with salads – grilled romaine w/Caesar dressing which was delightful, and a green salad that I’m told was equally as good.

We both had burgers for our main course – again with the garlic parsley fries. I had the home-made veggie burger that had a great Greek twist to it. The burger itself was excellent in an oozing-out-of-the-bun-when-I-take-a-bite kind of way. It was topped with tahini sauce and a cucumber yogurt sauce. De-lic-ious!

And of course the garlic parsley fries were just as delicious as they smelled. Mmm mmm good! Go there just for the fries – you won’t be disappointed.

The cheeseburger with bacon was cooked perfectly to order – medium rare – and was also quite good.

We didn’t have room for dessert, but we’ll be back.

In addition to burgers and fries, Town Talk Diner serves up excellent fish dishes, pasta, breakfast, a great selection of beer and wine, and last but not least, a list of Adult Shakes. We didn’t try any of those, but I’m sure we will when we get back.

And for those of you reading this that are afraid of garlic parsley fries, I have 2 things to say:

1. do not fear the garlic parsley fries – they have flavor
2. if you can’t quite get into the garlic parsley fries thing, then they have regular fries too

The best not dog in Minneapolis…maybe anywhere

If you’re wondering what a “not dog” is, it is a vegetarian hot dog. And the Bulldog Restaurant (btw – what’s up with the MySpace profile for bars?) in Minneapolis, MN has THE BEST not dog around. I am one for good hot dogs, but man, I would order that not dog over any hot dog any day.

Now that I’m no longer a vegetarian – even though when I was I was really bad at it – I still crave that not dog! Can it be like a drug? I know sushi is like drugs, but no-dogs? They typically suck.

The not dog on their menu comes with all the fixin’ options that their hot dogs do – any assortment of chicago style, beans & onions, jalapenos, etc. Pretty much anything you want on your dog you can get. It must be the texture – it’s very meatlike. I think it could fool any meat-eater.

Not to mention, the Bulldog does have an excellent assortment of beers on tap – Bell’s 2 Hearted (my alltime fave), Rush River Beers (a local Wisconsin brewery w/a good red), Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Hoegaarden, etc.

Do yourself a favor and check it out. You will be mighty satisfied with your choice of not dog.