Restaurant: Grand Cafe

A friend and I checked out the new Grand Café (formerly Bakery on Grand) for brunch Sunday, and mmm… I had stopped in the old Bakery on Grand a couple years ago for a tasty little pastry, and the feel of the place hasn't changed: a classy, slightly upscale café.

I had the heavenly Banana Bread French Toast with Home-Made Peach Syrup and Bavarian Cream. I was afraid it might be a little too weighty for french toast, especially after seeing how huge the regular toast coming out of the kitchen was, but I just couldn't resist the homemade peach syrup. What appeared before me was mouthwatering--one long, thick, piece of banana bread covered in fresh, chunky peach syrup, topped lengthwise with a full-size (what I'm guessing was baked) banana. The french toast was just the right density…heavier than regular french toast but not too much. The syrup was almost thick enough to be preserves but just liquid enough to qualify as syrup. The bavarian cream on the side was just the right flavor. Not super sweet, and nicely balancing the intense sweetness of the french toast.

My friend tried the Huevoes Rancheros (Quesadillas filled with Pork Confit, Oaxaca Cheese, Two Eggs, Roasted Corn Salsa, Black Beans, and Sour-Cream) and gave it a thumbs up as well.

I remember looking at the Bakery on Grand dinner menu when I stopped in that one day, and thinking it wasn't for me. I appreciate unique flavorful food, but my palette is not developed enough to appreciate brisket, pheasant, or fish soup. After checking out the lunch and dinner menu while waiting for the arrival of our food, I can confidently say it is a place I would now happily check out!

added bonus...here is Jeremy Iggers' review of the new place.

Restaurant: Broder's Pasta Bar

Yum! I'm one of the few people in the Twin Cities who had not been to Broder's Pasta Bar yet, but tonight that all changed. ...And my life is definitely better for it!

I had pretty much sworn off Italian restaurants because the good places were too expensive and the anything-less-than-the-good places? Their menu might as well just say: Giant heap of overcooked pasta with your choice of meat and red or white sauce. Blech...

The soft breads they started us off with were crusty and chewy and the flat bread was crispy. We tried a tasty little anitpasto to whet our appetites: salsicce con finocchio e cipolla, grilled mild Italian sausage links with caramelized fennel and sweet onions in a sambuca reduction.

As for the entrees, I can confidently say that I would not have been disappointed by any of them. I had the gnocchi verde con vitello e coriandolo, homemade gnocchi with veal, carrots, zucchini, coriander, dill, and marsala. It is very easy to get gnocchi wrong, but mine were of the perfect tenderness. My folks ordered the ravioli con zucca (squash-filled ravioli with sage, butter, and parmigiano) and the stringozzi con arragosta (homemade pasta with lobster, roasted squash, and truffle cream). The ravioli were flavorful and, most importantly, not drowning in a sea of butter. Though I wouldn't have been able to finish the stringozzi because it's superb richness, it was again flavorful without so much cream that you couldn't taste the lobster and squash. And all portion sizes were perfect. Not too much...just enough to leave you satisfied and planning your next visit!

Restaurant: Nala Pak (formerly Udupi)

My friend and I checked out the former Udupi Cafe on Central last night. It reopened this year under new ownership, after the former owner got in trouble for employing illegal immigrants.

After being relieved to learn that they served alcohol, we ordered the appetizer sampler. Though the vada, paneer pakora, samosa, etc. were tasty, all were deep-fried. A bit too heavy to eat more than one item. For my entree, I had the Special Rava Masala Dosai. Yum. The dosa was tender but crispy with a nice onion flavor. The filling consisted of mashed up potato and onion. Not sure if it was the filling or the dosa, but there was a nice level of heat to it. I forgot they are about the same diameter as the tire of an 18-wheeler and only got through half of it.

The atmosphere, unfortunately, is not even as good as the old Udupi, which wasn't exactly Chez Panisse itself. Cold tile floors, unpleasantly-shaded empty walls, and terrible lighting. And if that isn't enough, the very kind owner enthusiastically told us about the 3 big-screen televisions that will soon hang from the ceilings...

Restaurant: Peninsula

I've been on a "I must try new restaurants" kick lately, so a friend and I sampled the new Malaysian place in town, Peninsula, last night. My only other experience with Malaysian food was very good: a place called Rasa Sayang in (of all places) Golden Valley, had a wonderful chef when they first opened. (Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the suburbanites never tried the place, or if they did, they did not take to it. Chef Chen left and the food just hasn't been the same since.) I've wanted to check out this new place ever since it opened in January.

Luckily, Peninsula opened in a part of town that gives it a good chance for survival. And after sampling the food and atmosphere, I'm confident in saying that its chances can be upgraded to excellent. We started off with Popiah, a Malaysian style steamed spring roll stuffed with jicama, egg & bean sprouts. The jicama and bean sprouts were tender and tasty.

For the main course, I tried Mango Chicken. Though not the most adventurous choice I could have made, it was wonderful to the sight and the taste. It was served in a hollowed-out mango shell and burst with fresh mango and sweet pepper. It was not designated as spicy, but I was pleasantly surprised that it had just the right amount of spice to give it a little heat. I also sampled my friend's Beef Redang, and it's wonderful combination of flavors made me want to return tonight! I don't expect much for atmosphere in ethnic restaurants, so the space was a surprising as well. The high ceiling and large room were balanced by warm, dark wood flooring and trim and just the right level of light. This combination made the space feel full of energy, yet intimate at the same time.

Restaurant: Morelos Mexican Grill

A friend and I sought refuge from the gray, rainy days that kept us from doing the Headwaters Ride this year, and found it in the margaritas and tasty food at Morelos Mexican Grill in Richfield. The restaurant is in a former Godfather's Pizza, but you can barely tell. I couldn't tell you whether the decor was authentic, but it was so bright I didn't care. Colorful blankets and other paraphenalia hung from the ceilings, and the bathrooms had rows of painted tiles and a what looked to be a hand-painted sink.

I only tried a combination tostada (w/carnitas), tamale (w/chicken), and enchilada (w/beef), but all were tasty. What impressed me most was how NOT greasy they were. I definitely want to go back and try some of the more adventurous items. The margarita was a little weak, but very flavorful.