Tag Archives: American

Restaurant, Travel

Macs, Wisconsin Dells, WI

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Macs, 208 Broadway, Wisconsin Dells WI 53965

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Imagine macaroni and cheese made with real Wisconsin cheeses.  Yep, that is pretty much all you need to know about Macs.  My mouth is watering just thinking about this place.

It is like a fast food macaroni and cheese restaurant.  You walk up to the counter, order the type of macaroni you want and size, and they bring it to your table.

It comes in a skillet and the top is slightly crusted.  The small was the perfect size for me, but I can imagine taking down the larger size.  I literally was away from this place for all of two hours before I had a craving for it.

Macs May 15 2016 178

I went with the Jalapeno Popper Mac which is basically a jalapeno popper in macaroni and cheese form.  Delicious, seriously, I was in heaven.  The loaded baked potato mac only comes in the larger size.  I wasn’t daring enough to eat that much food.

If you are anywhere near this place check it out.  It is just the most amazing macaroni and cheese you will ever taste.

 

Restaurant

Branding Iron Supper Club, Preston MN

Branding Iron Supper Club, Hwy’s 16 & 52 North, Preston, Minnesota.

Bland, this is the best word to describe the food and the Branding Iron Supper Club.

Branding Iron Supper Club 6

From the outside you think everything will be great and even when you walk inside the environment is perfect.  The large glass windows are so grand.  Everything is very nice.  A lot of people eat here, but I must ask why.

Branding Iron Supper Club 2

They bring you butter soaked bread to start.  It is greasy and yet oddly lacking in flavor.

I ordered a jalapeno burger and fries.  I was so excited to see the fries were the thin kind that I love so much.  The color struck me as odd.  They were barely done which may have added to the lack of color.  They were completely unseasoned, not even a drop of salt.  they were utterly disappointing.

Even the burger itself was lacking.  If I had not had jalapenos on it I am not sure it would have been good.  I would call it good, but the eating companion thought his was a hockey puck.

Branding Iron Supper Club 4

Maybe the other dishes were better on the menu, but I truly am left scratching my head on how someone could fail so completely on those fries.  You would think that frying them would have given them at least some flavor.  How can a restaurant not put some sort of seasoning on its food?

If I were you I would pass on the Branding Iron Supper Club and try one of the other restaurants in the area.  It just isn’t worth it unless you enjoy bland food.

Restaurant

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill – Burnsville, MN

Porter Creek Hardwood Grill, 14201 Burngarten Dr, Burnsville, MN 55306

Porter Creek is what I think of when I describe a high end restaurant.  Not a trendy restaurant.  A genuinely high end, great food, high quality restaurant.

The seating is nice.  You are surrounded by other people, but you feel like your space is your own.  You can hear the person you came with speaking and easily converse with them.  I think it is the multiple levels that keeps the noise down, combined with all of the wood.  There are also walls of wine.  I wish my wine rack was that large and that full, WOW.

The food is incredible.  They make a pork chop that is so tender you won’t believe it.  The sauce they serve with it make the meal.  Toss in a large portion of mashed potatoes and your meal is complete.  I went bold and ordered the duck two ways.  They cook it to a medium which was fine for the dark meat portion of the duck.  It made the breast too chewy for my liking.  The meat fell off the bone on the leg and thigh piece.  I heated the breast up the next day and let it cook a little longer.  Incredible.

Porter Creek Duck two ways

They have some Scott tasting flights that looked very tempting.  The Scott that I knew where all very good.

I cannot wait to go back and try this place again.  The prices are upscale, but so is every aspect of this restaurant.  If you want a great night out with an incredible meal try Porter Creek Hardwood Grill.

Tried the Salmon, amazing.

Porter Creek Salmon

Restaurant

Redstone Grill – Eden Prairie, MN

Redstone Grill, 8000 Eden Road, Eden Prairie, MN, 55344

I have eaten at Redstone Grill on a number of occasions.  It is a surprisingly happening place all days of the week.  The bar area is buzzing.  People keep pouring in.  I do not know where they all go, but they all seem to find a place.

The seat next to the fireplace is quite warm, hot really.  They will turn it off if you ask.  The main dining area is dark, but perfectly so.  You can read the menu.  You can see just fine, but there is no denying the darkness.  It is actually a very comforting and adds to the atmosphere.  I like this place very much.

This is a higher end restaurant.  The prices aren’t super high, but they are above average.  It is also a cash of you get what you pay for.

The portions are huge.  I have see a flat bread appetizer easily serve two.  The tenderloin is by far the largest one I have ever been served.  It is also one of the most tender cuts of meat.  The portion of mashed potatoes is a meal unto itself.  Their shrimp appetizers are extremely good.

Redstone port wine

Save room for dessert.  The gigantic slice of chocolate cake served with two scoops of ice cream comes drizzled with chocolate syrup.  They ask before they add it.  Say yes.  Also have them bring a glass of port wine paired to the cake.  Amazing wine, seriously.

If you want to impress and can afford it check out Redstone.  It is worth it.

Restaurant, Travel

Jake’s City Grill

Jake’s City Grill – 1288 Promenade Pl, St Paul, MN 55121

Jake's City Grill Storefront

Jake’s City Grill has really good food.  There is no doubt about that.  Although they do occasionally overcook their prime rib, when they cook it right their French dip is very good.  I like trying their specials for the night because the chief is actually good at putting together very tasty food combinations.

Jake's City Grill tenderloin

For instance this is a tenderloin in a mushroom sauce over some sort of hash brown patty.  It was delightful.  My favorite part was the sauce.  A good sauce is hard to find and this one was perfect.

Jake's City Grill tenderloin 2

Jake’s serves a variety of salads, sandwiches, steaks, an Alfredo, battered fish, shrimp, and pizza.  It is basically American food with a few exceptions.

Jake’s is great for happy hour or drinks out with friends as well.  The bar area is straight ahead as you walk in.  The dining area is off to the right.  I have had the basic happy hour here and everyone liked the drinks.  I think my going away party was also at Jake’s and I remember the food being good and of course the drinks.

Jake's City Grill drink

One thing you will want to do is buy a mixed drink or a beer because their wine pours are very small.  The wine they serve is good, but when you get your glass you will say, really?

My biggest complaint about Jake’s has always been the speed at which they serve their meals, or should I say the lack of speed.  I also cannot stand how loud it is.  Saying that the last time I went the food arrived in a decent amount of time and I could actually hear.  I think it really matters where you sit in the restaurant.

If you are going to Jake’s for lunch plan on spending more than an hour.  You will enjoy the food, but if you are pressed for time you may want to eat somewhere else.

If you are looking for a good, not very expensive night out head on down to Jake’s and enjoy yourself.

Restaurant

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A – Eat more chicken

If you have never eaten at a Chick-Fil-A then you have never had amazing fast food chicken.

Warning:  if you are allergic to peanuts you may want to stay away.  Take note:  cooking the waffle fries in peanut oil makes them amazing.

Chick-fil-a started down south by a southern baptist family and has never gone public which is why the quality of the food has never suffered.  Some of the restaurants are franchise.  The price back in the day seemed higher than most fast restaurants, but these days I would call it perfectly priced.

This restaurant is a throwback to a day of unapologetic cooking (peanut oil) and Styrofoam cups (look my ice isn’t melting).  They do not care about maximizing profits and appeasing everyone.  They care about offering a great meal.

Everyone talks about Chick-Fil-A’s chicken sandwich.  I disagree.  The chicken nuggets are where it is at.  Chunks of chicken very lightly coated with a great seasoning.  Always pair your chicken with waffle fries, always.  If you want sauce you need to ask because they will not.

chick-fil-a chicken nuggets and waggle fries

Minnesota

7480 153rd St W, Apple Valley, MN 55124 – Consistently great food!

The entrance to the Chick-fil-A in Apple Valley, MN

The Apple Valley Chick-Fil-A is amazing.  The food is always cooked right.  They get you through the lines inside and out quite quickly.  It looks full most of the time, but do not let that scare you off.

You can always hear children playing in the game room, not too loud.  There is a car in there about six feet or so off the ground.  Looks like fun if you are that age.

 

2500 West 79th St, Bloomington, MN 55431 – Almost great food unless it is great.

The Bloomington Chick-Fil-A is pretty good, but on occasion they do not meet the perfection of the others I have eaten at.  That being said one of the chicken sandwich’s served there was described to me as the greatest chicken sandwich ever made.

Kids really seem to like this Chick-Fil-A.  You can really hear them having a grand time in the playroom.

Lodging, Restaurant

Sylvan Lake Lodge

Sylvan Lake Lodge – 13389 US Hwy 16A, Custer, SD 57730

Stay in the Lodge or in one of their cabins just around the corner and you have a great place to start your trip around Sylvan Lake Sylvan Lake and up Harney Peak Harney Peak.  You can also take your chances through driving through Needles Highway, slow down and drive a smaller vehicle.

The front of Sylvan Lake Lodge

Here is their website.

Sylvan Lake Lodge Cabin, picnic table, and fire pit.

We stayed in one of the cabins.  Some cabins are bigger than others.  Ours had 2 beds and a bathroom.  The campfire outside was nice and the fireplace inside was fun to have in the room.  We found some flying insects in the room, but this is a park and bound to happen.

Sylvan Lake Lodge bed, fireplace, and appliances.

The cabins are a very short walk to the lodge and the restaurant.  We ate breakfast and one dinner at the lodge.  The lounge area is really nice.  We took our dinner on the outdoor patio.  There is an opening along the wall of the patio that you can take right off a ledge or down to the front of the building, I love South Dakota.  It is very tread at your own risk.

seating at Sylvan Lake Lodge

Breakfast the lodge can be a little slow, but the food is amazing:  pancakes, try the pancakes.  The bacon was pretty good too.  The restaurant is very high end for South Dakota.  Check out their menu.

This cost is high for South Dakota, but not super expensive.  Really the overall cost was rather reasonable.  Plus you are right there to start your trek up to Harney Peak or around Sylvan Lake.

Lodging, Restaurant

Alpine Inn

Alpine Inn – 133 Main St, Hill City, SD 57745

The Alpine Inn is great from a location standpoint being super close to Harney Peak and a ton of other places like Mount Rushmore.  It has a long history and is family owned.  It’s history dates back to the gold rush.  I cannot speak to the lodging, but they keep the stairs to the upstairs area well watched and you have an excellent bar and restaurant right below your feet when you stay here.  The prices look reasonable.

Check out their rates and the restaurant menu on their website, Alpine Inn Hill City.

Alpine Inn sign with me

Now let’s discuss the restaurant and bar.  Expect to wait for a table in the evening and take advantage of their indoor or outdoor bar area as you wait.  The wait is well worth it.

Their lunch menu has a few more items to choose from on it than their dinner menu, but their dinner menu is awesome both the items on it and due to how short it is.

We went for dinner.  I enjoyed a nice glass of wine while we sat on the porch.  They moved the people through pretty quickly.  This is a cash only til so make sure you have cash on you before you go inside.  They also have an ATM available to use.

I love the atmosphere inside the restaurant.  It seems like a rather large restaurant, but it is divided into many little areas with very low lighting.  We ended up in a room with 4 tables and one other set of guests.

Your evening dinner choices basically come down to meat or vegetarian.  With a second choice of small cut of meat or large cut of meat.  Oh and the meat item is a dirt cheap filet mignon.  For those of you who have never heard of filet mignon this particular cut of meat is meant to be eaten medium rare so please do not ask them to burn it to a crisp.  The salad was a quarter wedge of lettuce covered in homemade ranch dressing, so good and simple.

I was scared based on the price, but this was a truly amazing meal.  Super cheap for what you get, but very good quality.

This place is well known for their desserts.  Order one.  Just do it.

Everything is great about The Alpine Inn.  If you are in the area definitely stop in, this place is worth it.

Restaurant

Silver Bell Diner

Silver Bell Diner – 1981 Silver Bell Rd, Eagan, MN 55122

When I think of a diner Silver Bell Diner is the exact style of restaurant that comes to mind.  Checkered floor, jukebox in the middle, and those chairs and booths.  Don’t forget the stools up front for those single diners or the kid that just wants a malt or shake.

Jukebox, records on the wall, checkered floor, and a blue chair.

I love the old advertisements on the wall and the records.

Strawberry Malt with a wafer and cherry on top.

I general go to this place shortly before close which is early to me, but normal for Minnesotans.  It is never packed at this time.  I hope this means that they do more business at breakfast and lunch time.  Their breakfast menu looks super tasty and is served all day.

They offer an assortment of burgers.  The meat is pretty good and the toppings make sense.  They offer a burger of the month.

Hamburger and fries on a plate

I have eaten my way through a good portion of their dinner menu and everything tasted just right.  I think they may have traded cooks since their open because they changed their menu and the food is a little bit better than when they started.  They offer daily specials.

I am kind of stuck on their tuna melt and cheese curds as my preferred menu item.  I had never tried a tuna melt before, but they are pretty darn good.

Tuna melt, cheese curds, and 2 pickle chips on a plate.

If you have room when you finish your meal they have homemade pies.  I have taken a slice home on occasion and their desserts are amazing.

You can find their menu on their Facebook page.  I would put their prices exactly right for what you are getting and overall not expensive.   They are priced at a level that you could probably eat at pretty often.

If you are looking for normal, American, feel good food or if you just want a shake or slice of pie I highly suggest this little gem of a diner on Silver Bell.  Go to the new mall and then stop in here for lunch.

Restaurant

The Blue Door Longfellow

The Blue Door Longfellow – American food restaurant at 3448 42nd Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Burgers and stuff.

I had lunch today with co-workers at The Blue Door in Minneapolis.  The restaurant is tucked away in the middle of what seems like a residential area.

The inside is arranged nicely with large seating areas, some booths and some tables.  All are wood, but not uncomfortable.  The tables are an appropriate height for the seats.  The walls are lined with great art work and pictures.  It has a really nice atmosphere, not too loud, but not too isolated.  You can tell there are others around you without hearing every word, or worse hearing nothing but noise.

I tried the Jiffy Burger with Pepper Jack cheese, bacon, pickle, crunchy peanut butter, and mayo.  The first bite made me feel like I have finally found a burger joint that knows how to make a burger.  It wasn’t the combination on this particular burger as much as the patty and the bun itself.  The basic building blocks of a great burger a patty that isn’t too big and a bun that tastes fresh.

The Jiffy itself is interesting and pretty good.  I could only eat half because it is a really heavy sandwich.  The bacon was thick, but not that gross thick that some places have.  They actually took the time to cook it completely.  You do not really notice the mayo.  The peanut butter is chunky which helps the overall taste with the occasional crunch.  They use dill chips, thank you.

Jiffy burger, tater tots, and ranch

I tried one hand-cut fry which was pretty good.  It had a Cajun seasoning on it.  It had a little heat.  We came for the tater tots.  I do not know if you have to order it with lime chili sauce or if it just comes that way, but those tots where pretty good.  They are sticky and sweet.  They come with a dipping sauce, ranch I believe.  I enjoyed them.

Overall my experience at The Blue Door was very positive.  I look forward to returning and trying one of the other burgers.  I may even have to try one of their famous Blucys.

You could easily eat your way through this entire menu and I doubt you would be disappointed.  They seem to make things right at The Blue Door.

Check out their website and their menu at:  http://bluedoorlongfellow.com/