Millner Heritage Winery

On July 6, 2015 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the Metro, WineriesLeave a comment

A little background

Located just seven miles south of Kimball, Minn., you’ll find Millner Heritage Winery, which specializes in the production of Austrian-Hungarian style wines. Their website offers a fascinating review of their family history and how they got their foot into the wine making business.

Better yet, follow them on their Facebook page for real-time updates about their winery and seasonal specials.

My Thoughts

Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of coming to Millner Heritage Winery as part of the bachelorette festivities for one of my close girlfriends.

I was surprised to find such a large winery tucked away in the rolling hills of farmlands just 7 miles outside of Kimball. I grew up around this area (okay, maybe an hour north of this area) and I’m delighted at anything that allows me to boast about my small corner of the world.

So when the bridal party made it’s way out to Millner Heritage Winery, the anticipation of learning more about this place just about killed me and it did not disappoint.

The winery itself is a site to behold when you’re driving down its narrow gravel road through rows and rows of budding groves of grape vines to the main building.

Our visit began with a detailed tour of their family vineyard/winery, which consisted of an informative, tractor-drawn trolly ride through the vineyard rows. On this tour, the owner Jon described in detail the process of growing a vineyard and described the grape varieties grown on their land.

To tour the winery and learn about wine-making, you’ll have to sign up for a separate tour, but it’s worth it. To date, this was the most in-depth winery tour that I’ve had the pleasure of participating in. Our tour group was walked through every step in the wine-making process from harvest to bottle. If you’re considering taking this tour, make sure you bring a jacket. It got quite cold in there.

Our tour ended with a sampling of 14 of their 16 wines. On this day, they didn’t have their Nordsuss or Gemutlichkeit wines available for sampling. If sipping 14 wines in one sitting seems like a little much, they offer a variety of sampling levels at various prices. Since many of our party were not from the area, we took the opportunity to sample all of the wines produced at Millner Heritage Winery.

I would recommend getting a cheese plate to go with the samplings to enhance the flavors of their wines.

I SO appreciated that visitors are given a wine list that details what grapes each wine contains, what barrel they were stored in, how the wine was produced, and what flavors you’re likely to experience when tasting.

It became apparent quickly that anyone could find a wine that they enjoyed here. Out of the 14 that we sampled, I easily could have brought eight of these home with me (and if I had the funds to do so I would have!). What kept me from enjoying a few of their wines was the notes of apricot in the wine. I’ve never been a fan of apricot, but the other women on our tour adored those wines (apricot lovers rejoice!).

In the end, I went home with two wines: the Rona and Mullner Nice.

*Descriptions below are from their wine list.

Rona (red wine): This is a poetic term for the Great Hungarian Plain in eastern Hungary where Jon’s wife Annamaria grew up. This wine is moderately tart, thus it is often nice to pair this wine with food that is seasoned a little heavier or a bit spicy.

Mullner Nice (white wine): Made from pressing frozen Frontenac Gris grapes to concentrate the sugar, acid and flavor compounds, roughly about 40% concentrating the juice. The resulting wine has a tremendous amount of flavor (they’re not kidding on that point) and sweetness.

Cheers!

Why Wine Lovers Should Visit Stillwater, Minn.

On September 21, 2014September 21, 2014 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the Metro, WineriesLeave a comment

So I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but I just had my first visit to Stillwater, Minn. It’s surprising, considering I’ve grown up in Minnesota and I like to explore. I didn’t really know what to expect from this sizeable town, better known as the “Birthplace of Minnesota.” What I found, is that it’s a foodie/wine lover’s paradise!

My husband and I stumbled across our first gem when taking a self-guided, historic walking tour of Stillwater. We couldn’t help but notice a miniature castle carved from the limestone bluffs. Housed within this castle is Luna Rossa Wine Shop.

Upon opening the door, we were immediately welcomed in and asked if we wanted to participate in a wine tasting. Of course we said, “yes!”

Tony and I have been to our fair share of wine tastings. They’re a great way to sample many varieties of wine that you normally wouldn’t try. It’s wonderful to discover what you truly enjoy so you can avoid wasting your money on something that doesn’t delight your palette. Tony and I agreed that the woman at Luna Rossa Wine Shop not only selected a stellar set of wines to sample, but also provided an incredibly educational experience for the participants. When presenting each wine, she detailed it’s creation from where it was grown, the variety of grapes, the process it undertook, how it should properly be served, and what pair each wine with.

When the sampling concluded, we were able to walk around their cave-like shop and look for the wines we sampled.

Head down the main drag and you’ll get to Northern Vineyards Winery, which is a cooperative between vineyards across Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is also one of the oldest wineries in Minnesota and one of the first wine cooperatives in the United States.

The staff was incredibly knowledgeable about all of their 30 varieties of wine and they were always willing to tell us more about their co op, the types of grapes they use (varieties that can withstand the cold), and what foods would make excellent pairings for their wine. So why should you stop here? If the fact that this is a grassroots co op hasn’t piqued your interest, then maybe appeal of sampling ten wines at once will change your mind. Yes, Northern Vineyards Winery offers the largest sampling that I’ve ever been to. They guarantee that visitors have the opportunity to sample a wide range of wines to truly discover their personal favorites. At $5 a sampling, this is the best deal you’ll get in town.

Here’s a rough picture of our sampling menu. As you can see, we sipped everything from white and sweet to spicy and red. This is a MUST when you’re visiting Stillwater, MN.

FYI: My favorite was the Yellow Moccasin.

Here’s another piece of advice, when in Stillwater, make a point to stop at Domacin Wine Bar. This little wine bar was actually featured in Travel+Leisure Magazine as one of “America’s 25 Best Wine Bars”. If that doesn’t excite your tastebuds, I don’t know what will. Unfortunately, we were visiting when it was closed so we didn’t get to go, but you better believe we’ll be taking another trip to Stillwater ASAP!

Mozza Mia

On December 2, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the MetroLeave a comment

A little background

Mozza Mia is a spacious, lively Italian restaurant located in Edina’s trendy downtown. What makes Mozza Mia unique is their devotion to fresh ingredients, which starts with their house mozzarella. They prepare a few varieties every morning out of whole milk curds. When completely finished, the mozzarella does not need additives, other than a little olive oil, to bring out its full flavor. When we went, they had just started making their own pastas also.

It makes sense that Mozza Mia is smartly designed and has a menu that suites a wide range of tastes. It’s owned by the same family that runs Chino Latino, a highly successful restaurant in Uptown. My buddies and I have went to Chino a number of times so we were excited to stop in to this Italian treat.

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My thoughts

Since Mozza Mia makes their own mozzarella, we had to order up their Mozzarella Caprese with vine-ripened tomatoes, basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Like I mentioned before, the mozzarella doesn’t need much to have a great taste. Everything was fresh and made for a great starter before our entree arrived. What did we think of the mozzarella? It was fantastic! It was smooth and easily could have worked on any dish that could use a pop of cheese.

Now, Mozza Mia has a great selection of pasta dishes, but I really wanted to try one of their creative pizzas. I’ve listened to a few of my coworkers rave about them so, naturally, I had to see what all the hype was about. I was in an adventurous mood so I went with the Fig and Prosciutto pizza upon our waitress’s recommendation. I absolutely loved it! In addition to the sweet flavor of the figs and the saltiness of the prosciutto, this pizza came with caramelized onions smothered in gorgonzola cheese. I was love at first bite and there was no way this pizza survived on my plate for long. What was I to do? Let it go cold? For this magical pizza that was not an option. I will highly and emphatically suggest ordering this at your entree.

Overall, two thumbs way, way up for t Mozza Mia. The owners have done it again and created an Italian restaurant that I will certainly return to.

For a full view of their menus, check out the link below:
Lunch & Drinks
Dinner & Drinks
Happy Hour
Desserts

Honeymooning in Ireland!!!!

On October 3, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the MetroLeave a comment

After six years of dating and a year of wedding planning, Tony and I said “I Do” this past August. (Have you noticed I started saying “husband”? We both cannot believe that it’s been almost two months since we “tied the knot” and we know things can only get better…says the woman who’s in the “honeymoon” phase of married life.

Speaking of honeymoons, Tony and I are getting pretty excited to go on ours…FINALLY!!! We decided to go to Ireland, a long awaited trip for both of us. We leave this Friday and we’ve begun counting the hours. When I get back, I’ll make a special exception to the rules of my blog and write about what delectables we’ll get to nosh on there! Stay tuned!!!

Also, my apologies for deciding not to post any new content for the next couple weeks. Seriously though, it’s my honeymoon. Can you blame me? 🙂

Stay Hungry!

Stella’s Fish Cafe

On August 19, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the Metro, Seafood, Twin Cities Metro RestaurantsLeave a comment

A little background

Stella’s Fish Cafe & Prestige Oyster Bar is a contemporary seafood restaurant located on the cross roads of W Lake Street and Grand Ave. S. That would be in the heart of the Uptown Neighborhood in Minneapolis. With a roof-top bar four stories high, it’s definitely the place to be on a warm summer night kicking back a specialty cocktail and noshing on fresh seafood. In addition to your traditional seafood fare, they also offer sushi!

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My thoughts

In case readers haven’t caught on from my previous posts, I keep saying fiance. Well, it finally happened. Tony and I are finally married! YAY! As part of a bridal shower gift, our friend Sarah gave us a gift certificate to a couple different restaurants for our future “date nights.” This wasn’t my first time here, but Tony had never been so he was very excited to check it out. With roof top seating and a well-stacked menu, we couldn’t wait to use this gift card!

Coconut Shrimp with a pineapple and coconut marmalade.

With my taste buds craving something with a tropical influence, I had to go with the coconut shrimp. Deep-fried, but not greasy, these shrimp hit the spot! I was impressed with their pineapple and coconut marmalade dipping sauce. It was a refreshing addition to an already light entree. With the shrimp, you also get a side of coleslaw with garlic and chive mashed potatoes. Let me digress, I’m not a mashed potatoes kind of girl, but I will always make an exception for theirs. Their garlic and chive mashed potatoes will be an instant hit for anyone looking for some soul food.

My husband decided to try Stella’s fish and chips because it’s a standard dinner served in many places around the Twin Cities. He wants to see which restaurant has the best fish and chips in the metro area. Hand’s down, he claims they are the best fish and chips he’s eaten since moving to the Minneapolis area. Congrats Stella’s, you’ve won yourself a title on my blog. When I asked him for the reasons behind his decision, here’s what he had to say:

The pieces of fish were hearty. You can expect to get large pieces of fish and nothing skimpy.
The Icelandic haddock (the type of fish) was very fresh.
He loved the beer batter recipe used to coat the fish. Tony mentioned that “…it’s crispy, but, surprisingly, isn’t that greasy for being fried.”

If that’s not a good enough description, I don’t know what is.

Stella’s Fish Cafe is definitely a “must-do” when looking for a place to dine in Minneapolis. If you are looking for a well-rounded menu, the Twin Cities’s best fish and chips, and some of the freshest seafood in the Metro, you’ve found the right place. Thanks for the gift card Sarah!

For a full view of their menu, check out the link below:
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu
Beverage
Dessert Menu
Gluten Free Menu

Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine

On July 20, 2013July 20, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Caribbean, Restaurants outside the Metro, Twin Cities Metro RestaurantsLeave a comment

A little background

Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine used to be the former Jamaica Jamaica restaurant until owners Marla and her husband Ian bought it out and renamed it Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine. After taking care of others as a nurse for 18 years, she is now working in her restaurant full time. According to her website, Marla has “reached Nirvana.” For their customers craving Creole, Indian, and Latin flavors, Nirvana can be found here. Both she and her husband have roots from Trinidad and Tobago, which means more authentic entrees for us Northerners!

It’s no surprise that Marla and Ian’s delightfully spiced entrees have gained solid recognition among the foodie culture in Minneapolis. This became especially apparent when Marla’s was featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri. Check out the video below.

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My thoughts

Let me just take a moment to highlight their decorations. The walls of Marla’s are plastered with fun posters with a distinctly reggae flare. This makes perfect sense given that this is supposed to be a Caribbean inspired restaurant. Can you spot Guy Fieri? My fiance and I had a blast looking around at all the posters and decorations.

Okay, to kick things off we had to get an order of fried plantains. For those of you who haven’t had these babies before, please, order them the next chance you get! If you’d rather stay in, these are extremely easy to make as well. All you have to do is go to the grocery store and buy plantains. Then you need to heat oil in a pan until it’s good and hot. Now, you can choose to slice the plantains and fry them or you can fry them whole if they are smaller. Either way, just stick them into the pan of hot oil and wait until they are brown on the outside and even have a slight crisp. You can eat them with either sea salt or a little bit of sugar and cinnamon.

Long story short, we order these every time … seriously, every time. Just get them.

One of the best features of Marlas is that you know are getting a fresh, home cooked meal. Literally, they make everything to order and not a minute before. It’s like going home and having mom and dad cook you amazing Caribbean food! For my main meal of the night, I went with Channa and Potato Roti, which was featured on the Food Network. What you get is a whole lot of chick peas, golf ball-sized potatoes and onions all seasoned with curry. Served is a soft, flakey and warm roti. I highly recommend this one, but be sure you read their menu for their spicy levels. Medium is very hot and Indian hot is just ridiculous for someone not used to it!

Tony went with the Caribbean jerk. When we were here a couple months ago, a friend of our ordered this and Tony was determined to order it the next time we went. He got his wish and was definitely pleased. I can see why. The slight char on the chicken really gives it a smokey flavor that is only enhanced by the spices the meat absorbs while cooking with the peppers and onions. The jerk is served with white rice. Beware, this dish is HOT!

Thank you Food Network for finding this place. Tony and I continuously enjoy coming to Marla’s Caribbean Cafe to spice up our dinners in the week. You can always expect a great, friendly staff and food that is both filling and unique. Two things are certain, we’re positive that we are going back soon and we’ll be starting our meal with an order of plantains. We hope you enjoy Marla’s as much as we did!

For a full view of their menu, check out the link below:
online menu

Yum! (More Updates)

On July 10, 2013July 10, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Bakeries, Restaurants outside the Metro, Trendy Cafe, Twin Cities Metro RestaurantsLeave a comment

… Yum! Cafe and Bakery Continued:

At this point, I hope someone has caught on to the fact that I post a lot about breakfast foods. There is a good reason behind this habit of mine. I, simply, adore breakfast! Hands down, it is by far my most favorite meal of the day. Not only do I need to have breakfast to get through the day, but many of my favorite foods are served: coffee, eggs, french toast, eggs benedict, specialty pancakes, muffins. The list could go on and on. I hope it would come as no surprise that my updates from Yum! Cafe and Bakery heavily focus on their breakfast menu. Sadly, they don’t have this menu posted online to look at so you’ll have to make due with my experiences.

I had a day off of work so I decided to head over to Yum! to grab a good breakfast and catch up on the news from the StarTribune, the largest newspaper in Minnesota. I went with the Spinach scrambled eggs because, 1. I love the taste of spinach and the amount of iron it contains and 2. I wanted something cheesy, and 3. it came with breakfast potatoes! This one was a winner! I would highly recommend this one for anyone in need of a filling and hearty breakfast. P.S. their breakfast potatoes are amazing. They are always soft, well seasoned, and never greasy.

Scrambled eggs with spinach, diced ham, cheese and topped with bean sprouts. Served with breakfast potatoes and a side of toast.

I love when my friends come to town and spend the night (Garrett, I’m talking about you) because we always end up stopping at Yum! for brunch. On our last excursion of Yum!, we decided that life’s too short to wait for dessert (What movie? Scroll to the bottom to find out!) so we had it first before our breakfast came. For me, one of the necessities of summer is having a slice of key lime pie. I don’t know what it is, but the flavor always reminds me of summertime; thus, I can’t properly say “it’s summer” without a bite out of this pie. Yum! did not disappoint. Just look at the heaping topping! Complete with a graham cracker crust and a lime filling that was silky smooth, it’s safe to say that this did not last long between the two of us. I’d like to meet someone who didn’t like this pie.

Key lime pie — Yum!’s delightful key lime pie for two.

During that same visit, I went with the Southwestern eggs scrambled as seen below. Overall, I thought it was okay. To be honest, I wasn’t the biggest fan of having the tortilla chips mixed in with my eggs. Since my buddies and I were having casual drinks last night and munching on tortilla chips, I didn’t really want more of them in my breakfast. In reality, the chips didn’t hurt the flavor of the meal, but the texture was off in my opinion. This morning, I most enjoyed the potatoes. Hats off to the cooks because their breakfast potatoes are always cooked perfectly and complete my breakfast cravings. These potatoes were cooked up with peppers and onions. Of course I love them because the peppers added a little “kick” to the overall flavor.

southwest, eggs, tortillas, breakfast, minneapolis minnesota — Yum!’s Southwest scramble is tossed with tortilla chips, onions, and topped with fresh salsa. Served with breakfast potatoes and a side of toast.

Remember my reference to eating dessert first? The reference was from the movie “Remember Me“, starring Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin. Kudos for any of you movie buffs who got that right! If you enjoyed this post and would like to read about my other visits to Yum!, check out my last blog post here.

Mainstreet Coffee Company

On June 21, 2013June 21, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Bakeries, Cafe, Mom and Pop, Restaurants outside the MetroLeave a comment

A little background

Mainstreet Coffee Company was started by Mike and Pam Borgman of Sauk Centre. By using fresh ingredients in their homemade family recipes, this once family home has become a new hang out for the folks of Sauk Centre. Corresponding with the seasons and their dedication to providing options with the freshest ingredients, their menu changes weekly. In addition to a changing menu of entrees, they also offer pastries, specialty coffees and an assortment of other beverages. Be sure to stop in for either breakfast, lunch or an afternoon coffee.

Wondering where Sauk Centre is? Just get on Interstate 94 and travel Northwest passed St. Cloud.

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My thoughts

IMG_1533 (2)

When you walk up to the cafe, it is literally a cute, sunshine yellow house with beautiful flower gardens. The inside is only an extension of the house’s charm. Mike and Pam have turned this house into a warm and inviting cafe for the citizens of Sauk Centre. The walls are covered in coffee-addict-inspired artwork like the sign in the image above. They also offer plenty of treats stored in their own cute serving plates for those of us who have a sweet tooth.

I’ve been here before and my favorite is their chai lattes. They’re not made like the traditional style of Indian chai, such as the Grey Duck Chai, but they are pretty darn tasty in my opinion. Honestly, they make me think of Christmas upon first sip. They’re always served piping hot and with a well balanced mix of spices. On this visit, however, I stopped in for lunch with my mom. Here’s what we got:

I went with the special of the day, a Greek Chicken Penne Pasta that consisted of kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, parsley, feta cheese, and grilled chicken. On the side, you get orange slices and your choice of the muffins they baked that morning. My choice? I went with a morning glory muffin. I thought the grouping of pasta with a muffin for lunch was a little interesting, but I was happy for a sweet pastry after my meal. I’ll admit, I have a little … okay, a BIG sweet tooth. To start, I would definitely order the Greek Chicken Penne Pasta again. The pasta itself was well made and I was so happy that it wasn’t drowned in sauce. That has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to pasta salad. I hate when there is too much dressing and you can’t taste anything else in the salad. I didn’t find that problem here! Everything was fresh and made for one awesome lunch. Thanks Mainstreet Coffee Co.

My mom went with Grilled Chicken Bacon Ranch flatbread with a cup of vegetable soup. The sandwich, in addition to chicken and bacon, included sauted onions, tomatoes, a blend of three cheeses, and romaine lettuce. She said it was all very good so I had to sneak a bite of it too! She, of course, was right. The sandwich was nice and warm, which helped the cheese become all melty and gooey. Again, this was another great way to have a casual lunch.

When we had finished our meal, we took a small tour around the outside of the cafe. There were tons of flower beds, not shown, and this beautiful patio to sit on. Had it been a warmer day outside, we probably would have been out here. Take a look for yourself.

In addition to the cafe, Mainstreet Coffee Co. also offers bicycle rentals for customers on the cheap! Being located one block away from the Lake Wobegon Trail, which runs from St. Cloud to Alexandria, renting bikes is a nice service offered for anyone looking for a day ride. In addition, Mainstreet Coffee Co. hosts an annual “Grillin and Chillin” BBQ Cook-Off in Sinclair Lewis Park. There’s a cash prize and trophy for the best bbq made so be sure to stop in September 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For a full view of their menu, check out the link below:
online menu

Sovereign Estate Wine

On May 30, 2013May 30, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Restaurants outside the Metro, WineriesLeave a comment

A little background

Sovereign Estate Winery is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery located near Lake Waconia, 30 minutes outside of downtown Minneapolis. The winery was started by Paul Savaryn, the winery and property owner, when he had been told by his father that the south facing slope would be idea for growing fruit. He and his wife started the vineyard in 2008 after a year’s worth of practice vines to see how they would grow. Today, Paul’s son Ben and his wife Hana, work there, as well as his step brother Isaac. SEW is in their fourth winemaking season and their wines are distributed by a small handful of sellers. The majority of their wine is still sold at their winery to accommodate the large number of visitors.

We were fortunate enough to meet Paul when my fiance and I visited SEW this past weekend. He was upbeat, friendly and was more than willing to explain his craft to us. We both were thankful to hear the history of their winery and to learn about different types of grapes and the flavors that each yields.

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My thoughts

My fiance wanted to take me on a surprise date this past weekend and what better way to do that than visiting a winery! He definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. Note only was I able to get content for this blog, but we would be able to sample local wines! Luckily, SEW is open on Sundays and for a small fee of $5, we’re able to sample five of their wines. He scored some pretty big brownie points with me for finding this gem. Here’s what we thought …

I’m not going to pretend that I have a vast knowledge of wine, but I’ve had my fare share of them to know the difference between a mediocre wine and something of quality. Sovereign Estate Winery definitely produces wines of quality for both red and white wine lovers alike. Don’t believe me? Feel free to check out the awards won from their most popular wine, Talon Crest.

Talon Crest won a gold medal in 2011 at the American Wine Society judging in New York. This is a semi-sweet, fruity white wine and was a smashing hit with my fiance and me. With notes of apricot, green apple and an orange zest finish, it is quite refreshing. We decided to order two more glasses of this wine while listening to a local band that SEW was hosting for the day. My fiance and I loved this wine so much, we had to bring a bottle home with us.

Their La Crescent is a dry, fruity wine. It’s a French-American hybrid that is descended from the Seyval Blanc grape. You can definitely taste the apricot and apple notes in this wine. I tend to like whites better than reds (my fiance does, also) so this one struck a chord with us. This wine was a little on the drier side, but we didn’t mind much.

Blue Loon was our second favorite wine of the day, behind the Talon Crest. Not only did this wine have a delightful aroma, but the taste was astounding. We could definitely pick out the floral notes from this wine and welcomed the citrus aftertaste. Blue Loon was nice and crisp, perfect for a summer day. It’s made from the Traminette grape, which is a hybrid of the Gewurztraminer.

The last wine we had was their Tenuta Di Sovrano, which is a light, dry red wine. This wine is an Italian-styled Sangiovese that has undertones of plum and spicy clove. To put it simply, I loved it. I would probably have purchased a bottle, but we couldn’t resist their Talon Crest. For red wine lovers, this is definitely one for you. SEW recommends pairing this wine with traditional Italian fare for one unforgettable dinner.

We’re definitely going back to this place. They have host events throughout the summer and will debut their new collection of wines June 8th of this year. This collection will feature their estate grown grapes. In addition, they’ve crafted a red wine version of their original Talon Crest. Excited? You bet we are!

For a full view of their wine list, check out the link below:
Wine List

Also, be sure to walk around their garden when you visit.

Little Angie’s Cantina and Grill – Duluth

On May 23, 2013July 16, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Mexican, Restaurants outside the MetroLeave a comment

A little background

If you’re not from Minnesota, the first image that would probably pop into your head upon thinking of Duluth is a city by the vast Lake Superior, full of ships. Those of us who live here most likely associate Duluth with Grandma’s Marathon. The Grandma’s Restaurants sponsor many events in the city. In addition to their involvement in the community, their wide variety of restaurants have become popular with tourists and locals alike.

Little Angie’s Cantina and Grill, located in Canal Park of Duluth, MN, is one of 5 restaurants owned by the Grandma’s Restaurant Company. Angie’s serves up “south-of-the-border” fare, complete with a wide variety of Tex-Mex drinks. They have an extensive list of tequila ranging from $6-$100. The nice thing about having such a long list, is that customers can choose which tequila to sample in Angie’s house margarita.

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My thoughts

I love the fact that my fiance like trying new places just as much as I do. The benefit to this blog is that you can read about two totally different styles of taste in food. He tends to go with the more “traditional” American taste, i.e. anything with meat and cheese. I tend to choose off-the-wall and unique dishes that I wouldn’t find anywhere else. Before I share my thoughts on our entrees, I’m going to digress about an appetizer we shared and the margaritas.

Let’s be real, we were at a Tex-Mex inspired restaurant and we had to order margaritas. With so many tequilas on the list, how could we refuse? Deciding to be adventurous, I went with a blueberry margarita and he went with a pomegranate one. We were pretty pumped about them, especially since they looked incredibly and perfectly slushed. Sadly, the excitement didn’t last long. Not only was the taste of tequila a little tame, but the margaritas didn’t offer much flavor. We actually had a hard time figuring out which margarita was the blueberry and which was the pomegranate. Seems like Angie’s could take a few tips from the Mexican Village. I know Mexican Village is a chain, but they know how to make one good margarita.

Luckily for us, their house-made chips and salsa are pretty darn good. For a ridiculously cheap price of $0.99, you can order a large basket of their warm, house-made tortilla chips with two cups of their fresh salsa. I will brag about this one. I love a good chunky salsa with fresh ingredients and Angie’s definitely delivered. This salsa didn’t have any trace of an oily texture and you could taste the fresh herbs mixed into the chunks of jalapeno and tomato. P.S. it has a nice kick to it too! This is a plus for two individuals who can’t get enough of extremely spicy food.

For our main course, my fiance decided to go with Angie’s house specialty, the enchilada combo. The combo consists of three corn tortillas stuffed with roasted chicken and shredded beef, baked, and topped with green and red chile sauce with cheddar and Jack cheese. They come served with rice and your choice of black or refried beans. Both he and I agreed, these were some well-made enchiladas. The cheese inside was not overly cooked and provided a nice, gooey texture when pulled apart. Unfortunately, you can see a little browning on the outside. Additionally, their meats were well seasoned. Overall, a very satisfying entree for anyone in look of tasty Mexican food.

Wanting to try something unique, I went with the tropical tacos. Why, you may ask? I went with these because they contained fish and came with avocado (I’m obsessed) and a ton of tropical fruit! The tropical tacos consist of seasoned mahi-mahi grilled to perfection and served in a flour tortilla with lettuce and a tropical salsa: papaya, mango, pineapple, and strawberry. Served with a side of avocado sour cream, asparagus, and fresh fruit. Yep, I hit the summer-inspired jackpot with this one. I highly recommend it to anyone coming here. The fish didn’t have that harsh fishy taste that you can get with tuna for example. The mahi mahi really was grilled to perfection, which became a great compliment to the fresh fruits and vegetables served with this meal. Honestly, I was wondering how my tacos would taste with the fruit inside. I was surprisingly delighted. Just try it and you won’t be disappointed.

Overall, we would probably stop there again. They have an outdoor patio that offers a great view of the lift bridge and of Lake Superior. The entrees definitely made up for the disappointing margaritas. We enjoyed the friendly staff and the casual, rustic atmosphere.

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Minnesota Munch

Category: Restaurants outside the Metro

Millner Heritage Winery

A little background

My Thoughts

Why Wine Lovers Should Visit Stillwater, Minn.

Mozza Mia

Honeymooning in Ireland!!!!

Stella’s Fish Cafe

Marla’s Caribbean Cuisine

Yum! (More Updates)

… Yum! Cafe and Bakery Continued:

Mainstreet Coffee Company

Sovereign Estate Wine

Little Angie’s Cantina and Grill – Duluth