Let’s Catch Up: A Few Foodie Stories I’ve Written on the RedCurrent Blog

On August 6, 2015 By minnesotaeatsIn Twin Cities Metro RestaurantsLeave a comment

Hi everyone!

I know that I’ve been a bit horrible at keeping my blog up, BUT I do have a few updates coming in the next couple weeks so stay tuned!

Here’s the deal. I haven’t been writing as much as I would like to because I’ve been focusing on my position at a large nonprofit in the Twin Cities (LOVING IT). Oh, and I’ve been blogging for an awesome Minneapolis-based startup, RedCurrent.

RedCurrent has two sides: an events app (yes for your phone) and a blog, which is where I write. I adore writing for this blog, primarily because I have the opportunity to meet insanely talented folks that I wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to talk with. What makes blogging for them a little sweeter is that I’ve recently been interviewing a few members of the Twin Cities food and beverage culture. You can check out my stories through the links below.

Sovereign Estates Winery Delivers Explosion of Award Winning Wine at Elegant Social Hot Spot

Fork in the Road Food Truck Dishes Hot Homemade Favorites with a Side of Conversation

Dogwood Coffee Company Brews New Java Trend for MSP Coffee Drinkers

Enjoy!

Weekend Treat: Good Coffee and the News

On January 11, 2015January 12, 2015 By minnesotaeatsIn Coffee, Twin Cities Metro RestaurantsLeave a comment

To me, there is nothing better than weekend mornings. Why, you may ask? Let me tell you.

I’ve always been a morning person. Ever since I was small, while the rest of the world was too preoccupied with catching up on their sleep, I was eager to start my day. Besides, that’s when the best cartoons were on. When I was older and participated in high school sports or theater productions, our practices would always take place in the mornings. Moving into college, my habit of rising early persuaded me to sign up for 7:30 a.m. classes.

Waking up before everyone else allowed me to bask in the quiet and actually get some “me time”. What do I like to do when it’s quiet before the night owls decide to start their day? Have a well-brewed cup of coffee and read the news; and, one of my favorite places to do that is Rustica Bakery in St. Louis Park.

My husband and I have been going to Rustica for quite a while since we moved to the cities close to three years ago. We keep coming back because of their dedication to making artisan breads and pastries the old fashioned way: with hard work and good ingredients. Most importantly, I come back because of their amazing coffee, which is sourced Dogwood Coffee Company and brewed to perfection. You really can’t get a bad cup here. This morning, I had a vanilla latte (above) and my husband had a coconut chocolate tart (below).

I like Rustica because it’s a meeting place for everyone. On a typical Saturday morning, you can find anyone from students doing homework to families enjoying breakfast together and everything in between. Tony and I go for the quiet before things get too busy, grab a copy of The New York Times or StarTribune, and settle in to catch up on the news while sipping on my favorite brew. After this, nothing could have ruined my day.

If you’d like to read about more of my favorite spots to sip on quality coffee, you can read my other posts on Bull Run Coffee Bar and Dogwood Coffee. Also, consider going on a caffeine crawl. This event typically happens in June so stay tuned!

The Caffeine Crawl 2014

On June 23, 2014 By minnesotaeatsIn Coffee, Events2 Comments

A Little Background

After a stellar debut last summer, the caffeine crawl returned to Minneapolis/St. Paul to appease the taste buds of our city’s coffee addicts. Thanks to the beverage enthusiasts of The LAB, participants enjoyed a fantastic cup of coffee, quality tea and one of my personal favorites from last year’s crawl, Gray Duck Chai.

In addition, crawlers had the opportunity to learn more about the quality, technique, and roasting process of the products. At each stop in the crawl, there was a brief presentation and a selection of free drinks available to attendees only.

Crawl 2014 Participants: Angry Catfish Bicycle + Coffee Bar, Bull Run Coffee, Dogwood Coffee, Gray Duck Chai, Groundswell, J&S Bean Factory, Peace Coffee, Rustica Bakery and TeaSource.

(The hyperlinks for Bull Run and Dogwood direct you to posts on Minnesota Munch)

Being a woman that likes plenty of options, I definitely appreciated the option to choose your specific Crawl route. There were six different routes accessible by bike, car or bus ride. Luckily, I chose to drive a route because we had a bit of rainy weather that day. Despite the downpours, that didn’t stop biking teams from completing the crawl. You go! Quality coffee is definitely a good motivator.

To follow the Caffeine Crawl as it makes it’s way across the U.S., connect to their social media.

Facebook: Caffeine Crawl
Twitter: @CaffeineCrawl
Instagram: @LAB5702

First Stop :: J&S Bean Factory

I was actually very excited to stop at J&S Bean Factory because this was a repeat from last year. I was excited to see what they Coffee roasting presentation prepared for the crawlers. When we arrived, they gave us a presentation that specifically highlighted their cold press coffee. For
those of you less addicted to coffee than myself, cold press coffee often has double the potency of regular coffee because it needs to diffuse for a longer period of time. What that really means is that you can get double the caffeine high
while drinking less coffee, thus saving money in your wallet for other things, like Rustica’s pastries. (More on that later).

During their presentation, the baristas also passed around coffee beans that had completed different stages in the roasting process. Then they let us sample the cold press coffee made from those beans. It was awesome to be able to sample cold press brewed from beans that completed different states of the roasting process. I now know that I prefer my cold press brewed with medium roasted beans.

Facebook: J&S Bean Factory
Twitter: @jsbeanfactory

Second Stop :: TeaSource

The next stop was TeaSource, another repeat from last year. I want it to be clear, that I chose to go on a crawl that had repeat TeaSourse in St. Paul coffee shops because 1. I live in Minneapolis and hardly get over to St. Paul, 2. I wanted to see if they were different from last year, and 3. the rest of my crawl was new. I digress.

TeaSource was actually one of my favorite stops on this crawl. Unlike last year, which focused on a variety of tea from black to green, this year’s presentation was all about how to fully experience a good cup of tea. They first introduced a new Japanese green tea call psy midori. The owner of Tea Source had recently visited a 140 year old family-owned farm in Japan and decided to start selling their tea here in Minnesota. Steeped to perfection, this tea was clean and crisp.

The bulk of their presentation surrounded their Shou Puer tea, which is what they recommend for those willing to replace their morning coffee. A unique characteristic of this tea is that it can be brewed with any amount at any temperature you please. Surprisingly, all temperatures yielded a stellar cup of tea. When sampling the tea, it is important that you smell the tea, slurp it and let the tea settle on your pallet to get a true tasting. They recommend drinking slowly because the taste will change depending on how hot or cold it is.

Facebook: TeaSource
Twitter: @TeaSource

Third Stop :: Angry Catfish Bicycle + Coffee Shop

I was quite excited to check out Angry Catfish + Bicycle Shop. I hadn’t heard of this place, probably because I need to visit St. Paul more often.

Anyways, in addition to having a casual and hip atmosphere, they gave an awesome presentation demonstrating the proper ways to brew coffee using a French press and a syphon. It was so inciteful to actually taste the difference between the two brewing processes. I was already familiar with velvety taste of French press coffee, but the clean taste of the syphon was…well…surprisingly refreshing. The process of syphoning looked a little demanding, definitely something you’ll have to practice, but if you want a great cup of coffee, it’s worth the effort. For me? I’ll stick with the seasoned baristas for my coffee.

Facebook: AngryCatfish
Twitter: @angrycatfish

Fourth Stop :: Bull Run Coffee Bar

Let me digress, I LOVE Bull Run Coffee Bar. Time after time, their coffee tastes like magic served up caffeinated. The baristas really know how to make excellent coffee from a regular black cup to their specialty drinks. My recommendation is to get over there and order up a “Boone’s Beard.”

Last year, I wasn’t able to make it to their presentation so I was determined to see what they were up to this time around. In keeping with the summer theme of the crawl, they gave a presentation that highlighted their cold press coffee and how to brew your own at home. They were even nice enough to give us a cold press recipe to take home. See, I love this place!

On a side note, I thought the packaging of their cold press was creative. You can buy a pack of four in these glass bottles. Time to stock up.

Facebook: Bull Run Coffee Bar
Twitter: @bullrunbar

Fifth Stop :: Rustica Bakery

Another sweet spot of mine is Rustica Bakery. I stumbled across this place when I first moved to Minneapolis and have continued to visit for a freshly baked pastry. They make all of their baked-goods the same morning they sell it so you know you’re getting something fresh. In fact, they emphasize the quality of the ingredients they use in all of their products. One day, I decided to branch out and buy a loaf of their bread instead of a chocolate croissant. I should have known the bread would be ridiculously delicious as well. Told you I had a thing for their baked goods.

For the crawl, they chose to show Dogwood Coffee’s brewing process. I was able to try Dogwood coffee at their roasting facility last year and, I have to say, Rustica did a fine job of brewing their coffee. The barista was knowledgeable about the filtering process. Here’s a tip, if the coffee grounds don’t all make it to the bottom of the filter, you definitely need to work on your technique. #protip Yes, I did just add a hashtag into my post. I love Twitter. Deal with it.

From their coffee to their breads, Rustica has made it on my list of favorite cafes in the Twin Cities.

Facebook: Rustica Bakery

Last Stop :: Peace Coffee (Wonderland Park)

I was incredibly thankful that this was our last stop on the Caffeine Crawl. Let it be known, I was not getting bored on the crawl. I probably could have gone to a few more coffee houses, but what made Wonderland Park special was their take on coffee.

Our presentation didn’t focus on black coffee like the rest of the stops (minus TeaSource). Instead, Wonderland Park baristas brewed up a few drinks containing espresso, but with ingredients that would surprise you.

The first drink was espresso with blueberries. Odd combination, right? Wrong! It was actually pretty refreshing for a summer-time drink. The espresso paired wonderfully with this fruit. The last creation we sampled as a delightful blend of espresso, sweetened condensed milk and…wait for it…avocado! That last one through me for a loop too, but it was fantastic! The avocado added a smooth texture to the drink and made it seem like a treat. This is a must stop cafe for summer-inspired beverages.

Facebook: Peace Coffee
Twitter: @Peace_Coffee

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.

Social Media
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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

Caffeine Crawl – Minneapolis 2013

On June 7, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Coffee, EventsLeave a comment

A little background

This past weekend, the Twin Cities were the host for the first Caffeine Crawl to grace the Upper Midwest. The Caffeine Crawl was the idea of The LAB, a group so passionate about quality beverages that they wanted to highlight local businesses that are dedicated to excellence. At the Caffeine Crawl, participants sampled some pretty amazing coffee and tea. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to learn more about the quality, technique, and roasting process of the products. At each stop in the crawl, there was a brief presentation and a selection of free drinks available to attendees only.

Participants: Bull Run Coffee, Cafe Imports, Dogwood Coffee with Gray Duck Chai, J&S Bean Factory, Peace Coffee, Publika, Quixotic Coffee, Sebastian Joe’s and TeaSource.

(The hyperlinks for Bull Run and Dogwood direct you to posts on Minnesota Munch that I’ve written)

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My thoughts

Apart from knowing that I would be consuming 10 times my regular caffeine intake, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the first caffeine crawl to hit the Upper Midwest. Were we only going to be drinking coffee all day? Absolutely not! I have to give a shout-out to The LAB and all of the many sponsors of this crawl. Not only did the participants get to sample AMAZING specialty coffees, chais, and teas, but we also had the opportunity to learn a thing (or two) about the sourcing, production, distribution, and preparation techniques of our favorite beverages.

There were two routes to choose from for this crawl. One route covered many specialty coffee and tea cafes in St. Paul and the other had more stops in Minneapolis. I was excited that my ticket took me on the St. Paul route because, as you could probably tell from my previous posts, I haven’t had the opportunity to write much about our state’s capital. Not only was I shocked that I was missing so many great places, but I was ecstatic to meet the passionate people who bring Minneapolis/St. Paul residents something of quality and something that should be enjoyed. I definitely want to share these places we toured with anyone who is willing/excited to explore a new place. You won’t be disappointed. Now, on to my route for the Caffeine Crawl.

First Stop

All of the participants met at Peace Coffee Roasting Facility where we were greeted by their staff and Jason Burton from The LAB. We were given a detailed tour of Peace Coffee Roasting Facility that included the history of their company, a look at their roasting techniques, and information about the growth and sourcing of their coffee beans. Towards the end of our tour, one of their baristas from Wonderland Park prepared a cold press coffee drink inspired by southern mint juleps. What a great way to start our crawl!

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Second Stop

We made the 12 minute trek from Peace Coffee to J&S Bean Factory in St. Paul for our second stop. The Bean Factory, established in 2001, is an independently owned, local coffee shop and roastery. Here, we were able to enjoy a sample of their cold press coffee and a bag of cinnamon twists from a local producer. While enjoying their cold press and lounging in their spacious outdoor patio, we watched a coffee bean roasting demonstration. The unique part of this demonstration was that they were using an original roaster from San Francisco. It’s so old, that it’s serial number is literally all zeros. That’s pretty cool. Here, the cold press was a combination of a French Guatemala roast, an Ethiopian roast, and java. Luckily, at this point, I was pacing myself and didn’t feel the affects of caffeine yet. I would definitely come back here. The baristas were very knowledgeable of their brewing and roasting techniques in addition to having a humor-filled personality.

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Third Stop

Not too far from the J&S Bean Factory was our next stop, Tea Source. This was actually one of my favorite stops. While I’ve always enjoyed a good cup of tea both full-leaf and teabagged, I never really bothered to research tea production and the differences amongst each variety. Thanks to Tea Source, I now have a little more knowledge of tea varieties and tea growing than the average person. Here, the staff at Tea Source gave us a thorough presentation on six different types of teas from Asia. The first tea was a green tea from Japan that had an ocean-like taste. One good tip I’ve learned about green tea is that you don’t boil the water when preparing it! Next was a florally oolong from Taiwan followed by a Big Red Robe oolong from China. The last two were black teas from China. One was called Golden Dragon and this one was my favorite. It had a nice, smooth taste and wasn’t too strong. The last black tea was from the Yunnan province and had a very strong, earthy taste. Definitely check this place out! They have over 230 teas to try and a very knowledgeable, passionate staff!

Social Media
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Fourth Stop

Quixotic Coffee was literally right across the street from Tea Source, which made getting to the next location on the crawl a snap! By the time my group arrived here, it was around lunchtime. We needed something quick to not only fight off hunger, but also to absorb the intense amount of coffee and tea we had been downing all morning. Thank you Quixotic for your ridiculously good strawberry pastry with pistachios. Yes, I did just say I had a pastry for lunch, but look at the picture below. Can you blame me?

Getting back to the coffee again, they didn’t disappoint here. The baristas at Quixotic gave a unique presentation on brewing the perfect cup of potato coffee. I’m not kidding, the barista prepared potato defect for us to sample. I’ve never heard of this before and was pumped to try it out! FYI, it smells to high heaven when they brew it. Don’t get discouraged by this because it actually doesn’t taste half bad when it’s hot and ready. This particular defect had a mixture of Rwandan and Burundi coffee. Apparently this is a common brew in Africa. (If anyone else has tried this … and has actually sampled it in Africa, please post! I want to know more!)

After doing a little digging, this blog post had the most information I could find about the potato defect.

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Fifth Stop

By this point I was definitely feeling a caffeine high. With headaches creeping up and more energy than I could handle, thank goodness the next stop was to Cafe Imports. Cafe Imports is an importer of specialty coffee beans from 20 countries. They are considered one of the best distributors and they sell their beans to specialty roasters worldwide. A few of their clients include Dunn Bros. Coffee, Bull Run (Mpls local), and Dogwood Coffee Company (also Mpls local and the last stop on our crawl). If you have an opportunity to tour a warehouse, especially one that is filled with 23,000 large bags of coffee, take advantage of it! Seriously, when are you going to see 23,000 bags of coffee in one place? Oh, you saw my picture below? You’re welcome. For more information, please check out their website in the hyperlink.

Social Media
Twitter: Click here!

Last Stop

This last stop was done in two parts. There was Gray Duck Chai and there was Dogwood Coffee Company. First of all, let me say that I love chai. I really love chai and Gray Duck Chai has now captured my heart as my No. 1 go-to for chai. Let me begin by saying that they gave a brilliant presentation. Not only did they make the chai in front of us, but they also presented and discussed the attributes of all the spices and ingredients. Who knew that cloves have 12 times the amount of antioxidants as the acai berry? This was just one of the many interesting facts we learned from their presentation. As for their chai, it was excellent and prepared like masala chais on the of streets of India. You can’t get more authentic than that. The authentic masala chais have strong notes of pepper and ginger. Gray Duck Chai definitely incorporated these two spices to dominate the flavor of their chai.

Now, I’ve been to Dogwood Coffee Company’s cafe before in Uptown Square and I’ve enjoyed their hot miel coffee. Dogwood Coffee Company began three years ago and was originally housed near Lake Calhoun in Rustica Bakery. In 2010, they opened their own cafe in Calhoun Square and have been there since. At their roasting facility, they chose to highlight their Zamboni Cold Press coffee. In my opinion, perfect time for summer! This coffee is a light-medium roast and had a nice, strong flavor. Currently, they hand-make all their Zamboni batches for wholesale consumers, but they stated that they’re getting ready to produce smaller batches for individual sale. I’m pretty excited about that announcement!

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After Party

When things were all said and done, all crawlers met up at Common Roots Cafe in the Lowry Hill neighborhood for the after party. At Common Roots, crawlers were given free samples of Fulton Beer’s collaboration brew, War and Peace. If it’s being offered for caffeine crawl participants, it’s no surprise that the beer has coffee brewed into it. In addition to sampling coffee beer, the after crawl included a raffle where proceeds were directly donated to Books For Africa.

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Facebook: Click here!

For such a wonderful event, I would like to thank all of the sponsors listed below. This was truly a fun and informative day!

The LAB, Books for Africa, Peace Coffee, Dogwood Coffee Co., Barista Magazine, Stella di Caffe, yelp, Wholesome Sweeteners, Sleeve a Message, Rip van Wafels, and Baratza.

The Caffeine Crawl – June 1

On May 29, 2013May 29, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Events1 Comment

For the first time ever in the Upper Midwest, Minneapolis will host one of several national caffeine crawls Saturday, June 1st from 10:30am to 3:30pm. Tickets are currently still available and you can select one of two route options.

The Caffeine Crawl is the clever brain child of The LAb, a group so passionate about quality beverages that they wanted to highlight local businesses that are dedicated to excellence. At the Caffeine Crawl, participants can expect to sample some pretty amazing coffee, tea and chocolate. In addition to giving your taste buds a workout, participants will have to opportunity to learn more about the quality, technique and process of the products. At each stop in the crawl, there will be a brief presentation and a selection of free drinks available to attendees only. Get your tickets!!!

Participants: Bull Run Coffee, Cafe Imports, Dogwood Coffee with Gray Duck Chai, J&S Bean Factory, Peace Coffee, Publika, Quixotic Coffee, Sebastian Joe’s and TeaSource.

Want to know more about this year’s Caffeine Crawl and to find more locations nationally? Check out the links below!

Website: Click here!
Twitter: Click here!
Facebook: Click here!

Barbette – Uptown

On May 28, 2013May 29, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn French, Trendy Cafe1 Comment

A little background

Barbette is a casual, eclectic French Bistro located on the corner of Lake Street and Irving Ave. S. in Uptown. The owners of Barbette are a collaborative bunch. They work with local farmers, organizations supporting local and organic agriculture, local brews and spirits, and other restaurants supporting local foods. It’s because of these relationships that Barbette is able to provide its guests with an incredibly fresh menu that changes with the seasons. Chef Sarah Master’s background in French bistro cuisine and skills in “nose-to-tail” concepts with meats and produce contribute to success and outstanding creations of Barbette.

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My thoughts

I chose to check out Barbette’s Lunch menu because Minneapolis finally had a gorgeous day, which means outdoor patios are open for business! Barbette has plenty of outdoor seating and fun, vibrant tables that reinforce summer’s arrival.

This was my first time here so I didn’t know what to expect. I heard that they offer a darn good coffee so I had to order a cup. I chose to go with their Thai coffee. It was a pretty basic brew, meaning that it wasn’t overly strong. This medium-roasted coffee had a little spice that I wasn’t expecting, but was surprisingly fitting for such a sunny day. Unfortunately I was sitting outside so I couldn’t watch them make it; a “to-do” for my next visit.

I had checked out their menu online and was dead-set on ordering the Star Prairie Smoked Trout Crepe. Just look at the Breakfast and Brunch menu listed below and you’ll see why I was excited to try it. When the waitress arrived to take my order, however, she totally changed my mind and I ordered the Pork Rillette & Terrine.

The Pork Rillette & Terrine was served with arugula, frisée, dijon vinaigrette and two grilled baguettes. Big congrats to my waitress for recommending this one! I totally understand that I’m about to talk about how good a salad and pureed pork ball was, but hear me out.

While this dish looks simple, the flavors were amazing. Beginning with the salad, I was surprised and delighted to find spinach chips sprinkled on top. They gave a regular salad a wonderful, salty, crispy texture that had me stopping to enjoy every last bite. I haven’t been to a restaurant that’s done this before. Additionally, I was so thankful to find that every vegetable was fresh. I’ve been to a few diggs that actually serve the greens a little on the yellow side. What’s included in this salad? You get tomatoes, arugula, spinach chips, carrot, cucumber, pepper and asparagus. Just delightful.

As for the Pork Rillette, I’ve never tried something like this before either. (This was a day of “firsts” for me.) Honestly, I would order this again for lunch. Not only did the Pork Rillette taste fresh, but, with the addition of the dijon vinaigrette, it became perfect assortment of flavors. Traditionally, the Pork Rillette is served at room temperature and that’s how I got it. It was easy to spread and absolutely made my lunch a great experience. A big thank you goes out to my waitress, who brought me more baguettes to help me finish it off.

I’m definitely going back again. If the rest of their menu is as delightful as the Pork Rillette, which I’m betting it is, I have many more surprises heading my way. I do want to highlight a couple things about Barbette. They have an extensive wine list and spirits list, which you can enjoy at their daily happy hours. Also, be sure to check out their Prix Frixe Mondays where customers can have a four to five course dinner for $32. I’ll have to check this one out myself!

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

Breakfast and Brunch Menu
Dinner and Dessert Menu
Late Night Menu

Dogwood Coffee Company

On May 27, 2013May 22, 2013 By minnesotaeatsIn Coffee, Trendy Cafe, Twin Cities Metro Restaurants2 Comments

A little background

Dogwood Coffee Company is a small, specialty coffee roaster in Uptown right off Hennepin Avenue. They serve their coffee single-cup style; single-cup style means that each espresso is brewed to order and not a minute before.

It’s important give a call-out to Dogwood Coffee Co. because of their dedication to working with producers, exporters, importers, agronomists and educators who focus on sustainable living. Building relationships with these individuals is clearly important to Dogwood Coffee Co. and this goal is apparent when reading their blog. Yes, a specialty coffee roaster that blogs! They post valuable content ranging from their experiences sourcing product to their favorite coffee moments.

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Blog: Click here!
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Facebook: Click here!

In addition to their outstanding dedication to providing a quality cup of coffee, they also work with local groups within Minnesota to make their coffees special. They even go as far as sourcing the milk from local Minnesota producers! I have to say, I’m very impressed with their dedication, passion, knowledge and involvement in enhancing the coffee experience.

My thoughts

With a motto of “We work hard so you can have good coffee in your mouth,” it’s no surprise that baristas at Dogwood Coffee Co. know how to whip up a fantastic brew. To kick off my morning, I decided to step outside my usual (vanilla lattes or chai) and order a café miel. A café miel has a shot of espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon, and honey. The name comes from the French word for honey, miel. While it’s not my usual, I did enjoy it. I would prefer more of a stronger coffee flavor, but I realize that a café miel is supposed to be a little tamer. Overall, I would order it again. My cup had a nice, smooth flavor and definitely gave me the kick I needed to get my morning going. In addition, the baristas knew what they were doing and served up the perfect ratios of steamed milk to espresso. A huge plus for me is receiving a cup with coffee art. Not gonna lie, I’m a huge sucker for awesome coffee art. 🙂

I quickly want to mention their location. Dogwood Coffee Co. is located in the Calhoun Square Shopping Center. This place piqued my interest even more when I saw the entire brewing station in an open space! Literally, a shopper could walk right into the area behind the counter. What a perfect way for customers to view their brewing technique! Lastly, there is a seating section that gives you a great view of Hennepin Avenue.

P.S. I’m also a sucker for huge windows that let me look outside when I write. This place definitely got my creative juices flowing!

Bull Run Coffee

On May 9, 2013June 17, 2014 By minnesotaeatsIn Trendy Cafe, Twin Cities Metro Restaurants10 Comments

A little background

Bull Run Coffee is a family owned, single-cup specialty coffee roaster in the Lyndale neighborhood, close to Lake Harriet. What makes this coffee house so special is their devotion to creating an exceptional cup of coffee. To get the best flavor, they source Arabica beans from around the world and they prepare all their orders, “single-cup” style.

“Single-cup coffee” means that every latte, cappuccino, or gooey macchiato is made to order and not a single minute before. They even grind the beans to each guest’s order. This is no average “cup of Joe”; this is something to be appreciated.

Each barista is trained in coffee, espresso, milk preparation, and four different roasting techniques: siphoning, French press, manual brew bar, and the Clover, which involves weighing and grinding beans to craft a brew to perfection.

Baristas were also the first in Minneapolis to use the Synesso Hydra, which allows them to manually adjust the pressure levels, brew temperature, and moisture concentration to give guests a truly unique experience that will satisfy their taste buds.

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My thoughts

bull run coffee co. — Boone’s Beard Coffee Creation

Remember when I raved about the coffee indulgences at Yum!? I still love their coffee and will probably go there for a treat, but if you haven’t experienced the craftsmanship of Bull Run Coffee, I urge, drop what you’re doing and book it to 3346 Lyndale Ave. S.| Minneapolis, MN. They know how to make one excellent cup of coffee. Reminding me of the cappuccinos and lattes from Poland, I’ve since become a repeat customer.

Not only is it fun watching them prepare your brew, you get to admire their coffee art after you take a seat. I feel so bad ruining it every time I take a sip! 🙂

As previously mentioned, the flavor is amazing. I could really taste the warm, roasted flavors of the coffee. There’s almost a nuttiness to the coffee that made my taste buds sing. This is one cup that I certainly did not chug down. I made it last a good long time before that precious last drop was gone.

If you aren’t a huge fan of a strong coffee flavor, this is okay! They have many other options available to try. I had an iced coffee the other day (it was finally warm here in Minneapolis) and they made it good and sweet. Again, a special drink like this could not be downed in a hurry.

I encourage anyone looking for some of the best handcrafted coffee in the Twin Cities Metro to check it out! Even if you are not a big coffee drinker, I still encourage you to take your friends and grab a cup. The staff is very friendly and offer wonderful suggestions for anyone new to their shop. A cool mix of people hang out here and it’s always fun to start a conversation. You will not be disappointed.